Colleague Feedback Best Practices Guide
The purpose of colleague feedback is to gather comprehensive and multisided feedback insights on an individual's performance and development. The feedback should focus on both goals and competencies. The colleague feedback is collected from various sources such as peers, direct reports, project team members, and any internal or external stakeholders to get a comprehensive view of strengths and growth opportunities for skills and behaviors. The feedback obtained from various sources can be used to align expectations and foster continuous development, a core tenet of Grow and Perform at Stanford.
Best practices to gather colleague feedback
- Identify who will provide feedback.
- Send an email to invite feedback. A sample email is given below. List a due date and follow-up, if needed. In the email:
- List the purpose, questions and timeline. Sample questions you can ask, include:
| Sample Questions |
|---|
| List at least one example of where the employee has demonstrated strengths and how that impacted project outcomes? What competencies were demonstrated? |
| Provide an area of developmental opportunity. Please highlight skills and/or behaviors with examples. |
| How would you describe this person's contributions to the overall success of the team? |
| Give at least one example of how this individual has provided a positive experience in their areas of responsibility? |
| Do you have any suggestions on how this individual can achieve better outcomes, in terms of skills and/or behaviors? |
Keep in mind these considerations:
- Ensure confidentiality and anonymity.
- Ensure the purpose is developmental; not punitive.
- Encourage respondents to provide specific, work-related examples and evidence that make their feedback actionable (vs. vague generalities).
Collect feedback and analyze the data
Look for patterns, trends, and areas of consensus and divergence. While the 360 feedback process is valuable, it is not immune to biases that can impact the fairness of the feedback provided. Focus on balanced feedback, including positive reinforcement and developmental areas, while taking a stock of the variables that may have impacted the feedback.
Share and discuss feedback during the mid-year review conversations
Encourage your team members to use the feedback for self-development. Be future and growth focused in your messaging (i.e., how they can accelerate strengths, specific actions they can take to close gaps).
Work on a mutually agreed upon action plan and set up future check-ins to follow-up
Listen actively to your employees, as you engage in the give and take of delivering the feedback and hearing the employee receive it. Be respectful, ask clarifying questions and be future focused, including providing ongoing support for development.
Sample Email
Subject: Request for Your Feedback
Dear [Colleague's Name],
As part of our commitment to continuous growth and development, I am initiating a 360-degree feedback process to gather comprehensive insights on [Team Member's Name]'s performance, both in terms of goals and competencies. Your feedback, based on your experiences collaborating with [Team Member's Name], will be instrumental in providing a well-rounded performance assessment. Please highlight strengths and areas for improvement for the purposes of supporting their professional growth.
I kindly request that you take a few moments to provide your feedback by answering the following questions by [Date]. Your input will be kept confidential and will only be used for developmental purposes.
[Insert 2-3 questions. See sample questions above]
Your participation in this process is highly appreciated. Please feel free to contact me if you have any questions or require further information.
Additional Resources
To learn more about the benefits of such feedback, LinkedIn Learning has a video on obtaining and benefiting from 360-degree feedback