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Leveraging_the_Impact_of_360-Degree_Feedback_----_Leveraging_the_Impact_of_360-Degree_FeedbackChecklist.pdf

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Leveraging the Impact of 360-Degree Feedback36

STANDARDIZED OR CUSTOMIZED INSTRUMENTS An organization can choose an existing, standardized assessment instrument

(sometimes called off - the - shelf solutions) or have an instrument custom designed

for its use. Unfortunately, there is no such thing as the perfect instrument, and

there are advantages and disadvantages to both types.

A primary advantage to using a standardized instrument is cost; it is often less

expensive than a customized alternative. Also, an existing 360 - degree feedback

instrument can provide extensive normative data, so participants have the oppor-

tunity to compare their scores to many other managers in other organizations.

Standardized Tools Standardized instruments have been created to be sold directly to individuals or

organizations that wish to implement 360 - degree feedback. The availability of

off - the - shelf instruments is increasing at a rapid pace. If you decide to use such

an instrument, your fi rst task is to learn what instruments are available in order

to choose the best possible tool for your organization. Use the Standardized

Instrument Checklist (see Exhibit 2.8 ) to record your notes about the standard-

ized feedback tools you are considering.

Customized Tools An alternative to using an off - the - shelf instrument is to create a survey specifi -

cally designed for the organization. A customized instrument has an advantage

over a standardized one in that it is designed to measure competencies that are

important and specifi c to the organization (Chappelow, 2004).

At fi rst glance, this may seem to be the best choice. An organization is like a

family: it likes to think that it is unique in its best qualities and in its dysfunctions,

and that no off - the - shelf instrument can capture its particular essence. While it is

not diffi cult for an organization to come up with a list of important competen-

cies, the diffi culty lies in creating the survey, scoring program, and developmental

materials that are needed for a successful 360 process.

In addition to the logistical challenges of creating a customized instrument,

validity and reliability studies must be conducted to ensure that the instrument is

psychometrically sound, that is, reliable and valid. (Reliability is the consistency

or stability of the data collected by the instrument; validity is the extent to which

the instrument measures what it is supposed to measure and the appropriate use

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Fleenor, J. W., Taylor, S., Chappelow, C., Fleenor, J. W., & Taylor, S. (2008). Leveraging the impact of 360-degree feedback. ProQuest Ebook Central <a onclick=window.open('http://ebookcentral.proquest.com','_blank') href='http://ebookcentral.proquest.com' target='_blank' style='cursor: pointer;'>http://ebookcentral.proquest.com</a> Created from trident on 2021-01-19 08:35:48.

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Implementing a 360 - Degree Feedback Process 37

Exhibit 2.8. Standardized Instrument Checklist

Date:

Instrument:

____The items and scales make sense to our organization (they have face

validity).

____The competencies the instrument assesses are relevant to the behaviors

we want to change in our organization.

____The competencies it assesses are related to our organization’s underly-

ing management model.

____The data will be meaningful to our managers. It will be perceived as

consistent and accurate.

____The behaviors assessed are amenable to change.

____The provider has suitable experience and expertise with the instrument,

target audience, and subject matter.

of the results.) Some organizations fail to conduct these studies; however, this

approach is extremely shortsighted. If the organization expects its employees to

be open and to make changes based on the feedback, it must provide evidence

that these changes are actually the ones that are needed.

Demonstrated reliability and validity are essential for an effective and defen-

sible 360 - degree feedback process. It ’ s counterproductive to give employees

feedback that is based on unstable and inaccurate data. Designing a reliable and

valid survey requires the involvement of an expert in instrument development.

A doctoral degree in psychology, educational measurement, or a related fi eld is

usually required. If the organization doesn ’ t have this expertise internally, it may

have to hire the services of a consultant who has the necessary training and

experience.

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Leveraging the Impact of 360-Degree Feedback38

Much of this expense and diffi culty can be avoided by using a customizable

instrument offered by a provider of 360 - feedback services. These instruments

allow the selection of desired competencies from a collection of competencies

that have been tested for reliability and validity. The content and length of a cus-

tomized instrument can be tailored by selecting important competencies and

combining them to create an assessment that closely refl ects the needs of the

organization. All of the guidelines that apply to selecting an off - the - shelf instru-

ment apply to customizable instruments, and you can use the Customizable

Instrument Checklist (see Exhibit 2.9 ) to expand your analysis of instruments

you are considering.

Exhibit 2.9. Customizable Instrument Checklist

Date:

Instrument / Provider:

• Does the application require both paper and online options, and does

the assessment provide both options?

• What customization options exist?

• Can e-mails and greetings be personalized?

• Can the website be branded for your initiative?

• Is the software hosted or must you install it at your site?

• What are the technology requirements to access and use the software?

• What administrative capabilities are available to you?

• How is project status monitored?

• What report options are available?

• How long does it take to set up your survey once customization choices

have been made?

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