#12 JooBee's newsletter

TL;DR

😣 Exec underperforming? 360 Feedback is NOT your answer

🛞 360 Feedback is broken: here’s one alternative

💥 Start-up career hacks with Sophie Theen (exclusive content)

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Exec underperforming? 360 Feedback is NOT your answer

If you've been feeling frustrated for weeks or even months, grappling with the nagging sense that your exec isn't meeting expectations, yet you haven’t mustered the courage to have that tough conversation – here’s the hard truth: 360 feedback is NOT going to help you.

In similar scenarios,  founders have asked me to gather formal 360 feedback for that exec. My immediate response is, “Are you hoping the feedback will confirm your suspicions and give you grounds to put the individual on a performance improvement plan (PIP) or part ways?" More often than not, they admit, "Yeah, that's pretty much it."

Occasionally, I'll respond with, “Are you being a 🐥chicken and hiding behind a 360 Feedback process?” (Disclaimer: I have developed strong relationships with these founders who are familiar with my unconventional methods of diffusing their frustrations and cutting through the BS 🤓).

Their responses vary: some sheepishly admit, “Yes, but you needn't be so blunt about it 😅” while others fall into silent reflection before saying “I didn’t realise I was doing that.” Then some ask, “Why do you say that?”

I ask this question because, in reality, founders usually already gathered the 360 Feedback - or I like to call it “multi-source feedback” – across a period of time. They've likely observed signs such as the exec making subpar hires, failing to meet targets, struggling to collaborate effectively with other departments, peers having to work around them or facing investor scepticism.

360 Feedback doesn’t work in this scenario - here’s why

If founders still insist on collecting 360 Feedback, we would have to gather feedback for the WHOLE exec team under the guise of “development”. But really, it's all about that one underperforming exec. And guess what? At best, the feedback we receive tends to be neutral. At worst, it can be overly positive.

Shouldn't 360 feedback surface candid insights? Unfortunately, when it's collected through a formalised process for execs, a sugar-coated reality tends to emerge. Let's break it down:

Direct reports: Unless your exec is a certified jerk, their team will sing their praises. And even if they think their boss couldn't lead a parade, they'll probably sugarcoat it or keep it vague. Plus, they're only seeing things from their angle. You, the founder, possess a broader view encompassing interdepartmental dynamics, board relations, client interactions and future planning.

Peers: No one wants to get their colleagues into trouble, especially in written form, given the ease of identifying contributors in a small executive team. So, they play it safe and their feedback tends to be generic and non-committal.

Instead of drowning in 360 Feedback surveys, focus on what matters

Instead of relying on 360 Feedback surveys, founders should validate existing data points through objective metrics and in-depth conversations.

1️⃣ Look at the cold, hard metrics: Start by examining performance metrics objectively. If you think your exec isn't hiring the right talent, what objective measures do you have? Are 50% of hires on their team leaving during the probation period? Or are their hires failing to meet performance expectations after 6 months in their roles? If the exec is failing to meet targets, what metrics indicate this? Is it the speed of feature releases, revenue targets or customer churn? Those are the numbers that don’t lie. 

2️⃣ Meaningful conversations: Roll up your sleeves and have real conversations with individuals or groups working closely with your exec. Why? So that you can ensure confidentiality, clarify how the feedback they share will be used and ask probing questions if the feedback is unclear. 

The ultimate goal is to gather concrete evidence to validate whether your exec is underperforming. However, be prepared for tangible evidence that may disprove your initial assumptions about their performance.

Stop tip-toeing around the issue and initiate the necessary conversations

Once you've validated your concerns, sit down with your exec and talk about their performance. Help them understand the impact their performance (or lack thereof) is having on people and the business. And before you start drawing up plans, figure out what's holding them back. Set expectations for improvement, make plans to get back on track and agree on a timeline.

Last but not least, don't shy away from discussing potential consequences if they are not successful. Involve your exec right at the beginning and discuss what could happen next if they are not able to step up. Before you jump to any conclusion, letting them go isn’t the only possible outcome. Click here to read more about the different paths forward.

360 Feedback is broken: here’s one alternative

Rationally, the concept of 360 Feedback makes sense. I wrote my PhD on it 😅. Nurturing performance and growth requires feedback and these insights are best gathered from multiple points of view. The concept holds.

360 Feedback is time-consuming and plagued with biases

However, let's talk about the 360 Feedback process in the real world – especially during the chaotic hustle and bustle of year-end activities. Picture this: it's December and everyone's scrambling to meet targets, close sales deals before the holidays or plan the strategy for the next year. And then, amidst this frenzy🤯, we're asking folks to carve out time for feedback sessions. Let’s crunch some numbers for a 100-person business. Assuming each individual requires 4 pieces of feedback from their colleagues and each feedback takes 20 mins to write (yes, I am being conservative) - it amounts to a daunting 8000 minutes or ~17 working days of collective effort just to get feedback jotted down! Let’s not forget, we’re likely working an average of 15 days in December. 

You might argue that your company is willing to invest this amount of time because it's an investment in people’s careers. Fantastic! However, during this mad dash period, 360 Feedback often becomes just another item to check off the list (hence the 20-minute estimate to jot down feedback for a whole year's worth of work!). But let's pause and remember: the person writing the feedback is just that – a person with a brain. And “if you have a brain, you have bias,” says NeuroLeadership Institute. People are prone to unconscious biases, especially when under a time crunch! Our brains tend to rely on the most recent (expedience bias), easily accessible information (distance bias) and gut feelings (experience bias), rather than providing objective and evidence-based feedback. 

The concept is good, but the execution is poor 

While the concept of 360 Feedback sounds fantastic, the reality is a bit messier. Relying on a once-a-year (biased!) review fails to capture the holistic ongoing journey of individual performance and growth. What we need is a more organic, ongoing approach. 

And no, I'm not suggesting we simply take the same flawed 360 Feedback method and turn it into a quarterly process; that would just multiply the problem by 4!

During the Performance Reviews period, the time to "review" is not during THAT period - where everyone starts sending 360 Feedback form/survey/emails to gather feedback. Instead, Performance Review periods should serve as a moment to CONSOLIDATE and SUMMARISE the notes already made from 360 sources of feedback that have occurred over the past months. 

Alternative: 360 Feedback Sources across a period of time

Here are some examples of what 360 Feedback Sources look like; success measurement and feedback from people gathered and noted from:

• Projects (e.g. planning, retro, brainstorming)

• Conversations (e.g. Slack, 121s, emails, etc)

• Recognitions (e.g. Kudos, feedback, Slack, emails, etc.)

• Development plan (e.g. notes, feedback, etc)

Encouraging managers to consolidate and summarise notes from various 360 Feedback Sources over a time period enhances the feedback-gathering process. This ensures that they gain insights from wider perspectives in order to provide valuable input to support someone’s performance.

Incorporating 360 Feedback Sources into your Performance Reviews: 3 things to consider 

1️⃣ Say what’s on the tin to clarify expectations

I am a big advocate of calling a spade a spade. So, in my past companies, when we were building and launching Performance Reviews, we called the process exactly what it was intended for - Performance Snapshot or Performance Summary.  

2️⃣Manage expectations of ‘No 360 Feedback surveys during Performance Reviews’

If you're adopting this approach for your Performance Reviews, ensure that you are communicating this expectation well in advance - ideally, 3 to 6 months before the Performance Reviews. This lead time allows managers to get into the habit of making notes for performance observations and feedback given or observed within this period, to be used as a summary during the Performance Reviews period.

 3️⃣Help managers make notes effectively throughout the year

Initially, this might be perceived as additional work for managers. But here's the thing: it's not about piling on more work - rather, it's work they are already doing (e.g. 121 notes, summary from retro, OKRs review, etc), but ensuring it's noted in a way that's easy to search and consolidate during the Performance Reviews period. There are numerous systems available to help you efficiently consolidate these insights (it's great if you have implemented them!). However, if you can't, always remember - the key is developing the habit, not the system.

Let me share a personal example. I am big on sending bite-sized feedback (both positive and for improvement) to my team based on what I notice day-to-day - be it from a project meeting, influencing stakeholders, launching a new project or making improvements to a process. I do this via Slack, but with the constant flow of messages, this feedback will be lost after 6 months 😅. That's why I make it a point to tag each feedback with a 'Feedback note.' This way, when it comes time for Performance Reviews, I can easily search and pull up all the feedback I've shared over the past 12 months.

Don’t let poor execution erode the quality of feedback for growth

Always keep our eyes on the prize - nurturing our people’s performance and growth🚀. The process should enable us to gather high-quality insights and feedback. Let’s focus on designing processes to facilitate rather than hinder our ultimate goal.

From corporate conformity to authentic success

The mistake I made

My career took a sharp turn when I shifted from the structured corporate world to the dynamic realm of start-ups. In corporate life, there were clear guidelines to follow, whether you were a team member or a leader. But in the start-up scene, there were no rulebooks. As a woman in FinTech, I often found myself as the only female, even in leadership roles. My most significant career mistake during this transition was losing my authenticity while attempting to conform to what I perceived as the start-up norm.

Early in my start-up journey, I received feedback that I was too direct, open, and vulnerable. Believing I needed to adapt, I changed my communication style drastically. I abandoned my direct approach for a vague and wishy-washy one, thinking it was the key to success. However, this change led me away from my authentic self, causing me to lose the qualities that made me an effective leader.

The one thing I wish I knew to avoid that mistake

For me, this was one of the things I wish I had known - an experienced mentor advising me not to take this feedback too literally. I often felt like I didn't belong, and this impacted my sense of belonging. However, I’ve come to understand being direct and embracing vulnerability weren't weaknesses; they were my authentic leadership style. Confidence allowed me to provide valuable feedback, and vulnerability fostered meaningful connections.

One tip to hack your career in start-ups

In my journey from corporate to start-up, this lesson played a significant role. I spent a considerable amount of time not being my true self, trying to fit into someone else's mould, which ultimately stunted my growth. 

My tip to avoid falling into the same trap is simple: be authentic and embrace who you truly are. While feedback from trusted individuals can be valuable, remember that you have the ultimate say in which feedback to embrace and when it truly resonates with you. I wish I had known earlier that authenticity would be my key to success. If you're navigating start-ups, remember: be true to yourself, and success will follow.

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