From a systems thinking point of view, psychometric instruments tend to be blind to the unique relational system the individual being measured exists within. Marc Kahn
The term ‘360 feedback’ emerged in the late nineties since when the vast majority of organizations have adopted the use of multi-rater tools. Despite their widespread use, there is little conclusive evidence as to their value and some coaches avoid them entirely. Recent research suggests such tools can be useful if used thoughtfully.
Two Paradigms
There exist two basic paradigms in the world of organizational development.
Traditional – leader as hero
The first paradigm regards leadership as an individual sport. It is assumed that if you succeed in training/coaching each and every leader in your organization, then you will achieve high levels of performance. Leadership is defined in generic terms, with everyone encouraged to aspire to a single set of competencies. The objective of development programs, including feedback programs, is to facilitate an intense burst of development, once every year or two.
Systemic – leadership as social adaptation
The second paradigm is adaptive. People’s mental models as to what constitutes great leadership are constantly changing and evolving, based on experience and the sense they make of those experiences in dialogue with others. Moreover, how we best show up as leader depends on context. How many leaders have you worked with who have encountered problems with their leadership styles in moving from one organization to another, or who appear to be effective working with some stakeholders but not with others?
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