360-degree feedback

360-degree feedback (sometimes "multi-rater feedback") is a performance-feedback method in which an individual receives input from a circle of colleagues — peers, direct reports, cross-functional partners, and the direct manager — rather than just from the manager alone. The goal is richer, less-biased signal: peers see day-to-day collaboration the manager never witnesses; direct reports see leadership behavior the manager cannot self-assess. Done well, 360 feedback surfaces blind spots, reduces idiosyncratic-rater effects, and produces more credible inputs to growth conversations.

The traditional implementation — annual, anonymous, free-text — is widely criticized for producing vague, unactionable feedback, surfacing personality conflicts more than performance, and being too rare to drive behavioral change. Modern variants run continuously, anchor feedback to specific behavioral principles or competencies, and limit the number of asks per reviewer per cycle so quality stays high.