360 Performance Review Process on Executive Presence

How can you choose the right 360 degree review process for assessing executive presence? And how does the process differ from other 360 reviews?

If you’re implementing a 360 performance review for leaders, not just any 360 evaluation will do. Instead, you need a 360 assessment that’s tailored to the competencies of executive presence. It will highlight particular skills gaps that are preventing leaders from radiating executive presence in all situations.

Let’s examine in detail how a well-designed 360 review process should be structured.

1. It’s based on an executive presence competency model.

   To assess executive presence (EP), a good 360 performance review process should be based on a well-designed Executive Presence competency model. A competency model provides a framework for developing the core competencies of executive presence. Choosing a 360 degree survey based on such a model will give leaders a true comprehension of where they stand. It gets into the nuts and bolts of executive presence in a way most 360 surveys can’t, revealing insights on how leaders are performing within the key EP domains.

   A competency model can provide guidance on developing questions for a 360 assessment. Using the themes of the model, you can identify the most crucial developmental needs.

   Garfinkle Executive Coaching has designed the 3×3 Executive Presence Model along with a 360 review process based on this framework. This approach allows you to measure the specific competencies leaders are working to grow, using an excellent 360 assessment tool.

2. It uses behavior-centered language.

   The questions in a 360 assessment should inquire about particular behaviors. Questions like “Is this leader good with people?” or “Does this leader care about clients?” aren’t very strong because they don’t focus on behaviors. And the answers they deliver would be very subjective. Instead, questions could ask, “Does this leader follow up with clients to ensure they’re getting maximum value from the service?” and “Does this leader listen actively when others are speaking?” Try to frame things in a way that relates specifically to the leader’s job.

   Through a 360 performance review, your company can identify the most critical developmental needs for each leader. A 360 review focused on executive presence will target the most pressing areas for high-level leaders to develop.

3. It focuses on people skills.

   A 360 leadership assessment should not target technical abilities. By a certain level in a leader’s career, they’ve already developed these skills to a high level. Instead, leaders who want to become more effective need to target their interpersonal skills, which form the backbone of executive presence. The nine EP qualities outlined in Joel Garfinkle’s 3×3 Executive Presence Model all influence how leaders relate to others.

   An executive presence 360 review will focus on a leader’s ability to show up as:

   • Confident. Leaders must come across as self-assured and capable in every context.
   • Commanding. Leaders must take charge in tough situations that call for strong direction.
   • Charismatic. Leaders should motivate and inspire others by helping them believe in themselves and the organization’s vision.
   • Decisive. Leaders must act decisively even when they don’t have 100% of the relevant information.
   • Bold. Leaders must act boldly, putting a stake in the ground and standing by their position.
   • Influential. Leaders should exert influence in all directions—not only among subordinates, but also among peers and superiors.
   • Vocal. Leaders should speak up often in every type of situation—interactions with senior leaders, team meetings, all-hands meetings, and elsewhere.
   • Insightful. Leaders must be articulate and creative, presenting compelling insights gained by taking time to reflect on their experiences as well as reading and analyzing materials in their field.
   • Clear. Leaders should strive to use clear language that drives their point home, so listeners can easily understand them.

These are the skills they need to assess and develop to lead at a high level, so make sure your assessment focuses on them.

Likewise, a 360 review process doesn’t typically focus on concrete outcomes. Rather than asking about achievements, it focuses on perceptions of the human skills that make big accomplishments possible. Why? It’s easier to look at hard data to assess whether leaders have met their goals and achieved specific outcomes. And reviewers won’t necessarily have or recall that information offhand. But it’s less feasible to assess human skills using data alone. For that, you need the array of perspectives provided by a 360 review.

4. It has a clear rating scale.

   A 360 performance review for executive presence should have an easy-to-understand rating scale. Make sure it clarifies what each point on the scale signifies, rather than just using numbers alone. Otherwise, reviewers might interpret rating options in different ways, affecting the validity of the results.

An experienced executive presence coach can lead a successful 360 performance review. Leaders will have the detailed and ongoing guidance to integrate their new self-awareness into their daily practice. Contact Joel today to get started.

Joel also conducts executive presence training to corporations wanting their employees to elevate their executive presence.