Creating a Culture of Open and Honest Feedback: How Multi-Rater Feedback Can Help

Ever heard of radical candor? For the uninitiated, it’s a new-ish communication framework that invites teams to care personally while challenging directly. Its creator, Kim Scott, does a great job explaining it in this short video. For all its faults—namely, that it can be abused—we like what it says about feedback and how important it is to cultivate a culture where team members feel comfortable giving and receiving it regularly. What’s more, radical candor recognizes the importance of multi-rater feedback—as in, input from multiple perspectives. Hey, we really like the sound of that! Here’s why.

Multi-Rater Feedback Is More Accurate

If one person says your new haircut looks nice, you might have a hard time believing them. But when five people tell you? Go give your hair stylist a high-five! Multi-rater feedback works the same way. A survey sample of one is a survey with low confidence. The more perspectives you can include, the more assured you can be in the results.

Multi-Rater Feedback Is More Complete

Multi-rater surveys, or 360 degree assessments, typically include a self-assessment and an assessment from peers, a supervisor and direct reports. It may even include customers. These multiple viewpoints give the person being rated a more complete view of their strengths and potential weaknesses.

Multi-Rater Feedback Is More Actionable

Accurate, comprehensive feedback can have a powerful effect on personal and interpersonal development. Multi-rater feedback, then, can be especially powerful. It can boost self-awareness, help identify areas to work on, and begin a process of personal growth and learning since raters will often give suggestions for improvement.

With Multi-Rater Feedback, Practice Makes Perfect

Everyone wants to know their opinion is valued. But when the feedback model is top-down, that can inadvertently exclude a lot of voices. You can’t create a positive feedback culture overnight. It takes repetition and it requires practice. The more you provide opportunities for multi-rater input, the better your team will be at giving feedback and receiving it.

G360 Surveys can help you work on your culture of open and honest feedback. Get started with one of our 360 degree assessments today.