Feeling Stuck Between 360° Appraisals and Coaching? Let's Discuss Your Options!

Hello, all!
I read this article about the disadvantages of implementing a 360º appraisal system and the advantages of using coaching instead to evaluate the performance of employees. I'm very confused because I was thinking about implemeting an appraisal system in my company and now I don't know what to do and I have got lots of questions ... What is your opinion on this?
What's the purpose of coaching? Who is the coach and who is the coachee? I mean, do we coach every employee? Has anyone ever used this performance tool? Are there any forms related?
Thanks
Isabel

COACHING AND 360-DEGREE APPRAISAL.

Performance Management is a cyclical management process, consisting of:

- Planning performance
- Appraising performance [360-DEGREE APPRAISAL]
- Managing/developing performance [coaching/training, etc.]
- Reviewing performance
- Rewarding performance

This is a continuous process.

Here you see the role of 360-degree appraisal and also the role of coaching.

Coaching does not substitute the 360-degree system; it is a supporting tool for HR development. Performance Management is a development process.

360-degree appraisal system is a diagnostic tool that helps determine gaps in performance.

COACHING

Coaching is a modern and rapidly growing method for helping others improve, develop, learn new skills, find personal success, achieve aims, and manage life changes and personal challenges. Coaching is effective for all situations, whether in personal life, career, sales, or corporate and business life. This type of coaching is different from training; coaching draws out rather than puts in, develops rather than imposes, and reflects rather than directs. Coaching is reactive, flexible, and enabling, not prescriptive or instructional. Coaching is non-judgmental.

Coaching is about getting the very best out of someone and enabling them to make decisions that will improve their performance and career. Coaching is a two-way process.

A coach could be:

- HR Manager
- Trainer
- Manager
- Supervisor

A coachee could be an employee of any level. In the coaching process, the employee performs in front of the coach. The coach freezes the action at a point, appraises the performance, and provides feedback. The coach then defreezes the action. The employee seeks advice/feedback, makes changes in the action plan, and performs again in front of the coach. This cyclic process continues until there is a permanent change in the employee's performance.

This method is widely used in sales areas [on-the-job coaching], customer service, production processes, etc. In this process, appraisal is done continually until the right performance is achieved. The coach uses a short appraisal method for this purpose, not the 360-degree system. However, from the organization's point of view, a 360-degree system is still necessary.

Coaching does not substitute the 360-degree system. Therefore, the suggestion is to proceed with your set of 360-degree appraisal systems.

Benefits of coaching:

- Accelerated personal growth and understanding of self
- A lifelong journey of personal excellence and knowledge
- The ability to enhance job roles in any organization and industry
- Coaching brings out the best in people and motivates them to excel in all jobs and careers
- More options in life, important choices of when to work and with whom
- A right and good purpose and meaning in life, measured in real value terms of effort and reward

However, coaching is expensive and of short duration. Once again, please proceed and set up your organization's 360-degree appraisal system.

Hope this is useful to you.

Regards,

LEO LINGHAM

Thank you, Leo, for your reply. It is very useful and comforting to me. But still... what I've read suggests that we should use coaching as a performance development tool because of its benefits to both the employee and the organization. It helps to create a healthier and non-conflicting environment in our company. They even talk about a coaching program... If you know anything about this, please give me some help.

Best regards,
Isabel

Dear Isabel Guedes,

I did mention in my notes, COACHING IS A DEVELOPMENT TOOL. IN ANY ORGANIZATION, IT IS A MUST FOR DEVELOPMENT. IN MANY ORGANIZATIONS, WE HAVE - BUSINESS COACHING FOR MANAGERS - PERSONAL COACHING - ONE-TO-ONE COACHING - CLASSROOM COACHING - ON-THE-JOB COACHING - GROUP COACHING, ETC. WHEN I get time, I will come back with some more useful materials on the subject.

Regards, Leo Lingham

Hello Isabel,

A 360 is not a substitute for coaching or performance appraisals. A 360 is used to get feedback from people above, below, and to the side of the subject of the 360. It is hard, if not impossible, to substitute coaching for a 360.