Who Gives the Leader Feedback?

The Value of 360-Degree Feedback

Many senior leaders and business owners spend much of their time giving feedback, supporting development and helping others improve, but how often do senior leaders or business owners receive meaningful feedback from the people they lead?

And how honest is the feedback they do get?

How is your leadership actually experienced by the people around you?

The CIPD's 2025 Good Work Index found, “51% of UK employees said their manager seeks the views of employees or their representatives”, while just “37% said managers allow employees to influence final decisions”.

Employees whose managers were better at hearing their views were also more likely to go beyond their formal responsibilities. This tells us much about the value of being heard.

What might your team see that you don't?

Most leaders have good intentions, but intention and impact often aren't the same.

A leader who sees themselves as decisive may sometimes come across as dismissive. Someone who values autonomy may unintentionally provide too little direction. A leader who focuses on the details may believe they're being supportive, but it comes across as micromanagement.

These differing perspectives illustrate how different our leadership may look from the outside.

This is where 360-degree feedback can be helpful.

360-degree feedback isn't about ranking a leader or creating a list of faults. It offers a fuller picture of how leadership is experienced by those they lead.

360- degree feedback can highlight some very valuable information, like if communication creates clarity or confusion, if people feel trusted to make decisions, how approachable a leader is, and if there is a gap between your intentions and others' experience. Feedback on these points offers insight into what needs to change and what you're doing well.

Here’s how to get 360-degree feedback:

1. Decide what you want to learn.

Choose 4 - 6 leadership behaviours to investigate. Pick ones that really matter to your business.

You’ll want to select people close to you. Those who know your leadership well enough to give meaningful, honest feedback. Also choose those whose roles you interact with differently in order to get different perspectives.

2. Explain the purpose.

Tell people why you're asking for feedback and what you intend to do with it. Make it clear that this is about your own personal development, about trying to improve your leadership style.

3. Think carefully about confidentiality.

True anonymity can be difficult, particularly in small businesses, but it is essential for honest feedback. If people are scared of being open, their answers won’t help anyone. The same is true if there aren't enough respondents to protect individuals’ confidentiality. Consider using an external facilitator. This is potentially the most important part of the process, ensuring honest and real feedback.

4. Ask for examples too, not just scores.

Encourage respondents to share real examples of the behaviours being looked at. Comments like, "Communicates well — 4/5" or “Explains very little”. This offers a deeper look at your abilities, and follow-up questions like, "What could I do differently to communicate more effectively?" are very useful.

5. Look for patterns, not isolated comments.

One comment may indicate someone's personal preference; however, several people noticing the same behaviour is certainly worth considering.

6. Utilise the results to be a better leader.

Asking for 360-degree feedback comes with a caveat. You need to be willing to receive the information with an open mind. Accept that there may be a difference between the way you see yourself and the way that others see you. Implementing changes identified is essential to maintain trust and become a better leader.

Try the “Intention VS Impact” exercise.

The intention vs impact exercise is a useful way to work through 360-degree feedback is to separate what you intended from what others experienced. The point isn't that the feedback is automatically “right”. Their experience is simply information about the impact your behaviour had, regardless of what you intended.

Here’s what that looks like in practice:

Eg 1.

What I intend:

Give people autonomy

What others may experience: Lack of direction

Evidence from feedback: Several comments mention unclear priorities

What could I change: Set clearer expectations

Eg 2

What I intend: Be available to the team

What others may experience: Frequent interruptions

Evidence from feedback: People mention difficulty concentrating

What could I change: Agree when I'm available

Eg 3

What I intend: Maintain high standards

What others may experience: Micromanagement

Evidence from feedback: Repeated comments about checking work

What could I change: Define outcomes rather than methods

We measure performance, develop our teams and ask how the business could improve but one of the most valuable questions a leader can ask is, “What is it like to be led by me?”

360-degree feedback won't give you the whole answer, but it may well offer valuable information and reveal the gap between your intention and your impact. That gap is often where the most meaningful leadership development begins.

You can't change what you can't see. Let your team be your eyes.