The Science Behind Success: Integrating 360-Degree Assessments into Level 52’s Leadership Development Model
By Jayson Krause, Managing Director of Level 52 & Award-Winning Author of The Science Behind Success
When it comes to leadership development, the pursuit of a fail-safe formula for success is as elusive as finding a needle in a haystack. At Level 52, we've crafted a model that comes close, drawing on the principles of high-performance athletics and the bedrock of science to help experts transition into meaningful leaders. At the heart of this award-winning model is a feedback tool that is widely recognized but often misunderstood: the 360-degree peer feedback assessment.
The 360-degree assessment, or 360-degree evaluation as it's sometimes known, is a potent tool that offers a comprehensive view of a leader's effectiveness. It collects feedback from a leader's subordinates, peers, and superiors, painting a holistic picture of their performance. A 360 peer feedback assessment is the best way to create a foundation of self-awareness. But how does this 360-degree appraisal fit into Level 52's Science Behind Success model?
Our model is constructed on four science-based pillars: Hypertrophy, Memetics, Epigenetics, and Myelin. Each pillar represents a critical aspect of leadership development, and the 360-degree review plays a pivotal role in each.
Hypertrophy: This pillar is about growth and strengthening. Just as muscles grow through stress and recovery, leaders develop through challenges and reflection. The 360 feedback review provides the stressor, the feedback that challenges leaders to step out of their comfort zones and confront their blind spots.
Memetics: This pillar is about the spread of ideas and behaviours, akin to how viruses spread. Leaders shape culture, and the 360-degree feedback review helps identify which behaviours are beneficial and should be spread, and which are detrimental and need to be curbed.
Epigenetics: This pillar is about the influence of the environment on talent expression. In leadership terms, it's about how a leader's behaviour is influenced by their environment. The 360 evaluations help leaders understand how their environment perceives them and how those perceptions influence the way people around them show up.
Myelin: This pillar is about practice, habits, and repetition leading to mastery. The 360-degree review is not a one-off exercise but should be repeated at regular intervals to track progress and ensure continuous improvement.
In essence, the 360-degree assessment is the leader evaluation tool that fuels the Science Behind Success model. It provides the data that leaders need to grow (Hypertrophy), identifies behaviours to spread or curb (Memetics), offers insights into the impact of the environment (Epigenetics), and tracks progress over time (Myelin).
However, the 360-degree assessment is not a magic bullet. It's a tool that, when used in conjunction with the Science Behind Success model, can drive significant leadership development. But a 360 review requires leaders to be open to feedback, willing to change, and committed to continuous improvement.
Undoubtedly, the 360-degree assessment is a critical component of Level 52's leadership development model, which is why we offer it as a part of our Accelerated Leader Programs, Executive Coaching, and as a standalone tool leaders can revisit on an annual basis. It provides the insights that leaders need to develop and succeed. But remember, the tool is only as effective as the hand that wields it.
