How to create a 360-degree leadership survey
In today’s rapidly changing business world, companies cannot rely only on top-down evaluations to measure leadership effectiveness. Instead, they need open, two-way communication that encourages honest feedback across all levels. One of the best ways to uncover how employees view leadership is through a 360-degree leadership survey – but only if it is done right.
This guide shows how to build and run a meaningful 360-degree survey and explores its benefits for both leaders and companies.
Why use a 360-degree survey?
Teams benefit from the opportunity for regular development, especially during periods of change or challenge. But team development is not down to cutting and pasting offerings from a training manual. Each company and team are unique, and so leaders should start with a diagnostic approach to assess their team’s specific needs. This process can include:
- One-on-one interviews to understand goals
- Surveys to gather opinions and insights
- Focus groups to explore recurring themes
- Assessments to highlight individual strengths
Based on this input, leaders can implement targeted interventions – delivered in-person or virtually – that support team success. Crucially, they should track clear KPIs to measure the impact of these efforts.
What is a 360-degree leadership survey?
A 360-degree survey gathers leadership feedback from all angles:
- Direct reports
- Peers
- Supervisors
- Self-evaluation
This holistic input helps leaders understand how others perceive their communication, collaboration, accountability, emotional intelligence, and more. It is a powerful tool to spot blind spots and identify both strengths and weaknesses.
How to design and launch a 360-degree survey
1. Define your goals
Decide what you want to achieve. Are you assessing executives, middle managers, or team leaders? Your goals might include:
- Improving leadership development
- Identifying ineffective behaviours
- Enhancing collaboration
- Boosting employee retention
2. Choose participants
Segment your team:
- Who is being evaluated?
- Who is giving feedback?
- Will responses remain anonymous?
3. Ask the right questions
Keep it focused – 25 to 35 well-designed questions work best. Combine rating scales with open-ended prompts aligned with leadership values. Sample prompts:
- “What could this leader do to improve communication?”
- “Describe a time they showed strong accountability.”
- “Do they treat all team members fairly?”
4. Use secure survey tools
Platforms like Qualtrics and SurveyMonkey allow customisable templates, automated rollout, and real-time data tracking.
5. Communicate transparently
Explain the purpose, how anonymity is protected, and how the company will use the information. Clarity builds trust and encourages honest feedback.
6. Analyse and take action
Review results across departments and feedback types. Pay attention to leadership blind spots – in other words, differences between self-perception and others’ views. Then, share insights and outline action plans for improvement.
Key benefits of a 360-degree survey
A 360-degree leadership survey offers more than just performance feedback – it cultivates meaningful growth at every level of a company. By collecting input from multiple perspectives, it helps identify leadership strengths, uncover blind spots, and drive cultural improvement.
Here are 6 ways the company can benefit:
- Builds a feedback culture
When feedback comes from every direction, employees feel heard and respected, improving trust and openness. - Increases leader self-awareness
Many leaders do not know how others view them. Multi-source feedback helps them grow personally and professionally. - Identifies company trends
Aggregated data can reveal systemic issues—like widespread communication problems—that require targeted training. - Tailors leadership development
Feedback highlights specific training needs, making development programs more impactful. - Aids succession planning
You can spot rising stars and support struggling leaders, and shape smarter promotion strategies. - Boosts engagement and retention
When employees see their feedback making a difference, morale and loyalty levels rise.
Real-world impact: Two case studies
One: Adobe – Replacing reviews with feedback
In 2012, Adobe replaced annual reviews with a continuous feedback system called Check-In.
They:
- trained managers to give and receive feedback,
- encouraged employees to reflect on their own performance, and
- promoted ongoing, informal 360-style feedback.
Results:
- Saved 80,000 hours/year.
- Reduced voluntary turnover by 30%.
- Improved team morale and communication.
Two: NHS – Developing compassionate leaders
The UK’s NHS launched a leadership programme using a 360-degree feedback tool to build more accountable, empathetic leaders. Participants included clinicians, staff, and even patients (indirectly).
Results:
- Better communication and teamwork, especially in high-pressure areas.
- Fewer medical errors and improved staff satisfaction.
- Targeted coaching based on feedback.
3 ways a leadership coach can help the process
An experienced leadership coach can play a crucial role throughout the entire 360-degree survey process, acting as both facilitator and guide to ensure meaningful change happens. Here is how they add value at each stage:
- Pre-Survey: Setting the foundation
The coach helps establish clear expectations from the outset. They work with the leadership team to define what success looks like, address any uncertainties about the process, and ensure everyone understands this is about growth, not punishment. The coach also helps design survey questions that align with the organisation’s specific challenges and goals, making the feedback more relevant and actionable. - During data collection: Maintaining momentum
While surveys are being completed, the coach keeps the leadership team engaged and prevents the process from stalling. They help leaders stay open to feedback rather than becoming defensive, and they often conduct preparatory sessions to help leaders mentally prepare for potentially difficult feedback. - Analysis phase: Making sense of the data
This is where coaches really bring value. Raw survey data can be overwhelming and confusing. The coach helps leaders identify patterns, prioritise areas for improvement, and distinguish between isolated complaints and systemic issues. They facilitate discussions that help the team see blind spots they might miss on their own, and they help translate feedback into specific, actionable development goals.
Looking to implement a 360-leadership survey and co-create a strong, healthy, united team?
Contact Kerstin Jatho here for help.
Over to you for sharing your comments and experiences.
About the Author: Kerstin Jatho
Kerstin is the senior transformational coach and team development facilitator for 4Seeds Consulting. She is also the author of Growing Butterfly Wings, a book on applying positive psychology principles during a lengthy recovery. Her passion is to develop people-centred organisations where people thrive and achieve their potential in the workplace. You can find Kerstin on LinkedIn, Soundcloud, YouTube and Facebook.
