What are the most effective ways to prepare for a 360 degree performance evaluation?

1 Understand the purpose and process

Before you participate in a 360 degree performance evaluation, you should understand why it is being conducted, how it is structured, and what it will measure. You can ask your HR department or your manager for more information about the purpose, goals, and criteria of the evaluation, and how the feedback will be collected, analyzed, and shared. You should also familiarize yourself with the tools and methods that will be used, such as online surveys, interviews, or reports. Knowing the purpose and process of the evaluation will help you set realistic expectations, reduce anxiety, and prepare relevant examples.

2 Seek honest and constructive feedback

One of the benefits of a 360 degree performance evaluation is that you can receive feedback from multiple perspectives and sources, which can give you a more accurate and balanced view of your performance. However, to make the feedback meaningful and useful, you need to seek honest and constructive feedback from your raters. You can do this by choosing raters who know your work well, have interacted with you frequently, and have different roles and backgrounds. You should also encourage them to provide specific and objective feedback, based on facts and examples, rather than vague or subjective opinions. You can also ask them to focus on your behaviors and skills, rather than your personality or traits.

3 Reflect on your own performance

Another important aspect of preparing for a 360 degree performance evaluation is to reflect on your own performance and achievements as a transportation planner. You can do this by reviewing your goals, objectives, and tasks for the past period, and assessing how well you have met them. You can also consider how you have contributed to your team, organization, and clients, and what value you have added. You should also identify your areas of improvement, and what actions you have taken or plan to take to address them. By reflecting on your own performance, you can gain more insight into your strengths and weaknesses, and compare your self-assessment with the feedback from others.

4 Be open and receptive to feedback

When you receive the feedback from your 360 degree performance evaluation, you should be open and receptive to it, rather than defensive or dismissive. You should appreciate the time and effort that your raters have invested in providing you with feedback, and acknowledge their perspectives and opinions. You should also listen carefully and attentively to the feedback, and ask clarifying questions if needed. You should not take the feedback personally or emotionally, but rather as an opportunity to learn and grow. You should also avoid focusing only on the negative or positive feedback, but rather look for patterns, themes, and gaps in the feedback.

5 Analyze and act on the feedback

The final and most crucial step in preparing for a 360 degree performance evaluation is to analyze and act on the feedback that you have received. You should review the feedback carefully and critically, and identify the key messages, insights, and recommendations. You should also compare the feedback with your own self-assessment, and see where they align or differ. You should then prioritize the areas that need improvement, and set specific, measurable, achievable, relevant, and time-bound (SMART) goals for your professional development. You should also communicate your action plan to your manager and your raters, and seek their support and guidance. You should also monitor your progress and achievements, and seek feedback regularly.

6 Here’s what else to consider

This is a space to share examples, stories, or insights that don’t fit into any of the previous sections. What else would you like to add?