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Why law firms do 360 degree feedback and techniques the Bar can adopt
Today, providing and receiving feedback should be a regular habit for us all – not a rare gift, delivered once a year, or seen as a burden to provide. Feedback is communication. Feedback is guidance. Feedback is an opportunity to raise performance for all concerned.
It is already widely recognised in law firms that to deliver high performance and develop talent there needs to be a culture of feedback. Approaches have developed significantly over the years. We have moved away from annual performance reviews to more frequent discussions. We have removed unnecessary barriers by changing processes and feedback capture mechanisms. The mindset has also altered, building the expectation that everyone provides feedback and that we should also ask for it. Importantly, these approaches apply to all in the firm, from partners to paralegals, administrative staff to the chief operating officer, and regardless of employment arrangements.
Feedback is a two-way street, so here are four things to keep in mind:
Part of the culture shift is to encourage people to ask for feedback, not just wait for input:
Firms are now using a variety of tools to gather performance feedback, including apps that enable quicker, real time input to be shared. There are some tools and approaches we can all use that do not require investment:
We know from behavioural science that our best intentions are not always realised as we do not translate to actual implementation. We often maintain the status quo and continue on the path of least resistance, and there is significant and powerful research in this area. So, to create the habit one useful technique is to link the feedback discussion to specific events, for example, after a case, or at key milestones, or diarise once a month to take time to share and/or request feedback.
People often learn more from what was not successful, as long as the mindset and encouragement exists to maximise the opportunity.
Jay Connolly is the Global Chief Talent Officer for Dentons and responsible for the human resources and talent functions across the firm. He spends a significant amount of time supporting partners on leadership development.
© iStockphoto/PeterSnow
Today, providing and receiving feedback should be a regular habit for us all – not a rare gift, delivered once a year, or seen as a burden to provide. Feedback is communication. Feedback is guidance. Feedback is an opportunity to raise performance for all concerned.
It is already widely recognised in law firms that to deliver high performance and develop talent there needs to be a culture of feedback. Approaches have developed significantly over the years. We have moved away from annual performance reviews to more frequent discussions. We have removed unnecessary barriers by changing processes and feedback capture mechanisms. The mindset has also altered, building the expectation that everyone provides feedback and that we should also ask for it. Importantly, these approaches apply to all in the firm, from partners to paralegals, administrative staff to the chief operating officer, and regardless of employment arrangements.
Feedback is a two-way street, so here are four things to keep in mind:
Part of the culture shift is to encourage people to ask for feedback, not just wait for input:
Firms are now using a variety of tools to gather performance feedback, including apps that enable quicker, real time input to be shared. There are some tools and approaches we can all use that do not require investment:
We know from behavioural science that our best intentions are not always realised as we do not translate to actual implementation. We often maintain the status quo and continue on the path of least resistance, and there is significant and powerful research in this area. So, to create the habit one useful technique is to link the feedback discussion to specific events, for example, after a case, or at key milestones, or diarise once a month to take time to share and/or request feedback.
People often learn more from what was not successful, as long as the mindset and encouragement exists to maximise the opportunity.
Jay Connolly is the Global Chief Talent Officer for Dentons and responsible for the human resources and talent functions across the firm. He spends a significant amount of time supporting partners on leadership development.
© iStockphoto/PeterSnow
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