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Jul 16

Implementing a Global 360° Feedback Process across Cultures: Will it Really Work?

360° feedback is one of the most widely used performance management strategies in global organisations today. In fact, research shows that approximately 90% of all Fortune500 companies use some kind of 360° feedback technique. One of the fundamental objectives of any 360° feedback is to improve the individual performance of employees in line with the organisation’s global priorities and requirements.

The principle of running an evaluation process to review and improve an employee’s performance is an important one, however the way this process is carried out may or may not be effective depending on where and how it is implemented. Organisations looking to harness the benefits of effective global leadership and management must consider the cultural factors that can negatively influence a performance management process of this kind.

Business Writing Viorika Prikhodko i Implementing a Global 360° Feedback Process across Cultures: Will it Really Work?

So what is a 360° feedback process?

Before we explore what may or may not work across cultures, let’s first make sure we understand what a 360° feedback process is. The process of using 360° feedback consists of providing an employee with feedback from different internal and external perspectives, in other words, it looks at feedback from a full 360° circle. Each individual is objectively evaluated by colleagues both above and below their level as well as external counterparts to ensure a complete picture of their performance.

Once a combination of quantitative and qualitative feedback is collected, individuals will go through a series of review meetings to discuss the feedback and identify areas for improvement or reward. During these 360° feedback review meetings the employee and their manager will share feedback, both positive and constructive, in order to highlight specific short and long-term actions to improve their performance.

What are the potential problems?

So what makes the implementation of a global 360° feedback process so difficult in a multicultural environment?

In many individual, task-oriented and egalitarian cultures like the US, UK, Finland or Germany, 360° feedback processes such as this can be very well received and effective. In more collective, relationship-oriented and hierarchical cultures, this evaluation system is often extremely ineffective. Although people from cultures like India, Spain and China will go through the process if required, the feedback collected and results of the meetings will not always be an accurate representation of the individual in question.

The assumption that feedback is welcomed and viewed as constructive is sometimes a one sided cultural perception. In fact, people from collective cultures like those in Asia will often avoid criticism and refrain from negatively assessing an individual’s performances for fear of hurting the group harmony and causing loss of face. This is particularly the case if the feedback is being requested by someone more senior than them, especially in cultures where hierarchy plays a key role in business and social interactions.

Asking for feedback from direct reports and superiors is just one cultural challenge of the 360° feedback process. Sharing the feedback with the individual can be equally, if not more, challenging. People from collective cultures like China may perceive the information as negative and embarrassing and may as a result feel isolated and depreciated in the workplace. People from individually-oriented cultures like the US value honesty and since they believe that they have considerable control over their own behaviours and outcomes, they value direct feedback which will help them to improve their performance.

Cross-cultural challenges of 360° feedback

When you combine the potential cultural challenges of requesting and giving feedback with certain cultural attitudes without adapting the approach, you may waste considerable time and effort on a process that will not give you the desired results.

Here are two specific examples of how a 360° feedback process can be challenging across cultures:

Where the process is implemented directly from a culture like the US to a hierarchical and relationship oriented culture like India, you may have problems collecting valid feedback which is truly reflective of employee performance in that location.
Where the process is implemented between two people of opposing cultural approaches, such as in the case of a British manager and Thai subordinate, there is a risk of not only failing to collect legitimate feedback but also of causing offence and damaging the relationship.

How can we improve 360° feedback across cultures?

With the right cultural understanding and effective global leadership skills, there are many things that global managers can do to ensure the successful use of this evaluation system. Here are a few simple ideas:

Amend the process so the upwards feedback is guaranteed to be anonymous
Make sure that you know what to ask for and be specific and clear in your requests
Clarify what kind of information you want to get and explain how you expect the feedback to be received or acted upon
Define the different grades on the scale to avoid initial misunderstandings and diverse interpretations
Ask your employees how they interpreted the feedback to check the accuracy of the assessment and whether the action plan correctly addresses the issue
Be a live example of how feedback should be shared and used

Despite the challenges that a 360° feedback process may present across cultures, organisations that take into consideration the cultural factors will see a significant difference. Not only will they get the information they want but they will develop a pool of talented employees with a high level of performance and enhance positive interpersonal relationships among employees. Considering how this process is impacted in a different cultural context will also help organisations to reduce confusion around expectations, motivate their employees’ professional and personal growth and improve everyone’s job performance.

Implementing a 360° feedback process can offer great results around the world, but only when culture is taken into account right from the outset.

Tagged with: 360 feedback • cross-cultural awareness • cross-cultural challenges • Cross-cultural management issues • effective global leadership • Leading across cultures • managing International teams • Working effectively across cultures

Jul 13

London 2012 Olympics Scheduled during Ramadan – Cultural Faux-Pas?

Cross Cultural Training, Culture, Culture training for Business & Management, Culture training for Human Resources, Culture training for the Public sector No Comments »

London’s Mayor and Culture Secretary are working hard to ensure that the London 2012 Olympics involve all of Britain’s ethnic groups equally. This may be more challenging than they thought, however, as the Olympics fall during the important religious event of Ramadan. Thousands of Muslims who will compete in, work or volunteer at this summer’s Olympic events will be left with the question on whether or not to follow Ramadan in the traditional sense this year.

The timing could not have been more inopportune, but there was no real choice for the LOCOG (London Organising Committee of the Olympic and Paralympic Games) to schedule the 2012 Olympics outside the Ramadan period. Being provided a strict window for the Games to take place by the International Olympic Committee and the need to consider aspects such as public transport in London and the availability of volunteers needed, they decided to schedule the Olympics from 27 July to 12 August, which lies in the middle of Ramadan.

Quran Koran Retrovizor i London 2012 Olympics Scheduled during Ramadan – Cultural Faux Pas?

The religious fasting period of Ramadan takes place this year from 20 July to 20 August. The period of Ramadan changes by about eleven days every year according to the lunar calendar. The 30 day long period of fasting is one of the five pillars of Islam, considered to be a time of worship and closeness with God and therefore one of the most important celebrations for Muslims.

As most Muslims strictly fast from dawn until dusk during this period, the impact of Ramadan on personal and professional spheres must be acknowledged – not only in Arabic countries. The Olympics being a huge multicultural and multi-ethnic event will therefore require cross-cultural sensitivity towards this religious tradition and how it may impact everyone involved in the games.

Influence on Athletes

There are an estimated 3,000 Muslim athletes who may be impacted by Ramadan during the games this year. Fasting during the Olympics is not only inconvenient and challenging, but depending on the type of sport it could deplete an athlete’s liver and muscle glycogen stores and lead to dehydration and a drop in performance.

As Muslim athletes are usually allowed to defer their fasts, many of them are going to postpone the fasting period to maintain the performance they have been working so hard for during the last years. Not all Muslim sportsmen and women will do this, however, especially if not fasting during the holy month is frowned upon in their culture, so it’s important to be conscious of this.

Influence on Staff and Fans

Although the athletes are the ones which are most obviously influenced by the clash of these two important events, we cannot forget about the enormous number of Muslims who will work or volunteer at the Olympics or be watching the games as spectators. Organisers will need to consider the requirements they have for praying and eating during this period and provide the time and space they need to carry out these religious traditions.

What are they doing about it?

In order to meet athletes’ and workers’ Ramadan needs, organisers are putting in place a series of initiatives including:

Fast-breaking packs with dates and other traditional foods
Open dining facilities 24 hours a day so that competitors will be able to eat before dawn
Prayer rooms at every venue with Muslim clerics on hand to assist people
Large multi-faith centre at the Olympic village in Stratford with a common lounge and specific areas for the five largest faiths

The Olympic Games are a true test of London’s well-known multiculturalism and cross-cultural sensitivity. This great event will determine whether organisers have been able not only to make the most of London and its people but whether they can create an environment where all athletes will be able to have outstanding performances. All of this must be done with minimal frustration and difficulties to the organisers, athletes, volunteers and spectators as well as to the general population of London.

Some may argue that the organisers of the Olympics have made a cultural faux-pas by scheduling them during such an important religious event celebrated around the world. It should instead be considered as a cultural opportunity – a time when we can allow all cultures and traditions to shine in the face of adversity and challenge.