The quality of a 360 feedback initiative depends heavily on the participants who are selected.
The goal is not to invite as many people as possible.
Instead, it is important to choose individuals who have genuine experience collaborating with the employee.
Who are the right participants?
The best participants are people who:
work regularly with the employee;
have observed how they collaborate;
can speak about real situations;
understand their role or impact;
can provide respectful and useful feedback;
bring a different perspective than the manager’s.
A strong mix of perspectives helps create feedback that is more balanced, relevant, and actionable.
What should be avoided when selecting participants?
⚠️ Avoid:
inviting employees who know very little about the person’s work, even if they are on the same team;
selecting only close allies;
choosing people where there is existing tension;
adding participants without a clear intention;
looking for feedback that simply confirms an existing perception.
👉 A good selection process should help create a balanced picture of the employee’s impact and collaboration.
Helpful questions to ask before choosing participants
Who truly sees this person in action?
Who can speak about their day-to-day collaboration?
Who brings a perspective the manager may not see?
Who can identify concrete strengths or useful growth opportunities?
Who has enough context to provide thoughtful feedback?
A small number of relevant participants is far more valuable than a large number of responses that add little insight.