Two partners with whom I had consulted for three years in the northeast US were seeking to enhance their employee annual performance review system. This dental practice employed 35 people who supported the two partner-owners and two additional dentist associates. I discussed the advantages and risks involved in them completing a 360 performance feedback process. I stressed the need to combine coaching with a 360, having personally experienced a 360 with absolutely no follow-up in the 1980’s. They were eager to engage in this type of rich feedback process.

I worked with William Bergquist, President of The Professional School of Psychology (PSP) in Sacramento, California, to get his 360 instrument adapted for this small business. I coached the two dentist owners about the announcement to the staff.  Their process was a welcomed part of the overall teambuilding connected to the corporate performance review process started 3 months before. Staff members perceived me as a trusted external consultant, since I had worked with this team of people for 3 years. They were quite pleased to know that I would be managing this feedback process. For two weeks I fielded questions via phone and email from the team members, most of which consisted of the need to ensure confidentiality and some fears of retribution. Each of the dentists worked with their Director of Operations to identify the pool of 12 respondents who were asked to complete the feedback surveys on each partner. A few people completed a survey for each of the partners due to their working relationships. One was the Director of Operations who closely worked with both owners. Completed surveys were individually mailed to me. I did preliminary scoring then submitted survey data for final statistical analysis to California.