New boss asks engineers to evaluate each other and send a summary

[jimmybirdie]

I think I will do it but only focus on the strengths of each person. There is one person who is on the bubble and I suspect that he might be the target but I am not sure. I thought this is unusual but as Dave Barnes provided the link, it is common enough to have a name "360 review".

[YourWakeUpCall]

I work for a large company that employs tens of thousands of engineers. Managers are required to solicit feedback from their employee's coworkers for performance appraisals. In fact, managers who fail to do so are penalized on their own performance appraisals.

[greywar]

Originally Posted by jimmybirdie

I think I will do it but only focus on the strengths of each person. There is one person who is on the bubble and I suspect that he might be the target but I am not sure. I thought this is unusual but as Dave Barnes provided the link, it is common enough to have a name "360 review".

Perfect choice if it makes you uncomfortable.

The negative stuff can help too if its put the right way. I learned things about myself that I was unaware of at my workplace through these though, they can be positive if done correctly. The fact that you are uncomfortable at all says to me they aren't being done correctly.

[misscross]

Originally Posted by greywar

Some signs of it being a bad thing:
If he knows who the feedback is from
If you aren't also reviewing him.

Definitely agree with this. Eons ago I had a director at a Fortune 500 do this 360 BS and exactly in the manner quoted above. FWIW I was pretty sure he had ulterior motives for doing so and could freely edit/cherry pick all the 360 reviews. He had brought in some friends from his old job and clearly favored them and trumped up their small accomplishments. One of my peers was eager to brownnose and play the game. I was unimpressed with said director and his friends stealing credit at every opportunity. Another peer was struggling to stay relevant and in between brown-noser and myself in her reaction to the Director. I believe he did the exercise to gauge how we all felt about each other to his own/his friends advantages only, not out of any actual inclination to improve the team.

Truthfully I wouldn't go overboard writing glowing positives about others at best just be neutral.

[nam2015]

I have done some 360s and it was not in that way. HR run the show, not the manager ans I have to give feedback on one particular person only in the three cases (two coworkers and a boss), not for the whole department.