PETER SCOTT CONSULTING Building Higher Performance in Tomorrow’s Law Firm: The Role of the 360...

PETER SCOTT CONSULTING

Building Higher Performance in Tomorrow’s Law Firm: The Role of the 360 Degree Appraisal

Peter ScottPeter Scott Consultingwww.peterscottconsult.co.uk


What is a 360 degree appraisal?

Involves

Feedback from those you report to Feedback from your peers Feedback from staff who report to you

to provide an all-round perspective ofperformance.

For what purpose?

For law firms in the future…

Achieving higher performance is likely to matter as never before, if they are to -

become competitive exploit market opportunities



To do this law firms will need to focus on…

Getting the best performance from their people

Helping people to maximise their potential

How skilled are law firms at getting the best from their people?

In particular….

Do people management skills in law firms need to be developed?

Do they ever ask their people what they think?


Obtaining feedback from colleagues can

be an essential stage…

to build on peoples’ strengths and to reinforce what they are already doing well

to identify what they could do better


Why 360 degree feedback?

More constructive Better received More effective to enhance performance or

change behaviour

than downward feedback alone


Why better?

Who better to give feedback on peoples’ performance and their people management skills than their peers and staff?


Feedback from staff?

Natural for partners to feel apprehensive Involving partners in the process helps to allay

fears and show them the benefits


The 360° process


How to introduce 360° feedback into a law firm partnership?

Do not seek to impose it on partners Partners must fully support the process if they

are to take feedback to heart and change as a result

The process must not be seen as threatening


Developing a 360° appraisal

Involve partners in the development of the process

Explain - purpose - benefits - how it will work Tailor the process to their firm and its needs


Assessment criteria

Involve partners in clarifying criteria to define ‘high performance’

Partners will then feel they ‘own’ the process Will provide greater transparency for future

partners


Some examples of performance criteria

Client relationships Technical ability Commercial / financial awareness Business development Management Relationships with colleagues Personal attributes

“What will it take to succeed at our firm in the future?”


The 360° process

No single best way to do this Which way best suits your firm Must be a process to which partners are willing

to commit


For example….

Integrated into appraisals as part of annual performance management cycle

Used to support a particular development programme


Who should provide feedback?

All other partners? Only nominated partners? Nominated staff? Randomly selected staff?


An independent external facilitator to obtain feedback?

Anonymity assured for full and frank feedback Feedback can be reviewed to ensure it is

constructive Can provide objective input and so can create

confidence in the process Can be crucial for the debriefing sessions


Methods of feedback

Face to face meetings Telephone interviews Confidential questionnaires A combination of the above


The feedback itself?

Best if there are comments as well as quantitative and qualitative feedback

Can be very revealing!


The debriefing process

Success depends on a positive and motivational debrief with each partner

Partners need to see any less than positive comments

- not as criticisms - but as constructive comments to help improve performance or change behaviour


Who should carry out the debrief?

Internal or external facilitator?

If to be internally carried out – training may be needed

If badly implemented, 360° feedback can be damaging


What happens next?

Needs to be part of an ongoing performance management process

Should aim to provide each partner with an agreed and actionable performance development plan


Benefits?

Some client quotes –

“I think partners believe it has improved internal relationships as well as value to clients”

“People throughout the firm can feed back about partners and the partners can feed back on each other more honestly, anonymously and in a non-emotive way – that’s why it has improved internal relationships.”

“We wanted to improve efficiency of the firm and value to clients – and this is a good way of contributing to that”


Some more client quotes

“All partners took on board the results which came out of the process and accepted that it was a valuable learning experience.”

“The process assisted in the development of self-awareness, a clear factor in improving leadership and people management skills. This in turn improves performance”

“I believe the process was an important step towards achieving our goals”


Any questions?

PETER SCOTT CONSULTING Building Higher Performance in Tomorrow’s Law Firm: The Role of the 360...

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