A model for organization‐based 360 degree leadership assessment

Success in the new economy is more dependent on successful relationships with internal and external stakeholders than ever before. The “business ecosystem” has created webs of interdependent relationships between organizations and their employees, suppliers, customers, and business partners. These relationships not only impact how firms add value to customers and create competitive advantage, but various internal processes as well. Unfortunately, these relationships often fail to capture their full potential due to misalignment between the organization and its stakeholders. This article presents a practical guide for organization‐based 360 degree leadership assessment, which should help organizations to identify gaps or “blind spots” with internal and external stakeholders. Borrowing from the multi‐rater feedback literature, a discussion of the steps in using the organization’s leadership as the focal point is provided. Self‐assessment on a series of organizational leadership dimensions is proposed, which is compared to evaluations by employees, customers, suppliers and business partners. The proposal should provide direction for practitioners seeking greater stakeholder feedback, and a foundation for further academic inquiry.