Brief
One of our HR Consultant clients was contacted by the HR Coordinator of a large organisation. The company wanted to develop six department-level team leaders through a Leadership Development Program. Their goals were to improve communication, strengthen departmental effectiveness, and ultimately raise overall business performance.
Process
The consultant designed a tailored Leadership Development Program to address the company’s objectives. The first step was to take each of the four managers (later expanded to six) through an Open 360° Feedback Assessment. This process allowed leaders to receive feedback from peers, direct reports, and other team members in a constructive way. It also provided an opportunity for the managers to give feedback to each other.
The consultant built a customised Open 360° specifically for the company, incorporating questions that aligned with their strategic goals.
The assessment included five question groups, each linked to communication and leadership outcomes. The response groups chosen were:
- Communication
- Management
- Motivation
- Planning
- Prioritising and delegating
Each group included 4–5 scaled questions and one open-ended question.
The Open 360° was chosen because it highlights cognitive dissonance, often described as “blind spots,” between how managers believe they perform and how others perceive their behaviour.
Challenge
Once the reports were generated, the consultant noticed a significant gap between the IT Team Leader’s self-assessment and the feedback from his direct reports.
The primary issue was communication. The Open 360° results suggested that the Team Leader did not provide enough detailed or informative updates. For example, on Question 46 (“Provides detailed instructions when communicating important information”), he rated himself a positive 2, while his direct reports rated him a negative 0.33.
Comments from the open questions reinforced this issue. One team member wrote that the Team Leader did not share enough information about updates from other departments or changes in current IT projects. Although the manager rated himself highly on Question 49 (“Stays focused on the situation, issue, or behaviour”), his direct reports disagreed. They noted that he often “shuts them down” when they ask questions, leading to misunderstandings and avoidable mistakes.
The Team Leader explained that he became frustrated when team members returned days later asking questions about updates he believed were clear. These frustrations caused him to focus on personalities rather than issues, widening the communication gap.
The results clearly showed a difference between how he thought he communicated and how his team experienced his communication.
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Action Plan
Using the Open 360° Feedback Candidates Workbook, the consultant worked with the Team Leader to identify three communication focus areas:
- Improving the clarity and level of detail he provided
- Developing his listening skills
- Creating structured opportunities for communication
The Team Leader committed to giving more detailed updates, scheduling dedicated time for questions, and checking in with his team throughout the day.
The consultant also worked with the team to introduce new communication procedures. Team members were encouraged to email their questions ahead of time and book short meetings with the manager. This prevented constant interruptions and gave the Team Leader time to prepare answers.
Outcome
After six months, the company reported measurable improvements. Productivity increased, and revenue rose. The IT team worked more efficiently and made fewer mistakes thanks to improved communication and clearer direction. Other departments also experienced progress, contributing to higher company-wide effectiveness.
The IT Team Leader ensured he provided adequate information and made himself available when needed, which strengthened trust and reduced confusion.
The company now uses the Open 360° Feedback Assessment annually as part of an ongoing leadership development strategy. Both the Team Leader and team members have a stronger understanding of each other’s behavioural styles and have reported noticeable improvements in communication.
Want to Build More Effective Leaders?
Use Open 360° Feedback Assessments to uncover blind spots, strengthen communication, and support long-term leadership growth.
