Dear Coach,
360° input is time-consuming yet very impactful. How do you scale this work when you’re dealing with not just one coachee but a group?
Best,
Caroline Dowd-Higgins, United States
Dear Caroline,
Meet the 3–3–1 technique — pinpoint three strengths, identify up to three areas for improvement, and prioritize the first improvement area.
Here’s what I do: I have the leader or leaders send to various people, including but not limited to their direct reports, a message along these lines:
Dear _________,
I am working with Jathan Janove as my coach to help me become a better leader. Please candidly share with him the following:
- What do you think are my three greatest strengths as a leader?
- What do you think are up to three areas where if I got better it would be beneficial?
- If you identify more than one growth area, which one should Jathan and I focus on first?
You can provide this input in one of two ways. Email your input to Jathan directly at jjatpdx@gmail.com, or email him to set up a time for a conversation.
Everything you share will be held by Jathan in strict confidence and only shared with your express permission.
Thank you very much for supporting my growth and development as a leader.
Best regards,
Leader
How does this help with the 360° work? Well, it’s super helpful because most people respond through email, and I can read their responses in just minutes or even seconds. If I need more details, I can easily follow up with them, so I get all the info I need for the coaching really fast and efficiently.
Let me share an example to illustrate the efficiency of the process. I once coached a CEO who had a vast network due to his previous experience in statewide, elected public office. When we used the 3-3-1 process, he came up with 40 names for feedback. At first, I was worried it might take a lot of time, but surprisingly, the process turned out to be super-efficient. It provided me with all the information I needed without draining my time unnecessarily.
So if you’re engaged in coaching a group or you’re engaged in coaching an uber-connected leader, I encourage you to use this method. It’s my go-to in every coaching engagement.
Best regards,
Jathan
Jathan Janove is a Marshall Goldsmith Stakeholder Centered Coaching Master Coach and Practice Leader. You can learn more about him here. If you have a question you’d like him to address, please email us at AsktheCoach@mgscc.net.
