How 360 Feedback Transformed One Leader and What It Could Do for You
by Andrew Uprichard, Executive Coach
When leadership coach Massimo Backus received his first 360 feedback report, it caught him off guard.
Despite running global leadership development programs, he was stunned to learn his team didn’t feel psychologically safe. The feedback said he shut down ideas, struggled to build trust, and was even described by one team member as a bully. A dominant theme? Defensiveness.
The disconnect between how he saw himself and how others experienced him forced him into deep reflection and change. That moment became the foundation of his book, Human First, Leader Second, and the conversation we had with him on The Future of Teamwork podcast.
Massimo’s experience shows us what many leaders eventually discover: You don’t grow by guessing. You grow by asking.
Want to hear the full story?
Massimo shares how 360 feedback challenged everything he thought he knew about leadership—and how self-compassion became his most powerful tool for growth.
Click here for the Full Episode!
7 Ways 360 Feedback Makes You a Better Leader
360 feedback is a powerful tool for leadership development. By gathering feedback from peers, direct reports, and managers, you understand your leadership impact beyond your own self-perception.
Here’s how a 360-degree assessment can make you a more effective, emotionally intelligent leader:
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- Uncover Leadership Blind Spots: A 360 reveals patterns in how others experience you, things you might not realize, but that shape team culture and performance.
- Turn Constructive Feedback Into Growth: A strong 360 assessment provides actionable insights. You’ll spot themes in your leadership behavior and know exactly where to focus your development.
- Increase Trust Through Transparency: Inviting feedback shows vulnerability and openness. When leaders actively seek input, it builds psychological safety across the team.
- Improve Communication and Influence: What you say and what others hear aren’t always the same. A 360 highlights where your message isn’t landing and how to adjust for greater clarity and alignment.
- Reinforce Your Leadership Strengths: Feedback isn’t just about fixing problems. A 360 also spotlights what you’re doing well—so you can lead with confidence and consistency.
- Bridge the Gap Between Intent and Impact: You may think you’re empowering your team—while they feel micromanaged. A 360 shows where your intentions and others’ experiences don’t align.
- Strengthen Emotional Intelligence: Understanding how your behavior affects others is core to emotional intelligence. A 360 helps leaders build greater empathy, self-awareness, and resilience under pressure.
Bonus: Why Multi-Level Feedback Matters Most
The most impactful 360s gather input from every level: your manager, your peers, and your direct reports. But not every tool includes all these perspectives by default.
Here’s why they matter:
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- Your manager sees your strategic thinking and execution.
- Your peers experience your collaboration and communication.
- Your direct reports observe your day-to-day leadership behavior.
Each group brings a different lens. Without all three, you’re working from an incomplete picture.
The more complete the feedback, the more precise your growth.
From Insight to Action: Why Support Matters
Massimo’s story didn’t stop at the 360. His transformation came through deep personal work, including a weeklong retreat, reflection, and a daily commitment to showing up differently.
That kind of change isn’t easy to navigate alone.
A 360 assessment is the mirror.
Executive coaching is what helps many leaders grow from what they see.
If you’re ready to explore what 360 feedback could reveal and how to use it to become a better, more emotionally intelligent leader, let’s talk!
