Part 3 · Article 12 of 14

What is a leadership 360, and how do you run one?

By Daniele D'Esposito, founder of Org360 · Updated 18 October 2026 · 4 min read · CC BY 4.0

What does a leadership 360 measure?

Org360's leadership 360, "How I Show Up as a Leader", asks about how a leader is experienced in everyday work: clarity, trust, communication, support and follow-through.

Org360's public sample report shows a fuller version, organized into 5 dimensions:

• Communication & Trust
• Empowering Others
• Strategic Impact
• Collaboration & Inclusion
• Innovation & Growth

Each dimension breaks down into competencies, such as active listening, coaching and development, and prioritization and focus. Article 9 walks through that report.

Who should rate a leader?

• Direct reports: the core group. They experience the leader's direction, support and communication every day.
• Peers: other leaders who see how the person collaborates across teams.
• Manager or board: one view from above.
• Self: the leader's own rating, to show self-other gaps.

Invite 5 to 8 people in each group where you can, and at least 3 who will reply (article 6).

When should you run a leadership 360?

• About 6 months into a new management role, once the team has seen the new manager in action.
• At the start of coaching, as a baseline, then again around 6 months later (article 7).
• When a company grows past about 50 people and founders start managing through other managers.
• Before a leadership retreat or strategy offsite, so the team works on real priorities.

How long should a leadership 360 be?

Org360's leadership 360 comes in 2 lengths: Leadership Pulse with 12 questions (about 5 minutes) and The Full 360 with 24 questions (about 10 minutes). The Nonprofit Leader All-Rounder 360 is a deliberate exception: a 74-question all-rounder for nonprofit executive directors, using items from Marshall Goldsmith with his permission. It suits a thorough, coach-led review, where raters agree in advance to spend more time.

What the research says

• Discussing results with the team helps leaders improve. Walker and Smither (1999) followed more than 250 managers over 5 years of upward feedback. Managers who discussed their feedback with their direct reports improved more than those who didn't.
• Coaching helps turn feedback into goals. Smither and colleagues (2003) found that senior managers who reviewed their 360 with an executive coach were more likely to set specific goals and to ask for ideas, and improved more a year later.
• Overrating yourself is a risk sign. Fleenor and colleagues (1996) found that managers who rated themselves higher than their direct reports did were seen as less effective by their own bosses than managers whose self-ratings matched or were lower.

Key readings: Walker and Smither (1999); Smither and colleagues (2003); Fleenor and colleagues (1996). Full references are in the research reading list.

Org360's view

Org360 believes a leader's team knows more about their leadership than anyone else, and a short, confidential leadership 360 is the safest way to ask them. Org360 recommends that leaders share their 3 priorities with their team afterwards. It thanks raters, and the research suggests it helps the change stick.

Frequently asked questions

Related: article 9 (reading the report), article 7 (when to repeat), article 10 (what a 360 is).

Sources: Org360 sample report · Org360 surveys