The idea of upward reviews may make some CIOs and IT managers apprehensive, but respondents to a recent IT Manager channel poll have evangelised the long-term benefits.

Respondents argued the importance of feedback, claiming upward reviews have the potential to provide an open forum for team members to offer suggestions. However, several IT professionals who responded to the poll warned the process needed to be handled sensitively and also advised the feedback be used to make changes.

IT professional Matthew Coates recognises the importance of upward reviews, but has found that these mechanisms are not utilised enough. Coates also questions whether they are taken seriously enough and whether they are able to motivate change.

"It is common knowledge that the ability of a manager to quickly adapt to changes, which result in an evolving management process over time, is one of the key indicators of future successes," Coates said. "One could make the case that the ability of a manager or firm to accept and take seriously the constructive criticisms of its employees is at the heart of this ability to adapt and evolve."

He questions why managers and companies often fail to tap into the wealth of insight and creativity offered by these employees. "If managers and companies would simply ask with a sincere and open ear, 'what can I do to do a better job?' they would get a lot of great ideas and suggestions, sure to improve the work and environment by a wide margin."

Confidentiality and trust are two hurdles Coates believes need to be overcome in order to achieve these improvements. "Employees may be unsure about posing criticisms of managers, for fear of being black-listed. It is important for the environment to be truly a 'free speech' session, or one which allows anonymity," Coates argues. "An environment where there is a free sharing and respect for ideas, and where egos are no barrier, creates mutual respect and accountability."

Another respondent, Jeff Kemp, an IT professional currently working on a project at the NSW Department of Educating and Training, believes the review of a manager's performance by their direct reports is worthwhile because it enables managers to identify areas which can be improved.

"An IT manager or CIO, in my experience, is constantly dealing with various issues and under constant pressure to ensure their department is delivering on business requirements," Kemp said. "At times they may not be aware of the impact their actions have on other members of their team."

Kemp thinks that the trick is to obtain a balanced view of performance. "Much will depend on the personalities which make up the team," he said. "Some people are not comfortable providing criticism of their manager as they fear reprisal at a later time."

He also warns that some people see upward reviews as an opportunity to deliver criticism which may be less than constructive. Peer review from other managers within in the organisation is also a good idea, Kemp said.

"Several years ago while I was working at a large multinational I participated in the review process of the manager I was reporting to...The results were tabulated and returned to the manager. The next phase of the review was a group meeting of all participants with the manager who was assessed, where he had the opportunity to seek further feedback from the team."

"This was no doubt uncomfortable for all involved, but once the ice was broken, much constructive feedback was provided. Some participants still held back, but the manager took on board the feedback from the team and to his credit worked effectively to address areas of concern," Kemp said.

Systems analyst Lucas Randall sees feedback on performance important for IT professionals managing staff.

"Such feedback is often the only direct indicator of your effectiveness as a leader, aside from obvious conflicts, employee turnover, and productivity," Randall said. "The approach to these upward reviews, however, is vital to their success. Anonymity is very important to some team members, and often if they feel their identities may be discovered they'll cushion their responses in fear of being victimised."

Randall cautions that while upward reviews are most beneficial in measuring leadership effectiveness, they are not always an overly useful measure of a manager's technical expertise. "You must also ensure there is an open slather area where team members can make comments on whatever is on their mind," he suggests. "In my experience, team members will often communicate something which has been bugging them for some time in this manner, where normally you might not hear about it at all."

"If you elect to use an upward review process...take it seriously. Convey to your team the importance you attach to the process, and act upon the genuinely constructive criticism which comes out of it," Randall said. "If you can, share your results with a peer or your manager, and ask them for advice on how to address any issues--draw upon their experience too."

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