Recently one of our IT Manager channel readers contacted me about the importance of upward reviews for providing feedback to managers. He argued that they are seldom used and not taken seriously enough by those involved in the process.
Employees accept reviews of their performance by their managers--and sometimes peers--as a part of working life. Staff react in a variety of ways, depending on both their own personalities and how the review is carried out. Some find it constructive, while others may find the whole process either confrontational or traumatic.
Given that you know this is how your staff will react to having their performance reviewed, how would you feel about letting these same team members review whether you're up to the mark?
Being reviewed by those reporting to you can bring out more insecurities and issues than the traditional version of a manager reviewing their team. Not only will it be crystal clear what your team thinks of you, it might well raise issues about team dynamics, workload, and technological challenges.
Whether this is a positive or a negative experience, and how you deal with it, depends on the type of manager you are. Handled the right way, processes which let staff tell you exactly what they think can be constructive. But the flip side of this is that you don't want it to turn into a way for staff to either rant or undermine a manager's authority.
Do you think that upward reviews of CIO and IT managers by team members are a good idea? What are your tips for managing the process? Please send your comments to Talkback below or e-mail us your tips to itmanager@zdnet.com.au
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Most managers I have worked under wouldn't dare do this. If they did they would not allow anonymous submissions. The standard of IT management is generally appalling. Middle management promotes "safe" people, not competant ones.