Why I’m Doing a 360 — and Why It Might Matter for You Too
Why do people think what they think about you as a leader? Is it based on actual experience? And if they haven’t experienced you firsthand, are they manufacturing a perspective?
The Prompt for Self-Reflection
At the urging of our Human Capital and Governance Committee, I decided to undergo a 360-degree feedback evaluation.
And I’ve taken a bold step: I expanded the 360 to include feedback from across the entire enterprise. Anyone — at any level — can weigh in. Because a 360 isn’t about validation. It’s about vision. Not just how you lead, but how you’re experienced.
Why Perception Matters
People form opinions whether we invite them or not. And in the absence of proximity, they fill in the gaps with fragments of what they’ve heard, assumed, or imagined.
Sometimes the loudest story in the room isn’t the truest. It’s just the one no one has challenged. That’s why this process matters. Not because it’s comfortable. But because it’s clarifying. Leadership demands we tell the truth — not just about others, but about ourselves.
What You Learn from a 360
When you open yourself up to feedback, two things show up:
- Gems – The affirmations that confirm where you’re effective and impactful.
- Jabs – The critiques that linger in silence until you give them permission to speak.
Both are sacred. Gems build confidence. Jabs build character.
When Feedback Meets Action
Years ago, I was in consideration to lead a global nonprofit. As part of the process, I was put through a two-day simulation complete with case studies, financials, role plays, and live feedback.
I didn’t just learn what I knew. I learned what I didn’t know I didn’t know. And that changed everything. Because the real risk in leadership isn’t weakness — it’s unawareness. When you know your blind spots, you can build around them. Ignore them, and leadership becomes dangerous.
Three Things Growth-Oriented Leaders Do
1. Look Outward
They don’t just analyze markets. They analyze themselves through the lens of others. They welcome input. They don’t get defensive. They lean in.
2. Discern the Data
They know not every critique is a crisis. They separate signal from noise. They mine the gems. And they absorb the jabs — without letting them define them.
3. Act
They don’t just reflect. They move. They identify the 2–3 changes that grow them inside, and the 1–2 shifts that grow the enterprise outside. And then they follow through.
What About You?
What feedback have you ignored that might actually be a gift? What truth are you avoiding because you’re afraid of what it might reveal? Where are you choosing comfort over clarity?
Leadership isn’t about looking flawless. It’s about being formable — open to what you don’t see, so you can become who you were meant to be. That’s why I’m doing this 360. Because I’m called to become the kind of leader who doesn’t just build organizations — but builds people.
And if that’s the leader you want to be, maybe it’s time to ask the hard question too.
Originally published in the Kansas City Business Journal in November of 2025 by Orv Kimbrough, Chairman and CEO at Midwest BankCentre