Peter Wilford said...
In general I agree with you given the nature of their roles which do not naturally allow concrete measurement of performance. Also as you say the arts sector does not often lend itself to honest feedback.

However a 360 programme could be successful for anyone (artists and similar roles included) where:

1. As part of the 360 process there is a competency framework in place and from this the artists have identified colleagues, peers etc outside their work who "know what good artistic performance is and are frank with feedback" and can then give a clear assessment of how their performance stacks up against a set of agreed competencies. They should then be involved in assessing future changes in the individual's performance after an agreed period of time - say 3,6 and 12 months.

2. The 360 programme is directly linked to a formal action planning programme which delivers a personal training plan to address specific training needs arising from the gap analysis produced when the initial 360 was carried out.

These training plan will need to be self driven but monitored by a specialist coach / mentor who works with the artist and signs each training element off (distance learning, courses, reading etc) when they have been completed to a satisfactory standard to close the gap on each identified competency.

I am aware of a programme which can address all of this over and above the initial 360 process. It has been piloted against generic competencies only but the concept of a self driven training plan as a follow up is good.

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