Korn Ferry 360
What is Korn Ferry 360 and which companies use it?
Korn Ferry 360 is a multi-rater feedback assessment used to evaluate leadership competencies across self, peers, managers, and direct reports. It helps identify strengths, blind spots, and areas for development. Major companies like General Motors, Cisco, Johnson & Johnson, and Wells Fargo use Korn Ferry 360 to support executive coaching, succession planning, and talent development. It’s popular across industries including tech, finance, healthcare, and government due to its deep insights and actionable leadership feedback.
Korn Ferry 360 (KF360) is a powerful multi-rater feedback tool designed to help professionals and leaders understand how their skills, behaviors, and leadership qualities are perceived by others. Used by top organizations worldwide, this tool provides a structured, research-based approach to performance evaluation and personal development.
What Is Korn Ferry 360?
Korn Ferry 360 is a feedback assessment that gathers insights from a range of individuals who interact with a participant at work, including managers, peers, direct reports, and the participant themselves. The goal is to provide a comprehensive view of a person’s strengths, areas for improvement, and leadership potential.
It is based on the Korn Ferry Leadership Architect™ (KFLA) competency framework and covers four major dimensions:
Thought – Strategic thinking, business insight, and innovation
Results – Achieving goals, accountability, and performance
People – Building relationships, teamwork, and collaboration
Self – Self-awareness, learning agility, and emotional intelligence
How the Korn Ferry 360 Process Works
Set-Up: Participants complete a self-assessment and choose a group of raters from different levels in the organization.
Survey Completion: Online surveys are sent to all selected raters to rate behaviors against a set of predefined competencies.
Report Generation: Once all feedback is collected, a detailed report is generated. This includes comparative ratings, strengths, blind spots, and overused strengths.
Debrief and Coaching: Certified coaches or HR professionals guide the participant through the report, helping them understand their feedback and create a personal development plan.
Key Features of Korn Ferry 360
Detailed Feedback: Covers over 30 leadership and professional competencies
Blind Spot Detection: Identifies where self-perceptions differ from others’ perceptions
Career Stallers: Highlights potential behaviors that may limit career progression
Customizable: Can be tailored to reflect organizational values or strategic priorities
Coaching Ready: Designed to support coaching and leadership development conversations
Scoring and Results
The Korn Ferry 360 report includes:
Numerical ratings for each competency
Written comments and qualitative feedback
A summary of strengths and development needs
Actionable suggestions and coaching tips
Scores are usually presented in a visual format (graphs and charts) to make it easy to compare self-assessments with others’ feedback. The report is designed not just to inform but to guide leadership development in a measurable way.
Why Organizations Use Korn Ferry 360
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Enhance leadership development programs
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Support performance reviews and succession planning
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Increase self-awareness among employees
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Encourage feedback-based culture
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Improve team dynamics and collaboration
Who Benefits from Korn Ferry 360?
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Managers and leaders seeking honest feedback to improve leadership effectiveness
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HR and L&D teams looking to integrate 360 feedback into talent strategies
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Coaches and consultants who support leadership and executive development
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Employees preparing for promotions or career transitions
Certification and Facilitation
Korn Ferry offers a certification program that allows HR professionals and coaches to deliver KF360 assessments internally or to clients. This training includes:
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Competency model overview
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Survey customization
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Report interpretation
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Coaching techniques for effective feedback delivery
Certification is ideal for professionals who want to integrate Korn Ferry tools into their leadership development practice.
Companies That Use Korn Ferry 360
| Industry | Sample Companies | How They Use Korn Ferry 360 |
|---|---|---|
| Automotive | General Motors, Ford | Assess leadership potential and support executive coaching |
| Technology & Telecom | Cisco, Intel, Ericsson | Foster agile leadership and innovation capabilities |
| Financial Services | Wells Fargo, TD Bank | Identify high-potential leaders and mitigate leadership risks |
| Healthcare & Pharma | Johnson & Johnson, Novartis | Develop cross-functional leaders and drive collaboration |
| Consumer Goods & Retail | Coca-Cola, PepsiCo, Nestlé | Improve team leadership and align leadership with brand goals |
| Oil & Energy | Chevron, ExxonMobil | Evaluate decision-making and safety-focused leadership |
| Government & Public | Federal agencies (USA) | Strengthen accountability and develop internal leadership |
| Education & Nonprofits | Major universities, NGOs | Promote inclusive leadership and succession in critical roles |
FAQ
To help individuals understand how they are perceived by others and identify areas for growth in leadership and workplace behaviors.
Yes, all feedback except from the manager is typically anonymized to ensure honest responses.
The entire process, from survey distribution to debriefing, usually takes a few weeks.
Yes, KF360 can be used across different organizational levels, from emerging leaders to senior executives.
