20 360 Feedback Questions That Get Honest Answers
Skip the generic questions. These 20 360 feedback questions are designed to surface real insights from peers, managers, and direct reports.
Most 360 feedback surveys fail before they start. Generic questions like “Is this person a good communicator?” generate generic answers that help no one. The questions below are designed to surface specific, actionable feedback that actually drives development.
Questions for Peer Feedback
Peer feedback reveals how someone operates day-to-day with colleagues. These questions focus on collaboration patterns that managers rarely see. The best peer questions ask about specific working relationships rather than abstract traits.
Collaboration and teamwork:
- When you’ve worked with this person on a project, what did they do that made the collaboration easier or harder?
- How does this person respond when priorities shift or plans change mid-project?
- Describe a situation where this person helped you or the team solve a problem.
Communication:
- When this person disagrees with an approach, how do they typically handle it?
- How effectively does this person share information that others need to do their jobs?
Reliability:
- When this person commits to a deadline or deliverable, how often do they follow through?
- What’s one thing this person should keep doing, and one thing they should change?
Questions for Manager Feedback
Feedback from direct managers should assess both performance and potential. These questions help managers move beyond recency bias and evaluate the full picture. Effective manager questions connect individual contributions to team and company outcomes.
Performance and impact:
- What has this person accomplished in the past six months that had the biggest impact on the team?
- Where has this person grown most significantly since their last review?
- What’s holding this person back from the next level of their career?
Leadership and development:
- How effectively does this person mentor or support teammates?
- What skill or behavior, if improved, would most benefit this person’s career trajectory?
- How does this person handle feedback—both giving and receiving it?
Questions for Upward Feedback
Direct reports have visibility into leadership behaviors that no one else sees. Upward feedback questions should feel safe to answer honestly. Anonymous collection is critical here—employees won’t critique their manager’s meeting habits if their name is attached.
Management effectiveness:
- Does your manager give you clear direction on priorities and expectations?
- When you bring a problem to your manager, how helpful is their response?
- How effectively does your manager advocate for you and the team?
Communication and support:
- Does your manager create an environment where you feel comfortable sharing concerns or mistakes?
- What’s one thing your manager does well, and one thing they could improve?
Self-Assessment Questions
Self-assessments work best when they prompt reflection rather than self-promotion. These questions help employees identify blind spots and articulate their own development goals. Comparing self-ratings to peer and manager ratings reveals perception gaps worth addressing.
- What accomplishment are you most proud of this period, and what made it successful?
- What skill or area do you most want to develop, and what support would help you get there?
Rating Scale vs. Open-Ended Questions
| Question Type | Best For | Typical Use |
|---|---|---|
| Rating scale (1-5) | Tracking progress over time, comparing across teams | 70% of survey |
| Open-ended | Surfacing specific examples, unexpected insights | 30% of survey |
| Behavioral frequency | Measuring how often behaviors occur | Leadership competencies |
| Situational | Understanding context behind ratings | Follow-up discussions |
Getting Honest Responses
The best questions mean nothing if people don’t answer honestly. Research from the Center for Creative Leadership shows that 86% of organizations use 360 feedback for leadership development, but effectiveness depends heavily on execution.
Three factors drive honest feedback:
- Anonymity: Respondents must trust their identity is protected, especially for upward feedback.
- Purpose clarity: People give better feedback when they know it’s for development, not discipline.
- Low friction: Long surveys with confusing questions get abandoned or rushed.
Tools like Windmill collect 360 feedback through conversational prompts in Slack rather than formal survey links. The conversational approach tends to surface more specific, candid responses because it feels less like an evaluation and more like a normal work conversation.
Choosing the Right Questions for Your Team
Start with 15-20 questions maximum. Include questions from each category (peer, manager, upward, self) but weight them based on what you’re trying to learn. If leadership development is the goal, emphasize upward feedback. If cross-functional collaboration is the issue, focus on peer questions.
Review and update your questions annually. As your organization’s challenges evolve, your 360 feedback should evolve with them.
Frequently Asked Questions
What makes a good 360 feedback question?
Good 360 feedback questions focus on observable behaviors rather than personality traits, ask about specific situations rather than general impressions, and are phrased to encourage constructive responses. Questions should be clear enough that all raters interpret them the same way.
How many questions should a 360 feedback survey include?
Most effective 360 feedback surveys include 15-25 questions. Fewer than 15 may not provide enough insight, while more than 30 leads to survey fatigue and lower-quality responses. The ideal length takes 10-15 minutes to complete.
Should 360 feedback questions be open-ended or rating scale?
The most effective 360 feedback surveys combine both. Rating scale questions (1-5) provide quantifiable data for tracking progress, while open-ended questions surface specific examples and actionable insights. A ratio of 70% rating scale to 30% open-ended works well for most organizations.
How do you get honest answers in 360 feedback?
Honest 360 feedback requires anonymity, clear communication about how feedback will be used, and questions focused on behaviors rather than judgments. Tools that collect feedback through natural conversation rather than formal surveys also tend to surface more candid responses.