Using sealed envelopes limits access to only the people receiving feedback and offers assurance of confidentiality. Top leaders should also be the most active advocates for procedures to protect confidentiality of feedback data. People are concerned that if their anonymity is not protected, censure or retribution may follow. People are concerned that the process will not appear confidential. Taking enough time to give careful and thoughtful feedback can be problematic.
Constructive feedback is never easy to accept.
People may find it hard to believe that ratings and comments will not be used for decisions in the future. As people observe the process and evaluate the consequences, they will be more willing to believe reports that the program will be objective, confidential and worth the effort. A two-person team was assigned to the task of creating the evaluation format and process. The leadership elements to be evaluated were based on the Network Director s list of core competencies and aligned with Network 2 values. To ensure consistent interpretation of the leadership values, each of the core competencies is described in a series of statements that illustrates the competency and corresponding network value.