Running head: 360 EVALUATION REPORT

360 Evaluation Report

For Partial Fulfillment of the Leading Change Comprehensive Examination

Allyn Decker
Azusa Pacific University

360 EVALUATION REPORT

As part of my learning contract for the Leading Change course and to partially fulfill the
requirements for the Leading Change comprehensive exam at Azusa Pacific University, I chose to ask for
feedback from a variety of people pertaining to the following behaviors: Leadership, Valuing
(individuals), Valuing Diversity, Interdependence, and Communication. Participants were also
encouraged to share general feedback. In this report, I will discuss the evaluation process, the feedback
providers, the results, and the initiatives I plan to pursue in light of the survey results and my desired
career path.
Evaluation Process
I selected survey items from the set of possible items included in the Leading Change
Comprehensive Examination materials. I also chose to conduct this exercise as a HED 712 Learning
Contract assignment during the Spring 2014 semester. I have incorporated feedback from the instructor
and other learning points into this revised report for the comprehensive exam. There was quite a bit of
overlap among the possible survey items, so I tried to choose items that were mutually exclusive and
addressed a variety of behaviors that are important to me and my work at Grace College and in my
community. In my present role at Grace, I serve as program director for two graduate programs targeted
to a specific industry (Orthopaedic Manufacturing), and I also teach courses in an adult degree completion
program. I also serve as moderator for a local leadership academy, and participate on several community
boards.
Feedback Providers
I selected participants who represent a variety of relationships and roles: bosses, peers, and
subordinates with whom I associate in my work at Grace College, in my community engagements, and in
church/social circles. I briefly explained their professional roles and personal connections to me in
Appendix 1. Once selected, I sent these individuals an invitation e-mail and asked that they reply only if
they felt uncomfortable providing anonymous feedback in an online format. After several days, no one
replied so I sent the list of email addresses and selected survey items to Donna Strange, Program
Coordinator at APU. Donna built the tool, distributed the tool to all participants, tallied the results several
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360 EVALUATION REPORT

weeks later, and then sent me the results by email (see Appendix 2). All feedback providers fully
participated in the process!
Results
The survey results seems to indicate that most of my feedback providers perceive my behaviors to
be positive and productive. For all scaled items except two, the mean scores were at or above 4.08 on a 5
point scale. The top five composite scores and corresponding items are listed below:
Displays energy and drive to accomplish personal or work goals 4.71
Recognizes and rewards individual contributions in meaningful ways 4.64
Demonstrates a consistent commitment to quality 4.62
Treats everyone with respect and fairness 4.57
Appears approachable and easy to talk with 4.57
This feedback is encouraging and indicates to me that others perceive me as committed to excellence
while accomplishing important goals. My work style can be described as participative and inclusive, and
I sense that my feedback providers have confidence in my overall ability to lead a team effectively.
The two items that reflected the lowest mean scores are listed below and appear to be related:
Deals with issues that need to be addressed 3.93
Effectively deals with conflict 3.92
It appears that I may need to work on being more proactive and communicating better with stakeholders
during times of conflict or when I need to show that action is being taken to address concerns. I am
mindful of this weakness and it is something I have struggled with for as long as I can remember. My
self-concept has been built around a certain measure of academic and career success. I enjoy working
hard and pleasing others through my efforts. As a result, I shy away from challenges where my
weaknesses will show or encounters that may reveal I am wrong, inconsiderate of others, or not up to the
task. As I write this, the words sting because they reveal my pride and insecurity. I am also aware of
how many growth opportunities I have probably missed due to my defensiveness.
The following feedback was shared in the open comments section of the survey:
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360 EVALUATION REPORT

1. Many students in his graduate program feel that Allyn recruited them to increase enrollment
and later in the program instructors were telling them they were too old or this program
would do their career no good. This has hurt Allyn's credibility. Current and past students talk
about this on their jobs today where he is trying to recruit. Students do not feel he treats them
equally. Curriculum material is not delivered on time during courses and students hold him
responsible as the director. Errors in syllabi and course material are not caught before
publication creating confusion for the students.
2. Allyn is always open to feedback and listens well. I have found him to be an encourager
when I was going through a tough academic situation. I look back over frustrations
experienced in a post-graduate program that Allyn directs and can see how he listened to
feedback and made appropriate changes to make the program even better for both instructors
and students.
3. Great leader for Grace College!!
4. Allyn is very easy to work with and has gone out of his way to be supportive and offer
suggestions for solutions to problems.
5. I don't know anyone with greater leadership potential. His sensitivity to others might
actually work against him on rare occasions.
6. Allyn is fair and open to suggestions, but also very confident in his current leadership skills.
I enjoy working with him, as he makes work not really feel like work.
Although I dont know for sure, I believe that the first comment most likely came from my
former administrative assistant who recently left her position to care for her elderly mother. Caryls
husband recently went through one of the programs I direct and she was caught in the middle several
times trying to address his frustrations while also being the administrative assistant for the department.
There is some truth in this comment, though. I do feel the pressure to bring in a sufficient number of
students so that the college can cover its costs and hopefully even earn some revenue. I have probably not
been as forthright as I should have been about program demands and career potential. I do struggle with
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360 EVALUATION REPORT

this as a program director. I dont want to set a student up to fail by admitting a person who is
underqualified, but I also want to give applicants a chance to grow and succeed if they meet the program
admission requirements. I cannot also deny admission strictly due to a persons age. However, I may
need to help older students weigh the risks against the benefits of a mid-life career change. As for errors
in curriculum materials guilty as charged. We have quality standards in place and are getting better at
ensuring consistency and accuracy, but in an accelerated program, there isnt always time to catch every
error. I have implemented several communication channels into the program so students know they can
reach out whenever they have a question and we are quick to respond. I attend the opening hour of each
Friday session and try to interact with all the students before class begins. However, I know I probably
give some more attention to some than others. I am drawn to the more extroverted students, so I will
make a concerted effort to reach out to those who are quieter.
I am encouraged by the other comments especially comment two as it seems to provide a
counterpoint for some concerns expressed in the first comment and the items pertaining to conflict and
taking action when problems arise.
Initiatives to Pursue
I met on three different occasions with my supervisor (Dr. Steve Grill) and we went over all the
results and written comments. We ended up talking more about my future at the college than we did
about specific items, because it appears that no real adaptive changes are called for at this time. We both
believe that my work is generally perceived positively, as is my leadership potential. There are technical
things we should continue to tweak that pertain to program excellence and seamless student services, and
believe those issues are being addressed as we learn from each cohort in these new, accelerated graduate
programs. Steve is hoping to work for another three-four years before he retires and we both agree that for
now, focusing on program excellence, recruiting quality candidates, and bringing in revenue for the
college are my top priorities. Steve would like me to replace him as dean of the School of Adult and
Community Education (the primary reason I am pursuing a doctorate in higher education), but for now I

360 EVALUATION REPORT

am challenged and content in my present role. However, pursuing the following initiatives will only
increase my present leadership impact and potential for greater responsibility in years to come:
1. Deal with pressing issues and conflict quickly, whenever possible, and communicate well
when I cant. I can be more mindful of this in my relationship with my wife, as we both tend
to be brooders. I want to speak into conflict situations sooner so that we can clear things up
and not exert so much silent energy. I can also pursue students more quickly when I sense
they are not progressing. Just sending a quick email can open the door for dialog that may
help them get back on track.
2. Leverage the positive external relationships I have nurtured during my time in industry and in
local public service. The college will benefit from these connections in many ways. I am
already finding ways to connect members of the leadership academy to other community
leaders who can help advise and mentor. Career and intern opportunities also surface that I
can connect to students back at the college.
3. Strategically use my ability to be a connector; one who is able to assimilate disparate
information and unrelated people into cohesive plans, programs, and positive working
relationships.
4. Use my relational and performance capital to pursue adaptive change. I am working with the
Black Student Association at my college, helping them identify barriers to retention. I
believe there will be some great opportunities to address areas of our campus culture that
need to change, but these changes may be difficult for some faculty and staff to accept. I
believe I can be an advocate for these students and can help campus leaders see the growth
opportunities that may come when our campus becomes a more welcoming place for underrepresented students.
The initiatives all have a common thread: relationship-building. My top eight strengths are
Maximizer, Individualization, Strategic, Learner, Communication, Empathy, Arranger, and Input most

360 EVALUATION REPORT

of which are relational strengths. So, I believe my work priorities align pretty well with my strengths and
I am confident that as long as I remain accountable and open to change, I will continue to see growth.
Originally, I had planned to include our president, Dr. Bill Katip, in one of the coaching
meetings. However, Steve and I do not feel that would be especially helpful or appropriate at this time.
We feel that a meeting about my future at Grace to discuss the best use of my skills may be more strategic
and helpful when I near the end of coursework in the doctoral program. Steves retirement is still a few
years away so trying to position myself now for a promotion may be appear somewhat presumptious. For
now, it seems I am well-placed in the organization and I need to continue to ensure program growth and
sustainability. If the demand continues to grow, we may even add another industry program in the next
year or so. If that is the case, I will have more than enough change to manage.
This exercise was helpful and has opened up several good opportunities to talk and plan with my
supervisor, Steve. As mentioned earlier, the results were encouraging and confirmed that I am well
positioned. However, when thinking about adaptive challenges, it does not appear that immediate,
adaptive change in my particular sphere of influence is called for at this time. In many ways, my
institution (and my division, in particular) has been undergoing adaptive change for the last ten years and
it is only now that I feel we are figuring out technical solutions to the innovative programs we have put
into place. I think that is a pretty good place to be, and I do not want to inject more change just for
changes sake. Heifetz, Grashow, and Linsky (2009) contend that leading adaptive change requires a
person to move beyond their comfort zone toward what may be frightening and unknown: Indeed, if you
do not feel that you are operating at the very edge of your talents or even just beyond that edge, then you
are probably not attacking an adaptive challenge (p. 252). I agree, but I also believe that one cannot
operate at this level indefinitely without burning out or becoming a casualty of their own incompetence. A
leader must be somewhat prepared to take on the challenges of the next position or level of responsibility.
Learning under fire may be exhilarating but it can also put a lot of people and programs in harms way.
Over the last three years, I have been given ridiculously short timeframes to launch, staff, and populate
new graduate programs with very little oversight. We have developed new products, implemented
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360 EVALUATION REPORT

technology solutions, and delivered content in innovative ways in order to target students who would
never before had any reason to consider Grace College as a provider of choice. What I need now is some
breathing room so that I can really strengthen these programs by testing my assumptions, getting to know
my students needs, and implementing best practices we have been discovering along the way.
The 360 evaluation feedback showed me that I have built enough institutional and community
capital to continue taking measured risks. However, I also want to proceed with some caution and
humility, knowing full well that innovation must be tempered with a commitment to sustained excellence
in order for adaptive change to be truly fruitful.

360 EVALUATION REPORT

References
Heifetz, R., Grashow, A., & Linsky, M. (2009). The practice of adaptive leadership: Tools and tactics for
changing your organization and the world. Boston, MA: Harvard Business Press.

360 EVALUATION REPORT

Appendix 1: Allyn Deckers choices for 360 Eval Items (highlighted items were selected)

Possible 360 Questions and Introduction

Introduction
One aspect of my Ph.D. work is to evaluate my current leadership attitudes and behaviors. Therefore, I
am soliciting confidential feedback on my performance over the last 12 months. Your individual
feedback will be averaged into all the responses received in order to protect your anonymity and ensure
that the results are completely confidential. I will use the results to assess my current leadership capacity.
Thank you for your contribution to this very important process.
Instructions
Using the following rating scale, please circle the number that best reflects your rating of
__________________ performance during the past year.
Rating Scale
1=Unacceptable
2=Needs improvement
3=Meets my expectations
4=Exceeds my expectations
5=Outstanding
6= Have not experienced or observed

Leadership Behaviors
Demonstrates a willingness to take the lead
Takes prompt action when unexpected opportunities arise
Accepts responsibility for her/his mistakes
Perseveres despite organizational obstacles
Displays energy and drive to accomplish personal or work goals
Willingly takes an unpopular stand
Appropriately promotes his/her new ideas
Encourages and embraces change by challenging the status quo
Demonstrates a consistent commitment to quality
Encourages and supports involvement in training and development activities
Actions and behaviors are consistent with words
Is trustworthy
Is a role model for continuous improvement
Improves the educational environment for students
Deals with issues that need to be addressed
Provides a clear sense of purpose and direction
Develops realistic plans for reaching goals
Generates alternative solutions when resolving problems

Valuing Behaviors
Seeks input from all team members
Maintains a balance between "people" issues and "business" issues
Shows genuine concern for team members
Keeps the focus on fixing problems rather than finding someone to blame
Treats people fairly, without showing favoritism
Protects confidentiality
Recognizes and rewards individual contributions in meaningful ways
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360 EVALUATION REPORT

Valuing Diversity Behaviors

Seeks input/feedback from diverse individuals and groups, including internal/external constituents
Treats everyone with respect and fairness
Recruits and hires a diverse staff

Interdependence Behaviors
Recognizes and rewards collaborative actions and behaviors
Recognizes and supports the work of other departments
Doesn't criticize those who are not present
Considers the impact of actions and decisions on other departments before implementing

Communication Behaviors
Encourages others to express different ideas and perspectives
Willing to change his/her position when presented with compelling information
Open to constructive feedback, even if it is negative
Keeps me informed on the status of my work and updates in the organization
Gives open and constructive feedback
Effectively deals with conflict
Expresses ideas clearly
Presents ideas or information in a well-organized manner
Presents ideas or information in a persuasive manner
Allows others to finish what they have to say
Answers questions specifically and to the point
Demonstrates that you've been heard and understood
Asks questions to learn more about (or to clarify) what you are saying

Writes in a clear, concise style

Displays an interest in you while you're speaking
Appears to be approachable and easy to talk with

General Feedback
Please provide comments that you feel will be meaningful to sustain or improve __________s leadership
effectiveness.

Feedback Providers
Following are the names, email addresses, and titles of the people who agreed to provide feedback
Boss: Steve Grill, Ed.D. (grillsa@grace.edu), direct supervisor, Dean of the School of Adult and
Community Education (SACE) at Grace College, mentor, fellow board member
Tom Dunn, M.B.A. (dunnta@grace.edu), VP of Strategic Initiatives and oversees SACE at Grace College
Bill Katip, Ph.D. (katipwj@grace.edu), President, Grace College
Eileen Hulme, Ph.D. (ehulme@apu.edu), Professor at Azusa Pacific University (Allyns doctoral
program)
Peer: Rich Haddad (rhaddad@k21foundation.org), President, K21 Health Foundation, Friend and fellow
board member
Michael Harstine, Ph.D. (mharstine@gmail.com), Colleague, Entrepreneur, Former student and fellow
board member
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360 EVALUATION REPORT

Suzie Light (suzie@kcfoundation.org), Executive Dir., Kosciusko County Community Foundation, fellow
board member
Phil Peugh (ppeugh@gmail.com), IT Directors, friend from church
Cliff Staton, M.A. (statonfamily@embarqmail.com), Dir. Of Compliance Training at Zimmer, Inc, friend
for over 30 years
Jeff Fawcett, Ph.D. (fawcettj@grace.edu), Dean of School of Business, Grace College, colleague and
fellow board member
Cameron Plew (cameron.plew@lakecitybank.com), VP Commercial Lending at Lake City Bank, former
bank colleague, fellow board member
Kevin Deardorff (kevin.deardorff@lakecitybank.com), EVP at Lake City Bank, former bank colleague,
friend and fellow board member
Randy Koser (randykoser@hotmail.com), Quality Consultant, friend from church
Dana Williamson (dana.williamson@gmail.com), VP of Operations at a collection agency, friend from
church
Karen Lindsey-Lloyd (klindseylloyd12@apu.edu), VP, Public Relations, friend from APU doctoral
program
Subordinate: Rob Paton (patonrj@grace.edu), Educ. Tech. Specialist, direct report
Caryl Brooke (brookeck@grace.edu), former administrative asst.
Paul Voorhorst M.A.; M.B.A. (pvoorhor@its.jnj.com), Dir. of Clinical Data Management, DePuySynthes, contracted instructor
Toni Kingsley Ph.D. (toni.kingsley@trkingsley.com), Retired VP from Zimmer, Consultant, and
contracted instructor
JoAnn Tyson, RN (tysonjm@grace.edu), Pres. of Tyson and Assoc., her former Clinical Research
Organization, contracted instructor
Mary Kittrell (mary@koscvb.org), Exec. Dir., Kosciusko County Convention and Visitors Bureau, I
chaired her organizations board for two years, she is now a student of mine in Graces adult degree
completion program
Gennie Brissette-Tipton (gennie.brissette@orthoworxindiana.com), Curriculum Director for Kosciusko
Leadership Academy; I am the Moderator and Gennie works directly with me to schedule and run the
programs.
Peggy Essick, M.S. (peggy.essick@zimmer.com), Sr. Clinical Research Assoc., Zimmer; former
undergrad and grad student
Topher Hunter, Ph.D (topherhunter@gmail.com), Director of Advanced Technologies, Zimmer, former
undergrad, current contracted instructor.

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Appendix 2: Survey Results by Item

Allyn Decker 360

Please rate the student's performance over the past 12 months.
Answer Options
Accepts responsibility for her/his
mistakes
Displays energy and drive to
accomplish personal or work
goals
Encourages and embraces
change by challenging the
status quo
Demonstrates a consistent
commitment to quality
Actions and behaviors are
consistent with words
Is a role model for continuous
improvement
Deals with issues that need to
be addressed
Provides a clear sense of
purpose and direction

unacceptable

needs
improvement

meets my
expectations

exceeds my
expectations

outstanding

11

Please rate the student's performance over the past 12 months.

Deals with issues that need to be addressed

Actions and behaviors are consistent with words

Encourages and embraces change by challenging the

status quo

Accepts responsibility for her/his mistakes

3.50

4.00

4.50

5.00

13

360 EVALUATION REPORT

Allyn Decker 360

Please rate the student's performance over the past 12 months.
Answer Options
Accepts responsibility for her/his
mistakes
Displays energy and drive to
accomplish personal or work
goals
Encourages and embraces
change by challenging the
status quo
Demonstrates a consistent
commitment to quality
Actions and behaviors are
consistent with words
Is a role model for continuous
improvement
Deals with issues that need to
be addressed
Provides a clear sense of
purpose and direction

unacceptable

needs
improvement

meets my
expectations

exceeds my
expectations

outstanding

11

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360 EVALUATION REPORT

Allyn Decker 360

How would you assess the student's performance in each area below?
Answer Options
Maintains a balance between
"people" issues and "business"
issues
Keeps the focus on fixing
problems rather than finding
someone to blame
Treats people fairly, without
showing favoritism
Recognizes and rewards
individual contributions in
meaningful ways

unacce
ptable

needs
improv
ement

meets
my
expect
ations

exceed
s my
expect
ations

outsta
nding

N/
A

Rati
ng
Aver
age

Resp
onse
Count

4.21

14

4.54

14

4.38

13

10

4.64

14

answered question
skipped question

14
0

How would you assess the student's performance in each area below?
Recognizes and rewards
individual contributions in
meaningful ways
Treats people fairly, without
showing favoritism
Keeps the focus on fixing
problems rather than finding
someone to blame
Maintains a balance between
"people" issues and
"business" issues
3.90

4.00

4.10

4.20

4.30

4.40

4.50

4.60

4.70

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360 EVALUATION REPORT

Allyn Decker 360

How would you assess the student's performance in each area below over the past 12 months?
Answer
Options
Seeks
input/feed
back from
diverse
individuals
and
groups,
including
internal/ex
ternal
constituen
ts
Treats
everyone
with
respect
and
fairness
Recognize
s and
rewards
collaborati
ve actions
and
behaviors
Doesn't
criticize
those who
are not
present

unacce
ptable

needs
improv
ement

meets
my
expecta
tions

exceed
s my
expect
ations

outstan
ding

N/A

Rating
Avera
ge

Response Count

4.29

14

11

4.57

14

4.54

14

4.36

14

answered question
skipped question

14
0

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360 EVALUATION REPORT

How would you assess the student's performance in each area below over the past 12
months?

Doesn't criticize those who are not present

Recognizes and rewards collaborative actions and

behaviors

Treats everyone with respect and fairness

Seeks input/feedback from diverse individuals and

groups, including internal/external constituents
4.10

4.20

4.30

4.40

4.50

4.60

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360 EVALUATION REPORT

Allyn Decker 360

Please rate the student's communication skills in the following areas:
Answer
Options
Encourages
others to
express
different
ideas and
perspectives
Willing to
change
his/her
position when
presented
with
compelling
information
Open to
constructive
feedback,
even if it is
negative
Gives open
and
constructive
feedback
Effectively
deals with
conflict
Demonstrates
that you've
been heard
and
understood
Appears to be
approachable
and easy to
talk with

unacceptable

needs
improvement

meets my
expectations

exceeds my
expectations

outstanding

N/A

Rating
Average

Response
Count

4.29

14

4.14

14

4.08

14

4.21

14

3.92

14

4.36

14

10

4.57

14

answered question
skipped question

14
0

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360 EVALUATION REPORT

Please rate the student's communication skills in the following areas:

Appears to be approachable and easy to talk with

Effectively deals with conflict

Open to constructive feedback, even if it is negative

Encourages others to express different ideas and

perspectives
3.50

4.00

4.50

5.00

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360 EVALUATION REPORT

Please provide any comments that you feel will be meaningful to sustain or improve this person's
leadership effectiveness. All comments will be grouped together before the student reads them.
Many students in his graduate program feel that Allyn recruited them to increase enrollment
and later in the program instructors were telling them they were too old or this program would
do their career no good. This has hurt Allyn's credibility. Current and past students talk about
this on their jobs today where he is trying to recruit. Students do not feel he treats them
equally. Curriculum material is not delivered on time during courses and student's hold him
responsible as the director. Errors in syllabi and course material are not caught before
publication creating confusion for the students.
Allyn is always open to feedback and listens well. I have found him to be an encourager when
I was going through a tough academic situation. I look back over frustrations experienced in a
post-graduate program that Allyn directs and can see how he listened to feedback and made
appropriate changes to make the program even better for both instructors and students.
Great leader for Grace College!!
Allyn is very easy to work with and has gone out of his way to be supportive and offer
suggestions for solutions to problems
I don't know anyone with greater leadership potential. His sensitivity to others might actually
work against him on rare occasions.
Allyn is fair and open to suggestions, but also very confident in his current leadership skills. I
enjoy working with him, as he makes work not really feel like "work."

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360 EVALUATION REPORT

Allyn Decker 360

How often do you interact with the person you have assessed?
Answer Options

Response
Percent

Response
Count

0.0%
50.0%
35.7%
0.0%
14.3%

0
7
5
0
2

rarely
occasionally
weekly
almost daily
multiple times a day

answered question
skipped question

14
0

How often do you interact with the person you have assessed?

rarely
occasionally
weekly
almost daily
multiple times a day

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Allyn Decker 360

What is your relationship to the person you have assessed?
Answer Options
I am their supervisor
I am a colleague in the same department or area
I am a colleague in a different department or area
I directly report to them
Other (please specify)

Response
Percent

Response
Count

14.3%
14.3%
57.1%
14.3%

1
1
4
1
7

answered question
skipped question
Other (please specify)

7
7

Categories

I serve on a community board with Allyn

former co-worker
A colleague in the community of which we work and live
Former student
in two programs
he now directs.
First program
he was a
professor in and
second
graduate
program he was
the director of
the program.
President
community leader
Visiting Professor in a program Allyn administers.

What is your relationship to the person you

have assessed?

I am their supervisor

I am a colleague in
the same
department or area
I am a colleague in a
different department
or area

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360 EVALUATION REPORT

Allyn Decker 360

How long have you known this person?
Answer Options

Response
Percent

Response
Count

less than a year

1-3 years
4-6 years
7-9 years
10 years or more

0.0%
42.9%
14.3%
0.0%
42.9%

0
6
2
0
6

answered question
skipped question

14
0

How long have you known this person?

less than a year

1-3 years
4-6 years
7-9 years
10 years or more

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