The GQ 360
Observer Assessment
The same six constructs. Measured from four perspectives. The gap between how you see yourself and how others experience you is where the most powerful leadership conversations begin.
Your Perception Gap Map
Your self-assessment tells you how you see yourself. The GQ 360 tells you how others experience you.
The GQ self-assessment measures how a leader views their own presence across six constructs. The GQ 360 uses the same 48 items — reframed in third-person observer language — and asks the people who work with that leader every day to rate what they actually see.
Same instrument, four perspectives
Manager, peers, and direct reports all rate the leader on the identical six constructs — making scores directly comparable across angles.
The gap is the insight
It is not the absolute score that drives coaching — it is the gap between how the leader sees themselves and how others experience them. Gaps of ±10 points or more are considered significant.
Confidential by design
Observer scores are anonymised and aggregated by rater group. Individual rater responses are never disclosed. Only the leader, their coach, and (with consent) HR see the final report.
Three types of gap. Each tells a different story.
The GQ 360 doesn't just measure performance — it measures calibration. The gap between self and observer perception is the most valuable data point in the entire report.
Blind Spot
You rate yourself significantly higher than others experience you on this construct. This is not a character flaw — it is missing feedback. The coaching conversation focuses on understanding the gap and closing it intentionally.
Accurate Perception
Your self-perception closely matches how others experience you on this construct — whether the score is high or low. Alignment itself is a sign of leadership maturity and self-awareness worth acknowledging.
Four perspectives on the same leader.
Leadership presence shows up differently depending on which direction you are looking from. The GQ 360 captures all four angles to build a complete, multi-directional picture of how a leader's gravitas lands in the organisation.
"The most consistent finding in GQ 360 engagements is that leaders are surprised — not by what is broken, but by where they are stronger than they thought."
Self
1 respondentThe leader completes the standard GQ self-assessment. This score anchors every gap calculation in the report.
Manager / Superior
1–2 respondentsHow authority and presence read upward in the hierarchy. Often the most sobering perspective — and the most strategically important.
Peers
3–5 respondentsHow the leader shows up in lateral relationships — collaboration, influence without authority, and peer-level credibility.
Direct Reports
3–8 respondentsHow leadership is experienced downward — the construct most directly linked to team engagement, psychological safety, and retention.
From briefing to debrief in five steps.
Briefing
The coach meets with the leader and HR sponsor to align on purpose, timeline, and rater selection.
Rater Nomination
The leader nominates raters across all four groups. The coach reviews and finalises the list.
Data Collection
Raters complete the 48-item observer instrument, typically taking 15–20 minutes. Responses are anonymous and aggregated.
Report Generation
A personalised GQ 360 report is produced — showing self scores, observer scores, and perception gaps across all six constructs.
Coach Debrief
A structured 90-minute debrief session translates the data into a focused development plan with clear, prioritised actions.
Three professional deliverables.
Every GQ 360 engagement produces a complete set of materials — for the leader, the coach, and the organisation.
Leader Report
A personalised PDF delivered directly to the leader — designed to be read independently before the coaching debrief.
Coach Debrief Template
A structured 10-page guide that equips coaches with everything needed to run a high-impact debrief session.
Observer Instrument
The 48-item questionnaire sent to all raters — with facilitator scoring guide, interpretation bands, and rater instructions.
Built for organisations that take leadership seriously.
For Leaders
Calibrated self-awareness. Move beyond assumption and understand exactly how your leadership presence lands with the people who matter most — your manager, your peers, your team.
Discover hidden strengths. Most leaders are surprised to find they are already stronger than they thought in at least one construct. The GQ 360 surfaces what you've been underselling.
Targeted development. Rather than working on everything, the Perception Gap Map tells you exactly which one or two constructs will have the highest impact if addressed first.
A safe, structured process. The GQ 360 is governed by a confidentiality framework from day one — raters are protected, and results are yours to share or not as you choose.
For Organisations
Evidence-based leadership development. Replace subjective performance conversations with structured data — a consistent instrument applied across all leaders in the cohort.
Cohort-level insights. Aggregate GQ 360 data reveals organisational patterns — which constructs are consistently underdeveloped, and where culture may be suppressing leadership presence.
Measurable ROI on coaching. Repeat the assessment after a development programme and measure the shift in Perception Gap scores — making coaching impact visible and reportable.
Ethically sound deployment. Built on ICF confidentiality standards. Coach debrief notes stay private. Only aggregate, consented data is shared with HR — governed by three-way contracting.
Ready to close the gap between perception and reality?
The GQ 360 is available for organisational deployment — for individual leaders, cohorts, and company-wide leadership programmes. Reach out to discuss how it fits your context.
Typically deployed for cohorts of 5–50 leaders · Facilitated by a certified GQ coach · Fully confidential