Something to doFeedback
Find out how you come across
A micro exercise to gather quick, private perspective on how you come across, from people you like and respect
Why it’s worth your time
The people you trust often see strengths you don't notice in yourself. Hearing their perspective helps you recognize what's already working, spot a blind spot or two, and feel surer of your direction. Because it's just for you and not part of any review, people tend to be more honest, and you're more likely to take it to heart.
How to get 360 feedback on your own
You’ll come away with a few honest views of how you work, in the words of people you trust.
We’ll turn this into a checklist you can tick off.
- Pick three to five people you trust.
Colleagues, peers, partners, former managers: people you respect and would be excited to work with again. Mix people who see you from different angles.
Tip: Pick people who'll be honest, not only people who'll be kind.
- Choose a few short questions.
Three is enough, each easy to answer in a minute or two.
To: a few people you trustI'm working on understanding how I come across at work, and your perspective would really help. You're someone I respect and would love to keep working with.
Would you answer three quick questions? It should take about five minutes, and it's just for me. It isn't going to my manager or into any review.
1. What do you think I'm especially good at?
2. When have you seen me at my best?
3. What's one thing I could do more of, or differently?
Short answers are perfect. And I'd be glad to do the same for you anytime.
Swap the highlighted parts for your thing. Works on Slack, in email, or said out loud. - Send the ask with gratitude.
Say why you're asking and that it's just for you. Make it easy to answer briefly, or not at all.
Tip: Answer the same questions about yourself before you read theirs. The surprises are easier to see.
- Read each answer, then look for patterns.
Read each response on its own first. Then look across them: what did more than one person say? That's usually the signal.
- Say thank you, and offer the same.
Thank each person, tell them one thing you took from it, and offer to do the same for them.
Tip: The thank-you is what makes people glad they answered, and willing to next time.
Good moments for this: once a quarterbefore a review or a job searchonce a new role or team has settled in
We’ll turn this into a checklist you can tick off.
Keep going with Truest
Small actions add up. Truest helps you find the next thing worth doing, make the space to do it, and keep a record of your progress. It’s a private place to work on your career, and it’s yours, not your employer’s.
- It actually happensDo it now, and you’ve invested in your career today.
- Truest asks for youFor more voices, Truest asks the people you name and shows each answer next to your own.
- It’s yours to keepEach thing you do is saved to your private record, there when your next review or job search comes around.
Anything else we can help you with this week?
Making it work for you
Every workplace is different. Here’s what to think about before you start, and what might get in the way.
Things to think about
People who've seen you in different settings, a peer, someone you've supported, someone senior, will notice different things. Five people from the same meeting tend to say the same thing.
What might make this harder
That's still useful, and it's a start. Next time, ask one narrower question, such as what they'd change if they were in your seat.
Questions people ask
How do I do a 360 review on my own?
Pick three to five people who see your work from different angles, ask them three short questions, and read the answers for patterns. Keeping it private, outside any formal review, tends to make it more honest.
What questions should I ask for 360 feedback?
Keep it to about three: what am I especially good at, when have you seen me at my best, and what's one thing I could do more of or differently.
Who should I ask for feedback about myself?
People you respect and would like to work with again, from a mix of angles: a peer, someone you've supported, someone more senior. Choose people who'll be honest.
What do I do with 360 feedback once I have it?
Look for what more than one person said, thank everyone, and pick one strength to lean into and one thing to try. You don't have to act on every comment.
Why this works, and where it comes from
You can't see yourself work. You know your intentions and your effort, but you mostly don't see how you come across in a meeting or what people rely on you for. The people around you have a view of you that you can't get any other way. Some of what they see will surprise you, and much of the time it's the good things.
This is Truest's version of a familiar idea, the 360 review, with the formal parts taken out. You choose who to ask, the questions are few and simple, and nothing goes to your manager or into a file. That last part matters. When feedback feeds a rating, people soften it or turn it into politics. When it's clearly just for you, they tend to say what they actually think.
Most people read feedback hunting for the criticism. It's worth resisting. Strengths named by other people are often the most useful thing you'll hear. They're what people come to you for, and what to lean on when you describe yourself in a review, an interview, or a conversation about what's next. The blind spots matter too, but one comment is a data point. Look for what more than one person noticed.
It's also a relationship move. Asking someone how they see you tells them you value their view. Thanking them properly, and offering to do the same, tends to leave the relationship stronger than it was before you asked.
Other simple things to consider
More in Feedback
See allRead this alongside your role page
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An exercise written by Truest, based on our experience. Last updated October 23, 2026. We sell a career membership; where that’s relevant above, we say so.