Turning professionals into managers using multisource feedback

Purpose – The research aims to examine the impact of a multisource feedback (MSF) program on a group of partners and other senior professionals in a professional service firm providing accounting, finance and law services. It seeks to shows how these people responded to the program and its feedback processes, and the contribution the program made to their development as managers. The purpose of the research was to assess the applicability of the use of the multisource feedback with this group of professionals in the light of literature which points to the unwillingness of many professionals to participate in management activities or cooperate with management systems. Design/methodology/approach – This was case study research undertaken in a single organisation over a period of three years using qualitative methods incorporating multiple sources of data, in‐depth interviews, focus group interviews, the results of a survey, and the personal experiences of a researcher who was a participant observer. Findings – The MSF program was an effective way of achieving change in the attitudes and behaviour of the professionals, and of improving their leadership and management skills. Research limitations/implications – This was a single‐organisation case study. The study relies on qualitative approaches and issues of objectivity needed to be managed. Practical implications – The findings contribute to knowledge concerning the nature of professionals in organisations and their response to management systems and to feedback processes. They contribute to understanding of the applicability of the use of MSF as a management system for professionals, as a means of achieving the development of management skills, and of achieving organisational improvement. Originality/value – Previous research has not addressed the use of MSF for professionals in professional service organisations, or the use of MSF as a management development tool for professionals.