Intro
Startups move fast, too fast, sometimes, for honest conversations about growth. Everyone’s sprinting, priorities shift every week, and before you know it, you’re making guesses about performance instead of having real feedback loops.
That’s where 360 feedback comes in. It’s not about corporate bureaucracy; it’s about clarity. When everyone gets a full picture, from peers, reports, and managers, it’s easier to spot blind spots early and build a culture that actually learns.
But here’s the catch: most 360 templates are built for big companies, not 10-person teams juggling deadlines and investors. So, let’s fix that.
Below, we’ll walk through a few startup-friendly templates (and how you can run them easily with tools like Evalico) that make feedback simple, structured, and maybe even enjoyable.
Why startups need structured feedback
If you’ve ever worked in a startup, you know how informal things can get. Performance “reviews” happen in Slack threads, and growth feedback often hides inside random 1:1 notes. It works, until it doesn’t.
Structured feedback doesn’t kill startup culture. It protects it.
Think of it like version control for your team’s growth. Everyone still codes in their style, but feedback gets tracked, compared, and improved over time. That’s how trust scales.
A solid 360 template helps with three things:
- Consistency: Everyone gets asked similar questions, so comparisons make sense.
- Clarity: You cut out the fluff (“great job!”) and focus on behavior and outcomes.
- Psychological safety: Feedback feels expected, not personal.
Top 360 feedback templates for small teams
Here are a few simple frameworks you can start using today. Each can fit neatly into your next review cycle, or be adapted inside Evalico’s 360 feedback builder.
1. The “Start, Stop, Continue” Template
Perfect for early teams where transparency matters more than metrics.
- Start: What new behaviors or habits should this person try?
- Stop: What’s not working anymore or creates friction?
- Continue: What’s going great and should never change?
It’s short, personal, and encourages candid reflection without sounding formal. You can use it for both peer and manager feedback rounds.
2. The “Impact and Collaboration” Template
Ideal for scaling teams that have cross-functional dependencies.
Sample questions:
- How does this person contribute to shared goals?
- How effectively do they communicate and collaborate?
- What impact have they had on their team’s success this quarter?
- One specific behavior that could improve collaboration?
This one balances performance and culture, great for product or engineering orgs that need feedback beyond raw output.
3. The “Growth-Focused” Template
For teams that prioritize learning and potential.
Example prompts:
- What’s one skill or strength this person should double down on?
- Where could they stretch next quarter?
- How do they respond to challenges or feedback?
This format helps startup leaders coach, not just rate. It’s particularly useful during transition periods, like after funding or a team restructure.
4. The “Manager Review Light”
When you’re leading managers or leads, this one helps you evaluate leadership style without corporate jargon.
Key sections:
- How well does this person support team growth and autonomy?
- Are they communicating expectations clearly?
- Do people feel motivated and included under their leadership?
- What’s one change that would make them a better leader?
This gives you measurable insights while still keeping the tone conversational.
How to run your first cycle smoothly
You don’t need a big HR department for this, just a clear process.
- Pick one template and run it as a pilot. Don’t overcomplicate it.
- Explain the “why.” People give better feedback when they understand how it’ll be used.
- Use automation. Tools like Evalico handle invitations, reminders, and analytics so you can focus on insights, not spreadsheets.
- Share summaries. A short wrap-up post in Slack or Notion helps close the loop and reinforces transparency.
Final thoughts
Feedback isn’t about judgment, it’s about progress. Especially in startups, where culture grows faster than structure, having the right template can be the difference between “we’re doing okay” and “we’re actually learning.”
If you’re setting up your first cycle, start small, keep it human, and iterate as you go. The goal isn’t perfection, it’s rhythm.
And if you want to skip the manual work, Evalico was built exactly for that: fast, structured, zero-chaos performance reviews for modern teams.
Because the best startups don’t just move fast, they grow wisely.
