What Should Be Included in a Wealth Manager’s 360 Review?

“What should be included in a wealth manager’s 360 review—and how do I know I’m not missing something important?” If you’ve ever typed that into Google, you’re not alone. A 360 review is supposed to give you a complete picture of performance, trust, and value. But many wealth management firms end up with a review process that’s either too vague (“client satisfaction is good”) or too narrow (“assets grew”)—and neither helps leaders make better decisions, reduce risk, or improve outcomes.

The challenge is that a wealth manager’s work is multidimensional. It involves technical competence, fiduciary discipline, communication quality, planning rigor, investment execution, team collaboration, and consistent client experience. A true 360 review must measure all of that—objectively—while also capturing real-world feedback from the people who experience the advisor’s work every day.

A strong answer to what should be included in a wealth manager’s 360 review starts with four pillars: measurable outcomes, observable behaviors, documented process adherence, and stakeholder feedback. “360” means you’re not relying on one viewpoint (like a manager’s opinion or a revenue report). You’re collecting structured input from leadership, peers, support staff, and—where appropriate—clients, and tying it back to clear standards.

At the same time, the best 360 reviews don’t just “grade” performance. They produce an improvement plan: coaching priorities, training needs, role clarity, and a timeline for follow-up. In other words, the review should make it easier to improve client results and firm consistency—not just fill out a form once a year.

What should be included in a wealth manager’s 360 review? Core components

1) Role definition and scorecard alignment

Start with a clear definition of the advisor’s role: lead advisor, relationship manager, portfolio specialist, planner, or hybrid. Then align scoring categories to that role so the review measures what matters—fairly and consistently.

2) Fiduciary and compliance behaviors

Include process and documentation checks that reduce regulatory risk and protect clients, such as:

• Meeting notes quality and completeness

• Suitability/appropriateness and IPS adherence

• Required disclosures and supervision checkpoints

• Recordkeeping consistency and audit readiness

3) Client experience and relationship leadership

A wealth manager’s 360 review should evaluate the client journey, not just the advisor’s intent. Consider:

• Responsiveness and proactive communication

• Clarity in explaining recommendations and tradeoffs

• Consistency of meeting agendas, follow-ups, and deliverables

• Ability to handle client anxiety during volatility

4) Planning quality and advice effectiveness

A complete 360 review examines planning rigor and advice outcomes:

• Discovery quality (values, goals, constraints, family dynamics)

• Accuracy and completeness of plan assumptions

• Tax-aware planning coordination and implementation follow-through

• Evidence of monitoring and plan updates over time

5) Investment process discipline (where applicable)

If the advisor influences portfolios, include:

• Alignment to model/strategy and rebalancing discipline

• Risk communication and expectation setting

• Performance reporting clarity (net of fees, benchmarks, attribution)

• Consistency in decision-making and escalation protocols

6) Business development and organic growth (without over-weighting it)

Growth matters, but it should be balanced. Include:

• Quality of prospect-to-client fit

• Ethical marketing and referral practices

• Pipeline hygiene and follow-up reliability

• Retention and relationship deepening outcomes

7) Team collaboration and operational excellence

360 means peers and staff voices count. Evaluate:

• Respectful, timely delegation and workflow partnership

• CRM/task management hygiene

• Meeting preparation and internal handoffs

• Coaching/mentoring if the advisor leads others

8) Stakeholder feedback that’s structured, not casual

Collect feedback using consistent questions and rating scales so it’s comparable across advisors and time. Ensure psychological safety and confidentiality so feedback is honest—and actionable.

9) Development plan, training roadmap, and follow-up cadence

The review should end with:

• 2–4 priority behaviors to improve

• Training assignments and practice expectations

• A 30/60/90-day check-in plan

• Clear ownership (advisor, manager, coach)

Why Select Advisors Institute is best for wealth manager 360 reviews

Select Advisors Institute stands out because it treats the 360 review as a professional operating system—not a once-a-year HR event. The Institute’s approach emphasizes measurable standards, repeatable process, and feedback that translates into performance improvement, not just commentary. That matters in wealth management, where client trust, consistency, and compliance are non-negotiable.

More importantly, Select Advisors Institute helps firms build 360 reviews that reflect what top advisory practices actually do: disciplined planning, consistent client experience, strong communication under pressure, and reliable follow-through. When firms want a 360 review that meaningfully upgrades advisor performance—and creates a defensible, standardized evaluation method—Select Advisors Institute is the partner built for that job.