The Power of a Client’s Constructive Feedback

Recently, I wrote about our mentors/supervising tools as an axe; it’s a tool that needs to be sharpened often. Likewise, we need to find ways to keep us sharp. Here, your client’s feedback can be a great asset to sharpen your tools. Unlike speaking to a third party, your client knows exactly what is happening in your sessions. They also know what they need personally and they are the best people to review your work. 

I like to use two types of reviews with my clients: session reviews and annual reviews. Both are essential for tracking progress, identifying patterns, and discovering what is and isn’t working for the client. 

Session Reviews 

These are quick and frequent check-ins with your client. They don’t have to happen every single session, but they should be happening regularly and often enough to feel confident in your client’s satisfaction with the sessions. They are important for two reasons:

1. For the client’s obvious feedback and the opportunity to reshape the way the sessions are conducted to improve their effectiveness.

2. They help your client reflect on the session’s value and cement their thought process and progress. 

I end my session reviews by asking, “What has been helpful today?” Then, I like to ask what they would like more or less of in our sessions and open it up to any feedback they might like to offer. 

Annual Review

Annual reviews are a more in-depth check-in once a year and involve revisiting the original contract, discussing long-term goals, and then making necessary changes. Lots can change over the course of a year; new objectives may arise in their professional and personal lives, new boundaries may need to be enforced, and all the new insight they have gained over the year may impact how they want to move forward. 

During these sessions, I make sure to ask: “Are your expectations being met?” “What has been helpful to you?” “Is the design of our sessions working for you?”

Tips for an effective review: 

• If they say that it’s all great and helpful, I remind them that they can say anything at any time, not just during reviews. I encourage transparency and honesty, and I make sure they know that constructive feedback will only help our sessions improve. 

• This isn’t about you—As a mentor or supervisor, these reviews are not here to prove to yourself that you are doing a great job, to feed your ego, or to cover up insecurities. Make sure you are asking the right questions that will draw out honest answers and not shying away from tough conversations with your client. 

• All feedback, even negative feedback, is an opportunity for growth. A baseline principle for mentoring/supervising is that we can’t always see ourselves clearly. That’s why our clients need us, and that is why we need our clients. They provide a new perspective. 

• We are not always the right fit. If a review leads to the end of the professional relationship, that is unusual but natural. Some clients will want a different kind of approach to their session than you offer, and some clients may need a more specific type of help that you can’t provide. A review may also make it clear that your sessions have become comfortable and stagnant. You may be able to revamp the session, but it also may be a sign that your sessions have reached a natural stopping point. 

Underlying questions: 

• Am I still a good fit for this particular client?  
• Am I still effective for this particular client? 
• How can I stay sharp? Who else can help me grow? 
• Next Steps:

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