The One Question for Better Feedback
By Levina Kusumadjaja
Receiving and giving feedback can be tricky.
Even though you know that you are not defined by your work, feedback sessions can be challenging from time to time. From your side, you want your work to be good enough and you want them to be validated by your clients. But sometimes, a part of the collaboration process is to receive a lot of inputs from your client. From your client’s side, these conversations may be hard as well because they might be hesitant to share exactly what they think or feel because they are afraid to hurt your feelings.
Because you know that feedback sessions and checkins are so important, you want to have this open, honest, and transparent space for both you and your client to share your inputs during the entire process. If you can establish a relationship with your client that is based on trust and teamwork, feedback sessions won’t feel like a place of attack and defense—but rather a playroom of ideas.
One of the most useful questions to ask in feedback sessions is: How do you feel about _______?
You can fill in the blank with anything. It can be about the brand roadmap, the positioning, the logo, the colors—whatever that may be. The key is this: invite your client to share about what they feel in that moment. It’s not just about what they think, it’s about something deeper than their thoughts. If you want an honest and helpful feedback, your clients need to feel safe to share their thoughts. Asking them about how they feel taps into that safety. Asking about how your client feels communicates that you care about their well-being in the moment. It invites them to be open and honest with you, fostering a safe space.
This question also opens the window for clients to not feel bad about sharing their thoughts. Perhaps they are hesitant about saying a negative comment about your work, or they are unsure of their own feelings. When you ask them how they feel, you are communicating that they are more important than you convincing that your work is good. It is also a way to initiate a discussion about what you and your client as a team feel about the work you have created so far.
The question places the client at the center, and that makes them feel valued. Feedback sessions isn’t the place to defend your work. It is a place to ensure that you and your client are moving towards the same direction, that what you are producing is aligned with your client’s goals and needs.
Cheers!
Levina
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About the author:
Levina is a writer based in Indonesia. Because of Melinda Livsey, she recognized the power of brand strategy for every creative. She is sharing about her learnings as she goes to help creatives have fun in their growth and journey of building brands. Connect with her on LinkedIn and say hi!