The Guise of Feedback

Not all feedback is created equal. 

Who specifically do you trust to give you feedback about your development?

It’s important to distinguish between performance feedback and learning feedback. 

Feedback from clients are performance feedback, used to specifically tune and calibrate to individual’s needs, one client at a time. 

Feedback from a mentor/coach/supervisor are learning feedback, used to specifically help you with at your growth edge, one therapist at a time.

Yes, listen to to a crowd’s response if you are performing on stage. Their real-time responses give you a sense if you message, music or joke has landed. They can tell you what worked or didn’t, but they can’t tell you how to improve. Everyone will have a different opinion. They might even be able to tell you what’s wrong, but not how to fix what’s wrong.

Once again, not all feedback is created equal, even in terms of learning feedback. Be warned: What is guised as “feedback” is actually a performance “evaluation”.

Besides, an over-emphasis on performance can impede real learning. 

In order for learning feedback to be useful, it has to be specific, targeted and contextually relevant. Theoretical discussions and affirmations aren’t learning feedback. While needed at times, they aren’t sufficient to lead to actual translation of better client outcomes.