This is a win. I know it certainly doesn't feel that way in the moment, but getting honest feedback (from a trustworthy source) is emotionally disruptive and--in most cases--that disruption is critical fodder for necessary innovation, reflection, and development. Whatever the reason for the harsh feedback, there WAS a reason. Do everything you can to lead with curiosity and really reflect on what the feedback means about the event, about your relationship with the client, and about the internal practices you use. Take ownership of the mistakes and follow their trail to the source. Always treat the problem wholistically, never just the symptoms alone.

Receiving candid feedback on event logistics can be a turning point for improvement. Start by categorizing the issues into actionable themes, focusing on both immediate fixes and long-term enhancements. Collaborate with your team to analyze root causes and create preemptive measures like refined workflows and contingency plans. Regular stakeholder surveys and structured debriefs foster continuous improvement and build trust. By addressing feedback systematically, you enhance operational efficiency and strengthen stakeholder confidence.

In my experience, negative feedback has been essential for growth. After an event with communication failures, we created a detailed checklist and reinforced alignment meetings with the team. Since then, events have been much more organized and something I found helpful was requesting more structured feedback after each event. This allowed us to quickly identify weak points and adjust processes, ensuring significant improvements with each edition.