What do you say to someone who has just done a terrible job of speaking to a group or meeting and they ask, how did I do?

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Answers (1-10)

Business from Sutton Place New York, NY
Answered on Mar 9th, 2020

Be honest but you can coach it in the form of, "What you did well was... and what you can improve or work on is..." If they didn't do any thing well, then still give them feedback about their performance but from a constructive point-of-view. Stating, "You sucked" isn't helpful to anyone. Giving directed feedback is much more helpful.

Business from Brooklyn, NY
Answered on Mar 9th, 2020

I am a big fan of straight talk and giving honest feedback followed by a solution, especially if you are their manager. Being able to create a culture that is conducive of open and honest feedback is important when it comes to employee happiness. I also am a firm believer that this keeps the lines of communication open with your employees.

be polite as you can put on a fake smile and thank them for their time  not everyone is a great public speaker not everyone can get in front of a group of people be charming, interesting or even clear on what they are trying to say.  You would hope they tried to do the best they could and in the end that's all you can ask of someone

I was always taught to make a beautiful sandwich  out of it; in another words say something positive then speak of what you did not like which is the meat in the sandwich l, then end on a positive note so they will leave in very pleasant way and you will not have any bad feelings about it

Does that make sense to you? It really does work... try it sometimes

Just did this today. The speaker was not terrible in every sense but he did not adequately convey the key essence of his message well enough.. We had a ling conversation afterwards as he was an expert in an area I am very interested in. Towards the end of our private chat he asked me how his presentation was received.
I was one of the hosts but I had never met him before but I gave him honest feedback. He sincerely thanked me for my input and we both joked that you need to be a little thick-skinned if you truly want to learn and improve. I respect him more for his attitude to my feedback. Perhaps he feels the same as I was willing to take the time to be honest in my response rather than just politely saying ‘it was great’. We carried on our conversation and ended up agreeing to meet and discuss the subject further as we may be able to help each other create mutual beneficial opportunities.   

I usually ask a question like "How long have you been speaking in public". If they say less than 3 years I may say "wow for (that length of time) you did pretty well." " That being said if you want to step up your speaking game and possibly start earning more money I would like to have my friend Steve Sapato, a speaker coach, contact you and see how he can help you take it to the next level."  

A candid, yet respectful response is best. If they asked for feedback, then provide it in a caring manner.  If there's anything worth doing, it's worth doing badly to start.  The content of their message may be strong. The delivery method may need some tweaking. The type of presentation also is a factor: if it's an educational speech; or is it a facilitation of a small group exercise to a larger group.  Be sure the feedback includes that...so that it's an accurate indication of how the person can improve.

Each speaker always has one positive attribute that you can find. Begin with that and then ask if it is ok  to make a recommendation. Make it short. Keep it subjective.

Direct but respectful feedback. If they are speaking on a stage, they should be open to criticism to improve. Otherwise, they aren't going to last long on stage. It won't be fun for them or the audience.  

"Thanks for speaking today. I give direct and honest feedback. You OK with that?" However you wish to say it, but asking softens the blow and allows them to be open for criticism. 

And then be constructive so they can improve. Have suggestions ready such as a number for a speaking coach, maybe an author about how to craft a story arc or how to create a TED Talk. 

Don't just focus on the problem. Give them something to leave with and improve. You never know where someone is. You could give them the direction and boost they need to be successful.


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