Why Feedback is the Key to Presentation Excellence

Hand on heart: How often have you given a presentation and wondered afterward how it was received? Sure, you might have gotten a few polite “Well done!” comments. But let’s be honest, that won’t make you better, right?

Discovering blind spots is crucial. Feedback can reveal aspects of your presentation that you don’t perceive yourself. These can be unconscious behaviors, unclear formulations, or confusing visual elements.

Building on your strengths becomes possible through feedback. When you know what works particularly well, you can deliberately use these elements in future presentations and refine them further.

Addressing weaknesses becomes easier through constructive criticism. Specific suggestions for improvement give you clear starting points for your development.

Understanding your audience better is a valuable side effect of feedback. You learn how your messages are received and can adjust your communication accordingly.

Continuously improving is the ultimate goal. Regular feedback and its implementation lead to steady improvement of your presentation skills.

In short: Without feedback, you’re going in circles. With feedback? That’s when things really take off!

The Art of Asking for Feedback

Okay, now it gets exciting. How do you get this valuable feedback? Here are some pro tips:

1. Timing is Everything

Ask for feedback while your presentation is still fresh in memory. Ideally right after or at the latest the next day.

2. Ask the Right People

Not everyone is suitable as a feedback provider. Look for people who:

  • Are honest (Yes, sometimes it hurts, but it helps you improve)
  • Have experience with presentations
  • Represent your target audience

3. Ask Specific Questions

“How did you find it?” won’t get you far. Instead, ask specifically:

  • “What was the strongest part of the presentation for you?”
  • “At what point did you feel bored?”
  • “Was the structure comprehensible to you?”
  • “How did you perceive my body language?”

4. Offer Anonymity

Some people don’t dare to give honest feedback face to face. An anonymous questionnaire can work wonders here.

5. Listen Actively

When asking for feedback, listen carefully. No justifications, no “Yes, but…“. Nod, take notes, ask questions if something is unclear. Additionally, it’s recommended to repeat what you’ve heard in your own words to ensure you’ve understood it.

Feedback Methods for Every Occasion

Different feedback methods can be useful depending on the situation. Here’s a selection of the best:

The Flash Survey

When? Right after the presentation

How? Ask the audience to respond with hand signals:

  • Thumbs up: Great!
  • Thumbs sideways: So-so!
  • Thumbs down: Needs improvement!

Advantage: Quick, simple, gives you a first impression

The 3-2-1 Feedback

When? Shortly after the presentation

How? Ask participants to write down:

  • 3 things they learned
  • 2 aspects they particularly liked
  • 1 suggestion for improvement

Advantage: Structured, focuses on the positive, but also provides potential for improvement

The Feedback Hourglass

When? In a personal conversation after the presentation

How?

  1. Start with positives
  2. Move on to suggestions for improvement
  3. End with a positive overall assessment

Advantage: Balanced, detailed, motivating

The Video Analysis

When? A few days after the presentation

How? Record yourself during the presentation and analyze the video a few days later with a colleague or coach

Advantage: Most objective method, you see yourself through the audience’s eyes

From Feedback to Improvement: Here’s How

Congratulations! You’ve now collected lots of feedback. But what do you do with it now? Don’t worry, I’ll tell you:

1. Sort and Prioritize

Not all feedback is equally important. Sort it:

  • What was mentioned frequently?
  • What aligns with your self-assessment?
  • What surprises you?

2. Recognize Patterns

Look for commonalities in the feedback. Maybe you keep hearing:

  • “The beginning was great, but then it became tedious.”
  • “The slides were overloaded.”
  • “Your enthusiasm was contagious!”

3. Define Actionable Items

Derive concrete improvement measures. For example:

  • Shorten presentation and get to the point
  • Declutter slides, use more visualizations
  • Maintain enthusiasm but adjust pace

4. Experiment and Iterate

Implement the essential improvements in your next presentation. And then? Right, get feedback again! It’s a continuous process.

The Psychology of Feedback: Why It Sometimes Hurts

In confidence: Feedback can be damn uncomfortable. Especially when it’s not so rosy. But don’t panic, that’s completely normal! Here are some tips on how to deal with it:

1. Take a Deep Breath

First negative reaction? Totally okay. Give yourself a moment to process the emotions.

2. Separate Person and Performance

Criticism of your presentation is not criticism of you as a person. Even if it sometimes feels that way.

3. Look for the Opportunity

In every piece of criticism lies an opportunity to get better. Focus on that!

4. Say Thank You

Yes, also (especially!) for critical feedback. The person took the trouble to help you. That deserves even more recognition than superficial praise.

5. Reflect

Ask yourself: “What can I learn from this?” Instead of: “Why is this happening to me?”

The Most Common Feedback Traps (and How to Avoid Them)

Watch out for stumbling blocks! Here are the top feedback pitfalls and how to elegantly avoid them.

The Justification Trap

Symptom: “Yes, but…”

Solution: Listen, nod, take notes. Explanations can come later.

The Generalization Trap

Symptom: “You always do this wrong!”

Solution: Ask for specific examples. “Can you point out a situation where this occurred?”

The Personalization Trap

Symptom: “You’re just not a good speaker.”

Solution: Focus on specific behaviors. “Which aspects of my presentation could be improved?”

The Sandwich Trap

Symptom: Hiding criticism between two layers of praise

Solution: Be honest and direct, but always respectful and constructive

The Ignore Trap

Symptom: Collecting feedback and then… doing nothing with it

Solution: Create a concrete action plan and show what you’ve changed next time

From Good to Brilliant: Micro-Optimizations through Feedback

You think your presentations are already pretty good? Great! But believe me, with targeted feedback you can get even better. Here are some areas where even professionals often have room for improvement:

  • Storytelling: How engaging was your narrative thread?
  • Body Language: Do your gestures support the message?
  • Voice Modulation: Do you vary pitch and pace?
  • Slide Design: Does the visual material optimally support your message?
  • Interaction: How well do you engage the audience?

Ask specifically for feedback on these aspects and you’ll be amazed at the progress you can still make!

Your Feedback Toolkit: Must-have Tools for Presentation Professionals

A craftsman needs his tools – and presentation professionals need their feedback tools. Here are my top recommendations:

  • SurveyMonkey or Google Forms For anonymous online surveys after the presentation
  • Mentimeter For live feedback during the presentation
  • Rhetoric Apps (e.g., Orai) Analyze your speaking style and give tips
  • Presentation Recording Tools (e.g., Loom) Record yourself and analyze your performance
  • Feedback Journals Keep your feedback structured and track your progress

Important! Improve in a Focused and Step-by-Step Manner

When implementing feedback, it’s important to proceed strategically and not overwhelm yourself. Instead of trying to implement all improvement suggestions at once, you should focus on two to three central aspects for each presentation. Choose the points that have the greatest impact on the quality of your presentation. In your next presentation, you can then focus on new priorities – whether they’re previously unaddressed points from earlier feedback or new areas for development. This step-by-step approach allows you to improve continuously and sustainably without having to completely overhaul your proven presentation elements.

Conclusion: Criticism as Opportunity – Presenting 2.0

With these insights, you’re now well-equipped to catapult your presentations to the next level. Remember: Feedback is like a gift – sometimes surprising, but always valuable. Use it wisely and your next presentation will be a hit!

And you know what? The topic of presentations is a never-ending journey. Why not check out our other exciting articles – from the targeted use of color to overcoming stage fright, you’ll find everything your presentation heart desires right here on our website. Let’s present the world a little better together!