presentation style feedback

How to Give Feedback on Presentation (Step by Step Guide)

Presentations can be a powerful tool to inform, persuade, or inspire. But let's be honest, they can also be nerve-wracking experiences. You pour your heart and soul into crafting the content, but the real test lies in how it resonates with your audience.

Did your message land? Were you able to communicate key points effectively? The answer often hinges on one crucial element: presentation feedback.

Here's the thing: Feedback isn't just about pointing out flaws. It's a double-edged sword that can elevate your presentation skills and drive you towards becoming a confident and impactful presenter. 

Constructive feedback provides valuable insights that can help you refine your delivery, strengthen your content, and connect with your audience on a deeper level. Presentation feedback acts as a mirror, reflecting our strengths and weaknesses and empowering us to continuously hone our craft.

But how do you ensure you're giving and receiving feedback that's truly helpful? This blog will equip you with the tools to navigate the feedback process effectively. 

Characteristics of Effective Feedback

Not all feedback is created equal. Effective feedback is a carefully crafted message that provides clear direction for improvement while fostering a positive learning environment.

Here are the key characteristics that define effective feedback on presentations:

(1) Specific

Ditch vague comments like "good job" or "it needs work" . Instead, pinpoint specific aspects of the presentation that were strong and areas where improvement is possible.

For example, "Instead of saying 'your slides were a bit crowded,' you could offer: 'The information on slide 5 seems overwhelming. Consider breaking it down into two slides or using bullet points to improve readability.'"

Another example of effective feedback might be: "The data you presented on target audience demographics was clear and well-organized (positive note).

However, consider briefly explaining how this data will be used to tailor the campaign message for different audience segments (actionable suggestion)."

(2) Actionable

Good feedback goes beyond simply identifying issues. It provides concrete suggestions for improvement.

Instead of saying, "Your body language seemed stiff," offer actionable advice like "Focusing on maintaining eye contact with different audience members can help project confidence and connect with the audience on a more personal level."

(3) Respectful

Remember, the goal is to provide constructive criticism, not tear someone down. Maintain a respectful and encouraging tone.

Phrase your feedback in a way that focuses on the presentation itself, not the presenter's personality.

(4) Future-Oriented

Effective feedback should be focused on something other than past mistakes. Frame your suggestions in a way that guides the presenter towards future presentations.

(5) Balanced

While constructive criticism is important, don't neglect to acknowledge the presenter's strengths.

A positive note at the beginning or end of your feedback can create a more receptive environment and reinforce positive behaviors.

Giving Feedback Like a Pro: A Step-By-Step Guide

So, you're ready to provide effective feedback on a presentation, but where do you begin? 

This step-by-step guide will equip you with the tools to deliver clear, actionable feedback that is ultimately well-received.

Step 1: Preparation

Before diving headfirst into feedback, take a moment to familiarize yourself with the context of the presentation. Review the presentation material beforehand, focusing on the topic, objectives, and key messages the presenter aimed to convey.

Understanding the presenter's goals allows you to tailor your feedback for maximum impact.

Step 2: Active Observation

Shift your mindset from passive observer to active listener. Pay close attention to the presenter's delivery, both verbal and nonverbal.

This includes:

• Content:  Is the information clear, concise, and well-organized? Does it effectively support the  key points ?
• Delivery:  Is the pace appropriate? Does the presenter use vocal variety to keep the audience engaged?
• Visual Aids:  Are the slides visually appealing and easy to understand? Do they complement the spoken content or create distractions?
• Body Language:  Does the presenter maintain good posture and eye contact with the audience? Does their body language convey confidence and enthusiasm?

Step 3: The Feedback Framework

Now for the heart of the matter: delivering your feedback!

Here's a framework to ensure your message is clear and constructive:

(1) Set the Stage

Briefly acknowledge the topic and  objectives  of the presentation. This helps the presenter understand the context within which you're providing feedback.

(2) Specificity is Crucial

Avoid vague comments. Instead, highlight specific aspects of the presentation that were effective and areas for improvement.

For example, "The opening story did a great job of grabbing the audience's attention (positive note). However, some of the technical terminology on the following slides might have been confusing for a non-specialist audience (actionable suggestion)."

(3) The Positive Sandwich

Frame your feedback with a positive note. Compliment the presenter on something they did well before offering constructive criticism. This creates a more receptive environment for feedback.

(4) Open-Ended Questions

Don't just tell; prompt discussion. Use open-ended questions to encourage the presenter to reflect on their delivery and explore potential improvements.

For example, "How did you feel the audience responded to that particular statistic?"

(5) Focus on the Future

Instead of dwelling on what went wrong, frame your feedback in a way that guides the presenter towards future presentations.

For example, "Consider adding a real-world example to illustrate that point for your next audience."

(6) Delivery Matters

Remember, even the most valuable feedback can fall flat if delivered poorly. Maintain a respectful and encouraging tone, and avoid accusatory language.

Focus on providing helpful suggestions for improvement.

(7) Consider the Audience

Tailoring your feedback to the audience can also be beneficial. If you're providing feedback to a colleague for a client presentation, your focus might be on the clarity and persuasiveness of the message.

For internal presentations, you might emphasize the organization and flow of the content.

Receiving Feedback Gracefully: A Practical Guide

So you've just delivered a presentation, and now comes the feedback.

While constructive criticism can feel daunting, it's actually a gift – a valuable opportunity to identify areas for improvement and elevate your presentation skills. But how do you ensure you receive feedback with grace and a growth mindset?

Here are some practical tips to help you navigate the process effectively:

(1) Maintain a Positive Attitude

It's natural to feel defensive when receiving feedback, especially if it's critical. However, resist the urge to get discouraged.

Remember, the goal is to learn and grow. Approach the feedback session with an open mind and a willingness to listen. Thank the person for their time and effort, and express your genuine interest in their insights.

(2) Active Listening is Key

Don't just hear the feedback; actively listen. Pay close attention to the specific points being raised. Ask clarifying questions if needed to ensure you fully understand the feedback.

Taking notes can also be helpful to remember key points for later reflection. If taking notes manually feels distracting and difficult, consider utilizing AI note-taking assistants like  Wudpecker .

Wudpecker's AI features automatically transcribe meetings and generate summaries, capturing key points and decisions. This will free you from the burden of note-taking, allowing you to fully engage in the discussion. 

(3) Separate Feedback from Emotion

It's easy to take feedback personally. However, try to separate the feedback from your own emotions.

Focus on the content of the message, not the delivery. Remember, the feedback is about the presentation, not you as a person.

(4) Identify Actionable Items

As you listen to the feedback, identify specific, actionable items you can work on to improve your future presentations.

This might involve refining your content structure, incorporating new visual aids, or practicing your delivery techniques.

(5) Don't Try to Defend Yourself

The urge to defend your choices is understandable but resist it. Instead, acknowledge the feedback and take time to process it later.

You can always ask follow-up questions for clarification, but avoid getting into a defensive debate.

(6) Express Gratitude

Thank the person for their feedback, regardless of whether it's positive or critical. Their willingness to share their insights is a valuable asset to your growth as a presenter.

(7) Reflect and Refine

Once you've received the feedback, take some time to reflect on it. Consider which points resonate most and identify areas where you can make improvements.

Develop a plan to incorporate the actionable items into your presentation skills development strategy.

Enhancing Presentation Skills Through Feedback

We've established that presentation feedback is a powerful tool for improvement. But how exactly can you leverage this feedback to enhance your presentation skills and become a more confident and impactful communicator? 

Here are some ways to turn feedback into action:

Self-Evaluation and Targeted Feedback

Seeking feedback doesn't have to be a one-time event. Develop a habit of self-evaluation after each presentation. Consider areas where you felt strong and areas where you could improve.

Based on your self-assessment, identify specific aspects you'd like to get targeted feedback on from colleagues or mentors. This targeted approach allows you to delve deeper into specific skills and receive focused insights.

Embrace Diverse Feedback Sources

Don't limit yourself to feedback from just one or two people. Seek feedback from a diverse audience whenever possible.

This could include colleagues, managers, clients, or even friends and family who witnessed your presentation.

Each person will have a unique perspective, offering valuable insights into how your message resonated with different audience members.

Leverage Technology

Technology can be a powerful tool for gathering feedback. Consider using online feedback forms or survey tools to collect anonymous feedback from a wider audience.

You can also record your presentations and watch them back to identify areas for improvement in areas like pacing, body language, and vocal variety.

Practice Makes Progress

Once you've identified areas for improvement based on feedback, it's time to put that knowledge into action!

Practice your delivery with a focus on the specific skills you're working on.

Role-play with a colleague, record yourself practicing, or join a public speaking group to gain experience and refine your presentation style.

Consistency Is Key

Remember, presentation skills don't develop overnight. The key to becoming a confident and impactful presenter lies in consistent effort and dedication.

Integrate feedback into your ongoing development plan, actively seek opportunities to present, and continuously strive to refine your craft.

Presentations can be powerful tools for informing, persuading, and inspiring, but mastering the art of delivery takes dedication and continuous improvement.

This blog has equipped you with the knowledge to harness the power of presentation feedback. You've learned how to provide clear, actionable feedback that empowers presenters, and you've explored strategies for receiving feedback with grace and a growth mindset.

Remember, the journey to becoming a captivating presenter is an ongoing process. Embrace the power of feedback, actively seek opportunities to practice, and never stop refining your skills.

By consistently seeking improvement, you'll transform those nervous presentation jitters into the confidence and clarity needed to deliver truly impactful presentations that resonate with any audience.

What Is an Example of Feedback on a Presentation?

Scenario:  You listened to a presentation on the benefits of switching to a new project management software. 

Here's how you could provide constructive feedback:

Positive Aspects:

• Clear Introduction:  "The introduction did a great job of grabbing the audience's attention by highlighting the common pain points associated with traditional project management methods. It effectively set the stage for the presentation."

Areas for Improvement:

• Visual Aids:  "The slides felt a bit text-heavy at times. Consider incorporating more visuals like charts, graphs, or even screenshots to illustrate the features and benefits of the new software."
• Content Depth:  "While you covered the key features of the software, it might be beneficial to delve deeper into how it addresses specific challenges faced by different user groups within the company (e.g., project managers vs. team members)."

Actionable Suggestions:

• "For your next presentation, you could try including a short demo of the software in action to showcase its user-friendliness."
• "Consider adding a slide that compares the new software to existing options, highlighting its unique advantages."

How Do You Comment on a Good Presentation?

Here are some ways to comment on a good presentation:

Highlight Specific Strengths:

• Content:  "The information you presented was clear, concise, and well-organized. It was easy to follow and understand." (focuses on clarity and structure)
• Oral Presentation:  "You delivered the presentation with great enthusiasm and confidence. Your use of vocal variety kept the audience engaged." (highlights delivery skills)
• Visual Aids:  "The slides were visually appealing and effectively complemented your spoken points. They were easy to read and understand." (focuses on visuals)
• Structure:  "The flow of the presentation was logical and well-paced. You transitioned smoothly between topics and kept the audience engaged throughout." (highlights structure and audience engagement)

Focus on Impact:

• "Your presentation was very informative and insightful. I learned a lot about [topic]."
• "You did a great job capturing the audience's attention and keeping them engaged throughout the presentation."
• "Your presentation was well-organized and easy to follow. I felt like I had a clear understanding of the key points."
• "I particularly enjoyed [specific aspect of the presentation, e.g., the real-world example you used, the humor you incorporated]."

Positive and Encouraging Tone:

• "Overall, it was a very impressive presentation. Well done!"
• "I can tell you put a lot of effort into this presentation, and it showed. Great job!"
• "Thank you for sharing your insights with us. It was a very informative presentation."
• "I look forward to seeing more presentations from you in the future."
• Be genuine and specific in your compliments. Make sure you are giving constructive feedback.
• Tailor your comments to the presenter and the presentation content.
• Focus on both the delivery and the content itself.
• End with a positive feedback and encouraging note.

How Do You Give Peer Feedback to a Presentation?

Here are some things to keep in mind when giving peer feedback on presentation:

Before the Feedback:

• Preparation:  Review the presentation topic and objectives beforehand (if available) to understand the presenter's goals.
• Mindset: Approach the feedback with a positive and helpful attitude.

Delivering the Feedback:

• Start Positive:  Start by acknowledging the presenter's effort and highlighting your observed strength.
• Specificity is Key:  Focus on specific aspects of the presentation, both positive and areas for improvement. Avoid vague comments.
• Actionable Suggestions:  Don't just point out problems; offer suggestions for improvement. Use "I" statements to frame your feedback (e.g., "I found the opening story engaging. Perhaps adding a visual element could enhance it further").
• Respectful Tone:  Maintain a respectful and encouraging tone throughout the feedback session.
• Focus on the Future:  Frame your suggestions in a way that guides the presenter towards future presentations.
• Open-Ended Questions:  Consider asking open-ended questions to encourage discussion and reflection (e.g., "How did you feel the audience responded to that statistic?").

Here’s an Example of How You Might Structure Your Feedback:

"Thanks for the presentation, [presenter's name]. I really enjoyed the way you [positive aspect, e.g., explained the technical details clearly and concisely]. I noticed that [area for improvement, e.g., some of the slides seemed text-heavy]. Perhaps you could consider [actionable suggestion, e.g., using bullet points or visuals to break up the text]."

Additional Tips for Constructive Feedback:

• Tailor Your Feedback:  Consider the audience and purpose of the presentation when providing feedback.
• Be Mindful of Time:  Keep your feedback concise and focused on the most important points.
• Offer to Help:  If you have specific skills or resources that could benefit the presenter, offer your help.
• Welcome Questions:  Encourage the presenter to ask clarifying questions or seek further feedback.

How to Get a Meeting Summary with Zoom IQ (4 Steps)

27 Must-Ask Client Interview Questions for Building Strong Relationships (With Examples)

How to Run a Weekly Touch Base Meeting (+ Template)

6 Leadership Communication Styles for Team Success [With Examples]

10 Project Meetings to Prepare Your Project Management Team

How to Have a Successful Touchpoint Meeting (Tips for Manager)

How to Record Teams Meeting as a Participant

How to Make Your Meetings Inclusive

How to Draft a Perfect Pre-Meeting Email Template

Agenda Approval During Board Meetings and How to Do It Right

How to Write the Notice of Meeting (With Template)

16 Best Cold Call Opening Lines for Sales Reps

How to Run a Project Premortem in 6 Steps

12 Creative Agenda Templates for Common Team Meetings

How to Draft a Winning Post-Sales Handoff (With Template)

Sign up for wudpecker. it's free..

Join professionals and teams supercharging their productivity with Wudpecker.

How to Give Effective Presentation Feedback

A conversation with sam j. lubner, md, facp.

Giving an effective scientific presentation, like all public speaking, is an acquired skill that takes practice to perfect. When delivered successfully, an oral presentation can be an invaluable opportunity to showcase your latest research results among your colleagues and peers. It can also promote attendee engagement and help audience members retain the information being presented, enhancing the educational benefit of your talk, according to Sam J. ­Lubner, MD, FACP , Associate Professor of Medicine and Program Director, Hematology-Oncology Fellowship, at the University of Wisconsin Carbone Cancer Center, and a member of ASCO’s Education Council.

Sam J. ­Lubner, MD, FACP

In 2019, the Education Council launched a pilot program to provide a group of selected speakers at the ASCO Annual Meeting with feedback on their presentations. Although some of the reviewers, which included members of the Education Council and Education Scholars Program, as well as ASCO’s program directors, conveyed information to the presenters that was goal-referenced, tangible, transparent, actionable, specific, and personalized—the hallmarks of effective feedback—others provided comments that were too vague to improve the speaker’s performance, said Dr. Lubner. For example, they offered comments such as “Great session” or “Your slides were too complicated,” without being specific about what made the session “great” or the slides “too complicated.”

“Giving a presentation at a scientific meeting is different from what we were trained to do. We’re trained to take care of patients, and while we do have some training in presentation, it usually centers around how to deliver clinical information,” said Dr. Lubner. “What we are trying to do with the Education Council’s presentation feedback project is to apply evidence-based methods for giving effective feedback to make presentations at ASCO’s Annual Meeting, international meetings, symposia, and conferences more clinically relevant and educationally beneficial.”

GUEST EDITOR

The ASCO Post talked with Dr. Lubner about how to give effective feedback and how to become a more effective presenter.

Defining Effective Feedback

Feedback is often confused with giving advice, praise, and evaluation, but none of these descriptions are exactly accurate. What constitutes effective feedback?

When I was looking over the literature on feedback to prepare myself on how to give effective feedback to the medical students and residents I oversee, I was amazed to find the information is largely outdated. For example, recommendations in the 1980s and 1990s called for employing the “sandwich” feedback method, which involves saying something positive, then saying what needs to be improved, and then making another positive remark. But that method is time-intensive, and it feels disingenuous to me.

What constitutes helpful feedback to me is information that is goal-referenced, actionable, specific, and has immediate impact. It should be constructive, descriptive, and nonjudgmental. After I give feedback to a student or resident, my next comments often start with a self-reflective question, “How did that go?” and that opens the door to further discussion. The mnemonic I use to provide better feedback and achieve learning goals is SMART: specific, measurable, achievable, realistic, and timely, as described here:

• Specific: Avoid using ambiguous language, for example, “Your presentation was great.” Be specific about what made the presentation “great,” such as, “Starting your presentation off with a provocative question grabbed my attention.”
• Measurable: Suggest quantifiable objectives to meet so there is no uncertainty about what the goals are. For example, “Next time, try a summary slide with one or two take-home points for the audience.”
• Achievable: The goal of the presentation should be attainable. For example, “Trim your slides to no more than six lines per slide and no more than six words per line; otherwise, you are just reading your slides.”
• Realistic: The feedback you give should relate to the goal the presenter is trying to achieve. For example, “Relating the research results back to an initial case presentation will solidify the take-home point that for cancer x, treatment y is the best choice.”
• Timely: Feedback given directly after completion of the presentation is more effective than feedback provided at a later date.

The ultimate goal of effective feedback is to help the presenter become more adept at relaying his or her research in an engaging and concise way, to maintain the audience’s attention and ensure that they retain the information presented.

“Giving a presentation at a scientific meeting is different from what we were trained to do.” — Sam J. Lubner, MD, FACP Tweet this quote

Honing Your Communication Skills

What are some specific tips on how to give effective feedback?

There are five tips that immediately come to mind: (1) focus on description rather than judgment; (2) focus on observation rather than inference; (3) focus on observable behaviors; (4) share both positive and constructive specific points of feedback with the presenter; and (5) focus on the most important points to improve future ­presentations.

Becoming a Proficient Presenter

How can ASCO faculty become more proficient at delivering their research at the Annual Meeting and at ASCO’s thematic meetings?

ASCO has published faculty guidelines and best practices to help speakers immediately involve an audience in their presentation and hold their attention throughout the talk. They include the following recommendations:

• Be engaging. Include content that will grab the audience’s attention early. For example, interesting facts, images, or a short video to hold the audience’s focus.
• Be cohesive and concise. When preparing slides, make sure the presentation has a clear and logical flow to it, from the introduction to its conclusion. Establish key points and clearly define their importance and impact in a concise, digestible manner.
• Include take-home points. Speakers should briefly summarize key findings from their research and ensure that their conclusion is fully supported by the data in their presentation. If possible, they should provide recommendations or actions to help solidify their message. Thinking about and answering this question—if the audience remembers one thing from my presentation, what do I want it to be?—will help speakers focus their presentation.
• When it comes to slide design, remember, less is more. It’s imperative to keep slides simple to make an impact on the audience.

Another method to keep the audience engaged and enhance the educational benefit of the talk is to use the Think-Pair ( ± Share) strategy, by which the speaker asks attendees to think through questions using two to three steps. They include:

• Think independently about the question that has been posed, forming ideas.
• Pair to discuss thoughts, allowing learners to articulate their ideas and to consider those of others.
• Share (as a pair) the ideas with the larger group.

The value of this exercise is that it helps participants retain the information presented, encourages individual participation, and refines ideas and knowledge through collaboration.

RECOMMENDATIONS FOR SLIDE DESIGN

• Have a single point per line.
• Use < 6 words per line.
• Use < 6 lines per slide.
• Use < 30 characters per slide.
• Use simple words.
• When using tables, maintain a maximum of 6 rows and 6 columns.
• Avoid busy graphics or tables. If you find yourself apologizing to the audience because your slide is too busy, it’s a bad slide and should not be included in the presentation.
• Use cues, not full thoughts, to make your point.
• Keep to one slide per minute as a guide to the length of the presentation.
• Include summary/take-home points per concept. We are all physicians who care about our patients and believe in adhering to good science. Highlight the information you want the audience to take away from your presentation and how that information applies to excellent patient care.

Speakers should also avoid using shorthand communication or dehumanizing language when describing research results. For example, do not refer to patients as a disease: “The study included 250 EGFR mutants.” Say instead, “The study included 250 patients with EGFR -mutant tumors.” And do not use language that appears to blame patients when their cancer progresses after treatment, such as, “Six patients failed to respond to [study drug].” Instead say, “Six patients had tumors that did not respond to [study drug].”

We all have respect for our patients, families, and colleagues, but sometimes our language doesn’t reflect that level of respect, and we need to be more careful and precise in the language we use when talking with our patients and our colleagues.

ASCO has developed a document titled “The Language of Respect” to provide guidance on appropriate respectful language to use when talking with patients, family members, or other health-care providers and when giving presentations at the Annual Meeting and other ASCO symposia. Presenters should keep these critical points in mind and put them into practice when delivering research data at these meetings. ■

DISCLOSURE: Dr. Lubner has been employed by Farcast Biosciences and has held a leadership role at Farcast Biosciences.

Lorlatinib vs Crizotinib for Advanced ALK-Positive NSCLC: Extended CROWN Follow-up

Asciminib shows superior efficacy vs standard-of-care frontline tkis in cml, fda approves lisocabtagene maraleucel for relapsed or refractory mantle cell lymphoma, differences in prostate cancer genomics among u.s. veterans, can a novel combination therapy improve metastatic colorectal cancer outcomes.

• Editorial Board
• Advertising
• Disclosures
• Privacy Policy

.css-1qrtm5m{display:block;margin-bottom:8px;text-transform:uppercase;font-size:14px;line-height:1.5714285714285714;-webkit-letter-spacing:-0.35px;-moz-letter-spacing:-0.35px;-ms-letter-spacing:-0.35px;letter-spacing:-0.35px;font-weight:300;color:#606F7B;}@media (min-width:600px){.css-1qrtm5m{font-size:16px;line-height:1.625;-webkit-letter-spacing:-0.5px;-moz-letter-spacing:-0.5px;-ms-letter-spacing:-0.5px;letter-spacing:-0.5px;}} Best Practices Become a better presenter -- with a little help from your friends

by TED Masterclass Team • May 12, 2020

Getting useful feedback can be a critical step in developing an effective presentation - it can also be harder to find than you might expect. Honest feedback calls on you to be vulnerable, and forces your feedback partner to sometimes deliver difficult constructive criticism. The good news is that this type of deep and authentic feedback can encourage personal growth and a willingness to take creative risks.

Get high-quality feedback that elevates your presentation skills by putting in a little extra preparation and focus.

First, decide who to ask for feedback

Feedback can feel personally risky if it’s coming from a close friend or colleague. Because these relationships are so important to us, honest feedback can end up feeling critical. In these situations, it can become tempting to give non-critical feedback, but that’s not helpful.

The person you work with to give you feedback should be someone:

• You want to learn from, who pushes you to think creatively
• With a different perspective - it can help to look beyond the people you spend a lot of time with personally or professionally
• Who shares your enthusiasm for acquiring new skills and is excited for you to become a better presenter

Then, prepare to receive feedback

Just as important as deciding who will be giving you feedback, is creating an environment and mindset where giving and receiving constructive feedback is easy.

• Create a distraction-free time and space for getting feedback. Ideally both of you should be present, focused, and open. If we’re feeling stressed or pressed for time, it’s hard to be a good feedback partner. That’s why it’s wise to tune in to how you’re feeling before you schedule a session.
• Remind the person that you’re looking for honest feedback to be the best presenter you can be.
• Before getting started, tell the person if there are any specific aspects of your idea or talk that you’d like them to focus feedback on.

Finally, ask the right questions

Giving feedback can be overwhelming for your partner if they don’t know what they should be focusing on. Decide on these areas ahead of time, and let your partner know. Then follow up with questions that will help them hone in on the most helpful feedback points for you.

Get overall feedback using these three questions:

• What works?
• What needs work?
• What’s a suggestion for one thing I might try?

Get specific feedback using these questions:

• Delivery: How is it landing for you overall? Are there places where your attention is wandering? What’s distracting?
• Content: Do you get this - will the audience? What questions do you have? Where are you engaged? Surprised? Moved? Is there a clear takeaway for the audience? Do you have any clarifying questions?

Good feedback is a gift that can really elevate your presentation skills. Make the most of your feedback opportunities with a little preparation.

© 2024 TED Conferences, LLC. All rights reserved. Please note that the TED Talks Usage policy does not apply to this content and is not subject to our creative commons license.

• SUGGESTED TOPICS
• The Magazine
• Newsletters
• Managing Yourself
• Managing Teams
• Work-life Balance
• The Big Idea
• Data & Visuals
• Reading Lists
• Case Selections
• HBR Learning
• Topic Feeds
• Account Settings
• Email Preferences

What It Takes to Give a Great Presentation

• Carmine Gallo

Five tips to set yourself apart.

Never underestimate the power of great communication. It can help you land the job of your dreams, attract investors to back your idea, or elevate your stature within your organization. But while there are plenty of good speakers in the world, you can set yourself apart out by being the person who can deliver something great over and over. Here are a few tips for business professionals who want to move from being good speakers to great ones: be concise (the fewer words, the better); never use bullet points (photos and images paired together are more memorable); don’t underestimate the power of your voice (raise and lower it for emphasis); give your audience something extra (unexpected moments will grab their attention); rehearse (the best speakers are the best because they practice — a lot).

I was sitting across the table from a Silicon Valley CEO who had pioneered a technology that touches many of our lives — the flash memory that stores data on smartphones, digital cameras, and computers. He was a frequent guest on CNBC and had been delivering business presentations for at least 20 years before we met. And yet, the CEO wanted to sharpen his public speaking skills.

• Carmine Gallo is a Harvard University instructor, keynote speaker, and author of 10 books translated into 40 languages. Gallo is the author of The Bezos Blueprint: Communication Secrets of the World’s Greatest Salesman  (St. Martin’s Press).

Partner Center

Blog > Effective Feedback for Presentations - digital with PowerPoint or with printable sheets

Effective Feedback for Presentations - digital with PowerPoint or with printable sheets

10.26.20   •  #powerpoint #feedback #presentation.

Do you know whether you are a good presenter or not? If you do, chances are it's because people have told you so - they've given you feedback. Getting other's opinions about your performance is something that's important for most aspects in life, especially professionally. However, today we're focusing on a specific aspect, which is (as you may have guessed from the title): presentations.

The importance of feedback

Take a minute to think about the first presentation you've given: what was it like? Was it perfect? Probably not. Practise makes perfect, and nobody does everything right in the beginning. Even if you're a natural at speaking and presenting, there is usually something to improve and to work on. And this is where feedback comes in - because how are you going to know what it is that you should improve? You can and should of course assess yourself after each and every presentation you give, as that is an important part of learning and improvement. The problem is that you yourself are not aware of all the things that you do well (or wrong) during your presentation. But your audience is! And that's why you should get audience feedback.

Qualities of good Feedback

Before we get into the different ways of how you can get feedback from your audience, let's briefly discuss what makes good feedback. P.S.: These do not just apply for presentations, but for any kind of feedback.

• Good feedback is constructive, not destructive. The person receiving feedback should feel empowered and inspired to work on their skills, not discouraged. You can of course criticize on an objective level, but mean and insulting comments have to be kept to yourself.
• Good feedback involves saying bot what has to be improved (if there is anything) and what is already good (there is almost always something!)
• After receiving good feedback, the recipient is aware of the steps he can and should take in order to improve.

Ways of receiving / giving Feedback after a Presentation

1. print a feedback form.

Let's start with a classic: the feedback / evaluation sheet. It contains several questions, these can be either open (aka "What did you like about the presentation?") or answered on a scale (e.g. from "strongly disagree" to "strongly agree"). The second question format makes a lot of sense if you have a large audience, and it also makes it easy to get an overview of the results. That's why in our feedback forms (which you can download at the end of this post), you'll find mainly statements with scales. This has been a proven way for getting and giving valuable feedback efficiently for years. We do like the feedback form a lot, though you have to be aware that you'll need to invest some time to prepare, count up and analyse.

• ask specifically what you want to ask
• good overview of the results
• anonymous (people are likely to be more honest)
• easy to access: you can just download a feedback sheet online (ours, for example, which you'll find at the end of this blog post!)
• analysing the results can be time-consuming
• you have to print out the sheets, it takes preparation

2. Online: Get digital Feedback

In the year 2020, there's got to be a better way of giving feedback, right? There is, and you should definitely try it out! SlideLizard is a free PowerPoint extension that allows you to get your audience's feedback in the quickest and easiest way possible. You can of course customize the feedback question form to your specific needs and make sure you get exactly the kind of feedback you need. Click here to download SlideLizard right now, or scroll down to read some more about the tool.

• quick and easy to access
• easy and fast export, analysis and overview of feedback
• save feedback directly on your computer
• Participants need a working Internet connection (but that usually isn't a problem nowadays)

3. Verbal Feedback

"So, how did you like the presentation?", asks the lecturer. A few people in the audience nod friendly, one or two might even say something about how the slides were nice and the content interesting. Getting verbal feedback is hard, especially in big groups. If you really want to analyse and improve your presentation habits and skills, we recommend using one of the other methods. However, if you have no internet connection and forgot to bring your feedback sheets, asking for verbal feedback is still better than nothing.

• no prerequisites
• open format
• okay for small audiences
• not anonymous (people might not be honest)
• time consuming
• no detailed evaluation
• no way to save the feedback (except for your memory)
• not suitable for big audiences

Feedback to yourself - Self Assessment

I've mentioned before that it is incredibly important to not only let others tell you what went well and what didn't in your presentation. Your own impressions are of huge value, too. After each presentation you give, ask yourself the following questions (or better yet, write your answers down!):

• What went wrong (in my opinion)? What can I do in order to avoid this from happening next time?
• What went well? What was well received by the audience? What should I do more of?
• How was I feeling during this presentation? (Nervous? Confident? ...)

Tip: If you really want to actively work on your presentation skills, filming yourself while presenting and analysing the video after is a great way to go. You'll get a different view on the way you talk, move, and come across.

Digital Feedback with SlideLizard

Were you intrigued by the idea of easy Online-feedback? With SlideLizard your attendees can easily give you feedback directly with their Smartphone. After the presentation you can analyze the result in detail.

• type in your own feedback questions
• choose your rating scale: 1-5 points, 1-6 points, 1-5 stars or 1-6 stars;
• show your attendees an open text field and let them enter any text they want

Note: SlideLizard is amazing for giving and receiving feedback, but it's definitely not the only thing it's great for. Once you download the extension, you get access to the most amazing tools - most importantly, live polls and quizzes, live Q&A sessions, attendee note taking, content and slide sharing, and presentation analytics. And the best thing about all this? You can get it for free, and it is really easy to use, as it is directly integrated in PowerPoint! Click here to discover more about SlideLizard.

Free Download: Printable Feedback Sheets for Business or School Presentations

If you'd rather stick with the good old paper-and-pen method, that's okay, too. You can choose between one of our two feedback sheet templates: there is one tailored to business presentations and seminars, and one that is created specifically for teachers assessing their students. Both forms can be downloaded as a Word, Excel, or pdf file. A lot of thought has gone into both of the forms, so you can benefit as much as possible; however, if you feel like you need to change some questions in order to better suit your needs, feel free to do so!

Feedback form for business

Template as PDF, Word & Excel - perfect for seminars, trainings,...

Feedback form for teachers (school or university)

Template as PDF, Word & Excel - perfect for school or university,...

Where can I find a free feedback form for presentations?

There are many templates available online. We designed two exclusive, free-to-download feedback sheets, which you can get in our blog article

What's the best way to get feedback for presentations?

You can get feedback on your presentations by using feedback sheets, asking for feedback verbally, or, the easiest and fastest option: get digital feedback with an online tool

Related articles

About the author.

Pia Lehner-Mittermaier

Pia works in Marketing as a graphic designer and writer at SlideLizard. She uses her vivid imagination and creativity to produce good content.

Get 1 Month for free!

Do you want to make your presentations more interactive.

With SlideLizard you can engage your audience with live polls, questions and feedback . Directly within your PowerPoint Presentation. Learn more

Top blog articles More posts

Tips for good PowerPoint Presentations

A Guide to PowerPoint-Karaoke

Get started with Live Polls, Q&A and slides

for your PowerPoint Presentations

The big SlideLizard presentation glossary

Co-located audience.

Co-located Audience means that the speaker talks to the audience in person. It is used verbal and non-verbal methods to communicate a message. The speaker makes gestures with their hands, changes their face expression and shows images.

Keynote is a programme which, like PowerPoint, is used to create digital screen presentations. It is mainly used by Apple users.

External Communication

External communication is the exchange of information between two organisations. For example, it can be an exchange with customers, clients or traders. Feedback from a customer also counts as external communication.

PowerPoint Online

PowerPoint Online is the web version of PowerPoint. You can present and edit your PowerPoint presentation with it, without having PowerPoint installed on your computer. It's only necessary to have a Microsoft - or a Microsoft 365 account.

Be the first to know!

The latest SlideLizard news, articles, and resources, sent straight to your inbox.

- or follow us on -

We use cookies to personalize content and analyze traffic to our website. You can choose to accept only cookies that are necessary for the website to function or to also allow tracking cookies. For more information, please see our privacy policy .

Cookie Settings

Necessary cookies are required for the proper functioning of the website. These cookies ensure basic functionalities and security features of the website.

Analytical cookies are used to understand how visitors interact with the website. These cookies help provide information about the number of visitors, etc.

📞 Call Now   800.403.6598 Contact Us - Get Started

No products in the cart.

Collecting Presentation Feedback to Improve Your Skills

Why is getting presentation feedback so important.

Collecting presentation feedback is probably low on your list of priorities, especially if you’re terrified of public speaking and not making a fool of yourself in front of a group of people is your biggest concern. But having some sort of response system in place so your audience can provide you with feedback on your presentation is an incredibly useful (not to mention inexpensive) way to improve your public speaking skills and become an even better presenter.

Why is getting presentation feedback so important?

For starters, when people provide you with feedback—even if it’s negative—you know they were paying attention. They were listening and watching, and by telling you what they thought of your presentation, they’re giving you input on your overall message, from what you said to how you said it .

That’s powerful information; it’s the best way for you to know if your presentation is doing what you want it to, whether that’s to inform, persuade, or motivate other people. Who better to tell you than the people in your audience?

Choose The Right Response System

Despite its usefulness, speakers continue to pass up the opportunity to poll audiences to get their feedback on a presentation. Certainly, no one wants to feel rejected or be told their presentation was terrible, but wouldn’t you rather be told your presentation missed the mark, than to continue delivering bad presentations that don’t engage audiences?

Not only that, but without presentation feedback, a speaker is forced to self-evaluate. Some will be overly-critical while others will be self-congratulatory—neither of which are beneficial or inspire the speaker to get better.

Offer a Presentation Feedback Form

In our Presentation Skills Training workshops, we talk about the importance of making a connection with the audience, and that connection doesn’t need to end with the presentation.

An immediate response system, such as providing your audience with a presentation feedback form to fill in and return at the end of the presentation is one way to gauge your performance. You can also encourage audience members to use other methods to provide feedback, such as directly to you through temp email , on social media, or online on Google or Yelp. This way, they’re not only helping you by rating your presentation, but their positive reviews will bolster your reputation, which will encourage others to work with you. And they’re staying connected with you beyond the presentation.

If the thought of having people “judge” your presentation frightens you, think about how getting positive feedback will make you feel. If you’re someone who lacks confidence or tends to be self-critical of your performance, hearing others tell you your presentation was inspiring or enjoyable can go a long way to helping you overcome your feelings of inadequacy.

Using Presentation Feedback to Achieve Your Goals

Whatever the situation that’s brought you to the podium—whether you’re a keynote speaker at a fundraiser or delivering a sales pitch—getting presentation feedback can be energizing. Consider how you feel when a manager or co-worker congratulates you on a job well done. You feel invigorated and motived to continue doing a good job that gets recognized.

The same is true of positive presentation feedback: When you know you’ve achieved your goal of connecting with an audience , you’re motivated to keep making those connections—and make them even better.

So what should your presentation feedback form (or other response system) look like? That’s up to you. But however you decide to collect presentation feedback, use the comments you receive to:

• Assess what you are doing well and where you need to improve
• Understand how your message is being received by others
• Direct you toward achieving your goals (e.g., increase your number of sales)

Not All Feedback is Bad

The term ‘feedback’ has earned a bad rap with some people. They hear it and run because they’re afraid someone will say something negative about them.

Not all feedback is negative, and not all of it is positive. But it should always be constructive, and as a public speaker you should want to hear it all. It’s the best way to know what your audience is getting from your presentation so you can improve your public speaking skills.

Do you provide opportunities for your audiences to give feedback? Tell us about it in the comment section or find us on social media and bring the conversation there. We’re on Facebook , Twitter , Google+ and LinkedIn .

16 Comments

I joined Toastmasters a year ago and have had some good feedback and some not so good. Some of the members were in my shoes, really not sure how to evaluate my presentations very well. Feedback is great but I guess it depends on the person giving the feedback.

Self evaluation is always hard to do. I’m a firm believer in having another person critique your work- it’s an opportunity to learn more about yourself!

Good post! I also had a bad feeling about the feedback until I read this post. I’ll be definitely using feedback form next time. I might still feel a bit uneasy, though.

I would like to get some professional feedback on my delivery. I think I will have someone video my presentation and send it to you guys to evaluate it.

I am a corporate trainer and give presentation feedback to our managers. Most of our folks really appreciate having good feedback so they can make their next presentations better.

Soliciting feedback is scary but necessary if you want to improve and I do…very scary though. Good article 

Since I have written feedback forms for companies myself, I know how they work.But reading this blog set me thinking as to how it helps the presenter. I agree with the author that feedback, whether good or bad, definitely helps us in evaluating oneself.

Yes. I agree with everyone who says feedback can be scary-but it can also be helpful. The key is getting people to use constructive criticism. You are also going to have to get used to the occasional remarks from someone who is just being spiteful. Learn to recognize constructive criticism and take it to heart.

I used to take all feedback as negative. I wasn’t able to differentiate “bad” from “constructive”. This greatly hurt me in the workforce and I actually lost my first job fresh from college over it. I have come a long way but I am still learning and things like this help me a lot. Public speaking on any level has never been easy for me but I have always been way too hard on myself. I see that now.

I have never had anybody give me any feedback on my presentations.

One of the cardinal characters of people who want to succeed is the courage to accept valid criticism. Feedbacks must not be good but it is a necessity that will help to know if you rea making progress

Great feedback is absolutely essential to one’s ability to polish one’s skills even as an experienced speaker. Without it, we are unable to assess our strengths and growth opportunities along the way. Who wants to fall into a rut and never improve when called upon to speak? I would say no one which is why feedback is a must for both amateur and experienced speakers.

Good article. Very knowledgeable and informative. I would like to read new articles related to this! I Would also like you to read our articles related personality development and mental health.

Good article. Very knowledgeable and informative.

Your article provides helpful tips on how to collect feedback to improve our presentation skills.

good bro. Thx!

Leave a Reply Cancel reply

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *

Save my name, email, and website in this browser for the next time I comment.

Special Offer! Get 25% off

Your exclusive code is ready! Copy it now!

How to give feedback on a presentation

Knowing how to give feedback on a presentation helps people become better presenters, sharpens their message, and gauges audience engagement ahead of time.

December 7, 2022

How many times have you been asked to give feedback on a presentation, and, while trying to organize your thoughts after hearing the presentation in real-time, found it hard to muster anything more than, "It's good"?

Or, you've taken the time to give thoughtful, nuanced advice on how a colleague can improve their presentation, only to find that you don't know exactly how to communicate it, or they don't know exactly how to implement it?

Any kind of creative feedback is difficult to conceptualize without the proper context, and that's doubly true for presentations, where you're often asked to listen to the presentation, absorb the information it's conveying, process your thoughts, and deliver a critique — all in real time. No one can give good feedback that way, but it's not the presenter's fault (or yours!). You just need a better feedback process.

Giving better presentation feedback requires examining two things:

• The feedback itself
• How it's being given (and received)

Ready to learn how to improve them both? Let's get started.

Why it's important to give feedback on a presentation

Giving feedback on a presentation comes with several key benefits.

It promotes growth and builds better presentation skills

No one is born an effective presenter. It takes time, skill, and practice to build public speaking and communication skills to where you can knock a presentation out of the park — every time.

As the old adage goes, practice makes perfect. Giving practice presentations for feedback from trusted peers and colleagues gives you an opportunity to get more presenting time under your belt — with lower stakes.

And by giving effective, actionable feedback (more on that below) to a colleague, you help ensure their next presentation is even better, which can benefit your company or organization.

It helps sharpen the message

When it comes to getting the message exactly right in a presentation, self evaluation can really only go so far. Sometimes it takes another point of view (or several of them, from all across your organization) to collaborate and craft exactly what key points you want attendees to take away from a presentation. Giving feedback allows you to help refine and sharpen the message — and to work with others who are also giving feedback — until it's perfect.

It gauges audience engagement

One of the hardest things about giving a presentation is holding audience attention from the first slide until the last.

This is especially true for an oral presentation that doesn't have any audiovisual components. In this case, it's crucial to know if there are any points where audience members might be more prone to losing focus — like if your presentation gets a little too in the weeds.

Giving feedback allows you to put yourself in the audience's shoes. Try to see and hear the presentation from their perspective, and if there's any point where you feel your mind start to wander, make a note of it — that's a point where audience engagement may be at risk during the real thing.

All feedback is not created equal

It's important to note that not all feedback is good feedback.

Not all feedback provides a benefit to the person giving the presentation. It isn't all actionable. It isn't all relevant. It isn't all useful.

When feedback is bad, it's usually for one of two reasons.

The feedback itself is of poor quality

Even when you have the best of intentions, you might still give bad feedback.

Some examples of poor quality feedback include:

• Feedback that's vague or unclear
• Feedback that's overly personal or meant as an attack
• Feedback that's dishonest, even if intended to spare the presenter's feelings

The feedback isn't communicated effectively

It's also possible to have useful feedback to give to a presenter, but to lack an effective system for communicating it. This can be especially challenging when there are multiple people trying to give feedback on one presentation at the same time. 

That's why bubbles is the best way to give feedback on a presentation. 

The presenter can record their speech, including a video of their screen to capture a Powerpoint presentation or any other visual aid they plan to use. Then, colleagues who are giving feedback can do so by leaving their comments at the exact, time-stamped moment where their feedback applies — and they can give their critique in text, audio, or video. Anyone can respond to a comment within a thread that captures (and preserves) all the context of the conversation so far. This makes it easier for a group to give feedback collaboratively, and makes it possible for the presenter to refer back to feedback at any time.

6 ways to give effective feedback on a presentation

Ready to give feedback that will turn a good presentation into a great one? The six tips below will help you give feedback that's effective and useful to the presenter, leaving them with clear takeaways they can use to level up their presentation. Let's get started.

Be specific

When giving feedback, try to be as specific as possible. Rather than saying something like, "I thought the presentation was effective," tell the presenter exactly what was effective. For example, a better piece of feedback is: "The key takeaway from the fifth slide was clear and really resonated with me." It tells the presenter exactly what you thought worked, rather than a vague, catch-all compliment.

If you're having trouble being more specific with your feedback (like if you aren't sure how to articulate your advice), sometimes an example can help! In your bubble comment, use a snippet of your own presentation (or even a Ted Talk or other professional speaking event) to more clearly illustrate what you're asking the presenter to do or change.

When you leave comments on the presenter's bubble, be sure to time-stamp them to the exact part of the presentation where the feedback applies. This can help ensure that the presenter gets the most value from your feedback, and can see what you mean in the proper context.

Be actionable

Even if your feedback is as specific as possible, it won't help the presenter if there's nothing they can do about it. That's why the next tip is to give feedback that's actionable — that is, don't just tell the presenter what they should change, but tell them what steps they can take to improve.

For example, don't just say someone needs to work on their body language while presenting. Tell them, as specifically as possible, how their body language could be improved; for example, if they should make more eye contact with audience members or gesture more with their hands while speaking.

You can even take this a step further and explain why you made this suggestion. For example, this feedback might be something like, "I would suggest making an effort to make eye contact with more members of the audience. This will engage more people and hold their attention, while helping your speech sound more natural."

Be constructive

In the same vein as giving actionable feedback is making sure you're giving constructive feedback — that is, that your feedback is about things the presenter can control and change.

Constructive criticism can be difficult to do well. It requires pointing out ways a presenter can improve — sometimes ways that can feel personal to them as they're on the receiving end of the feedback. But if the feedback is truly constructive, it's better to give it than to sugarcoat your critique to spare a presenter's feelings. And if hurting the presenter's feelings is the goal for the feedback, it's definitely not constructive.

Call out positives along with points of improvement

When giving feedback on a presentation, it can be easy to only focus on things you feel the presenter needs to improve. But it's just as important to give positive feedback that lets them know what they're doing well.

In fact, you might want to work even harder to find the positives than to point out places where the presenter can improve. In one study, conducted by academic Emily Heaphy and consultant Marcial Losada, team effectiveness was measured and compared with the ratio of positive and negative comments that team members made to one another. Heaphy and Losada found that in the most effective teams, the ratio was 5.6 — meaning those team members gave each other nearly six positive comments for every single negative one.

Medium performing teams averaged 1.9 positive comments for each negative one. And low performing teams were more negative than positive, with a 0.36 ratio (nearly three negative comments for every positive one).

The research shows that, as tempting as it may be to only point out ways a presenter can improve, it may help them even more to find as many positives as possible to go along with your constructive criticism.

This is another tip where you have a balance to strike. You should give feedback to the presenter quickly, but not so quickly that you don't have time to absorb their presentation and process your thoughts, first.

Giving feedback in real-time (for example, in a review meeting) can seem effective, since it gives the presenter a way of receiving feedback instantly. However, giving instant feedback isn't always ideal for the colleagues who are critiquing the presentation, who might give more helpful feedback if they have more time to gather their thoughts.

When you use bubbles to give feedback on a presentation, it allows everyone on the team to give feedback at their own pace. It also allows people to watch the presentation more than once, or go back through certain sections they'd like to revisit before giving feedback.

It also eliminates the need to schedule a meeting to deliver presentation feedback. Even if the presenter and people giving feedback are separated by time zones , they can watch the presentation and deliver feedback at times that are convenient for them — and the presenter can access (and action) that feedback whenever they're back online.

Do a few rounds of feedback

As everyone gives their feedback, they can collaborate in comment threads in the bubble. This allows everyone to see what's been said already, including all the context and nuance of the discussion, keeping everyone on the same page. The presenter can follow up with comments, and those giving feedback can watch the presentation more than once to give a few rounds of feedback.

This helps ensure that feedback is as comprehensive as possible, and that the presenter and everyone critiquing their presentation is able to focus on any key messages that come out of the feedback rounds — what changes are most impactful? What will really take this presentation to the next level?

Make feedback more comprehensive and collaborative

Giving feedback on a presentation will be most effective when your entire team can work together, seamlessly, to give comprehensive feedback to the presenter. With bubbles, you can have that conversation together, with all the context necessary to craft the perfect presentation.

Get started today with bubbles' free Chrome extension and start working together, in context.

Make your meetings matter

Use AI to record, transcribe, and summarize meetings into actions. Bubbles is your home for after-meeting collaboration.

Collaborate better with your team

Get your point across using screen, video, and audio messages. Bubbles is free, and offers unlimited recordings with a click of a button.

More from Bubbles

Sales Training Secrets for Building a Powerful Sales Team

Building a powerful sales team doesn't happen by chance—it's all about the right training. Luckily, we've put together our top tips to get it right every time and transform your team into sales superstars. Read on to unlock your sales force's full potential today!

Change Management Demystified: Surfing the Winds of Transformation

Winds of change, innovation and progress perpetually gust through our organizations. Seasoned leaders welcome these gusts, while others brace against the storms. But no matter how you initially greet change, one truth remains: evolve we must. Markets, tech, consumer tastes - all morph rapidly. We either ride the waves or risk sinking slowly into irrelevance.

5 Essential Steps to Streamline Your Sprint Planning Process

Looking to make your team's sprint planning sessions less of a headache and more of a harmony? Learn 5 essential steps within that will streamline your process, enhancing efficiency and focus, and paving the way for smoother, more effective work flows.

Building Teams That Wow: An Unconventional New Year’s Guide

A new year delivers a clean slate—the perfect opening to shake things up with our team and inject some unconventional ideas into how we collaborate. I'm proposing five “resolutions” to liven up meetings, clarify roles (with a twist!), transform feedback, supercharge collaboration, and promote accountability on steroids. Implementing these strategies will evolve our group into a hyper-productive dream team buzzing with energy.

How to Be More Productive: Navigating the Office and Remote Work Paradox

Having worked in both traditional offices and remotely, I've seen the complex nature of productivity. Traditional offices appear efficient due to their structure, but remote work challenges these notions, prompting a reevaluation of how best to achieve peak productivity. This dichotomy highlights the elusive and multifaceted aspects of what truly drives efficiency in different work environments.

8 Proven Methods: Working More Efficiently for Business Success

Want to boost your business efficiency game? Explore these 8 proven methods to start working smarter, not harder. Set yourself on the fast track to success and watch your business thrive in no time!

Also consider these tools

ScreenApp vs Wistia

Evaluate the strengths and shortcomings of ScreenApp and Wistia, and discover a superior alternative in our detailed analysis.

StoryXpress vs BombBomb

Explore an in-depth comparison of StoryXpress and BombBomb, examining their functionalities, strengths, and weaknesses, and uncover a superior solution through our detailed evaluation.

Hippo Video vs Weet

Dive into the details of Hippo Video and Weet, their unique qualities and problems, and discover a powerful alternative in our review.

How To Give & Receive Constructive Presentation Feedback

Table of contents, why feedback is important.

We’ve heard it before, to never stop learning. To strive for continuous growth and personal improvement. As intuitive as it sounds, it can be harder than expected.

How do you know what to improve on or why to improve on certain key points? Our personal bias of performance and fear of failure blinds us from our weaknesses. You pinpoint what needs improvement based on feedback.

Feedback is important because it promotes personal and professional growth by targeting key aspects of one’s performance. With ongoing constructive feedback, an individual is able to hone in on individual skill sets in a very organized way.

Without feedback, the progression of growth is slowed. Bad habits are often overlooked and become permanent habits and giving up is more likely to occur as proper structure and guidance isn’t given.

At Presentation Geeks, we’ve completed multiple presentation designs for some of the world’s best speakers and companies . We’ve created downloadable visual presentations , sizzle reels , e-learning solutions and business forecasts reports. What we’re trying to say is we’ve seen it all. By seeing it all, we’ve also heard it all. Feedback is second nature to us and one of the foundational blocks in which our business is built upon. We know how important receiving and giving feedback is.

With that being said, we’ve outlined and gone into more detail on two reasons why feedback is important.

Gauges Audience Engagement

Feedback is important because it can be used as a gauge for audience engagement.

As perfect as we’d like to think we are, everyone has an opportunity to grow. Even a good presentation has at least a couple of things in which it can improve on. With opportunities to grow means feedback to be received. There will always be feedback to receive whether positive or negative.

If you have just completed a presentation and request feedback but receive none, you might think to yourself, “Excellent! There is absolutely nothing I need to improve on.” which unfortunately can mean quite the opposite.

Receiving no feedback could be an indication that you lost the audience’s attention. How can they provide feedback when they weren’t even listening to begin with?

Before jumping to the worst case scenario, there are a few things you can do to help weed out whether your presentation was not engaging .

First, try adding easier ways for the audience to engage with you and provide feedback. By having audience members sign-up online, you can get their email address and follow up with a feedback form such as SurveyMonkey .

Feedback forms are great because it allows the audience to easily provide feedback without needing to go out of their way to do it.

You might also take the approach of getting direct feedback. If there is an opportunity after the presentation to interact with the crowd and break off into small group chats, don’t be afraid to ask for feedback. Most people are more than happy to provide feedback and want to!

Improves Presentation Skills

Asking for feedback will also help improve your presentation skills .

When people are asked to give feedback on a presentation, most of the feedback you will receive will be on your delivery or the slides.

You’ll receive feedback such as, “You effectively command attention.” or, “Your slides could be more visually appealing.” or, “You overdid it on the facial expressions and they became a bit distracting.”.

The feedback you’ll receive will be both positive and negative. Don’t forget, it’s up to you to ask for the feedback, receive the feedback and take action on it. By taking action on the feedback as it relates to your presentation skills or your presentation slides, you’ll ultimately improve on your presentation skills.

Now that we know why feedback is important, let’s go over how to give and receive feedback.

How To Give Constructive Presentation Feedback

People are always looking for feedback yet not enough people give honest, good, constructive feedback. The feedback received is rarely helpful.

Giving constructive presentation feedback is an art you should master. By being able to not only receive constructive criticism, but give it as well, you’ll get a better appreciation for other people’s presentation skills and reflect upon yours. It will make navigating your own feedback journey easier.

Below you’ll find ways on how to give constructive feedback next time you’re asked.

Focus On Behaviour, Not The Person

When giving feedback, make sure it’s on the skills a person can control and change such as their behaviour rather than themselves as a person.

When you give feedback which targets a person’s character rather than their behaviour, they’ll become defensive and the feedback comes across as harsh criticism rather than constructive feedback.

Be Actionable

When giving feedback, follow up with an actionable item the person can do to work towards improving.

For example, if you felt their presentation didn’t flow well and you were lost as an audience member, don’t just leave it at that. Expand upon your comment by suggesting they add a slide outlining key agenda items. Take it a step further and explain why you suggested this.

You may say, ” I would suggest adding a slide which outlines key objectives because it will give the audience clear takeaways as to what to expect throughout the presentation. This is something I felt was missing.”

This is an actionable item someone can take away and implement and you’ve backed it up with a strong reason as to why they should do it.

Be Specific

Make sure the feedback you’re providing is specific.

Don’t just say someone needs to improve their communication skills. Be specific!

You could frame the feedback in a way that targets different forms of communication. You could pinpoint to their body language or their oral presentation. Both are forms of communication skills and without being specific, they wouldn’t know what to improve upon.

Be Realistic

Learning and growing is an ongoing progression. We can’t go from 0 – 100 overnight. We need to set realistic boundaries with the feedback we provide.

You want to be realistic when you communicate key points someone can improve on to ensure they don’t get discouraged and quit.

If requested to give feedback, be sure to do it in a timely manner.

Providing feedback in a timely manner will not only benefit the one asking, but you as well as you’re able to provide more accurate feedback.

As time goes on, you’ll begin to forget the small details that made up the entire presentation. By giving feedback in a timely manner, you’ll be able to provide more accurate and effective feedback.

Offer Continuing Support

Continuing support will take your ability to provide feedback to the next level and is immensely helpful.

Offer continuing support will allow you to establish a long-lasting rapport with people. These same people will most likely be providing you with feedback in the future.

Giving ongoing support will also allow you to become a master of your craft. The best way of fully understanding a topic is by teaching it. To become a master of presenting, you also need to be open to giving feedback. It will help you remain consistent.

End On A Positive Note

Lastly, end all feedback on a positive note.

The best growth and learning stems from positive reinforcement which can be as simple as ending things off with a positive note. Be mindful and honest with what positive note you want to end on.

A sincere compliment is far more effective than one that feels forced.

How To Receive Constructive Presentation Feedback

Once you’re able to effectively give good constructive feedback, we can now focus on receiving feedback.

What good is asking and receiving feedback if you don’t know what to do with the information. Instead of squandering golden nuggets of information, here is what you should do when asking for feedback after your own presentation.

Listen Carefully

Once you’ve asked for feedback, stop talking and listen.

Don’t try to justify your reasoning, don’t try and steer the conversation in a direction which favours your actions, just listen.

Be Aware Of Your Responses

Be aware of your responses to feedback. This includes body language, facial expressions and social cues.

You don’t want to come across as if you’re taking the feedback too personally. This will make the person providing the feedback feel like they’re hurting your feelings and they should stop or begin sugarcoating the feedback.

This will only result in inauthentic feedback which is not constructive. You want to be creating a space which can create dialogue surrounding helpful feedback.

You’ll receive a bunch of feedback over your life and the only way to grow is to be completely open with all the feedback you’ll receive.

The moment you start to close yourself off from feedback, is the moment you hinder your progression and growth.

Understand The Message

Before you leave with the feedback, make sure you fully understand what the person was trying to say.

The worst thing you can do is change something that isn’t broken. Before you walk away to start changing things, always make sure you know what you’re about to change is correct.

Reflect & Process

After you received the feedback, take time to reflect and process. This is a perfect time to conduct a self-evaluation on how you believe you did with your presentation.

Does the other person feel the same way? What are the differences they saw in my presentation that I didn’t see?

Don’t forget, we are perfectly imperfect human beings. You will never have a perfect presentation. With varying audiences all interested in something unique, you will have a hard time crafting presentation material with key messages that is compelling to everyone.

Always follow up.

Following up allows you to take action and measure your success to see if you’ve changed for the better.

Following up also makes sure the other person feels heard. What is the point of giving feedback if the person you give it to does nothing with it?

By following up, it shows you’ve taken their feedback to heart and you’re taking action.

Author:  Ryan

Related posts.

FREE PROFESSIONAL RESOURCES DELIVERED TO YOUR INBOX.

Subscribe for free tips, resources, templates, ideas and more from our professional team of presentation designers.

DETROIT, JUNE 20-21 PUBLIC SPEAKING CLASS IS ALMOST FULL! RESERVE YOUR SPOT NOW

• Public Speaking Classes
• Corporate Presentation Training
• Online Public Speaking Course
• Northeast Region
• Midwest Region
• Southeast Region
• Central Region
• Western Region
• Presentation Skills
• 101 Public Speaking Tips
• Fear of Public Speaking

Presentation Styles

Presentation styles and how they differ from presentation types – identify your strengths as a presenter to impress your audience.

Are We Talking about Presentation Types?

when you say Presentation Styles, are you talking about Presentation Types? Actually, no. Often, many people confuse “ presentation styles ” and “ presentation types .” Presentation Styles are the public speaking techniques that an individual uses when he or she delivers a speech. Most presenters will develop a style that works for that presenter and stick to it. A presentation type is the purpose of the talk. For instance, some presentations are designed to inform the audience about new material. Others are designed to persuade. Still others are created to entertain. You will often see presentation types labeled in a public speaking class with names like, “Presentation to Inform” or “Persuasive Speech”. So, the type is outcome or purpose of the speech. The Style is the way that the speaker delivers the material. Two different speaker will often be able to deliver the same, exact type of speech with two separate and distinctive styles.

How Do I know My Particular Presentations Style?

When I first began training to be a professional speaker, I decided to join a Toastmaster Club to get more practice. I went to this club for the better part of a year, before I quit in frustration. Since I already had quite a bit of presentation training by that point, I already had a good idea of many of my strengths and weakness as a presenter. The first time that I gave a formal speech in the club, I got good positive feedback. I felt pretty good about myself. However, as I began progressing through the prepared speeches, some of the feedback began to get a little odd. I just assumed that this was because the Grammarian changed each week, and some were better than others at coaching. I didn’t realize until much later what my real resistance was, though.

It turns out that each of these coaches were providing me feedback based on what worked for THEM when they presented. Since each of these people had a different style than mine, some of the feedback was accurate, but a lot of the feedback really fell flat. I noticed the same thing as I took more and more presentation classes. Many of the instructors in these classes were just trying to get their students to do exactly what they did. In fact, if you ask most people who go through a presentation skills class, they will say, “It didn’t really work for me.”

Oddly enough, after I had been a speaking coach for a couple of years, one of my students invited me to his Toastmaster Club. It was a totally different experience. The presenters there were just like me. They had a blunt and frank delivery mixed with humor. I felt right at home. They were using my style.

By the way, I’m not telling you to keep interviewing coaches or keep visiting different clubs until you find a style that suits you. Just the opposite actually. If you do this, you will likely stunt your growth as a presenter. In retrospect, even though I was more uncomfortable at the first club, I would have grown more there if I had stuck with it.

The Solution was Discovered by Hippocrates about 2300 Years Ago.

When I first began training instructors to teach public speaking classes, I realized that I needed a way for these less experienced coaches to identify true strengths and weaknesses of each presenter that they were coaching. Early on, I bought some of these personality temperament tests and had class members complete them. For the most part, that worked pretty well. However, from time to time, the tests would be unbelievably inaccurate. It was odd. Sometimes they work. Sometimes they didn’t. So, I spent months researching, and I eventually traced the theory back to the source. I just read what Hippocrates wrote. When I did, it was SO SIMPLE! Anyone could understand it. Anyone could use it. So, I made it a part of the Fearless Presentations ® class .

This simple understanding is one of the things that makes the Fearless Presentations ® coaches so much better than other speaking coaches.

The Answers to Two Simple Questions will Determine Your Presentation Styles

• Are your INDIRECT or DIRECT?

Indirect people tend to be more cautious. They would rather do things right the first time than redo the action. Direct people tend to be faster to take action. They want to capitalize on opportunities. They realize that they may make a mistake but see mistakes as part of the learning process. Indirect people are often described as being thorough or detailed. Direct people are often described as being energetic.

• Are you EMOTIONAL (People Oriented) or LOGICAL?

Don’t let the word Emotional confuse you. By emotional, we just mean more people oriented. They are more in tune with other people and sensitive to the wants and needs of others. Logical people tend to be more “nuts and bolts” or “black and white” kind of people. They look at data to make decisions. These presenters want facts and proof.

So, the Direct/Logical presentation will deliver just enough facts to prove his or her point, and then move on. They are concise and decisive. The Indirect/Logical is thorough and analytical. For them, a few facts are good and too many facts is just enough. The Direct/Emotional presenter wants things to be upbeat and entertaining. For them, the fewer facts, the better. The Indirect/Emotional presenter will want to please the audience with a few details. They are often the most in-tune with what the audience wants but tend to be more nervous about their performance.

The Four Main Presentation Styles

In this article, I’m just going to give a summary of the four different presentation styles. However, each summary will have a link to more details about each group can maximize strengths and minimize weaknesses. So, once you know your style, click the appropriate link to find out more details about how to become a better speaker.

The Authoritative Style (Direct/Logical)

The Energetic Style (Direct/Emotional)

The Analytical Style (Indirect/Logical)

The Empathetic Style (Indirect/Emotional)

Maximizing Your Strengths While Minimizing Weaknesses.

No single presentation style is going to be perfect for every presentation. However, some presentation styles fit better for some presentations. For instance, an Empathetic Style presenter will do much better delivering a Eulogy than an Authoritative Style. The Energetic presenter will often give a better motivational keynote than the Analytical Style presenter. With all that being said, though, just because your delivery is of a certain style, doesn’t mean that you can’t be a fantastic presenter when you deliver different TYPES of presentations.

The key to making a great impression on your audience is to maximize your natural strengths and minimize your natural weaknesses . An easy way to do this is to look at the strengths of other presentation styles and adopt some of those things to include in your own style. For instance, if you are an Analytical or Empathetic speaker, purposefully speak a little faster to add some energy into your delivery. If you are an Authoritative or Energetic Style of presenter, spend more time researching or preparing your speech. (Don’t just fly by the seat of your pants like you normally do.) If you are an Authoritative or Analytical presenter, interact with your audience a little more. Make your presentations a two-way conversation versus a one-way.

That is one of the main reasons why the Fearless Presentations ® class is so successful. Our instructors aren’t going to try to force each class member into a presenter mold based on their own strengths. The instructor, instead, will identify those natural strengths that each presenter has. Then, the instructor will help nurture those strengths. Finally, the coach will add in a few strengths from other presentation styles so that the speaker is more relatable. This process works 100% of the time.

To look for a Fearless Presentations ® class in your area , click here.

Podcasts , presentation skills | presentation styles

View More Posts By Category: Free Public Speaking Tips | leadership tips | Online Courses | Past Fearless Presentations ® Classes | Podcasts | presentation skills | Uncategorized

• link for presentation enquiry emails
• link to presentations on twitter
• buy Presentation Genius on Amazon
• Presentation Genius YouTube channel
• Presentation Genius on Facebook
• simon on Linked In
• mobile phone

How to give feedback about a presentation

As Saturday, June 1st is officially #SaySomethingNiceDay , I thought it might be “interesting” to research (and blog about!) something I’ve personally always found difficult – how to give feedback on a presentation. As that’s a significant part of my work as a presentations trainer, it’s something I’ve done a lot of, but I’m not really thinking about that kind of thing.

I’m more thinking of the time when you sit through something-or-other-but-you’re-not-sure-what from Fred in Finance. He bounds up to you at the water cooler later and grins at you. Your heart sinks…

Pick the right measure of a successful presentation

The thing about presentations is that we tend to judge them by the wrong measures. Because we’re all sat in the audience, possibly chewing off our own toe-nails in an attempt to find interest and/or meaning to the presentation and the slides, we judge presentations by how well it kept our interest and entertained us. The thing is, “keeping us entertained” is not (usually) the key metric for a presentation.

Of course, if we’re not interested in the presentation it’s hard to learn anything from it, so “being interesting enough” is the baseline for a successful presentation, but that doesn’t make it how you should measure it beyond that.

What you should do to measure whether a presentation was good or not was to ask two questions:

• what was the presentation supposed to do?
• did it do it?

If the answer to that question was “yes”, then you can go ahead an indulge praising Fred From Finance. Even if you’ve bitten off three of your toe-nails in the process.

But what about a failed presentation?

So far so good, but what do you do if the answer to the question above was “no”? That rather depends on if your job (or something similarly important) depends on the good graces of Fred From Finance. But let’s assume that you want to be reasonably honest and at the same time, reasonably positive?

How should you give feedback on a presentation?

Pretty clearly, the best option here is to get Fred to do a critique of his own work, so that you don’t need to be the one to point out the painful to him. And don’t forget, you have a moral obligation to help Fred here. Presentations cost your organisation money and morale, so letting Fred continue to get away with it is wasting time and money. Worse, bad presentations reduce the love of life! 😉

Start with something specific and concrete . For example, you might want to look at the slide’s colour scheme.

Once you’ve picked your “point of entry” for feeding back, go for a question. Use an open question, not something Fred can close down with a simple yes/no. An example might be something like “I love how much work you put into the slide design – what was it that made you pick those colours?”.

By couching it in those terms, Fred won’t automatically hear what you said as a critisism. Critisism makes people defensive. After all, they’ve done what they thought was right, and telling people they’re wrong is a direct challenge. By asking for more information you open up a conversation about the thinking process involved (assuming their was one! 🙂 ).

The important thing is to work with Fred on the problem, so that he’s receptive to change. If you work on Fred as the problem, he’ll resist.

Pro-tip – make sure the open question you use isn’t “Why?”. That’s pretty much always taken as a challenge. Compare the question above with “Why did you pick those colours for the slides?”.

If someone said that about your slides you’d automatically assume they thought the the choice was a bad one, wouldn’t you?

Oh, and don’t try to provide feedback on more than one (or two) things at a time. Too much critisism makes people feel like they’re being battered by a heavy weight – and they’re less likely to take things on board.

… and once you’ve got Fred talking about his processes, you can follow on with a hidden suggestion. Try something like “Oh, cool. I wondered if it was something like that. Have you come across the colour advice at XYZ?”

When Fred says no, you’re in the position of doing him a favour by giving him a tool to make his next presentation even better!

What about triaging the presentation?

Errrmmm… what’s triage, Simon? Triage is the act/art of splitting things into three bits:

• this can’t be helped no matter what
• this is on the borderline and can be helped with effort
• this is okay and doesn’t need to be helped

Side note: triage is originally a medical term, looking at the order in which casualties are to be treated.

In terms of Fred From Finance’s presentation this boils down to making sure the feedback you give him is in the middle bit. Don’t pick on the colour scheme of slides if it’s so damned bad that nothing you can do will save it. Similarly don’t feedback on the volume of Fred’s voice if it was loud enough for everyone to hear. Instead, pick on something about the presentation that’s on the cusp of being good enough – something that, once you improve it – will make a clear difference to how well the presentation goes.

The idea is to pick something that even Fred can see was useful, so that the next presentation is better and which in turn means that the next round of feedback is easier to give.

In short, pick your fights!

Think carefully about which bit of the presentation it’s worth giving feedback on and don’t just list everything that was wrong!

Have you ever been brutal, Simon?

Yes. That will come as no surprise, for long-time readers. I’ve walked out on public presenters because they were getting paid – but they were so bloody bad (as presenters, I’m sure they were lovely people) that they were wasting everyone’s time. That’s rare though. Normally I just find something else to do on my iPhone.

I semi-famously told someone who became a friend of mine “That was by far, the least crap presentation of today.” (If you’re interested, they held onto that line to use at a presentation of mine recently when I came off stage!)

The point is – and this is personal, not based on research… so ignore it if you want – that by not giving people some help, you’re actually doing them a disservice, along with everyone else in the audience.

On the other hand, if you’re on the receiving end of feedback, take a long hard look at whether your presentations will benefit from following it!

Love it! This is always a tricky subject to approach in my line of work. So thanks!

Hi Laura – I can imagine how tricky it is to give feedback on headshots and images. The phrase “What were you thinking?!?!” probably wouldn’t work too well! 🙂

Fun topic for #SaySomethingNiceDay : )) I saw a presentation a while ago. I disagreed with something fundamental the person said. But I just swallowed it. Your advice has encouraged me to tackle this sort of thing in future (perhaps…)

That’s interesting Janine – when I wrote it I was thinking more of ‘bad’ presentations rather than things in what might be good presentations (or bad ones) that we disagree with. I guess the principles remain the same though!

Good approaches here, Simon. It definitely sounds right to take the conciliatory/supportive approach rather than the “37 reasons why your presentation sucked ass (and why you’re even worse than that)” approach.

I’ve never heard of #SaySomethingNiceDay – what a world.

Hi John – to be honest, I’d not heard of it either until something arrived in my in-box. Nice that we’ve got such a day, but a shame that the world needs it!

Thanks Simon. This could be applied to any feedback. Particularly like the triage idea.

Leave a Comment Cancel

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *

Email Address:

Save my name, email, and website in this browser for the next time I comment.

Currently you have JavaScript disabled. In order to post comments, please make sure JavaScript and Cookies are enabled, and reload the page. Click here for instructions on how to enable JavaScript in your browser.

ReleuctantStoryTeller

Are your presentations "okay on the day" but don't have an impact ? Adding stories to your presentations will make the biggest difference, helping you really engage with your audience. But not sure how to get started?

This will close in 23 seconds

The 8 Types of Presentation Styles: Which Category Do You Fall Into?

Updated: December 16, 2020

Published: September 24, 2018

Types of Presentations

• Visual Style
• Freeform Style
• Instructor Style
• Coach Style
• Storytelling Style
• Connector Style
• Lessig Style
• Takahashi Style

Everyone on the internet has an opinion on how to give the “perfect” presentation.

One group champions visual aids, another thinks visual aids are a threat to society as we know it. One expert preaches the benefits of speaking loudly, while another believes the softer you speak the more your audience pays attention. And don’t even try to find coordinating opinions on whether you should start your presentation with a story, quote, statistic, or question.

But what if there wasn’t just one “right” way to give a presentation? What if there were several? Below, I’ve outlined eight types of presentation styles. They’re used by famous speakers like Steve Jobs and Al Gore -- and none of them are wrong.

Check out each one and decide which will be most effective for you.

Types of Presentation Styles

1. visual style.

What it is: If you’re a firm believer slides simply exist to complement your talking points, this style is for you. With this speaking style, you might need to work a little harder to get your audience engaged, but the dividends can be huge for strong public speakers, visionaries, and storytellers.

When to use it: This style is helpful when speaking to a large audience with broad interests. It’s also great for when you need to throw together slides quickly.

Visual style presenter: Steve Jobs

2. Freeform Style

What it is: This impromptu style of presenting doesn’t require slides. Instead, the speaker relies on strong stories to illustrate each point. This style works best for those who have a short presentation time and are extremely familiar with their talking points.

When to use it: Elevator pitches, networking events, and impromptu meetings are all scenarios in which to use a freeform style of speaking. You’ll appear less rehearsed and more conversational than if you were to pause in the middle of a happy hour to pull up your presentation on a tablet.

Freeform style presenter: Sir Ken Robinson

3. Instructor Style

What it is: This presentation style allows you to deliver complex messages using figures of speech, metaphors, and lots of content -- just like your teachers and professors of old. Your decks should be built in logical order to aid your presentation, and you should use high-impact visuals to support your ideas and keep the audience engaged.

When to use it: If you’re not a comfortable presenter or are unfamiliar with your subject matter (i.e., your product was recently updated and you’re not familiar with the finer points), try instructor-style presenting.

Instructor style presenter: Al Gore

4. Coach Style

What it is: Energetic and charismatic speakers gravitate towards this style of presenting. It allows them to connect and engage with their audience using role play and listener interaction.

When to use it: Use this presentation style when you’re speaking at a conference or presenting to an audience who needs to be put at ease. For example, this style would work well if you were speaking to a group of executives who need to be sold on the idea of what your company does rather than the details of how you do it.

Coach style presenter: Linda Edgecombe

5. Storytelling Style

What it is: In this style, the speaker relies on anecdotes and examples to connect with their audience. Stories bring your learning points to life, and the TED’s Commandments never let you down: Let your emotions out and tell your story in an honest way.

When to use it: Avoid this style if you’re in the discovery phase of the sales process. You want to keep the conversation about your prospect instead of circling every point or question back to you or a similar client. This style is great for conference speaking, networking events, and sales presentations where you have adequate time to tell your stories without taking minutes away from questions.

Storytelling style presenter: Jill Bolte Taylor

6. Connector Style

What it is: In this style, presenters connect with their audience by showing how they’re similar to their listeners. Connectors usually enjoy freeform Q&A and use gestures when they speak. They also highly encourage audience reaction and feedback to what they’re saying.

When to use it: Use this style of presenting early in the sales process as you’re learning about your prospect’s pain points, challenges, and goals. This type of speaking sets your listener at ease, elicits feedback on how you’re doing in real time, and is more of a dialogue than a one-sided presentation

Connector style presenter: Connie Dieken

7. Lessig Style

What it is: The Lessig Style was created by Lawrence Lessig , a professor of law and leadership at Harvard Law School. This presentation style requires the presenter to pass through each slide within 15 seconds. When text is used in a slide, it’s typically synchronized with the presenter’s spoken words.

When to use it: This method of presentation is great for large crowds -- and it allows the speaker to use a balance of text and image to convey their message. The rapid pace and rhythm of the slide progression keeps audiences focused, engaged, and less likely to snooze.

Lessig style presenter: Lawrence Lessig

8. Takahashi Style

What it is: This method features large, bold text on minimal slides. It was devised by Masayoshi Takahashi , who found himself creating slides without access to a presentation design tool or PowerPoint. The main word is the focal point of the slide, and phrases, used sparingly, are short and concise.

When to use it: If you find yourself in Takahashi’s shoes -- without presentation design software -- this method is for you. This style works well for short presentations that pack a memorable punch.

Takahashi style presenter: Masayoshi Takahashi

Slides from one of Takahashi’s presentations:

Whether you’re speaking on a conference stage or giving a sales presentation , you can find a method that works best for you and your audience. With the right style, you’ll capture attention, engage listeners, and effectively share your message. You can even ask an  AI presentation maker  tool to create presentations for you in your preferred style

Don't forget to share this post!

Related articles.

10 Best Sales Presentations To Inspire Your Sales Deck [+ 5 Tips]

15 Sales Presentation Techniques That Will Help You Close More Deals Today

9 Ways to End Your Sales Presentation With a Bang

7 Apps That Help Salespeople Become Even Better Speakers

7 Secrets of a Winning Capabilities Presentation

Insight Selling: The 8-Slide Framework for a Better Pitch

The Best Work-Appropriate GIFs to Use in Your Next Sales Slide Deck

How to Make a Business Presentation in 7 Easy Steps [Free Business Presentation Templates]

How to Handle Difficult Sales Calls Like a Pro

Technology Give You the Middle Finger in a Demo? 7 Reactions to Avoid

Download ten free PowerPoint templates for a better presentation.

Powerful and easy-to-use sales software that drives productivity, enables customer connection, and supports growing sales orgs

14 effective feedback techniques and methods for giving better feedback

Effective feedback is a gift. When we use feedback techniques to share how we feel, what changes we'd like to see and give appreciation or constructive criticism, we create opportunities for growth and change. But for too many teams, feedback is a loaded word that can create a fear of judgement and negativity.

Use proven techniques for giving and receiving feedback to help your team feel heard, show appreciation and be honest about what needs to change. These methods below are great for holding a productive feedback session while also building the skills necessary for a continuous feedback culture. Let's dive in!

Design your next session with SessionLab

Join the 150,000+ facilitators 
using SessionLab.

Recommended Articles

A step-by-step guide to planning a workshop, how to create an unforgettable training session in 8 simple steps, 18 free facilitation resources we think you’ll love.

• 47 useful online tools for workshop planning and meeting facilitation

Techniques for group feedback

Finding space to give constructive feedback on a specific project or general group performance is an effective way to explore opportunities for improvement and make changes as a team.

While these techniques can also be used when giving personal feedback, they are most effective when looking at both individual and team performance in a group context. That is, having more public discussions that might come as part of a general reflection or retrospective. Bring them to your workshop or meetings to help small groups give each other feedback or reflect on a project.

It’s worth noting that some these feedback methods may not be suitable for delivering feedback that is sensitive in nature. If you’re looking for more formal feedback techniques you might use in a 1-1 employee feedback scenario, take a look at personal feedback techniques in the next section.

Start, Stop, Continue

Giving feedback can be daunting if teams haven’t yet developed the vocabulary or skillset. Frameworks that make it easy to give both constructive feedback are great ways to start encouraging regular feedback and build those muscles.

In Start, Stop, Continue, participants are given a short statement they must complete for each other member of their group or team. “Something I would like you to START doing is… Something I would like you to STOP doing is… Something I would like you to CONTINUE doing is… Signed _____.”

By using this three-step structure, everyone can give feedback to everyone else in a direct and simple manner. Think of it as a feedback sandwich that is loaded with opportunities for action and which doesn’t compromise the idea that feedback is a gift!

Feedback: Start, Stop, Continue   #hyperisland   #skills   #feedback   #remote-friendly   Regular, effective feedback is one of the most important ingredients in building constructive relationships and thriving teams. Openness creates trust and trust creates more openness. Feedback exercises aim to support groups to build trust and openness and for individuals to gain self-awareness and insight. Feedback exercises should always be conducted with thoughtfulness and high awareness of group dynamics. This is an exercise for groups or teams that have worked together for some time and are familiar with giving and receiving feedback. It uses the words “stop”, “start” and “continue” to guide the feedback messages.

Encouraging everyone to give informal feedback when closing a project is a great way to create closure and positivity. Bus Trip is an activity that can help you end a session on a positive note and create space for appreciation and positive feedback within a group.

Start by setting out chairs into rows like the seating on a bus. Inform participants that they’ll be powering the bus with positive energy and then get everyone seated. Ask people on one row of the bus to give as much positive feedback to the person in the other row as they can in 45 seconds. Swap roles and then mix up seating so that everyone gets to give feedback to everyone in the group.

This feedback method is wonderful to end a session in a positive manner. By using peer-to-peer employee feedback, it can also help build feedback skills and connections that will continue after the activity is complete.

Bus Trip   #feedback   #communication   #appreciation   #closing   #thiagi   #team   This is one of my favourite feedback games. I use Bus Trip at the end of a training session or a meeting, and I use it all the time. The game creates a massive amount of energy with lots of smiles, laughs, and sometimes even a teardrop or two.

Providing feedback should be a gift, though teams often get caught up in ideas of their being scary negative feedback that is meant to punish, and positive feedback, which is lovely, but potentially less useful. Starfish is an effective feedback method that is great for reframing a feedback session not solely as punishment or praise, but as an opportunity for growth.

With a five point star, participants are encouraged to write what they want the subject of feedback to keep doing, do more of, do less of, start doing, stop doing. It’s particularly effective when giving feedback on an event or situation, but it can equally be used when discussing team performance. It’s great for generating actions as a result of feedback, rather than just saying, this was good, or this was bad.

The visual element of the star is helpful for both creating a sense of equivalence between feedback items, but also for generating scattergrams that help capture group sentiment.

Starfish   #retrospective   #feedback   #visual methods   #review   The Starfish can be used wherever you want to get an overview over how people perceive the status quo. It can be used as a gather data exercise in retrospectives or as feedback tool after events.

Thirty five for debriefing

Getting feedback from a large number of people at once can be an effective way to gain insights quickly, but without the right framework, it can easily become choatic or unproductive.

In this feedback method, group members are encouraged to reflect on past events or give feedback on a chosen topic and write down a lesson they learned on a flash card.

After writing their feedback, participants are then invited to wander the room and exchange cards multiple times before then getting into pairs. Pairs then distribute 7 points between the two cards they have based on the merit of the ideas or lesson. Repeat a few rounds before then finding out which cards got the most points and share them with the group.

Debrief by discussing the feedback process and top comments with the group. You’ll find that this method is not only effective for getting lots of feedback quickly, but also for building the essential skill of interpreting and reacting to feedback in a positive manner.

Thirty-five for Debriefing   #debriefing   #closing   #thiagi   #action   #skills   You might be familiar with Thirty-Five as a structured-sharing activity. Thirty-Five can also be used as an effective debriefing game. In this version, participants reflect on an earlier experience and identify important lessons they learned. They write one of these lessons as a brief item. The winner in this activity is not the best player, but the best lesson learned.

One Breath Feedback

One common pitfall of interpersonal feedback is lack of focus and clarity. One person may give carefully delivered feedback in a direct and clear way, while another may feel quite hurt and bring up instances of past behaviour, be defensive or otherwise go off on a tangent. Creating space for these feelings is important, but it’s often not the focus of a feedback session, especially in group settings.

One breath feedback is an effective technique for giving effective feedback very quickly and giving everyone in the group an opportunity to suggest ideas and share their opinion. The idea is simple: everyone has the space of one full breath in which to give their feedback on a particular topic or theme. It’s great for encouraging succinct feedback, especially as people only have time and space to mention the most important things on their mind.

One breath feedback   #closing   #feedback   #action   This is a feedback round in just one breath that excels in maintaining attention: each participants is able to speak during just one breath … for most people that’s around 20 to 25 seconds … unless of course you’ve been a deep sea diver in which case you’ll be able to do it for longer.

AIR Feedback model

Pretty much all of the feedback methods above can be used in a personal setting, though these techniques also shine when using them in small groups where you might be trying to encourage our team to get into a habit of giving more feedback.

The AIR feedback model (action, impact, request) is a simple framework for constructive criticism and feedback. The emphasis is on making a SMART request so that the person receiving feedback can meaningfully act on what is a reasonable and well considered request. Because groups are also instructed to uphold principles such as being non-judgemental and asking people if they would like to receive feedback, AIR is an especially effective tool for teaching feedback skills.

AIR Feedback Model   #hyperisland   #feedback   #team   Constructive feedback is feedback regarding an individual’s performance that can be used to build (construct) connection, successful habits and behaviors. The constructive (building) component is key because with this mindset and approach, seemingly negative feedback doesn’t become discouraging. Rather, a launch pad for creating opportunities for learning and development.

Techniques for personal feedback

In most cases, personal feedback will be given in a 1-1 scenario between two people. This might be formal or informal, but the key is that both the person giving and receiving feedback feel best positioned to have that conversation without feeling judged or shamed.

Giving negative feedback in front of an entire team is likely to do more harm than good, and some issues are more sensitive in nature. Use these feedback techniques to host an effective conversation that will help both parties engage with feedback in a more closed setting.

As with any of these techniques, developing strong facilitation skills can help you run these methods more effectively. The other big ingredient for successful feedback is practice, so try giving and receiving with your team at the next opportunity.

Feedback Wrap

One common feedback technique that’s come under some scrutiny of late is the feedback sandwich. With that technique, the idea was to sandwich one piece of constructive or negative feedback between two pieces of positive feedback. One problem with this method is how it frames feedback under these two binaries and how it conflicts with the idea that feedback is a gift and an opportunity.

A feedback wrap is a more advanced method of providing feedback that provides enough context to move things forward without things turning into a blame game. Here’s how it works.

1. Start by providing some context of the situation to help the other person understand where you’re coming from. 2. List specific observations and further information about the situation. 3. Let the other person know how this makes you feel. 4. Explain what your needs are and why they are important to you. 5. Give space for the other person to figure out a solution but also feel free to make suggestions if you have them.

Team of Two

Our interpersonal relationships are important in every aspect of our lives. In the workplace, it’s not uncommon for issues or grievances to go unchecked and unresolved. But there’s a better way!

Team of Two is one of my favorite employee feedback techniques because it encourages both people in a working relationship to think about how they could help and be helped by the other.

Start by having two people who work together a lot write down they ways they might help the other person and the ways in which the other person might help them. Next, both people share and respond to the requests one by one, taking the opportunity to provide more detail or further context. The end result is a series of agreements for how both people will work together in the future.

Team of Two   #communication   #active listening   #issue analysis   #conflict resolution   #issue resolution   #remote-friendly   #team   Much of the business of an organisation takes place between pairs of people. These interactions can be positive and developing or frustrating and destructive. You can improve them using simple methods, providing people are willing to listen to each other. “Team of two” will work between secretaries and managers, managers and directors, consultants and clients or engineers working on a job together. It will even work between life partners.

Feed forward

In some scenarios, it can be more impactful to look to the future rather than looking to the past. If you’ve ever felt the struggle between wanting to draw a line under something but still have needs which are being unmet, feed forward can be an effective feedback technique to try.

The idea of the feed forward method is to focus only on ideas for the future and get agreement and alignment on what you might do to make those things happen. The ideas suggested during a feed forward are based on areas for improvement, just the same as when giving feedback, but by focusing on what could go right, rather than what went wrong, it can sometimes be easier to see positive behaviour change.

Feed forward   #feedback   #remote-friendly   #team   #leadership   #skills   An engaging variation on a feedback activity that focuses on future changes and positive action, rather than dwelling on what went wrong.

GROW coaching model

At its best, a feedback culture facilitates personal reflection and development. This coaching method isn’t a direct method for soliciting feedback like the above, but it does create space for feedback and reflection to happen.

In essence, this method asks coachees to give themselves feedback on their progress and then work with their mentor to figure out next steps. It’s a different approach, but a skilled leader or coach can use this framework to bring up feedback as and when it’s asked for and is appropriate. As part of an ongoing personal development process, it’s incredibly effective and organic.

The GROW Coaching Model   #hyperisland   #coaching   #growth   #goal setting   The GROW Model is a coaching framework used in conversations, meetings, and everyday leadership to unlock potential and possibilities. It’s a simple & effective framework for structuring your coaching & mentoring sessions and great coaching conversations. Easy to use for both face-to-face and online meetings. GROW is an acronym that stands for Goal, Reality, Obstacles/Options, and Will.

Feedback techniques for improving feedback culture

A culture of consistent feedback is a habit of a high performing team. When individuals are given the skills and opportunities to give and receive feedback that can help them grow, the results can be transformative. But without the right framework or setting, it’s possible for negative feedback or unhelpful criticism to become order of the day.

These feedback methods are designed to help give teams the skillset and context for delivering feedback more regularly and effectively. If you want to improve employee feedback and create a culture that cherishes and provides consistent feedback, these methods are for you!

Principles of Effective Feedback

Creating a shared understanding of how and when your team wants to give, receive and explore feedback is vital for creating a healthy feedback culture. This method creates a space for groups to discuss, define, and agree on what good feedback looks like to them and how they would like to receive it.

Start by asking participants to share examples of when they’ve received helpful feedback and then extrapolate some underlying principles they’ll use as the basis for a feedback agreement on the team. End by asking for how the group will make this happen and ensure they use these principles. Not only will you have clear guidelines for how to give and receive feedback in your organization, but you’ll have people eager to start the process too!

Principles of Effective Feedback   #hyperisland   #skills   #feedback   The purpose of this exercise is for a group to discuss, define, and come to agreement around key principles of effective feedback. Participants discuss examples of effective and ineffective feedback in pairs, then work together to define “effective feedback.” Then, as a group, they create a list of principles that they will aim to work by.

Quick reviews in 1 minute

Not all feedback sessions need to take a lot of time. When trying to encourage employee feedback, it can be helpful to start small and give very easy opportunities for everyone to share what they think.

In this method, you’ll find various strategies for enabling a group to give feedback in just 1 minute. Whether it’s encouraging everyone to share three words for how they’re feeling, give a temperature level for how they’re feeling or share positive suggestions, bringing these ideas into your regular sessions can have a cumulative effect on your feedback culture.

Quick Reviews in 1 minute   #reflection   #closing   #remote-friendly   #online   Easy and fun way to review content or atmosphere at the end of a group activity (or in between) in 1 minute.

Meeting closing round

Continuous improvement is the ultimate goal of a productive feedback culture. But does your team use every possible opportunity to review team performance and how they employees work together? Meeting closing round is a wonderfully simply and effective feedback technique you can use at the end of every meeting, workshop or other collaborative session.

At the end of your meeting, ask three simple questions: what went well, what could have gone differently and any other ideas? You’ll often find suggestions for improvement you can action immediately, alongside things you might try in order to improve performance moving forward. Use this method consistently and your employees will start building these feedback skills and considering other places where things could be better too!

Meeting closing round (+ – !)   #feedback   #closing activity   #remote-friendly   #hybrid-friendly   #meeting facilitation   Continuously improve your organization’s meetings with this simple round of closing feedback: what did you enjoy most? What could have been better? Any other ideas on our meetings?

Feedback Map

In especially large teams, it can be hard for people to understand who, when and how they should provide feedback. Aligning on these items is an essential part of creating a culture of feedback, and this method helps you do just that.

Begin by scattering the names of everyone in a group or project on a whiteboard. Next, agree on a timeframe and then invite participants to draw lines connecting one another based on how they’ve worked with. Have employees circle three interactions they’d like to address with feedback and then choose an appropriate feedback method (Start, Stop, Continue or AIR are two great options.) for people to give feedback to those people.

Feedback Map   #hyperisland   #skills   #feedback   This is a feedback exercise to support participants to deliver feedback that is clear and specific, especially after working in multiple project teams over a longer period of time. The team maps the connections between individuals, then uses specific points of interaction to prompt feedback.

In conclusion

Giving and receiving feedback is hard. You can’t expect people to navigate potentially sensitive or emotionally activating situations without a little help. We hope that these feedback techniques gives you and your team some meaningful ways to give and receive feedback and also improve your feedback culture in general.

Want to run a feedback workshop with your team to build those constructive feedback skills? Check out out effective feedback workshop template for an example session you can run when seeking to build a culture of consistent feedback.

Leave a Comment Cancel reply

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *

Going from a mere idea to a workshop that delivers results for your clients can feel like a daunting task. In this piece, we will shine a light on all the work behind the scenes and help you learn how to plan a workshop from start to finish. On a good day, facilitation can feel like effortless magic, but that is mostly the result of backstage work, foresight, and a lot of careful planning. Read on to learn a step-by-step approach to breaking the process of planning a workshop into small, manageable chunks.  The flow starts with the first meeting with a client to define the purposes of a workshop.…

How does learning work? A clever 9-year-old once told me: “I know I am learning something new when I am surprised.” The science of adult learning tells us that, in order to learn new skills (which, unsurprisingly, is harder for adults to do than kids) grown-ups need to first get into a specific headspace.  In a business, this approach is often employed in a training session where employees learn new skills or work on professional development. But how do you ensure your training is effective? In this guide, we'll explore how to create an effective training session plan and run engaging training sessions. As team leader, project manager, or consultant,…

Facilitation is more and more recognized as a key component of work, as employers and society are faced with bigger and more complex problems and ideas. From facilitating meetings to big, multi-stakeholder strategy development workshops, the facilitator's skillset is more and more in demand. In this article, we will go through a list of the best online facilitation resources, including newsletters, podcasts, communities, and 10 free toolkits you can bookmark and read to upskill and improve your facilitation practice. When designing activities and workshops, you'll probably start by using templates and methods you are familiar with. Soon enough, you'll need to expand your range and look for facilitation methods and…

Design your next workshop with SessionLab

Join the 150,000 facilitators using SessionLab

Sign up for free

How it works

Transform your enterprise with the scalable mindsets, skills, & behavior change that drive performance.

Explore how BetterUp connects to your core business systems.

We pair AI with the latest in human-centered coaching to drive powerful, lasting learning and behavior change.

Build leaders that accelerate team performance and engagement.

Unlock performance potential at scale with AI-powered curated growth journeys.

Build resilience, well-being and agility to drive performance across your entire enterprise.

Transform your business, starting with your sales leaders.

Unlock business impact from the top with executive coaching.

Foster a culture of inclusion and belonging.

Accelerate the performance and potential of your agencies and employees.

See how innovative organizations use BetterUp to build a thriving workforce.

Discover how BetterUp measurably impacts key business outcomes for organizations like yours.

A demo is the first step to transforming your business. Meet with us to develop a plan for attaining your goals.

• What is coaching?

Learn how 1:1 coaching works, who its for, and if it's right for you.

Accelerate your personal and professional growth with the expert guidance of a BetterUp Coach.

Types of Coaching

Navigate career transitions, accelerate your professional growth, and achieve your career goals with expert coaching.

Enhance your communication skills for better personal and professional relationships, with tailored coaching that focuses on your needs.

Find balance, resilience, and well-being in all areas of your life with holistic coaching designed to empower you.

Discover your perfect match : Take our 5-minute assessment and let us pair you with one of our top Coaches tailored just for you.

Research, expert insights, and resources to develop courageous leaders within your organization.

Best practices, research, and tools to fuel individual and business growth.

View on-demand BetterUp events and learn about upcoming live discussions.

The latest insights and ideas for building a high-performing workplace.

• BetterUp Briefing

The online magazine that helps you understand tomorrow's workforce trends, today.

Innovative research featured in peer-reviewed journals, press, and more.

Founded in 2022 to deepen the understanding of the intersection of well-being, purpose, and performance

We're on a mission to help everyone live with clarity, purpose, and passion.

Join us and create impactful change.

Read the buzz about BetterUp.

Meet the leadership that's passionate about empowering your workforce.

For Business

For Individuals

16 constructive feedback examples — and tips for how to use them

Giving constructive feedback is nerve-wracking for many people. But feedback is also necessary for thriving in the workplace. 

It helps people flex and grow into new skills, capabilities, and roles. It creates more positive and productive relationships between employees. And it helps to reach goals and drive business value.

But feedback is a two-way street. More often than not, it’s likely every employee will have to give constructive feedback in their careers. That’s why it’s helpful to have constructive feedback examples to leverage for the right situation. 

We know employees want feedback. But one study found that people want feedback if they’re on the receiving end . In fact, in every case, participants rated their desire for feedback higher as the receiver. While the fear of feedback is very real, it’s important to not shy away from constructive feedback opportunities. After all, it could be the difference between a flailing and thriving team. 

If you’re trying to overcome your fear of providing feedback, we’ve compiled a list of 16 constructive feedback examples for you to use. We’ll also share some best practices on how to give effective feedback . 

What is constructive feedback? 

When you hear the word feedback, what’s the first thing that comes to mind? What feelings do you have associated with feedback? Oftentimes, feedback conversations are anxiety-ridden because it’s assumed to be negative feedback. Unfortunately, feedback has this binary stigma, it’s either good or bad.

But in reality, there are plenty of types of feedback leveraged in both personal and professional relationships. They don’t all fall into one camp or the other. And each type of feedback is serving a purpose to ultimately better an individual, team, or work environment. 

For example, positive feedback can be used to reinforce desired behaviors or big accomplishments. Real-time feedback is reserved for those “in the moment” situations. Like if I’ve made a mistake or a typo in a blog, I’d want my teammates to give me real-time feedback . 

However, constructive feedback is its own ball game. 

What is constructive feedback?

Constructive feedback is a supportive way to improve areas of opportunity for an individual person, team, relationship, or environment. In many ways, constructive feedback is a combination of constructive criticism paired with coaching skills. 

16 constructive feedback examples to use 

To truly invest in building a feedback culture , your employees need to feel comfortable giving feedback. After all, organizations are people, which means we’re all human. We make mistakes but we’re all capable of growth and development. And most importantly, everyone everywhere should be able to live with more purpose, clarity, and passion. 

But we won’t unlock everyone’s full potential unless your people are comfortable giving feedback. Some employee feedback might be easier to give than others, like ways to improve a presentation. 

But sometimes, constructive feedback can be tricky, like managing conflict between team members or addressing negative behavior. As any leader will tell you, it’s critical to address negative behaviors and redirect them to positive outcomes. Letting toxic behavior go unchecked can lead to issues with employee engagement , company culture, and overall, your business’s bottom line. 

Regardless of where on the feedback spectrum your organization falls, having concrete examples will help set up your people for success. Let’s talk through some examples of constructive feedback. For any of these themes, it’s always good to have specific examples handy to help reinforce the feedback you’re giving. We’ll also give some sample scenarios of when these phrases might be most impactful and appropriate. 

Constructive feedback examples about communication skills  

An employee speaks over others and interrupts in team meetings.

“I’ve noticed you can cut off team members or interrupt others. You share plenty of good ideas and do good work. To share some communication feedback , I’d love to see how you can support others in voicing their own ideas in our team meetings.” 

An employee who doesn’t speak up or share ideas in team meetings.

“I’ve noticed that you don’t often share ideas in big meetings. But in our one-on-one meetings , you come up with plenty of meaningful and creative ideas to help solve problems. What can I do to help make you more comfortable speaking up in front of the team?” 

An employee who is brutally honest and blunt.

“Last week, I noticed you told a teammate that their work wasn’t useful to you. It might be true that their work isn’t contributing to your work, but there’s other work being spread across the team that will help us reach our organizational goals. I’d love to work with you on ways to improve your communication skills to help build your feedback skills, too. Would you be interested in pursuing some professional development opportunities?”  

An employee who has trouble building rapport because of poor communication skills in customer and prospect meetings.

“I’ve noticed you dive right into the presentation with our customer and prospect meetings. To build a relationship and rapport, it’s good to make sure we’re getting to know everyone as people. Why don’t you try learning more about their work, priorities, and life outside of the office in our next meeting?” 

Constructive feedback examples about collaboration 

An employee who doesn’t hold to their commitments on group or team projects.

“I noticed I asked you for a deliverable on this key project by the end of last week. I still haven’t received this deliverable and wanted to follow up. If a deadline doesn’t work well with your bandwidth, would you be able to check in with me? I’d love to get a good idea of what you can commit to without overloading your workload.”  

An employee who likes to gatekeep or protect their work, which hurts productivity and teamwork .

“Our teams have been working together on this cross-functional project for a couple of months. But yesterday, we learned that your team came across a roadblock last month that hasn’t been resolved. I’d love to be a partner to you if you hit any issues in reaching our goals. Would you be willing to share your project plan or help provide some more visibility into your team’s work? I think it would help us with problem-solving and preventing problems down the line.” 

An employee who dominates a cross-functional project and doesn’t often accept new ways of doing things.

“I’ve noticed that two team members have voiced ideas that you have shut down. In the spirit of giving honest feedback, it feels like ideas or new solutions to problems aren’t welcome. Is there a way we could explore some of these ideas? I think it would help to show that we’re team players and want to encourage everyone’s contributions to this project.” 

Constructive feedback examples about time management 

An employee who is always late to morning meetings or one-on-ones.

“I’ve noticed that you’re often late to our morning meetings with the rest of the team. Sometimes, you’re late to our one-on-ones, too. Is there a way I can help you with building better time management skills ? Sometimes, the tardiness can come off like you don’t care about the meeting or the person you’re meeting with, which I know you don’t mean.” 

A direct report who struggles to meet deadlines.

“Thanks for letting me know you’re running behind schedule and need an extension. I’ve noticed this is the third time you’ve asked for an extension in the past two weeks. In our next one-on-one, can you come up with a list of projects and the amount of time that you’re spending on each project? I wonder if we can see how you’re managing your time and identify efficiencies.” 

An employee who continuously misses team meetings.

“I’ve noticed you haven’t been present at the last few team meetings. I wanted to check in to see how things are going. What do you have on your plate right now? I’m concerned you’re missing critical information that can help you in your role and your career.” 

Constructive feedback examples about boundaries 

A manager who expects the entire team to work on weekends.

“I’ve noticed you send us emails and project plans over the weekends. I put in a lot of hard work during the week, and won’t be able to answer your emails until the work week starts again. It’s important that I maintain my work-life balance to be able to perform my best.” 

An employee who delegates work to other team members.

“I’ve noticed you’ve delegated some aspects of this project that fall into your scope of work. I have a full plate with my responsibilities in XYZ right now. But if you need assistance, it might be worth bringing up your workload to our manager.” 

A direct report who is stressed about employee performance but is at risk of burning out.

“I know we have performance reviews coming up and I’ve noticed an increase in working hours for you. I hope you know that I recognize your work ethic but it’s important that you prioritize your work-life balance, too. We don’t want you to burn out.”  

Constructive feedback examples about managing 

A leader who is struggling with team members working together well in group settings.

“I’ve noticed your team’s scores on our employee engagement surveys. It seems like they don’t collaborate well or work well in group settings, given their feedback. Let’s work on building some leadership skills to help build trust within your team.” 

A leader who is struggling to engage their remote team.

“In my last skip-levels with your team, I heard some feedback about the lack of connections . It sounds like some of your team members feel isolated, especially in this remote environment. Let’s work on ways we can put some virtual team-building activities together.” 

A leader who is micromanaging , damaging employee morale.

“In the last employee engagement pulse survey, I took a look at the leadership feedback. It sounds like some of your employees feel that you micromanage them, which can damage trust and employee engagement. In our next one-on-one, let’s talk through some projects that you can step back from and delegate to one of your direct reports. We want to make sure employees on your team feel ownership and autonomy over their work.” 

8 tips for providing constructive feedback 

Asking for and receiving feedback isn’t an easy task. 

But as we know, more people would prefer to receive feedback than give it. If giving constructive feedback feels daunting, we’ve rounded up eight tips to help ease your nerves. These best practices can help make sure you’re nailing your feedback delivery for optimal results, too.

Be clear and direct (without being brutally honest). Make sure you’re clear, concise, and direct. Dancing around the topic isn’t helpful for you or the person you’re giving feedback to. 

Provide specific examples. Get really specific and cite recent examples. If you’re vague and high-level, the employee might not connect feedback with their actions.

Set goals for the behavior you’d like to see changed. If there’s a behavior that’s consistent, try setting a goal with your employee. For example, let’s say a team member dominates the conversation in team meetings. Could you set a goal for how many times they encourage other team members to speak and share their ideas? 

Give time and space for clarifying questions. Constructive feedback can be hard to hear. It can also take some time to process. Make sure you give the person the time and space for questions and follow-up. 

Know when to give feedback in person versus written communication. Some constructive feedback simply shouldn’t be put in an email or a Slack message. Know the right communication forum to deliver your feedback.   

Check-in. Make an intentional effort to check in with the person on how they’re doing in the respective area of feedback. For example, let’s say you’ve given a teammate feedback on their presentation skills . Follow up on how they’ve invested in building their public speaking skills . Ask if you can help them practice before a big meeting or presentation. 

Ask for feedback in return. Feedback can feel hierarchical and top-down sometimes. Make sure that you open the door to gather feedback in return from your employees. 

Start giving effective constructive feedback 

Meaningful feedback can be the difference between a flailing and thriving team. To create a feedback culture in your organization, constructive feedback is a necessary ingredient. 

Think about the role of coaching to help build feedback muscles with your employees. With access to virtual coaching , you can make sure your employees are set up for success. BetterUp can help your workforce reach its full potential.

Unlock team potential

Boost your team's performance and engagement with tailored coaching strategies.

Madeline Miles

Madeline is a writer, communicator, and storyteller who is passionate about using words to help drive positive change. She holds a bachelor's in English Creative Writing and Communication Studies and lives in Denver, Colorado. In her spare time, she's usually somewhere outside (preferably in the mountains) — and enjoys poetry and fiction.

5 types of feedback that make a difference (and how to use them)

Are you receptive to feedback follow this step-by-step guide, handle feedback like a boss and make it work for you, how to give constructive feedback as a manager, should you use the feedback sandwich 7 pros and cons, why coworker feedback is so important and 5 ways to give it, how to give negative feedback to a manager, with examples, feedback in communication: 5 areas to become a better communicator, how to get feedback from your employees, similar articles, how to embrace constructive conflict, how to praise someone professionally on their work (with examples), 25 performance review questions (and how to use them), how to give feedback to your boss: tips for getting started, how to give kudos at work. try these 5 examples to show appreciation, stay connected with betterup, get our newsletter, event invites, plus product insights and research..

3100 E 5th Street, Suite 350 Austin, TX 78702

• Platform Overview
• Integrations
• Powered by AI
• BetterUp Lead™
• BetterUp Manage™
• BetterUp Care®
• Sales Performance
• Diversity & Inclusion
• Case Studies
• Why BetterUp?
• About Coaching
• Find your Coach
• Career Coaching
• Communication Coaching
• Life Coaching
• News and Press
• Leadership Team
• Become a BetterUp Coach
• BetterUp Labs
• Center for Purpose & Performance
• Leadership Training
• Business Coaching
• Contact Support
• Contact Sales
• Privacy Policy
• Acceptable Use Policy
• Trust & Security
• Cookie Preferences