Before you start, give your listener one thing to watch for, like filler words or speeding up, and tell them you’ll ask how often they noticed it. You’ll get a real answer instead of “it was great.”
What I say in the video
“What’d you think?” “Oh, it was great,” which doesn’t tell you much. So before you start, give them one thing to watch for. Maybe it’s filler words, maybe it’s speeding up or reading from your notes. When you’re done, ask them, “How often did you notice me doing that?” You’ll get a real answer instead of just a compliment.
What I didn’t say in the video
Most people put real thought into rehearsing and almost none into how they’ll ask for feedback. The listener sits there with no job, so they give the only answer they can: a general impression.
A job changes how they watch. Before you start, say, “Keep count of how many times I say um. I’ll ask you for the number when I’m done.” Now they’re tracking instead of judging.
The number is the point. “It was great” is forgotten by tomorrow. “Eleven” gives you something to beat on the next run.
Try it today
Pick your one thing now, before your next practice run. You probably already know what it is.
Bill Smartt is a New York executive presence and public speaking coach and the founder of Smartt Talk. He works with leaders in financial services, tech, advertising and startups.
