Speaking well requires that you get feedback from others to know if you are being effective.  Although you might not want to be evaluated on a skill that you don’t feel especially confident about, it is IMPERATIVE to get feedback on how you are doing with your speaking and presenting.

I was excited to work with a terrific physician in the Healthcare field who wanted so much to improve his speaking skills.  He received feedback that his presentation and communication skills were the one area where he was lacking.  Once he understood that he could do something about his presentation and communication skills, we got down to business to evaluate where he was lacking and what would be the most efficient and effective way to improve these highly valued skills for excellence in leadership.

We worked together in person to take a look at his stance, pacing, tone and presenting habits.  As we evaluated these areas, he discovered that he did have some very good solid talents already and we just needed to tweak some other areas.

The area that needed the most work was the actual presenting and communication.  He was going to need continuous and immediate feedback on “how” he was doing and what was missing from his presenting and communication.  As his coach, I would not be there all the time, but his co-workers would.  So we put together a note to 3 of his most respected peers (those would be interested in giving honest feedback) and asked them if they would be willing to provide feedback to him in writing.

As we designed his skill building process for becoming more effective while presenting and communicating, we needed to make sure that we asked for feedback that would be helpful to the process and was understandable.  The following are the questions we asked his peers to complete when they observed him presenting or communicating.  We defined the occasions for which they would provide feedback so they did not feel as if they would have to comment at every meeting or every time my client spoke.

We provided the feedback form and outlined the occasions for collecting the feedback.  The comments and feedback would be provided from the monthly Board of Directors meeting; the weekly Senior Officers meeting and in 2 other organizational meetings that took place on a monthly basis.  

Here is a sample of the questions we asked the peers to answer for each feedback occasion:

1. What information is he trying to convey?
2. How did he convey the information?  In writing, speaking, slides, documents?
3. What worked well during this presentation or conversation?
4. What needs improvement and why?
5. What improvements are you seeing from the last observation?
6. What body movements, gestures or tone/pacing needs work?
7. What body movement, gestures or tone/pacing worked particularly well and he should do more of?
8. Any other comments you think would be key to him honing his communication and speaking skills?

By the way, we will also cover, in more detail, this feedback information during our free monthly “Speaking with Influence” ROADMAP teleconference on September 17, 2007.  Let Jackie know, JackieG@NatalieManor.com, if you would like to be included in the calls.  Just send her an email with “Speaking with Influence” in the subject line and you will receive an email with more information.  We will run the monthly teleconference for 3 months and it will be jam packed with tips, techniques and strategies to move your speaking skills to a new level.   I would suggest getting our eBooks with MP3 on presentation skills before you start the teleconference.

"Leadership Presentation Skills and Public Speaking: THE BASICS" eBook with MP3  http://www.NatalieManor.com/shop/index.php?l=product_detail&p=43

 

"Leadership Presentation Skills and Public Speaking: ADVANCED" eBook with MP3  http://www.NatalieManor.com/shop/index.php?l=product_detail&p=42

The feedback my client received was critical to improving in his presentation and communication effectiveness.  He was able to assimilate the feedback and understand it because it was situational to his daily work.  He “got” what was needed and how he could be more effective.  Some of the feedback was hard to “hear” in the beginning, but as time went on, he eagerly awaited the feedback to see how he was doing.

As a professional speaker, I get evaluations and feedback all the time.  It is key to my learning to know and deliver what is most important and most impactful to the audience.  Yes, there are times I get feedback that they don’t like the temperature of the room or the seats are too hard, but mostly I receive information that helps me grow in effectiveness.  And I want to know how to improve.

Successful leaders are life long learners.  They want and need the feedback.  The best way to get it is from coaching and from the people you deal with on a daily basis.  They have seen you in action and can be highly accurate in helping you hone your communication and presenting skills.

I have 3 openings in my Creating Influence presentation skills coaching practice, so let me know, CoachNatalie@NatalieManor.com,  if you are interested.  I would totally enjoy helping you get really clear on what your talents are and to help you create profound influence while you are communicating and presenting.