presentations on feedback

Effective Presentation Feedback: Examples, Importance, and Tips

• By Judhajit Sen
• August 7, 2024

Learning how to give a good presentation isn’t a talent; it’s a skill that requires time and presentation practice. The same goes for giving feedback. If you’re a manager or leader, your feedback can significantly improve a speaker’s performance and boost their confidence.

Continuous improvement starts with consistent feedback. Providing feedback, positive or otherwise, is crucial for ongoing growth. Everyone is on a journey of personal and professional development, and asking presentation feedback questions is a key part of that process.

Many people find public speaking and presenting intimidating, but feedback can help them get better. It highlights areas for improvement and reinforces strengths. Without feedback, growth is slow, and bad habits can become ingrained.

Feedback targets key aspects of performance, helping individuals focus on specific skills in an organized manner. It drives personal and professional growth by providing clear guidance and structure. Continuous feedback ensures that improvement is ongoing, making the learning process more effective.

Key Takeaways

• Feedback Drives Improvement: Providing consistent feedback helps speakers refine their skills, boost confidence, and address both strengths and weaknesses.
• Engage Your Audience: Collect feedback through presentation feedback sheets and forms or direct interaction to gauge engagement and improve future presentations.
• Balance Positive and Negative Feedback: Use specific PowerPoint presentation feedback examples to highlight what went well and offer practical advice for areas needing improvement.
• Receive Feedback Openly: Listen carefully, avoid taking feedback personally, and reflect on it to make meaningful changes in your presentation skills.

Importance of Presentation Feedback

Evaluation for a presentation is essential for several reasons. Firstly, it serves as a gauge for audience engagement . While we might think our presentations are perfect, there’s always room for improvement. Feedback, whether positive or negative, helps us grow. If you complete a presentation and receive no feedback, it might not be a sign of perfection but rather an indication that the audience was disengaged. Without their attention, they can’t provide feedback.

To avoid this, make it easier for your audience to engage and provide feedback on a presentation example. Consider using feedback forms to collect responses. These tools allow your audience to share their thoughts conveniently. Additionally, direct interaction can be beneficial. If there’s an opportunity to chat with attendees after the presentation, don’t hesitate to ask for their feedback. Most people are willing to help.

Secondly, feedback directly contributes to improving your public speaking skills. When people provide feedback, they often comment on your delivery or slides. You might hear things like, “You command attention well,” or “Your slides could be more visually appealing.” Candid criticism, such as, “Your facial expressions were distracting,” is also valuable. 

It’s crucial to actively seek, receive, and act on this feedback. By addressing the comments and suggestions, you can enhance both your presentation skills and the quality of your slides. Continuous improvement through feedback leads to better presentations and a more engaged audience.

Presentation Feedback Examples

Positive Feedback

Positive feedback in presentations highlights the strengths of the speaker and their effective delivery. It should:

Acknowledge Strengths: Point out what the speaker did well.

Provide Specific Examples: Mention moments that exceeded expectations.

Having good things to say about a presentation is about recognizing the speaker’s efforts beyond basic expectations. Instead of generic praise like “Good job!” specify how:

– The presentation flowed logically, enhancing audience understanding.

– Detailed research strengthened the presentation’s credibility.

– Inclusion of relevant slides demonstrated audience awareness.

– Engaging icebreakers established authority and captured attention.

– Complex topics were simplified for better audience comprehension.

– Real-life examples made the topic relatable and significant.

– Visual aids effectively supported key points, maintaining audience focus.

– Interactive elements encouraged audience engagement and clarity.

– Professional yet passionate delivery sustained audience interest.

– Conclusion effectively summarized key points while encouraging further exploration.

– Attention to detail in slides and delivery enhanced overall impact.

– Confident body language underscored authority and engagement.

– Additional resources provided enriched learning opportunities for all audience members.

Recognizing these specific strengths helps speakers refine their skills and deliver even stronger presentations in the future.

Constructive Feedback

Constructive feedback focuses on areas that need help while offering guidance on how to address those issues in future presentations. The goal is to build up the speaker, not tear them down, by highlighting specific weaknesses and providing practical advice.

When giving candid feedback, it’s important to focus on the presentation, not the presenter. If you notice a recurring problem, provide a few examples instead of pointing out every instance. Asking the speaker about their thought process before critiquing their slides or speech can help identify knowledge gaps.

Here are some examples of constructive feedback for a presentation:

Engage the Audience: Start with a thought-provoking question or an interesting statistic to grab the audience’s attention right away.

Eye Contact: Making eye contact helps connect with the audience and boosts your confidence.

Clarity and Pace: Speak with clarity and at a slower pace. Recording yourself and listening back can help you improve.

Interactive Elements: Include time for audience questions to make the presentation more engaging.

Audience Knowledge: Tailor your content to the audience’s knowledge level. Remove unnecessary parts and focus on what’s relevant.

Presentation Structure: Organize your presentation from general to specific to make it easier to follow.

Real-World Examples: Use real-world examples to make your points more relatable and understandable.

Visuals: Balance text and visuals on your slides to maintain audience interest.

Humor and Media: Use humor and GIFs sparingly to enhance transitions, not distract from the content.

Confidence and Preparation: Practice regularly and consider a script or outline to keep on track and improve pacing.

Additionally, understand your audience’s body language and social cues to adjust your presentation style and tone. Preparing for tough questions and remaining calm during debates can help maintain a positive discussion. Practicing consistently will build your confidence and improve your overall presentation skills.

Candid feedback on how to perform a presentation is about continuous improvement, helping speakers refine their skills and deliver more impactful presentations in the future.

Things to Look for When Providing Presentation Feedback

Giving feedback on a presentation can seem daunting, but breaking it down into specific areas can make the process easier and more effective. Here are key aspects to consider:

Understanding: Did the speakers know who their audience was?

Context: Was the amount of context provided suitable for the audience’s knowledge level?

Engagement: Did the speaker allow time for audience questions?

Tone: Was the presentation’s tone appropriate for the audience?

Body Language and Presence

Approachability: Did the speaker appear approachable and confident?

Clarity: Was the speaker speaking clearly and at a good pace?

Eye Contact: Did the presenter make eye contact with the audience?

Nonverbal Cues: Were the presenter’s nonverbal cues appropriate and not distracting?

Clarity: Was the information clear, specific, and easy to understand?

Relevance: Was the material relevant to the topic and audience?

Examples: Did the presenter include real-world examples to illustrate points?

Relevance: Were the visuals relevant to the content?

Clarity: Were the visuals easy to see and understand?

Balance: Was there a good balance between text and visuals?

Professionalism: Did the slides look professional and well-designed?

Communication

Key Messages: Were the key messages clear and concise?

Objectives: Did the presenter clearly communicate the objectives of the presentation?

Takeaways: Did the presenter provide clear takeaways for the audience?

Voice: How well did the presenter’s voice carry in the presentation space?

Engagement: Was the presentation engaging and interactive?

Capturing Attention: How well did the presenter capture and maintain audience attention?

Accessibility: Was the presentation accessible to all audience members?

Using a checklist based on these categories can help you provide structured and transparent feedback on the quality of a presentation, highlighting both strengths and areas for improvement.

Tips to Give Effective Presentation Feedback

Giving effective feedback on presentations is a skill that takes practice to master. Here are some tips to help you provide constructive and positive feedback to presenters:

Prepare What You’d Like to Say  

Before giving feedback, think carefully about what you want to communicate. Prepare your thoughts to avoid knee-jerk reactions that can be unhelpful. Practice your feedback with a coach if possible to ensure clarity and effectiveness.

Use the Feedback Sandwich

Start with something positive, then offer candid feedback, and end with another positive comment. This method helps balance your feedback and shows the presenter what they did well.

Be Specific and Concrete  

Use specific examples from the presentation when giving feedback. Avoid vague comments like “ improve your communication skills .” Instead, say, “I suggest adding a slide with key agenda items to help the audience follow along.”

Focus on Behavior, Not Personality  

Address actions and behaviors rather than personal traits. For example, instead of saying, “You seemed nervous,” say, “I noticed that you were fidgeting, which can be distracting.”

Use “I” Statements  

Frame your feedback with “I” statements to make it clear that you’re sharing your perspective. For instance, say, “I felt the presentation could benefit from more examples.”

Give feedback as soon as possible after the presentation. This ensures that the details are fresh in your mind and provides more accurate and helpful feedback.

Offer Solutions or Suggestions

When pointing out areas for improvement, offer actionable advice. For example, “I recommend practicing with a friend to improve your pacing.”

Create Dialogue

Encourage a two-way conversation by asking the presenter for their thoughts on their performance. This helps them reflect on their strengths and areas for improvement.

Lead with Empathy

Be clear and direct, but also kind. Feedback should come from a place of care and support, making the recipient feel valued.

Check in with the presenter after some time to see how they are progressing. Offer continued support and share any positive changes you’ve noticed.

Choose the Right Setting

Provide feedback in a private and comfortable setting where the presenter feels safe to receive and discuss it.

End on a Positive Note  

Finish with a sincere compliment to reinforce positive behaviors and encourage growth. For example, “I was really impressed with your opening—it grabbed everyone’s attention.”

By following these tips, you can give feedback that is constructive, supportive, and effective, helping presenters improve their skills and confidence.

Tips to Constructively Receive Presentation Feedback

Once you’ve learned how to give good feedback, it’s time to focus on receiving it. Here’s how to make the most of feedback after your presentation:

Pay Close Attention

When you ask for feedback, stop talking and listen. Avoid justifying your actions or steering the conversation. Simply listen to what the person has to say.

Don’t Take it Personally

Pay attention to how you respond to feedback, including your body language and facial expressions. Don’t take feedback personally, as this might make the person giving it feel like they’re hurting your feelings. This can lead to less honest feedback, which isn’t helpful. Create an environment that allows honest and constructive dialogue.

Be Open-minded

To grow, be open to all feedback you receive. Closing yourself off from feedback hinders your progress and development. Embrace feedback as a chance to improve.

Understand the Message

Before making any changes based on feedback, ensure you fully understand the message. Avoid changing something that’s working well. Confirm that you’re addressing the right issues before taking action.

Reflect & Process

After receiving feedback, take time to reflect and process it. Compare the feedback with your own self-evaluation. Look for differences between your perspective and the feedback you received. Remember, no presentation is perfect, and it’s challenging to meet everyone’s expectations.

Always follow up after receiving feedback. This shows you value the input and are committed to improvement. It also demonstrates that you’ve taken action based on their advice.

Wrap-up: Presentation Feedback

Presentation feedback is crucial for improvement and confidence building. It involves both positive and constructive elements that help speakers refine their skills. Positive feedback highlights what went well, offering specific praise to reinforce strengths and encourage continued success. Constructive feedback, on the other hand, focuses on areas for growth, providing actionable advice to address weaknesses. This balanced approach ensures ongoing development and enhances presentation quality.

Effective feedback should be specific, timely, and empathetic, aiming to support rather than criticize. By actively seeking and integrating feedback, presenters can enhance their delivery, engage their audience better, and continuously improve their skills. Embracing feedback as a tool for growth helps transform challenges into opportunities for learning and achievement.

Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)

1. Why is feedback important for presentations?  

Feedback helps improve presentation skills by highlighting strengths and areas needing improvement. It boosts confidence and ensures ongoing growth, making presentations more effective and engaging.

2. How can you provide effective feedback to a speaker?  

Focus on specific behaviors and provide actionable advice. Use examples from the presentation, offer solutions, and maintain a supportive tone to help the speaker improve without discouraging them.

3. What is the best way to receive feedback?  

Listen carefully without getting defensive. Be open-minded, understand the feedback fully, and reflect on it before making changes. Following up shows you value the input and are committed to improvement.

4. How can I make feedback easier for my audience to give?  

Use feedback forms or engage directly with your audience after the presentation. This makes it convenient for them to share their thoughts and ensures you get valuable insights for improvement.

Elevate Your Presentation Skills with Expert Feedback

At Prezentium, we understand that effective presentation feedback is essential for growth and improvement. Whether you’re refining your skills or seeking to make a lasting impression, our AI-powered services can make a difference. Our Overnight Presentations service ensures you receive expertly designed, visually compelling presentations. For ongoing improvement, our Accelerators team transforms your ideas and notes into polished presentations and custom templates. And with Zenith Learning , we offer interactive workshops that combine structured problem-solving with visual storytelling to enhance your communication skills.

Don’t let feedback intimidate you—let it be a tool for excellence. Partner with Prezentium to receive the insights and support you need to shine. Contact us today to see how we can help you deliver outstanding presentations and continuously improve your skills.

Why wait? Avail a complimentary 1-on-1 session with our presentation expert. See how other enterprise leaders are creating impactful presentations with us.

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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.

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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.

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.

Black Women May Have a Higher Risk of Mortality From all Breast Cancer Subtypes

Risk of immune checkpoint inhibitor–induced diabetes, breast and ovarian cancers may be newly linked to thousands of rad51c gene variants, impact of adjuvant chemotherapy on resected intraductal papillary mucinous neoplasm–derived pancreatic cancer, overall survival with cabozantinib vs sunitinib in advanced papillary renal cell carcinoma.

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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.

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How to Give Feedback on a Presentation Professionally

Master the art of professional communication in business settings with expert guidance. Learn how to give feedback on a presentation professionally.

As professionals, we frequently find ourselves in situations where we need to provide feedback on presentations. Whether it's in a corporate setting, educational institution, or any other professional environment, the ability to offer constructive criticism is a valuable skill. This guide aims to provide comprehensive insights and practical strategies for effectively giving feedback on presentations, ensuring a positive and growth-oriented approach.

Understanding the importance of giving professional presentation feedback

Enhancing the Learning Experience for the Presenter

Providing feedback on a presentation plays a vital role in enhancing the learning experience for the presenter. It offers them an opportunity to gain valuable insights into their strengths and areas for improvement. By providing constructive feedback, presenters can refine their skills, leading to continuous growth and development. When feedback is given professionally, presenters feel encouraged and supported in their efforts to improve, fostering a positive learning environment.

Fostering a Culture of Improvement and Growth

Understanding the art of giving professional presentation feedback helps in fostering a culture of improvement and growth within a team or organization. When feedback is delivered effectively, it promotes a mindset of openness and continuous learning. This, in turn, creates an environment where individuals are motivated to strive for excellence, leading to overall progress and success.

Building Constructive Relationships Through Honest Feedback

Professional presentation feedback allows for the building of constructive relationships between the presenter and the audience. It demonstrates a commitment to the presenter's success and professional development, fostering trust and transparency. By offering feedback in a professional manner, relationships are strengthened, leading to enhanced collaboration and communication.

Use Lark Messenger to elevate your team communication.

Practical examples of dealing with proper presentation feedback

Example 1: handling a presentation feedback dilemma in a team setting.

Scenario : In a team meeting, a colleague presents a project but lacks clarity and coherence.

Common Mistakes :

Providing vague or unclear feedback that doesn't address the specific issues in the presentation.

Using a confrontational tone that may demoralize the presenter.

Best Expression : "I appreciate the effort you put into the presentation. It would be helpful to streamline the content for better clarity and precision. Let's work together to ensure the next presentation is impactful and well-structured."

Example 2: navigating delicate situations when providing presentation feedback

Scenario : A team member exhibits nervousness and lacks confidence during a presentation.

Overlooking the emotional aspect and focusing solely on technical errors.

Criticizing without acknowledging any positive aspects of the presentation.

Best Expression : "Your dedication and effort are evident. Let's focus on building confidence through practice and incorporating storytelling techniques. Your passion for the topic will undoubtedly resonate with the audience when presented more confidently."

Example 3: tackling sensitive feedback scenarios in presentation evaluation

Scenario : Providing feedback to a team leader on their presentation.

Feeling intimidated and hesitant to provide honest feedback.

Overemphasizing minor issues, which may dilute the impact of the feedback.

Best Expression : "Your insights were valuable. Let's further emphasize the key points to provide a more impactful message. With enhanced clarity, the presentation will effectively drive our team's objectives."

Consequences of inadequate presentation feedback

Impeding the Presenter's Growth and Development

Inadequate feedback can hinder the presenter's growth and development. Without constructive criticism, the presenter may continue to exhibit the same shortcomings, impeding their professional advancement.

Hindering Team Progress Within Professional Settings

Insufficient feedback can hinder team progress within professional settings. When presentations lack constructive input, it may lead to a stagnation of ideas and innovation within the team, impacting overall productivity.

Creating an Environment of Ineffectual Communication and Ambiguity

Failure to provide professional feedback on presentations can create an environment of ineffectual communication and ambiguity. It may lead to misunderstandings and a lack of clarity in conveying ideas and information, affecting the organization's effectiveness.

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Step-by-step instructions on providing professional presentation feedback

Understanding the context and objectives of the presentation.

To provide effective feedback, it's essential to gain a thorough understanding of the context and objectives of the presentation. Consider the audience, the purpose of the presentation, and the key messages that need to be conveyed.

Utilizing a structured approach to formulating and delivering feedback

Structure the feedback by addressing specific areas such as content, delivery, and overall impact. This provides a clear framework for the presenter to assess their performance and work on areas that need refinement.

Incorporating empathy and constructive criticism in the feedback process

Approach the feedback process with empathy, recognizing the effort and dedication of the presenter. Combine this with constructive criticism to guide them towards improvement while maintaining a positive and supportive tone.

Providing actionable recommendations for improvement

Offer actionable recommendations by suggesting specific strategies for improvement. This empowers the presenter to implement practical changes, thereby fostering continuous growth and development.

Articulating professional presentation feedback

When articulating professional presentation feedback, it's essential to focus on building rapport and trust while employing encouraging language that emphasizes growth and improvement. Emphasizing the importance of clarity and specificity in feedback further ensures the effectiveness of the communication process.

Professional feedback: do's and dont's

In conclusion, understanding how to give feedback on a presentation professionally is an invaluable skill that contributes to personal and professional growth. By recognizing its importance, incorporating best practices, and leveraging practical examples, individuals can navigate the feedback process with confidence and proficiency, ultimately fostering an environment of continuous improvement and excellence.

How can i offer criticism without demoralizing the presenter?

Offering criticism without demoralizing the presenter involves framing feedback constructively, focusing on the potential for improvement, and recognizing the efforts made by the presenter.

What if the presenter disagrees with the feedback provided?

In the event of disagreement, it's important to engage in open dialogue, understanding the presenter's perspective, and collectively working towards finding common ground for constructive feedback.

How do i deliver feedback to a superior or manager professionally?

When providing feedback to a superior or manager, it's essential to approach the conversation with respect, clarity, and a solutions-oriented mindset, ensuring that the feedback is aligned with the professional context and objectives.

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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.

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7 Tips to Improve Presentations With Responsive Feedback

When it comes to presentations, the quest for perfection is a journey marked by countless hours of meticulous planning, crafting, and rehearsing . Yet, despite our best efforts, the accurate measure of success lies not solely in our perception but in the eyes and ears of our audience. 

Feedback serves as the compass guiding us through the labyrinth of presentation prowess, illuminating the path toward mastery. In this article, we will take you through the tips and tricks to receive mindful, valuable, and well-crafted feedback from the audience

1. Cultivate a Feedback-Friendly Environment

It is vital to create an environment where people feel comfortable expressing their feedback. It can be achieved by demonstrating sincere receptiveness toward suggestions and a willingness to make improvements. 

As a presenter, you must understand that feedback is not an attack on your competence but a tool for enhancing the quality of communication. 

For instance, before you commence the presentation , take a minute to communicate with the audience. Tell them you are openly seeking reviews, praise, and criticism. 

2. Be Specific in Your Requests

When you want to receive feedback on a presentation you have given, it is essential to be specific about the areas you would like to improve. 

For example, you might be seeking input on the content, delivery style , visual aids used, or the overall effectiveness of your presentation. 

By clearly articulating your objectives to those providing feedback, you can guide them in giving targeted responses that address your specific concerns. 

3. Choose the Right Audience

The feedback you receive should be relevant, insightful, and tailored specifically to your needs. To ensure this, consider seeking input from individuals with the appropriate expertise or experience in the subject matter or presentation delivery. 

Peers, mentors, or subject matter experts can provide invaluable insights and offer constructive criticism that can help you improve your work. 

For example, if you want a review on the technical aspect of your presentation, consider requesting it from your seniors, managers, or a panel of experts. However, you may rely upon friends, peers, and family for input on the delivery and body language .

4 . Ask Open-Ended Questions

It is necessary to remember that asking yes/no questions may not give you more detailed insights and suggestions that you are looking for. Instead, you can ask open-ended questions, encouraging respondents to share their opinions and thoughts in detail. 

For example, you could ask them, “What aspects of the presentation resonated most with you?” to better understand what worked well. Or “In what areas do you think I could improve the clarity of my message?” to uncover improvement areas. 

5. Listen Actively and Non-Defensively

Receiving feedback can be a valuable experience for personal and professional growth, but it can also be challenging to accept criticism. Practicing a non-defensive attitude is essential to receive feedback graciously. 

It means actively listening to the feedback without interrupting or making excuses for your actions. Instead, focus on understanding the respondent’s perspective and take notes to capture critical points for reflection. 

Let us understand this with an example. Imagine you have dedicated weeks to crafting a presentation, pouring your heart and soul into perfecting every detail. However, after delivering it, the audience responds with feedback suggesting that the design and content could be improved.

In such a scenario, feeling defensive or even attacked is natural. However, it is paramount to remain composed and respond in an accepting manner, acknowledging the validity of the audience’s feelings and expressing your willingness to address their concerns. Instead of reacting defensively, you must convey your dedication to continuous improvement.

6. Reflect and Prioritize

Feedback can be precious in helping you improve your skills, but it can also be overwhelming to process. That is why it is essential to take the time to reflect on the insights provided.

As you review the feedback, keep an eye out for areas of improvement. These might be things like speaking too quickly, needing to provide more context, or engaging the audience enough. Once you have identified these areas, list them based on their impact on the overall effectiveness of your presentation. 

For example, if several people mentioned that your slides were hard to read, you should make that a top priority to fix.

It is also important to remember that not all feedback may be applicable or feasible to implement. Some suggestions may not be relevant to your presentation or require too much time or resources. When deciding which recommendations to incorporate, use discernment and consider how much impact they will have on your overall presentation.

7. Utilize Feedback Tools

To gather feedback efficiently, it is crucial to take advantage of technology. There are various online survey tools, anonymous feedback forms, or dedicated feedback platforms that can facilitate the collection of responses from a larger audience while maintaining anonymity. 

Using these, you can encourage more candid feedback from your audience, as they may feel more comfortable providing honest opinions without fearing any negative consequences. 

Constructive feedback is a potent tool for enhancing the quality of presentations and refining your communication skills . Embrace feedback as a growth catalyst, and prepare to embark on a voyage where every critique is a stepping stone, every suggestion a stroke of brilliance, and every interaction an opportunity to elevate your presentations to unparalleled heights. 

Remember to express gratitude to those who took the time to provide feedback, regardless of whether you agree with their assessments. Acknowledge the value of their input and reassure them that their contributions have been instrumental in your growth and development as a presenter.

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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

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Improving Presentations through Feedback: How to Receive Helpful Responses!

After the presentation comes before the presentation – the key to improvement lies in feedback. After a presentation, every speaker tends to review the performance and evaluate it. Did it go as planned? Was I confident enough? Was I able to convince the audience?

These questions can only be inadequately answered by ourselves, as we don’t truly know how we are perceived by others – unless we simply ask them…

Why a presentation needs detailed feedback

The presentation is over. Technically, how it went doesn’t matter anymore because nothing can be changed. This perspective can be fatal. There are good reasons why professional football coaches analyze games with their teams and why teachers encourage their students to correct their mistakes in exams.

It’s about learning and training . It’s about knowing our strengths and weaknesses and working on them . Only a few people are naturally good speakers. Everyone else also benefits from practice and working on their strengths and weaknesses. To identify them and improve, feedback is the best tool.

Why self-perception isn’t enough: the Johari Window

Sure, to some extent, we can assess ourselves, and we should. Recording our own speech with a camera and tripod and watching it afterwards can be very revealing.

But self-assessment can also mislead us as it solely relies on our self-perception . And that perception can be both significantly more positive and significantly more critical than the image others have of us. Hence, for a realistic evaluation, we always need external perception.

The so-called Johari Window sheds light on this dynamic. The model by Joseph Luft and Harry Ingham illustrates the dynamics of self- and external perception and is based on the idea that communication can be improved by bringing these two spheres closer together.

The model is divided into four areas :

• Public Self: This is the area that both we and others can see. It includes aspects of our personality that are known to us and are also perceived by others.
• Blind Spot: This represents aspects of our personality or behavior that are not consciously known to us but can be recognized by others (e.g., facial expressions or body language). It’s the blind spot in our self-perception.
• Hidden Self: This involves aspects of our personality that we know but are not recognized by others. These are things we consciously hide from others.
• Unknown Self: This is the area that is unknown to both us and others. It contains potential abilities, emotions, or behaviors that haven’t been discovered yet.

In the context of self-reflection after presentations, the Johari Window can be a valuable aid. After a presentation, we have a subjective perception of how we presented ourselves, but this can differ from the actual perception of the audience. This is where the concept of the blind spot comes into play.

At this point, it’s crucial to ask for feedback from your listeners. Through their insights, you can learn how you were perceived and reduce your blind spot. Moreover, you’ll find out if your messages were conveyed as planned . With the information from the feedback, you can adjust future presentations and speeches.

Overall, the Johari Window enables deeper self-reflection after presentations because it encourages actively seeking feedback to gain a more realistic and comprehensive view of presentation skills.

Why Feedback is Important in All Industries

Feedback is important regardless of your industry affiliation. It plays a crucial role in skill development, performance enhancement, and fostering personal and professional growth . We’ve compiled an overview of why feedback is important in various industries:

• Academic Environment : In the education sector, feedback is a central tool to promote learning. Teachers provide students with feedback on their performance to identify strengths and weaknesses. In higher education, feedback is crucial to deepen students’ understanding and support their academic development.
• Business World : In the business world, feedback plays a vital role in employee development and increasing efficiency. Regular feedback allows employees to review their performance, adjust goals, and enhance skills. Managers can use feedback to motivate teams and improve company performance. This category also includes presentations and feedback for speakers. Feedback from listeners in the business world can help adjust customer interests and further develop products.
• Healthcare : Not to be underestimated – in healthcare, feedback is essential to improve clinical practice and optimize patient care. Medical professionals use feedback to refine diagnoses, adjust treatments, and increase patient satisfaction.
• Technology and Engineering : In technical and engineering professions, feedback is indispensable to drive innovation and optimize products. Design and performance issues can be identified, and technical solutions can be improved. Here too, feedback through PowerPoint presentations can be important for advancing innovations.
• Customer Service : In the customer service industry, feedback from customers is a key indicator of the quality of services offered. Companies use customer feedback to identify problems, make improvements, and increase customer satisfaction.
• Journalism and Media : In the media industry, feedback from readers, viewers, and listeners is a significant factor. Journalists and media professionals use feedback to evaluate the relevance of content, maintain journalistic standards, and engage the audience.

Relevant Criteria for Constructive Feedback

It makes sense not to give or seek feedback in a general manner, but rather to think in specific categories. For presentation feedback, the following areas are particularly relevant:

• Content and Structure : Was the topic covered comprehensively and clearly? Was there a logical and coherent structure?

• Visualization : Was the presentation well-organized and visually appealing? Were visual aids used effectively?

• Language : Was the speaker easy to understand? How was the tone? Was the choice of words and expression appropriate?

• Body Language : How was the facial expression and gestures? Were there eye contacts? What impression did the body language convey?

How to Gather Feedback after a Presentation

Feedback generally doesn’t come on its own . If you want to receive feedback after a presentation, you need to actively seek it.

The choice of the right method to gather feedback depends on your target audience, presentation goals, and available resources . Integrating feedback tools and technologies allows presenters to collect feedback in diverse ways and continuously improve the quality of their presentations. In today’s digital era, besides seeking feedback in person, there are numerous tools and technologies that can be used to efficiently and effectively gather feedback after presentations. These tools provide innovative ways to collect, analyze, and respond to feedback. Here are some examples:

• Question and Answer Session after the Presentation

The most immediate way to use feedback is through the question and answer session following the presentation. This is where both direct and indirect indications of the presentation’s success can be gathered. Indirectly, much can be inferred from the audience reactions .

Polite applause and an audience that seems eager to leave the room may not be a great sign. If there are many comprehension questions and doubtful looks, the presentation might not have been as clear and coherent as hoped.

For those seeking more detailed information, it’s possible to directly ask the audience for feedback. If it involves people you interact with frequently (such as colleagues), you can also inquire later on. However, immediate feedback isn’t always very fruitful and insightful , as many people are hesitant to openly express criticism – even if it’s constructive.

How to manage questions and answer sessions and Powerpoint can be found in our article “ PowerPoint Q&A “.

• Feedback Form with Standardized Questions

A feedback form that covers all relevant criteria can be very useful. It can be distributed or made available after a talk, either in person or via email to the participants . Since a feedback form can be filled out anonymously and at one’s own pace, it’s usually more productive than directly requested feedback.

Classic email surveys are still effective for collecting detailed feedback. Tools like Mailchimp or Sendinblue can help you create and send appealing survey emails. You can easily find templates for evaluation forms on the internet. Good and clear formats can be found, for example, here: link1 and link2 .

They are practical and provide good ideas. Of course, a feedback form can also be created from scratch . You can be more creative and open in your wording (e.g., “In your opinion, what are three things that could have been done better in the presentation?”).

• Send Online Surveys to Participants

A third option for requesting feedback is through online surveys . They are created using appropriate tools and made accessible to participants via a link. The structure typically resembles that of a traditional feedback form. The biggest disadvantage here is that the feedback opportunity is often only accessed by a few people.

Possible survey tools are SurveyMonkey, Google Forms, and Typeform. These tools allow you to create and send tailored surveys. With pre-made templates or individually designed questions, you can specifically ask for opinions, ratings, and suggestions.

Another example of an online feedback platform is Provenexpert. Through this platform, you can easily send a survey to your participants, asking them to rate you with stars and provide a personal experience report. Of course, the more personal and closer your contact is with your audience, the more likely you are to receive a rating.

Here is my Provenexpert profile with numerous reviews I’ve collected over the years for my presentations and seminars: My proven expert profile .

• Video Feedback Platforms

Platforms like VidGrid or Vosaic allow you to record your presentations and request targeted video feedback from the audience . This method offers not only verbal comments but also captures the body language and emotions of the feedback providers.

Similar to online surveys, one disadvantage is that this option is little used to provide feedback.

• Feedback Apps

Feedback apps like Feedbackly, Emplify, or 15Five offer comprehensive options for gathering feedback. They enable continuous feedback, mood analysis, and team communication. For instance, you can include a QR code link within your presentation to directly reference the feedback opportunity.

• Social Media Surveys

Social media provides a straightforward way to gather feedback from a broader audience . Platforms like Twitter or Instagram allow for surveys or polls to quickly gather feedback (see the next subchapter).

• Real-time Audience Interaction

Platforms like Mentimeter and Slido allow you to engage the audience in real time during the presentation. Participants can answer questions, express opinions, and conduct polls . This fosters engagement while providing valuable insights.

Using Social Media for Feedback

These days, reaching people through social media is effortless. Skillfully leverage social media platforms to gather feedback. They offer an effective way to collect feedback from a wider audience and gain valuable insights into how your presentations are perceived.

Moreover, using social media has the advantage of allowing you to gather opinions from individuals across different regions and backgrounds . This way, you receive feedback from a diverse audience.

Through various forms of interaction, you can gather opinions, ratings, and suggestions from a diverse group of people. Here are some ways you can use social media platforms for feedback:

• Polls and Voting : Social media platforms enable you to create polls and voting options to gather targeted feedback on specific aspects of your presentation. You can ask questions related to content, structure, or presentation style. Involving your followers allows for quick and easily understandable feedback.
• Comments and Discussions : After sharing your presentation on social media platforms, you can encourage comments and discussions about your content. Readers can share their thoughts, opinions, and suggestions, fostering open feedback interaction. Collecting different perspectives can help you understand various viewpoints and identify areas for improvement.
• Direct Messages : Some platforms allow users to send you direct messages. Here, you have the opportunity to receive personal feedback that might not be shared publicly. These direct conversations can offer detailed insights and encourage open exchanges.
• Story Features : Platforms like Instagram and Facebook offer story features where you can post short surveys or questions. This allows you to receive real-time feedback while enhancing the interactivity of your followers.

Handling Feedback in Presentations

Dealing with presentation feedback is typically similar to handling product reviews on major online stores. There are some overly enthusiastic 5-star reviews that make you doubt their authenticity, and there are some 1-star reviews that suggest the buyer might have been simply incompetent for the product.

In between, there usually exists a larger pool of mixed reviews that mention pros and cons, which often prove to be the most helpful. Such a distribution also often emerges in feedback for presentations, and in principle, it can be dealt with in the same way. What matters are the overall impression and the relevant pointers.

When it comes to handling feedback, the following tips should also be considered:

• Welcome All Feedback : Every listener is entitled to their opinion. Regardless of the content or the person delivering it, feedback should be accepted with gratitude. It’s worth noting that the source of the feedback, whether it’s from a superior or an apprentice, shouldn’t matter.

• No Feedback on Feedback : Especially with direct critical feedback, there’s often an inclination to debate, defend, or justify. However, it’s often better to simply accept what’s said with a thank you, regardless of whether it’s perceived as justified or not.

• Feedback isn’t Binding : Speakers also have the right to their opinion. Not everything mentioned in feedback needs to be implemented. What to change or implement is ultimately a personal decision.

Feedback is Not a One-Way Street

For those who appreciate valuable feedback, they should also be able to respond appropriately when asked for their own evaluation. To make feedback truly useful and helpful, it should fulfill the following criteria:

• Be Specific : When requesting feedback, it’s not just about receiving praise or criticism; it’s about getting specific pointers. For example, rather than saying “The presentation was engaging,” it’s better to say “The use of examples to illustrate individual factors made the presentation engaging.”

• Use “I” Statements : When giving feedback, you can only speak for yourself. Therefore, use first-person statements and not terms like “one.”

• Offer Improvement Suggestions : Constructive feedback ideally should be positively formulated and include improvement ideas. For instance, instead of saying “You spoke too quickly,” you could say “I would have found it easier to follow the presentation if you had spoken slower and incorporated more pauses.”

• Include Positive Criticism : It’s often forgotten that criticism doesn’t necessarily have to be negative. Learning what aspects of a presentation were well received can be just as important for presenters.

• Describe Instead of Judge : Feedback should describe the personal perception. Judgments or accusations are inappropriate. For instance, rather than saying “Your presentation was bad because you just read from the slides,” you could say “Since you read a lot from the slides, I felt the audience interaction was lacking.”

No Feedback Without Respect

Valuable feedback is closely tied to mutual respect. This should always be kept in mind by both those providing and receiving feedback. Feedback should be seen as a means of guidance and assistance , not a tool for evaluation. When given and received correctly, feedback can be extraordinarily useful.

Moreover, constructive feedback and even criticism can mean more recognition and respect than insincere praise. This sentiment was likely acknowledged by philosopher and mathematician Bertrand Russell when he stated:

Find more pleasure in intelligent dissent than in passive agreement, for, if you value intelligence as you should, the former implies a deeper agreement. Bertrand Russell

Conclusion: Skillfully Gathering and Implementing Feedback

In conclusion, adeptly seeking and implementing feedback can help you keep your presentations more professional and tailor your content to your target audience. Consider which feedback-receiving method works best for you and give it a try!

If you have questions about the article, feel free to email us at [email protected] . We’re here to help!

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3 helpful ways to give feedback on a presentation

When you discuss these 3 things, you help someone else take their presentation to the next level.

[Photo: Miguel Henriques /Unsplash]

BY  Anett Grant 3 minute read

How many times has your coworker, your boss, or your friend asked you, “How was my presentation?”

Chances are, if you thought the presentation was boring, you said, “great job” with a flat tone. If you thought it was actually great, you said, “great job!” with an enthusiastic tone. After all, giving someone feedback about their presentation is a delicate act. You don’t want to provide feedback that upsets them, but you know that flattery isn’t going to turn them into a better speaker. So how can you give feedback that makes a difference without risking hurt feelings?

Here are three ways you can give your teammate feedback about their presentation that inspires improvement, whether it’s from okay to good, or from very good to excellent.

1) Discuss what was memorable

Begin your feedback by telling your presenter what you found memorable about his or her presentation. This takes your feedback to big-picture level, which is much more effective than providing granular comments. Your presenter probably has no memories of  their behavior at any particular moment, so feedback on details won’t get them very far. For example, in our Ted Talk Tips, we direct you to look at a particular moment in the talker’s presentation. Unless the talker was a highly trained orator or had meticulously rehearsed their presentation, they would have no conscious memory of exactly how they moved. They wouldn’t know what foot they were standing on, or the precise moment that they made that gesture.

Rather than giving feedback about particular moments or habits, you should describe what was most memorable to you. This way, you’re providing feedback at a level that helps the presenter understand their dominant message. If you tell them that what you remember the most was their passion, their conviction, or their idea, you’re helping your speaker focus on the big takeaway. You’ll inspire creative behavior, not obsessional adjustment.

2) Discuss the key message

If you tell your speaker, “I thought your key message was X,” you’re opening up the door to the most critical part of the presentation–what the message was, and not what the data, graphs, or charts were. In business today, presentations are not just PowerPoint parades . It doesn’t matter if you’re presenting to high-level executives or a group of interns, your talk needs to have meaning. It has to show how you think and how you synergize data into meaningful messages that have relevance and impact on the business.

By giving your presenter feedback about their key message, you are helping your presenter position their ideas at the right level, for the right audience. You’re not telling them what to do in a robotic way–you’re challenging them to align their thinking to their situation. You want to help them increase their impact, not wordsmith their speaking notes.

3) Share when you started to tune out?

No matter how much good intention you have, you’ll inevitably tune out, occasionally at best, frequently at worst. Of course, you could blame yourself or feel ashamed, but that’s a dead end. A more productive route would be to think about why you tuned out at that particular moment. Were there too many details? Was i too monotone? Too irrelevant?

When you pinpoint and share the moment that you disengaged, you identify a problem you had. You’re inviting your speaker to think about solutions to the problem–you’re not telling them what to do. Even better, you’re focusing your teammate’s attention on connecting with their audience versus getting through the material.

So, next time your colleague asks you, “What did you think about my presentation?” don’t just bite your tongue and say “great!” When you discuss the things set out in this article, you’re help your coworker become a better speaker. Who knows, you might even learn a thing or two about how to improve your own presentation.

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ABOUT THE AUTHOR

Anett Grant is the CEO of Executive Speaking, Inc. and the author of multiple e-books on speaking. Read her latest e-book here   More

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Giving and Receiving Feedback: It is Harder Than You Think

• Your colleague asks you to listen to them practice their speech practice and give them feedback.
• Your teacher asks you to give feedback to another classmate about their speech.
• Your boss asks, “What did you think about my speech?”

In each case, the person is looking to you to provide feedback. In this chapter, you will learn about how to assess the feedback situation, how to offer constructive criticism, and how to graciously receive criticism. Let’s start with how to ask for feedback and listen graciously.

Receiving Feedback

When you ask for feedback from others, receive their feedback as a gift. Someone is taking their time and giving it to you; someone is putting themselves out there and saying things that might cause discomfort, but they are doing it for you.  Individuals vary on how they receive feedback and how comfortable they are with being evaluated.

When receiving feedback, try doing the following:

• Sit in a non-defensive posture. It is tempting to cross your arms and to tense up all your muscles when receiving oral feedback. Keep your body open and loose. Staying open helps them to feel like you really want their suggestions and closed arms can equal a closed mind — keep an open body.
• Do not take feedback as a personal insult.
• If the feedback is verbal, write down the suggestions, even if you disagree with the suggestions. Respect the other person’s opinions by writing them down. It makes them feel like they have been heard and you appreciate the feedback they are giving. Writing the feedback down also helps you to not cross your arms defensively–see suggestion one– and it helps you remember the suggestions.
• Do not take it as a personal insult. Seriously!
• Avoid the temptation to defend yourself. “I did it this way because…” or, “I thought it would be best to…”  You already know why you did things the way you did. Interrupting them to tell them the reasons you did what you did comes off as defensive and reduces the likelihood they will give you all the feedback they have to offer. You already know what you were thinking and by telling them you haven’t advanced your situation. Use this time to learn what they are thinking.
• Do not take it as a personal insult. Really, this is so important.
• Breathe. Most people feel stress when someone is giving them constructive criticism, breathe and relax so you can really listen.
•  Do not take it personally. Do not take it personally. Do not take it personally. This cannot be emphasized enough! Since it is about your performance or your speech writing, it is hard not to feel criticism of your speech as a criticism of your person. Try to take criticism instead as someone caring enough about you to push you to grow.

After Every Speech, Do a Self-Evaluation

Allison Shapira of Global Speaking suggests you do a self-evaluation after each speech:

• What did I do well?
• What didn’t I do so well?
• What am I going to do differently next time?

Write these down and keep this on file for the next time you give a speech.

Constructive Criticism

There will be times when others look to you to read over their speech or listen to them practice and then give them constructive criticism. Constructive criticism is made up of two words: constructive–the building of something, and criticism–the giving of a critique. So constructive criticism is critiquing with the intention of building something. When we give others constructive criticism, our goal should be to help build them to be better speakers.

Give Them Help

Reagel and Reagle came up with a creative way to remember the goal of feedback, it should HELP : Help the speaker improve Encourage another speech Lift self-esteem Provide useful recommendations

Give Them a Sandwich

One way to give constructive criticism is to use the sandwich method. Say something positive, give feedback about something they can work on to improve, and then say something positive. This way, the first and last words out of your mouth are positive.

Ask Questions

Ask honest questions that can help lead them to solutions or ask questions to soften the sound of negative feedback: “What did you mean by…” “Have you considered? ” “Have you thought about…?” “When you said… did you really mean?”

For example: “Have you considered the impact of showing such a gruesome photo on your slide?” “Have you considered starting with a quote? ” “Have you thought about whether the people in the back will be able to see your poster?” “Have you thought about using a microphone so everyone can hear you?”

Beyond the Sandwich: Data Points and Impact Statements

In her video, called “The Secret to giving Great Feedback”, LeeAnn Renninger refers to a 4 Step “Feedback Formula”.

Watch The secret to giving great feedback | The Way We Work, a TED series on YouTube (0 mins)

Video source: TED. (2020, Feb 10). The secret to giving great feedback – The Way We Work, a TED series. Leanne Renninger. [Video]. YouTube. https://youtu.be/wtl5UrrgU8c

In our college class, we will focus on steps 2 & 3.

Data points (or clear examples)

• Name specifically what you saw or heard, and leave out any words that aren’t objective. Avoid “blur words”, which are not specific and could mean different things to different people.
• Convert any blur words into actual data points or observations.  For example, instead of saying, “You didn’t engage your audience”, be specific and say “Your introduction didn’t mention what the benefits are to the audience”
• Being specific is also important with positive feedback. Saying “I really liked your presentation” doesn’t offer the other person any clear ideas of what they should keep doing. Instead, try to name specifics: “You made it very easy to understand the process when you described [give the example],” or “The visuals you included showed that [give the example]”.
• Be as clear as you can, so the presenter knows to continue doing these things!

The Impact statement

• Don’t stop at just giving the “evidence” or describing your observations. Keep going – explain how what you saw and heard impacted you.
• You might say “I really liked how you added those stories, because it helped me grasp the concepts faster,” or “the way you opened your presentation surprised me and got my attention.

By providing data points as well as impact statements, your peer critiques will be clear, specific, and provide your classmate with something they can actually use to work on to improve!

Source: Except where otherwise noted, “Beyond the Sandwich: Data Points and Impact Statements” by Amanda Quibell is licensed under CC BY-NC 4.0.

Different People, Different Types of Feedback

It is no surprise that people give and receive feedback differently. One person might take a feedback statement and be grateful for the corrections while the next person might take it as a complete insult.  Below, you’ll learn about some of the most common differences.

High and Low Self Monitors

Psychology researcher Mark Snyder identified people as being either high self-monitors or low self-monitors. High self-monitors typically try to fit in and play the role according to the context. They are about image, and they are motivated to fit in with their peers. They like to know what is expected, so they can adapt to the situation. Giving them useful feedback may mean pointing out how they can make changes in their message to meet the audience’s expectations. When giving feedback to high self-monitors, focus the feedback on how they can elevate their credibility in the eyes of the audience.

On the other hand, low self-monitors tend to be motivated to act based on their inner beliefs and values. They are motivated to be true to their sense of self and to above all– be genuine. When giving low self-monitors feedback, encourage them to be the best speaker they can be while being true to themselves. Focus on giving them feedback in a way that encourages them to harness their unique talents.

While you may not know exactly whether they are high or low self-monitor, you likely have some idea of what motivates them. The more you can tailor your feedback to them, the more likely it is they will hear what you are saying. If you are curious about your type, you can take the quiz. You can have the person giving you feedback take the quiz as well. This can be a helpful exercise to think about how you give and receive feedback.

Take the high and low self-monitor quiz to find out your type

Cultural Differences

When you know your sickness You’re halfway cured. French saying

In the book, The Culture Map, a Dutch businessman is quoted as saying. “It is all a lot of hogwash. All that positive feedback just strikes us in the face and not in the least bit motivating.” People from different cultural groups have different feedback norms.  As our society grows increasingly diverse, it is important to learn not just how to give good feedback, but to give feedback that demonstrates an awareness of how different cultures give and receive feedback.

Erin Meyer does international training to help business professionals understand differences and similarities and how to bridge the gap:

Managers in different parts of the world are conditioned to give feedback in drastically different ways. The Chinese manager learns never to criticize a colleague openly or in front of others, while the Dutch managers learns always to be honest and to give the message straight. Americans are trained to wrap positive messages around negative ones, while the French are trained to criticize passionately and provide positive feedback sparingly. Having a clear understanding of these differences and strategies for navigating them is crucial for leaders of cross-cultural teams. Erin Meyer, The Culture Map

Upgraders and Downgraders

Meyers identifies cultures as Upgraders and Downgraders. Upgraders use words or phrases to make negative feedback feel stronger. An upgrader might say, “this is absolutely inappropriate.” As you read this, see if you identify more as an upgrader or downgrader.

Upgraders say:

• Absolutely–“That was absolutely shameless.”
• Totally–“You totally missed the point.”
• Strongly–” I strongly suggest that you…”

By contrast, downgraders use words to soften the criticism. A downgrader might say, “We are not quite there yet” or “This is just my opinion, but…”

Downgraders say:

• “Kind of”
• “Sort of”
• “A little”
• “Maybe”
• “Slightly”
• “This is just my opinion.”

When giving and receiving feedback across cultures, it is helpful to be aware of these differences so you can “hear” what they are really saying. Take for example this statement as a Dutch person complains about how Americans give feedback.

The problem is that we cant’ tell when the feedback is supposed to register to us as excellent, ok, or really poor. For a Dutchman, the word “excellent” is saved for a rare occasion and “okay” is…well, neutral. But with the Americans, the grid is different. “Excellent” is used all the time, “Okay” seems to mean, “not okay.” “Good” is only a mild complement. And when the message was intended to be bad, you can pretty much assume that, if an American is speaking and the listner is Dutch, the real meaning of the message will be lost all together. Erin Meyer, The Culture Map.

Nannette Ripmeester, Director of Expertise in Labour Mobility, illustrates these differences to her clients with a chart. This chart shows the differences between what the British say, what they mean, and what the Dutch understand. This is a condensed version of her list.

Chances are as you read this list, you identified yourself in some of the statements and identified someone you know who is in the other list. Hopefully, this made you think about how personal style can be as different as cultural style. The big idea here is when you are giving and receiving feedback, it can be helpful to try to identify their communication style and adjust accordingly.

Politeness Strategies

As you already know, whenever you critique someone’s work, there is a potential to hurt their feelings. There are many factors that influence whether the feedback is helpful or hurtful. In communication, we use the term “face” to mean the sense of self a person projects. People can “take face” by creating a situation where someone looks bad to others or people can “lose face” by doing something that diminishes them in the eyes of others. Optimally, we want people to feel like they “gain-face” and feel encouraged. The way that you give feedback as well as the person’s natural tendencies will influence how “face” is affected.

When giving feedback, you should think about how your feedback takes or gives face. You also need to consider what is at stake for the other person. Is this a small speech assignment or is it a career-defining presentation? In addition, critiquing someone privately vs critiquing someone in front of their boss will have different “face” outcomes.

How much you are willing to “take face” from someone may depend on the importance of the feedback. You will likely want to provide more suggestions for someone who is doing a career speech to get their dream job vs that same person doing a college speech worth minimal points. You will likely be more invested in helping a friend polish a speech to make it just right as opposed to someone you barely know.

Finally, the other thing influencing feedback is the power difference between people. You will likely give feedback differently to your little sister than you would to your boss. The status of the individuals and how important power is to them will impact how “face” is taken and given. For example, a high-power country like China would consider an open critique of a teacher, boss, or elder a huge insult, whereas someone from a low-power country, would be less offended.  In any situation, you will be negotiating power, context, and the need to save face.

Taking all these factors into account, Brown and Levinson created Politeness Theory as a way to explain the different ways we give feedback to save face.

Bald on Record: This type of feedback is very direct without concern for the person’s esteem face. This type of feedback is usually given if there is a small fix the speaker would feel strongly about.

Examples of bald on record feedback:

• “Be sure you bold the headings.”
• “Alphabetize the references.”

Positive Politeness: In this type of feedback, you would build up the face or esteem of the other person. You would make them feel good before you make any suggestions. (It looks a lot like the sandwich method, hunh?)

Examples of positive politeness feedback:

• “You are so organized; this one little fix and it will be perfect.”
• “I love the story you told, a few more details would really help me see the character.”

Negative Politeness:  The name of this type of feedback is a little misleading. It doesn’t mean you are negative. It means you acknowledge that getting feedback may make them feel negative.  You would say things that acknowledge their discomfort. You might minimize the criticism so it doesn’t make them feel bad or find other ways to soften the blow of criticism.

Examples of negative politeness feedback: 

• “I know this critique might sound rough and I hope it helps, but I think you really need to work on the middle section.”
• “This is just me making suggestions, but I would be able to understand more if your slide has a heading.”
• I’m not an expert on this, but I think you might need to have a stronger thesis.”
• “I see what you are trying to do here, but I think some of your audience members might not get it.”

Off Record: When you give feedback that is off the record, you are hinting vaguely that they should make a change.

Examples of off the record feedback. 

• “How many sources are we supposed to have?” (Instead of saying, “You need to have more research”)
• “I thought we were supposed to have slides with our speech, maybe I heard that wrong.”
• “Are other people in the class dressing up?”

Avoidance: Some people are afraid of giving feedback so they will avoid the situation altogether.

Avoid the three C’s

Perform the three r’s.

From Westside Toastmasters

Giving Feedback During a Speech

When you are listening to someone speak, you are giving constant nonverbal feedback. Are you leaning forward listening intently or are you leaned back picking at your fingernails? The way you listen lets the speaker know that you value them and what they are saying. It can be reassuring to the speaker to have people who are in the audience smiling and nodding.

Try this little experiment: If you have a speaker who is average or boring, lean in and listen intently. Don’t be insincere and cheesy, but rather try to be an earnest listener. You will find that when the speaker notices you paying attention, they will usually become less monotone and more engaging. The speaker affects the audience, and the audience affects the speaker.

Asking for Feedback During Your Speech

Appoint someone to be your speech buddy who will give you signals and alert you during your speech, for example: to speak louder or to check your microphone. If you know that you tend to pace, lean on the podium, or say um’s, have them give you the signal.

Courage is what it takes to stand up and speak. Courage is also what it takes to sit down and listen. Winston Churchill Former Prime Ministre of the United Kingdom

Key Takeaways

Remember This! 

• Be open to the feedback of others, it can help you improve as a speaker.
• When giving feedback to others consider the context, their needs, the impact on their esteem, and their culture.
• Use the feedback sandwich as a model for giving constructive criticism.

Attribution & References

Except where otherwise noted, this chapter is adapted from “Giving and Receiving Feedback: It is Harder Than You Think ” In Advanced Public Speaking by Lynn Meade, licensed under CC BY 4.0 .

Brown, P., & Levinson, S. (1978). Universals in Language Usage: Politeness Phenomena. In E. Goody (Ed.), Questions and Politeness: Strategies in Social Interaction (pp. 56-310). Cambridge University Press.

Churchhill Central: Life and words of Sir Winston Churchill. https://www.churchillcentral.com/

Gonzales, M. (2017). How to get feedback on speeches. Global Public Speaking. https://www.globalpublicspeaking.com/get-feedback-speeches/

King, P. E., & Young, M. J. (2002). An information processing perspective on the efficacy of instructional feedback. American Communication Journal, 5 http://ac-journal.org/journal/vol5/iss2/articles/feedback.htm

King, P. E., Young, M. J., & Behnke, R. R. (2000). Public speaking performance improvement as a function of information processing in immediate and delayed feedback interventions. Communication Education, 49, 365–374. https://doi.org/10.1080/03634520009379224

Mehra, A., Kilduff, M. & Brass, D.J. (2001). The social networks of high and low self-monitors Implications for workplace performance.  Administrative Science Quarterly, 46 (1), 121-146. https://doi.org/10.2307/2667127

Meyer, E. (2014). The culture map: Breaking through the invisible boundaries of global business. Public Affairs.  https://erinmeyer.com/books/the-culture-map/

Meyer, E. (2014). How to say “This is Crap” in different cultures. Harvard Business Review. https://hbr.org/2014/02/how-to-say-this-is-crap-in-different-cultures

Reagle, J.M. & Reagle, J.M. (2015). Reading the comments: Likers, haters, and manipulators at the bottom of the web . MIT Press. https://readingthecomments.mitpress.mit.edu/

Ripmeester, N. Rottier, B., & Bush, A. (2010). Separated by a common translation? How the Brits and the Dutch communicate. Pediatric Pulmonology. 46( 4). 409-411. https://doi.org/10.1002/ppul.21380

Ripmeester, N. (2015). We all speak English, don’t we? https://www.linkedin.com/pulse/we-all-speak-english-dont-nannette-ripmeester/

Smith, C.D. & King, P.E. (2007). Student feedback sensitivity and the efficacy of feedback interventions in public speaking performance improvement. Communication Education 53 (3). https://doi.org/10.1080/0363452042000265152

Snyder, M. (1974). Self-monitoring of expressive behavior. Journal of Personality and Social Psychology. 30 (4), 526-537. http://www.communicationcache.com/uploads/1/0/8/8/10887248/self-monitoring_of_expressive_behavior.pdf

Toastmasters International. (2017). Giving effective feedback. https://www.toastmasters.org/resources/giving-effective-feedback

Dynamic Presentations Copyright © 2022 by Amanda Quibell is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial 4.0 International License , except where otherwise noted.

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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.

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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)

17 positive feedback examples to develop a winning team, how to give constructive feedback as a manager, become a pro at asking for feedback (and receiving it), should you use the feedback sandwich 7 pros and cons, why coworker feedback is so important and 5 ways to give it, are you receptive to feedback follow this step-by-step guide, how to get feedback from your employees, how managers get upward feedback from their team, 30 customer service review examples to develop your team, how to give feedback using this 4-step framework, how to give negative feedback to a manager, with examples, start, stop, continue: how to implement this retrospective model, how to embrace constructive conflict, 25 performance review questions (and how to use them), stay connected with betterup, get our newsletter, event invites, plus product insights and research..

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How to get Useful Feedback: A Speaker’s Guide

• Most of the feedback you receive as a speaker is not very useful.
• Useful feedback is hard to find and uncomfortable to receive.
• To reach your potential as a speaker, you require substantial feedback.

These truths present a few conundrums:

• If most feedback is useless, how and where do you find useful feedback?
• If receiving feedback is uncomfortable, why would you want to seek it? How do you get in the right frame of mind to accept it?

In this article, we define useful feedback, describe how and where to collect it, and discuss how to adopt a mindset which embraces honest feedback.

Definitions… What is Useful Feedback?

Feedback includes any information you receive about yourself as a speaker, or about any specific speech or presentation. It might be non-verbal or verbal, spoken or written. It might be brief; it might be extensive.

Useful feedback is any feedback you receive which helps you improve your speaking skills, whether it be your writing, delivery, visual design, or anything else.

While comments like “good speech” and “well done” are encouraging and nice to hear, they do not really help you improve.

Positive feedback is any feedback which reinforces something you’ve said or done. For example:

The stories you told at the beginning and end of your presentation really drove home the message for me.

Negative feedback is any feedback which opposes or criticizes something you’ve said or done. For example:

I got lost when you were explaining the steps of the process, and this left me confused during your subsequent demonstration.

Remember that useful feedback includes both positive feedback and negative feedback .

Modes of Capturing Feedback

Okay, so where do we find feedback? And, more importantly, how do we filter out the useless bits and get more useful feedback?

1. Observe non-verbal feedback during your presentation.

There is a wealth of useful feedback staring right back at you every time you speak. For example:

• Does your audience look confused ? You’re either speaking too fast, speaking at the wrong level, or lacking in clarity.
• Does your audience look bored ? You’re not providing enough value, perhaps repeating something they already know.
• Does your audience look excited ? Keep doing more of whatever it is you’re doing.
• Are they nodding their heads ? They are accepting your message because they have experienced it.
• Are they leaving the room ? That’s not good!

So, if this feedback is written on the faces of your audience members, how can you collect more of it? Improve your eye contact . The less time you spend looking in your notes, your slides, or the EXIT sign at the back of the room, the better chance you will have to perceive the feedback your audience is constantly sending to you.

I know of a few speakers that aim a video recorder at the audience so that they can review the video at a later time. While this doesn’t replace good eye contact, it can augment the information you collect.

2. Pay attention to questions during your presentation.

Each time you receive a question, ask yourself what it says about your presentation. For example:

• Is the question asking about topics on the periphery of yours, perhaps seeking more depth or breadth than you offer? Perhaps this is an opportunity to reshape your content, or add to your speaking portfolio.
• Does the question indicate confusion? Perhaps you need to rewind and clarify.
• Does the question indicate opposition to your ideas? Perhaps you need to add more persuasive elements.

Real-time feedback like this is raw, but offers a bounty of insights if you pay attention.

3. Gather intelligence before, after, or during breaks.

When I teach courses lasting several hours, some of the most useful feedback I receive is during the breaks. Audience members share thoughts that they were reluctant to share during the session itself (because they did not want to “disrupt” the course). I am frequently able to leverage this information after the break by saying something like “During the break, I was asked about… and so I’d like to clarify on the topic for a bit…”

Or, when I teach courses that span several days, the 15 minutes just prior to the start of each day (after the first) are a goldmine for feedback. I regularly gain insights about what worked well in previous sessions, or about topics where there is still confusion. During that time, I avoid fidgeting with technology or any other presentation materials so that I am “available” to receive this feedback.

4. Solicit feedback one-on-one.

“ The quality of one-on-one feedback is superior to any other feedback you receive. ”

Many people are reluctant to give you critical feedback in a group setting for a few reasons:

• They do not want to hurt your feelings.
• They do not want to risk embarrassment by admitting that they were confused.
• They are not confident in their critique of you, and don’t want to risk being “wrong”.

So, remove this barrier whenever possible, and follow up with an audience member privately. The quality of one-on-one feedback is superior to any other feedback you receive.

If your audience spans more than one demographic group, solicit feedback from at least one person in each group to ensure that you receive balanced information. For example, if your audience is a mix of “experts” and “novices”, seek feedback from one person in each group to get a well-rounded picture.

5. Create a custom feedback form.

Avoid generic, multiple-choice feedback forms. You’ve seen those, right? They are popular at conferences, and consist of a series of 5-10 questions, all on a single page, encouraging audience members to circle their choices, e.g.

What value did you receive from this session? (circle one) 1. Very Low — 2. Low — 3. Average — 4. High — 5. Very High — Undecided

“ The biggest weakness with multiple choice feedback forms is that they provide very little in the way of actionable feedback. ”

What does it mean when you are told that the audience scored you with an average of 3.4? Absolutely nothing. To make these even remotely useful, you would need to have the complete set of data.

• How did numbers compare from speaker to speaker?
• Was 3.4 the highest of the day, or the lowest?
• How many audience members completed the survey?
• Were the scores relatively consistent (lots of 3’s and 4’s), or were the scores wildly divergent (lots of 1’s and 5’s)?

The biggest weakness with multiple choice feedback forms is that they provide very little in the way of actionable feedback.

Instead, design a short, custom feedback form for your audience. Ask open-ended questions to solicit useful feedback about your strengths and weaknesses.

For example, to determine the elements which resonated the most with your audience, you might ask something like:

What is the most valuable thing you learned during today’s session?

Conversely, to learn about elements of your presentation that need to be addressed (either by fixing them or eliminating them), you might ask:

How could this session have been more valuable for you? What specific change(s) would you recommend that the speaker make?

I am often surprised by the responses to both of these questions. The lesson? Your strengths and weaknesses are not always what you believe them to be.

6. Utilize other channels. Be creative.

While the strategies above are commonly available to you, they are not an exhaustive list of ways to gather feedback. Other modes include:

• Social media

Developing a Healthy Mindset to Feedback

Collecting all the feedback in the world doesn’t help at all if you don’t leverage it to improve yourself. How do you do this?

1. Be open to feedback, even if it isn’t what you hoped to hear.

Nobody likes to be criticized, but the most successful people I know understand that the only path to improvement includes a wealth of feedback, both positive and negative.

I have a colleague who routinely asks “Do you have any feedback for me?” She’s incredibly bright and talented, but she also recognizes that she has much to learn (as we all do). Even when I’m delivering negative feedback, her body language is open and inviting; she is eager to soak up advice. She never gets defensive or discouraged. Most importantly, she channels the feedback into self-improvement.

Cherish all feedback you receive, as demonstrated recently by Mel Sherwood on Twitter:

Feedback is a gift so I was delighted to receive fab comments & useful feedback today on my new speech. #AlwaysLearning #AlwaysImproving — Mel Sherwood (@Grow_Potential) August 16, 2015

2. Say that you want feedback.

Be direct. Tell your audience that you appreciate feedback.

Amazingly, this simple act seems to give audience members “permission” to deliver feedback to you when they might otherwise have hesitated.

I plant this seed at the beginning of all courses that I teach, saying something like:

Your feedback is important to me. Throughout the course, please let me know what works for you and what doesn’t. I’m eager to continually improve the course and, in fact, this course has been improved several times based on feedback received from previous students.

3. Be proactive. Take ownership of the feedback process.

“ Don’t allow feedback to be a one-way stream of information from the audience to you; turn it into a conversation instead. ”

If you are passive, the feedback you receive won’t necessarily be tied to your areas of interest.

Don’t hesitate to ask for feedback on specific areas that you are concerned about. For example:

• You’ve just modified a long-running presentation/course that you deliver, and you’re curious about whether the new material “works”.
• You’re trying a new technique, and you are wondering if it is effective.
• You’re speaking to an audience with a different demographic than you normally speak to, and you would like to know if your terminology/visuals/anecdotes still resonate.

Don’t allow feedback to be a one-way stream of information from the audience to you; turn it into a conversation instead.

4. Honest feedback is more important than nice feedback.

When asked for feedback, many people initially offer what they consider to be “nice” or “gentle” feedback. Their intentions are good; they want to be encouraging and supportive, and not hurt your feelings. Nice feedback is, however, not terribly useful.

Encourage them to “be brutally honest”. The feedback you receive will be deeper, more specific, and more actionable. Skills improvement via feedback requires honest feedback.

When you find someone who gives you detailed, meaningful feedback and constructive criticism, hold on tight to them (figuratively, not literally). Cherish them. Return to them often. Add them to your list of mentors.

5. When you receive generic praise, ask for details.

When initially offered, most praise you receive is generic:

• “Good job!”
• “Well done!”
• “I enjoyed your talk this evening!”
• “Good presentation at the all-hands meeting!”

In the past, I simply smiled and said something equally generic: “Thank you. I’m glad you liked it.” That was the timid introvert in me, but I was missing out on a glorious opportunity.

Accept praise gratiously, and then drill down for specifics with open-ended questions, e.g.

• What was your favorite part?
• Which tip was most useful?
• Which part resonated most with you?

Replying in this way often opens the flood gates, resulting in a detailed exchange on what the audience member liked most and also what they didn’t.

6. Strike quickly. Memories fade.

No matter how you intend to solicit feedback (e.g. from a group, one-on-one, with a form), do so as soon as you practically can. Memories fade quickly, even for the most astute feedback-provider. The sooner you gather the feedback, the more detailed and accurate it will be.

7. Ignore the most glowing praise and the harshest criticism.

This advice may seem contradictory in light of the advice written earlier in this article. Why should you go to all the trouble of soliciting feedback and then ignore some of it?

Over years of speaking at conferences and teaching courses, I’ve observed a clear pattern. There’s always a fraction of the responses (about 5%) which suggest I’m the best speaker in the world, and there’s always a fraction of the responses (about 5%) which suggest that I’m the worst speaker in the world. Neither of these are true, and I know it.

You’re never as good as everyone tells you when you win, and you’re never as bad as they say when you lose. — Lou Holtz

You should definitely read and consider all the feedback you receive, but be prepared to dismiss the outliers.

What lessons have you learned about gathering useful feedback? What habits have you developed to encourage feedback from your audience?

Please share your advice in the article comments .

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Andrew: Excellent post. YOu don’t need to start from scratch to create a custom feedback form. Look up The Competent Speaker Speech Evaluation form here: http://www.natcom.org/uploadedFiles/Teaching_and_Learning/Assessment_Resources/PDF-Competent_Speaker_Speech_Evaluation_Form_2ndEd.pdf

Main take-away: 6. Strike quickly. Memories fade. Agree with: “…be brutally honest”. The feedback you receive will be deeper, more specific…” Aim for specifics! Re: “I have a colleague who routinely asks “Do you have any feedback for me?” I would amend that to say:”I’d like your spontaneous feedback right now re: what you liked most but more importantly what you liked least and how I might improve it.” Thanks for providing a vaulable service. As you already know: Better communication is the key to solving personal, professional and world problems;-).

Great tips Andrew! I especially like #5 (in both lists) – “create a custom feedback form,” and “ask for details” about generic praise.

In fact I’d extend the latter to ask for details when you receive generic CRITICISM, too. Come to think of it, perhaps adapting an idea I heard from Dan Pink would help. It’d go like this:

Ask how they’d score your session, from 1 to 10 (with 1 being the worst). If they give you a low score but not a 1, ask them why they didn’t give you a 1. And if they don’t give you a 10, ask them what it would take to score just one higher. Either way, they’ll mention what they think you should do more of to improve.

On the subject of feedback forms, Charles Greene also has some great tips, which I wrote about here. I added my own tips to that, such as using a MIXTURE of multiple-choice and open questions, because the former get much higher response rates, but the latter are far more insightful.

I hope you find those ideas helpful too.

Hi! I’m a student in CST 110-17 at Northern Virginia Community College at Annandale Campus. I would say that I’m guilty with giving basic feedback to people because at the end of a public speaking, I usually say to the speaker “good speech” or “well done” when I have nothing else to say to them. In my opinion I can’t handle feedback because if I hear some of my audience got confused, bored, or they are leaving the room, even if I see nodding heads for disagreements I feel like everything I’m doing is wrong and that’s when my anxiety kicks in. But I feel that if someone close to me gives me honest feedback; that I know it comes from the heart, I know it’s better for me to learn from the experience and make it better for future speeches.

I learnt a lot from this article. I am an aspiring speaker. mainly, I learnt that all feedbacks must be welcomed and that they help us in upgrading our skill.

Some interesting articles. As a toastmaster I agree with your suggestions.

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Cómo conseguir un feedback útil [en]: http://t.co/BNdnWTdPIm /de @6minutes #presentaciones — El Arte de Presentar (@ArtePresentar) Sep 1st, 2015

“Where do we find feedback? More importantly, how do we filter out the useless bits and get more useful feedback?” http://t.co/XUXd3kCJA8 — GoReact (@GoReact) Sep 2nd, 2015

How to get Useful Feedback: A Speaker’s Guide http://t.co/K2OkyKbnhd — @iScribed Sep 7th, 2015

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How to get Useful #Feedback: A #Speaker’s Guide https://t.co/4ESorSrZd4 by @6minutes #Toastmasters — @ashban Jun 3rd, 2016

“Be open to feedback, even if it isn’t what you hoped to hear.” Excellent tips on soliciting and processing feedbac… https://t.co/XVJGXmCh2p — Speak Up Cambridge (@speakupcamb) Aug 30th, 2018

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The influence of emotional feedback material type on attentional capture at different presentation times

Affiliations.

• 1 Xinjiang Key Laboratory of Mental Development and Learning Science, School of Psychology, Xinjiang Normal University, Urumqi, Xinjiang, China.
• 2 Department of Psychology, Fudan University, Shanghai, China.
• 3 CAS Key Laboratory of Mental Health, Institute of Psychology, Beijing, China.
• 4 School of Educational Science, Xinjiang Normal University, Urumqi, Xinjiang, China.
• PMID: 39283871
• DOI: 10.1371/journal.pone.0310022

Objective: This study aimed to explore the influence of emotional feedback materials on attentional capture at different presentation times and to investigate the mechanisms of positive and negative attentional biases.

Methods: Two experiments were conducted. Experiment 1 recruited 47 participants, and Experiment 2 recruited 46 participants. Emotional facial images and emotional words were used as feedback materials. A learning-testing paradigm was employed to explore the effect of emotional feedback materials on attentional capture at different presentation times (1000 ms/100 ms).

Results: We compared the accuracy and reaction times of participants under emotional and neutral conditions at both presentation times. Experiment 1 revealed that participants exhibited a stable positive attentional bias towards emotional facial images. Additionally, under the 100 ms feedback condition, emotional interference on judgment task accuracy was greater than under the 1000 ms feedback condition. Experiment 2 found that under the 100 ms feedback condition, emotional interference on reaction time was greater than under the 1000 ms feedback condition. Comparing the data from both experiments revealed that the processing time for emotional facial images was longer than for emotional words.

Conclusions: (1) Emotional facial images are more effective than emotional words in capturing attention. (2) When positive and negative information with equal arousal levels alternates over a period of time, individuals exhibit a stable positive attentional bias. (3) When there is intense competition for attention and cognitive resources, emotional information is prioritized for processing.

Copyright: © 2024 Gao et al. This is an open access article distributed under the terms of the Creative Commons Attribution License, which permits unrestricted use, distribution, and reproduction in any medium, provided the original author and source are credited.

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Conflict of interest statement

The authors have declared that no competing interests exist.

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