Most of us remember at least one experience from our school days when nervous and tongue-tied, we stood before the rest of the class and attempted to give a book report or speak about a current event.
You may remember being in kindergarten, giving your first speech. SHOW and TELL! And you loved it; you looked forward to it and enjoyed sharing your doll or new race car with the class.
What happened between kindergarten and high school? What changed?
Our self image weakened possibly as a result of criticism by our immature peers. We became self-consciousness and worried about what others thought of us. Out attitude, confidence and beliefs about ourselves changed.
As a kindergartener we thought everyone loved us and wanted us to do well. Guess what? THEY STILL DO! Everyone wants you to succeed!
Why give a speech evaluation?
Most people want to improve their self-esteem and get over being afraid of expressing their true personality. Evaluators have the power to influence, but they should see themselves as the catalyst for positive change. When giving an effective training presentation, interview or public speech anyone can benefit from constructive criticism.
Sometimes a speaker is just too close to the forest to see the trees. Evaluators can offer a new perspective and help us recognize and solve any difficulties that may have been encountered during our presentation.
Here are some tips for giving an effective speech evaluation that will benefit the speaker.
1. Ask for permission to offer some suggestions: Unsolicited advice is rarely wanted or well-accepted. By asking the speaker for permission, you have given the speaker a chance to say no. Do this privately so as not to embarrass or put someone on the spot. Put yourself in the speaker’s place. He or she has spent hours, days or weeks preparing the speech and has just bared his or her soul to an audience of strangers. The speaker may be anxious about what you have to say.
2. Provide helpful feedback: A supportive commentary should reinforce positive speaking behaviors and build self-esteem. Begin by telling the speaker what you liked about the presentation and what he or she did well. Do your best to encourage the speaker to participate again.
3. Be honest but tactful: Never “white wash” a critique or tell the speaker something that isn’t true. Being insincere doesn’t help anyone improve. Does that mean that you should be cruel in your assessment? Absolutely not! Always take into consideration how it might feel to be on the receiving end of your critique. Remind the speaker that you are giving your opinion! It is an opinion and only that. Use words such as:
* I believe * My reaction was * It may be that * I suggest that * What I saw/heard/felt/noticed
If the speaker you are evaluating continuously paced back and forth during the speech and you thought it was annoying, find a tactful and encouraging way to suggest it. Here is an example:
“John, I feel that your overall presentation was excellent, but I want to offer my opinion about what could be improved. I noticed that you moved a lot during your speech. It is common for people to pace back and forth when nervous, but I believe you want to appear confident. I suggest that you decrease any activity that is not an intentional part of your gesturing. Your material is so good; I would hate to see it compromised. I’m sure with some practice you can remember to limit any movement that may be distracting for your listeners.”
Make sure to avoid negative words such as:
* You should have
* You failed to
* You didn’t do this correctly
4. Evaluate speaking and delivery skills, not the person’s character or the speech content: The main purpose for giving a critique is to support, help and encourage the speaker. Avoid throwing their speech back at them! If they said something that rubbed your fur the wrong way or challenged your beliefs, just LET IT GO! There is no need to challenge the speaker’s position or re-present their content to your liking. Instead, look for aspects such as organization, use of voice, body language/gestures, props, flow of ideas or use of the presentation space.
The job of the evaluator is to provide the speaker with information that can be used to adjust and fine-tune speaking performance. Keep your comments positive, constructive, and informative, and always end on an upbeat note. Soon, you will have people asking you to give them your critique because they know you have their best interest in mind and will offer them useful suggestions for improvement.
Yvonne Perry is a freelance writer and the owner of Write On! Creative Writing Services based in Nashville, Tennessee. Yvonne uses her public speaking skills through Writers in the Sky, her weekly podcast about the craft and business of writing. Be sure to subscribe to the RSS podcast feed and her free monthly newsletter about writing, networking, publishing and marketing when you visit Writers in the Sky for more information about her writing services, books, writing classes and blog.
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