Points for Improvement - Sharing with Care
Robert Green DTM

Date : 16-06-2005

Sometimes the most intimidating aspect of delivering an evaluation of another speaker’s presentation is offering points for improvement.
This is not however a reason to avoid doing so, it is through these suggests that we improve as speakers. It is important however that we do so in a way that is encouraging to the speaker.

If you have ever been on the receiving end of a evaluation which was critical as opposed to constructive, you will remember how hard that it is to take on board the suggestions.

Addressing the Matter

Remember that your evaluation should be focused on how the speaker delivered the information. While you may not agree with the speakers opinions as expressed in the presentation, your evaluation should focus on how the message was delivered.

For example, a point for improvement might be that you felt that the presentation would benefit from quotes and statistics to convince the audience, rather than saying that the speaker was misinformed.

Prioritise

In an evaluation you only have a certain amount of time to provide your feedback. Remember that you goal is that the speaker will improve as a result of your suggestions.
With that in mind consider carefully the number of points for improvement that you wish to incorporate into your evaluation.

A well crafted point for improvement will take longer to express than a positive point of the speakers positive point, so to avoid your presentation sounding mostly negative, you will need to have more positive points than points for improvement. A 3 minute evaluation gives you only enough time to comment on a small range of points.

In a 3 minutes evaluation that is well balanced between positive and points for improvement you will only have time for 2 points for improvement in depth, so ensure that the 2 points are those you feel are most important for the speaker to work on.

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Expressing your Point

There are 5 elements of an effective point for improvement. Each element will help you demonstrate how and why the speaker should consider your suggestion.

1. What the speaker did: This should be specific, identifying the skill area that you feel the speaker could improve upon, for example: Eye Contact

2. How the speaker did it: give examples from the speakers presentation, for example: ‘There were times during the speech that I felt you were directing you eye contact at the overhead screen rather than the audience’
If it is a gesture demonstrate the gesture to ensure that it is clear what you are describing.

3. Why this affected the presentation: explain to the speaker what the negative aspects of this behaviour are. If you want someone to change their behaviour you need to ensure they are aware of the effects of the behaviour you want to change.
Returning to our example ‘rather than the audience … this meant that audience was unable to hear you clearly as your voice was projected away from us.

4. How the speaker could improve: offer a specific suggestion as to how the speaker could improve. There is little point in telling someone that you did not like they way they did something, unless you then offer an alternative.
‘I feel that if you paused while pointing to the Overhead display, then turn back to the audience …”

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5. Why this would improve the speakers presentation: this is a matter of you selling the benefits of the behaviour you are hoping that the speaker will display in the future.

"… to the audience, we as the audience would be able to clearly hear each of the points you were wanting to tell us”

Phrasing your Point

Consider the use of terms such as:

• I think

• I feel

• I saw

• I heard

• I felt

• In my opinion

As these words will allow you to honestly convey your message while reminding the speaker that, as your opinions and/or observations, they may not be true of the rest of the audience.

Conclusion

Remember that your evaluation is your opinion of the speaker’s presentation. Should the speaker choose not to accept your suggestions, which is their choice. As evaluators we provide options to help others develop. Hopefully you will now feel more confident in doing just that.

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