What are the most effective ways to give feedback in public speaking?

1 Be specific and constructive

Feedback should be specific and constructive, not vague and negative. Instead of saying "your presentation was boring", say "your presentation had some interesting points, but you could make it more engaging by using stories, examples, or visuals". Specific feedback helps the speaker understand what they did well and what they can improve on, while constructive feedback offers suggestions and solutions, not just criticism.

4 Ask for permission and feedback

Feedback should be respectful and reciprocal, not imposed or one-sided. Respectful feedback means asking for permission before giving feedback, and respecting the speaker's choice to accept or decline it. Imposed feedback can be intrusive or unwanted, and may not be appreciated or taken seriously. Reciprocal feedback means asking for feedback from the speaker as well, and listening to their perspective and response. One-sided feedback can be arrogant or dismissive, and may not foster a constructive dialogue or relationship.

5 Use the SBI model

The SBI model is a simple framework for giving feedback that focuses on the situation, the behavior, and the impact. The situation describes when and where the presentation took place, the behavior describes what the speaker did or said, and the impact describes how the behavior affected the audience, the message, or the outcome. The SBI model helps you give feedback that is factual, objective, and clear, and avoids generalizations, assumptions, or judgments. For example, you could say "in your presentation yesterday, you used a lot of technical terms that the audience did not understand, and this made them lose interest and miss your main points".

Giving feedback in public speaking can be challenging, but also rewarding. By following these tips, you can give feedback that is specific, constructive, timely, relevant, respectful, and reciprocal, and that uses the sandwich method and the SBI model. By doing so, you can help the speaker improve their skills, confidence, and performance, and also learn from them and improve your own skills as a feedback giver and a public speaker.