You've received criticism on your public speaking. How can you turn it into a learning opportunity?

Critique allows us to be made aware of our Blind Spots … To see what we can’t see with our own eyes…While we can’t listen to everyone it’s important to determine who we will listen to in order to Succeed… I decided many years ago I would invite critique from 3 groups of people…1. Those Who Love. Me…2 Those Who Believe in Me & My Ability to Succeed … 3 Those who know more than me … If I try to listen to everyone I go numb with so many opinions and end up listening to NO one and miss out on the opportunity to get better as a communicator.

Positive and negative feedback are both essential to a speaker’s growth and evolution. Most of us are not born with the innate gift of public speaking so it’s usually a work in progress. As a female, I once received feedback that my intermittent laughter or chuckle was perceived as a weakness to the audience. This person told me that my light laughter gave a vulnerable impression of a “green” speaker. I was mortified but after giving it deep thought, I realized there is a difference between genuine laughter while speaking and “nervous” laughter to cut the tension. So, I worked on finding other ways to be comfortable with a microphone. Now, when I laugh it’s genuine and not covering up a nervous or uncomfortable lull in a moment.

I think the first question is if the critique is valid. Women, for example, are often critiqued on tone, vocal fry, and other aspects of their speaking that is little more than misogyny masquerading as critique.

Constructive feedback is essential for improving your skill at just about anything! It's far more important to hear how your talks are actually landing than to *think* you know how your talks are landing. Remember that constructive feedback is almost always given from the perspective of wanting to *help* you, not to hurt you, and use it grow and improve.

Approach feedback with a growth mindset. Understand that criticism is a tool for improvement, not a personal attack. Look for recurring comments and themes in the feedback. These might include areas like body language, vocal tone, content clarity, or engagement techniques. Determine which areas are mentioned most frequently and prioritise them for improvement. Develop clear, actionable goals based on the feedback. For instance, if you need to improve eye contact, set a goal to make eye contact with different sections of the audience regularly and employ an exercise which allows you to do so.

WHO IS GIVING THE FEEDBACK? (and why, etc)? This is so important because I've seen people give up after one speaking opportunity because they get feedback that they "should've said this or should've said that". Absolutely important to put into context who is giving the feedback, and for what reasons. It could be a boss that doesn't want you to outshine them, and just saw you do it live! It could be professional jealousy, personal preference, the topic, the weather that day, any number of things. My theory is directional. If you get multiple points of feedback that you talk too slow, the might be in the realm of truth. One person that's like "I didn't connect with your message" isn't nearly enough for you to stop giving it!

When I receive feedback about a topic I've spoken about, I factor in the delivery of their comments (tone of voice, expression, gestures, etc.) to determine how much value I can take away from them. This is harder with online comments but even then, choice of words and phrasing is usually deliberate. In both scenarios, I need to look for valuable feedback from quality people and not loose heart by the trolls. The points I should pay attention to will usually be raised multiple times.

Turning criticism into a learning opportunity involves several steps: 1. **Listen Carefully**: Pay attention to the feedback without getting defensive. Understand the specifics of what is being criticized. 2. **Seek Clarification**: If the feedback is vague, ask for specific examples. Understanding the details will help you identify areas for improvement. 3. **Self-Reflect**: Consider the feedback objectively. Reflect on your recent performances to see where the criticism might apply. 4. **Develop a Plan**: Identify concrete steps you can take to address the criticism. This might include practicing certain aspects of your speaking, seeking additional training, or asking for feedback from a mentor.

Use your mind, buddy! Form your own opinions, but also be open to the critiques of others. Growth comes from understanding the right path, and knowledge knows no bounds; it outshines our individual perspectives. So, think wisely: is what the other person saying correct? Consider the pros and cons, and then extract the best insights from their criticism. When we fear being judged for our work, we often feel compelled to improve and showcase our abilities. Don’t be afraid of criticism; instead, let it become your strength as you strive to enhance your skills and performance.

I finally achieved my goal! This feeling only resonates after falling multiple times, climbing easily at others, and feeling irritated and bored with the process. Yet, I kept myself focused on one thing—my set goal. Motivation, courage, and the ability to dream about the future arise when we value each step toward our main objective. After receiving criticism during a presentation at work, I committed to improving my skills. I set a goal to practice thoroughly while infusing my content with creativity. The next time I presented, I captivated my audience. This journey exemplifies how setting clear goals and taking the right steps can lead to success. Every challenge faced was worth it!

I’ve found that my messaging goes through a revamp and upgrade of content every 6-12 months to stay current and ahead of the curve. Don’t internalize all feedback whether 100% positive or negative , marinate on it, discern and be open to sharpening your skills. Trust your gut.. but keep going! Your voice and message is vital! It’s ok to be unique

It's important to prioritize the areas where you would like to improve and set deadlines for them.? For instance, if your pace is high, try to work on pauses to help lower the pace and give time to grasp your message.? Another example of an area of improvement can be excessive use of filler words. Consciously work on it and try to reduce it. Set a date for your next speech and strive to lower the filler word usage.?

Be kind to yourself. If you try and improve every facet of your public speaking, you'll feel overwhelmed. Take 1-2 aspects you'd like to improve and focus on those. Time is on your side - you do not need to be the best next week.

Hoje apresento lives, programas e atuo ativamente nas redes sociais e o que mais me ajudou, foi de fato desenhar as metas que eu queria alcan?ar com base no que eu n?o tinha. Para come?ar, estabele?a metas claras e alcan?áveis para aprimorar suas habilidades de falar em público. Por exemplo, você pode definir metas relacionadas a praticar mais, estudar técnicas de comunica??o eficaz, ou buscar feedback regular.

I would highly recommend joining a toastmasters club, it is structured to help you improve public speaking. However, if that is not an option 1. Host a few friends at home and tell them a story 2. Talk to your team at work, make a presentation of your work, teach them something new 3. Listen to great speakers, take notes and try to emulate

In my experience, Practice, Practice, and Practice! Start with - 1. Listening to orators you admire through podcasts, interviews, speeches, or news clips. Focus on their tone, pauses, articulation, pronunciation, body language, & nonverbal cues. All this combined makes you a great public speaker. 2. Take small chances to speak-coordinate a meeting, explain your work, or share a college story with siblings. Notice what's going wrong: lack of words, blank mind, incorrect pronunciation, or fluency. Then work on these. 3. Talk to strangers who are fluent & native speakers of the language you wish to master for public speaking (this has helped me a lot ;)) 4. Make reading a habit, start with loud reading imagining you're addressing an audience.

Public speaking can be either nerve-wracking or simply a casual exchange. It involves two key elements: correct knowledge and confidence. Both require practice and time. First, you need to research your content thoroughly, and then you must practice repeatedly to build your confidence. Through practice, you also discover your unique voice; perhaps you'll find new insights or improve your tone by the tenth or fifteenth rehearsal. Consider speakers on "how to live happily." They may share similar content, yet one may have 1 million followers while another has only 2,000. The difference lies in their expression, pre-speech preparation, and the countless hours of practice that elevate them to professionalism on the final day. Go Practice!!

A great way to practice is simply to record yourself. You will catch so many ways your cadence shifts and changes and how you pause leading into impactful statements. By listening to your own recordings you will accustom yourself to the sound of your voice and begin to understand your own brand of public speaking and practice how you want to fine tune it.

Raise your hand. Say yes to the small stuff. Does a team meeting need someone to do an introduction or give directions to lunch? How about prayer at an extended family dinner? Start simple and watch as that “practice” becomes an invitation to much larger opportunities.

A mentor helps you keep track of your progress, look at things from a new perspective and help in providing helps from your own experiences. For instance, you may want to work on pauses and pace of a speech. A mentor can guide on where and when to use pauses, ensuring you are implementing and improving with each public speaking engagement.

Having a mentor has been a value add to my journey that I can’t put a number on. Being a mentor has been even more rewarding. Being able to reach out to my mentor in time of uncertainty and even in times of reward. Has helped me in my journey to become a better professional, and co worker

It is hard to accept criticism of any kind. I have found it helpful to find someone who can mentor me, who can sort through the criticism(s), and have me understand them for what they truly are. Then we talk about what might make for a better presentation and I am able to move on from there.

A mentor can help you streamline your goals and can help you identify your strengths and weaknesses. This will help narrow down efforts and move towards being a public speaker.

It's essential to make progress towards being a better public speaker. Identify gaps and implement feedback to ensure that you are moving forward. For instance, if you use a lot of filler words, keeping a track of the usage will help you consciously reduce it. Similarly, you can track the progress of other aspects of a speech such as vocal variety, timing, pace, etc.

Continue to remember where you came from to help you get to where you’re going. We have all started public speaking somewhere whether in elementary school with class presentations to saying a few words out loud in a presentation. Your growth will come and you will always continue to improve. And remember, it’s not the size of the audience but the size of the impact that is most important for public speaking. Your words have value and as you gain confidence those words will affect others whether an audience of 1 or 1001 people.

Regularly reflecting on my progress is crucial for turning criticism into a learning opportunity. I take the time to acknowledge the improvements I've made and remind myself that developing public speaking skills is an ongoing journey. This reflection helps me see how far I've come and keeps me motivated. It also reinforces the value of receiving and implementing feedback, making me more open to future critiques.