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30 presentation feedback examples

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You're doing great

You should think of improving

Tips to improve

3 things to look for when providing presentation feedback

3 tips for giving effective feedback.

We’re all learning as we go. 

And that’s perfectly OK — that’s part of being human. On my own personal growth journey, I know I need to get better at public speaking and presenting. It’s one of those things that doesn’t necessarily come naturally to me. 

And I know there are plenty of people in my shoes. So when it comes to presenting in the workplace, it can be intimidating. But there’s one thing that can help people continue to get better at presentations: feedback . 

The following examples not only relate to presentations. They can also be helpful for public speaking and captivating your audience. 

You’re doing great 

• You really have the natural ability to hand out presentation material in a very organized way! Good job!
• Your presentations are often compelling and visually stunning. You really know how to effectively captivate the audience. Well done!
• You often allow your colleagues to make presentations on your behalf. This is a great learning opportunity for them and they often thrive at the challenge.
• Keeping presentations focused on key agenda items can be tough, but you’re really good at it. You effectively outline exactly what it is that you will be discussing and you make sure you keep to it. Well done!!
• You created downloadable visual presentations and bound them for the client. Excellent way to portray the company! Well done!
• Your content was relevant and your format was visually appealing and easy to follow and understand. Great job! You’re a real designer at heart!
• You always remain consistent with the way you present and often your presentations have the same style and layout. This is great for continuity. Well done!
• You always remain consistent with every presentation, whether it be one on ones, small group chats, with peers, direct reports, and the company bosses. You have no problem presenting in any one of these situations. Well done!
• You are an effective presenter both to employees and to potential clients. When controversial topics come up, you deal with them in a timely manner and you make sure these topics are fully dealt with before moving on. Well done!
• You effectively command attention and you have no problem managing groups during the presentation.

You should think of improving 

• You’re a great presenter in certain situations, but you struggle to present in others. Try to be more consistent when presenting so that you get one single-minded message across. This will also help you broaden your presentation skills by being able to portray one single idea or message.
• You tend to be a little shy when making presentations. You have the self-confidence in one-on-one conversations , so you definitely have the ability to make compelling presentations. Come on! You can do it!
• During presentations, there seems to be quite a lack of focus . I know it can be difficult to stick to the subject matter, however you need to in order for people to understand what the presentation is about and what is trying to be achieved.
• To engage with your audience and make them attentively listen to what you have to say, you need to be able to use your voice in an effective manner to achieve this. Try to focus on certain words that require extra attention and emphasis these words during your presentation.
• Knowing your audience is critical to the success of any presentation. Learn to pick up on their body language and social cues to gauge your style and tone. Listen to what your audience has to say and adjust your presentation accordingly.

• During presentations, it’s expected that there will be tough questions . Try to prepare at least a couple of days before the time so that you can handle these questions in an effective manner.
• To be an effective presenter you need to be able to adjust to varying audiences and circumstances. Try learning about who will be in the room at the time of the presentation and adjust accordingly.
• Remember not to take debate as a personal attack. You tend to lose your cool a little too often, which hinders the discussion and people feel alienated. You can disagree without conflict .
• The only way you are going to get better at public speaking is by practicing, practicing, practicing. Learn your speech by heart, practice in the mirror, practice in front of the mirror. Eventually, you’ll become a natural and you won't be afraid of public speaking any longer.
• Your presentations are beautiful and I have no doubt you have strong presentation software skills. However, your content tends to be a bit weak and often you lack the substance. Without important content, the presentation is empty.

Tips to improve 

• Remember it’s always good to present about the things you are passionate about . When you speak to people about your passions they can sense it. The same goes for presentations. Identify what it is that excites you and somehow bring it into every presentation. it’ll make it easier to present and your audience will feel the energy you portray.
• Sometimes it can be easier to plan with the end result in mind. Try visualizing what it is you are exactly expecting your audience to come away with and develop your presentation around that.
• Simplicity is a beautiful thing. Try to keep your presentations as simple as possible. Make it visually appealing with the least amount of words possible. Try interactive pictures and videos to fully immerse your audience in the presentation.
• It’s a fine balance between winging the presentation and memorizing the presentation. If you wing it too much it may come across as if you didn't prepare. If you memorize it, the presentation may come off a bit robotic. Try to find the sweet spot, if you can.
• When presenting, try to present in a way that is cause for curiosity . Make people interested in what you have to say to really captivate them. Have a look at some TED talks to get some tips on how you can go about doing this.
• Remember presentations should be about quality, not quantity. Presentations that are text-heavy and go on for longer than they should bore your audience and people are less likely to remember them.
• Try to arrive at every staff meeting on time and always be well prepared. This will ensure that meetings will go smoothly in the future.
• Remember to respect other people's time by always arriving on time or five minutes before the presentation.
• Remember to ask the others in the meeting for their point of view if there are individuals during presentations.
• If you notice presentations are deviating off-topic, try to steer it back to the important topic being discussed.

Presentation feedback can be intimidating. It’s likely the presenter has spent a good deal of time and energy on creating the presentation.

As an audience member, you can hone in on a few aspects of the presentation to help frame your feedback. If it's an oral presentation, you should consider also audience attention and visual aids.

It’s important to keep in mind three key aspects of the presentation when giving feedback. 

Communication

• Were the key messages clear? 
• Was the speaker clear and concise in their language?
• Did the presenter clearly communicate the key objectives? 
• Did the presenter give the audience clear takeaways? 
• How well did the presenter’s voice carry in the presentation space? 

Delivery 

• Was the presentation engaging? 
• How well did the presenter capture their audience? 
• Did the presenter engage employees in fun or innovative ways? 
• How interactive was the presentation? 
• How approachable did the presenter appear? 
• Was the presentation accessible to all? 

Body language and presence 

• How did the presenter carry themselves? 
• Did the presenter make eye contact with the audience? 
• How confident did the presenter appear based on nonverbal communication? 
• Were there any nonverbal distractions to the presentation? (i.e. too many hand gestures, facial expressions, etc.)  

There are plenty of benefits of feedback . But giving effective feedback isn’t an easy task. Here are some tips for giving effective feedback. 

1. Prepare what you’d like to say 

I’m willing to bet we’ve all felt like we’ve put our foot in our mouth at one point or another. Knee-jerk, emotional reactions are rarely helpful. In fact, they can do quite the opposite of help. 

Make sure you prepare thoughtfully. Think through what feedback would be most impactful and helpful for the recipient. How will you word certain phrases? What’s most important to communicate? What feedback isn’t helpful to the recipient? 

You can always do practice runs with your coach. Your coach will serve as a guide and consultant. You can practice how you’ll give feedback and get feedback … on your feedback. Sounds like a big loop, but it can be immensely helpful. 

2. Be direct and clear (but lead with empathy) 

Have you ever received feedback from someone where you’re not quite sure what they’re trying to say? Me, too. 

I’ve been in roundabout conversations where I walk away even more confused than I was before. This is where clear, direct, and concise communication comes into play. 

Be clear and direct in your message. But still, lead with empathy and kindness . Feedback doesn’t need to be harsh or cruel. If it’s coming from a place of care, the recipient should feel that care from you. 

3. Create dialogue (and listen carefully) 

Feedback is never a one-way street. Without the opportunity for dialogue, you’re already shutting down and not listening to the other person. Make sure you’re creating space for dialogue and active listening . Invite questions — or, even better, feedback. You should make the person feel safe, secure, and trusted . You should also make sure the person feels heard and valued. 

Your point of view is just that: it's one perspective. Invite team members to share their perspectives, including positive feedback . 

You might also offer the recipient the opportunity for self-evaluation . By doing a self-evaluation, you can reflect on things like communication skills and confidence. They might come to some of the same important points you did — all on their own.

Now, let’s go practice that feedback 

We're all learners in life.

It's OK to not be perfect . In fact, we shouldn't be. We're perfectly imperfect human beings, constantly learning , evolving, and bettering ourselves. 

The same goes for tough things like presentations. You might be working on perfecting your students' presentation. Or you might want to get better at capturing your audience's attention. No matter what, feedback is critical to that learning journey . 

Even a good presentation has the opportunity for improvement . Don't forget the role a coach can play in your feedback journey.

Your coach will be able to provide a unique point of view to help you better communicate key points. Your coach can also help with things like performance reviews , presentation evaluations, and even how to communicate with others.

Elevate your communication skills

Unlock the power of clear and persuasive communication. Our coaches can guide you to build strong relationships and succeed in both personal and professional life.

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.

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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.

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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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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

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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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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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.

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Collecting Presentation Feedback to Improve Your Skills

Why Is Getting Presentation Feedback So Important?

Collecting presentation feedback is probably low on your list of priorities, especially if you’re terrified of public speaking and not making a fool of yourself in front of a group of people is your biggest concern. But having some sort of response system in place so your audience can provide you with feedback on your presentation is an incredibly useful (not to mention inexpensive) way to improve your public speaking skills and become an even better presenter.

Why is getting presentation feedback so important?

For starters, when people provide you with feedback—even if it’s negative—you know they were paying attention. They were listening and watching, and by telling you what they thought of your presentation, they’re giving you input on your overall message, from what you said to how you said it .

That’s powerful information; it’s the best way for you to know if your presentation is doing what you want it to, whether that’s to inform, persuade, or motivate other people. Who better to tell you than the people in your audience?

Choose The Right Response System

Despite its usefulness, speakers continue to pass up the opportunity to poll audiences to get their feedback on a presentation. Certainly, no one wants to feel rejected or be told their presentation was terrible, but wouldn’t you rather be told your presentation missed the mark, than to continue delivering bad presentations that don’t engage audiences?

Not only that, but without presentation feedback, a speaker is forced to self-evaluate. Some will be overly-critical while others will be self-congratulatory—neither of which are beneficial or inspire the speaker to get better.

Offer a Presentation Feedback Form

In our Presentation Skills Training workshops, we talk about the importance of making a connection with the audience, and that connection doesn’t need to end with the presentation.

An immediate response system, such as providing your audience with a presentation feedback form to fill in and return at the end of the presentation is one way to gauge your performance. You can also encourage audience members to use other methods to provide feedback, such as directly to you through temp email , on social media, or online on Google or Yelp. This way, they’re not only helping you by rating your presentation, but their positive reviews will bolster your reputation, which will encourage others to work with you. And they’re staying connected with you beyond the presentation.

If the thought of having people “judge” your presentation frightens you, think about how getting positive feedback will make you feel. If you’re someone who lacks confidence or tends to be self-critical of your performance, hearing others tell you your presentation was inspiring or enjoyable can go a long way to helping you overcome your feelings of inadequacy.

Using Presentation Feedback to Achieve Your Goals

Whatever the situation that’s brought you to the podium—whether you’re a keynote speaker at a fundraiser or delivering a sales pitch—getting presentation feedback can be energizing. Consider how you feel when a manager or co-worker congratulates you on a job well done. You feel invigorated and motived to continue doing a good job that gets recognized.

The same is true of positive presentation feedback: When you know you’ve achieved your goal of connecting with an audience , you’re motivated to keep making those connections—and make them even better.

So what should your presentation feedback form (or other response system) look like? That’s up to you. But however you decide to collect presentation feedback, use the comments you receive to:

• Assess what you are doing well and where you need to improve
• Understand how your message is being received by others
• Direct you toward achieving your goals (e.g., increase your number of sales)

Not All Feedback is Bad

The term ‘feedback’ has earned a bad rap with some people. They hear it and run because they’re afraid someone will say something negative about them.

Not all feedback is negative, and not all of it is positive. But it should always be constructive, and as a public speaker you should want to hear it all. It’s the best way to know what your audience is getting from your presentation so you can improve your public speaking skills.

Do you provide opportunities for your audiences to give feedback? Tell us about it in the comment section or find us on social media and bring the conversation there. We’re on Facebook , Twitter , Google+ and LinkedIn .

16 Comments

I joined Toastmasters a year ago and have had some good feedback and some not so good. Some of the members were in my shoes, really not sure how to evaluate my presentations very well. Feedback is great but I guess it depends on the person giving the feedback.

Self evaluation is always hard to do. I’m a firm believer in having another person critique your work- it’s an opportunity to learn more about yourself!

Good post! I also had a bad feeling about the feedback until I read this post. I’ll be definitely using feedback form next time. I might still feel a bit uneasy, though.

I would like to get some professional feedback on my delivery. I think I will have someone video my presentation and send it to you guys to evaluate it.

I am a corporate trainer and give presentation feedback to our managers. Most of our folks really appreciate having good feedback so they can make their next presentations better.

Soliciting feedback is scary but necessary if you want to improve and I do…very scary though. Good article 

Since I have written feedback forms for companies myself, I know how they work.But reading this blog set me thinking as to how it helps the presenter. I agree with the author that feedback, whether good or bad, definitely helps us in evaluating oneself.

Yes. I agree with everyone who says feedback can be scary-but it can also be helpful. The key is getting people to use constructive criticism. You are also going to have to get used to the occasional remarks from someone who is just being spiteful. Learn to recognize constructive criticism and take it to heart.

I used to take all feedback as negative. I wasn’t able to differentiate “bad” from “constructive”. This greatly hurt me in the workforce and I actually lost my first job fresh from college over it. I have come a long way but I am still learning and things like this help me a lot. Public speaking on any level has never been easy for me but I have always been way too hard on myself. I see that now.

I have never had anybody give me any feedback on my presentations.

One of the cardinal characters of people who want to succeed is the courage to accept valid criticism. Feedbacks must not be good but it is a necessity that will help to know if you rea making progress

Great feedback is absolutely essential to one’s ability to polish one’s skills even as an experienced speaker. Without it, we are unable to assess our strengths and growth opportunities along the way. Who wants to fall into a rut and never improve when called upon to speak? I would say no one which is why feedback is a must for both amateur and experienced speakers.

Good article. Very knowledgeable and informative. I would like to read new articles related to this! I Would also like you to read our articles related personality development and mental health.

Good article. Very knowledgeable and informative.

Your article provides helpful tips on how to collect feedback to improve our presentation skills.

good bro. Thx!

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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.

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Practical examples of dealing with proper presentation feedback

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."

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."

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 Collect Feedback on a Presentation

How, exactly do we collect feedback on a presentation? Are there ways to solicit feedback that will help us grow as speakers? The answer is, absolutely, YES! However, the way that you typically ask for feedback may not be the best way to gain confidence as a speaker. In fact, many traditional feedback techniques can actually make you more nervous. In addition, speakers will sometimes make adjustments to their delivery based on anecdotal issues. This can start a snowball effect that leads to terrible presentation skills.

A Funny Example of How Feedback Can Throw You Off Your Game.

A few years after I started The Leaders Institute ®, I was asked to be a keynote speaker at a quarterly meeting. The group loved my presentation so much, they hired me to come back in the next quarter as well. After the second speech, members of the group came to the front of the room and thanked me. They shook my hand and complimented me over and over. I felt really good about the presentation. The last woman to speak to me, though, was the founder of the association. She was long retired from the industry, but since she was the founder, she was still quite involved in the meetings. Just like the other attendees, she started with a nice compliment.

She said, “I really enjoyed your speech! The group had so much fun listening to you. Do you mind if I give you some critical feedback, though?”

I nodded, so she continued. “I’ve noticed that a few times during the speech, you ‘double-clutched.’ My Toastmasters group can probably help you with that.”

I smiled and thanked her for the feedback. However, I didn’t change anything that I was doing as a speaker as a result of the comment. There were over 100 people in the audience. Dozens of these people told me how great the presentation was. The group liked my delivery so much that they paid a fee for me to speak to them… TWICE. And, I got a single, anecdotal, comment to make a change. Most speakers would make a change because of the comment. I didn’t.

Traditional Ways to Collect Feedback on a Presentation

• Printed Exit Survey from the Audience

In the early days of our presentation skills class , we surveyed every graduate. I used the surveys as a way to measure instructor effectiveness.

Out of the blue, I got a phone call from a class member who wanted a partial tuition refund. When I asked him to clarify, he said, “Well, the instructor let us out of class 30 minutes early each day. I want a refund for the missed time.” It was a weird request, so I did some investigating.

I looked at past surveys from this guy’s instructor. The exit surveys for the instructor were all top-notch. I decided to set up an audit of this instructor’s next class. Turns out that the instructor wasn’t following our instructor guidelines. His class members weren’t getting the massive reduction in public speaking fear that we promised. However, they had no way of knowing this. They liked the instructor, so they gave him high marks on the surveys. The results they received were subpar, though.

• Collect Feedback on a Presentation from Friends or Coworkers

For instance, if a speaker talks faster when he/she is nervous, a friend might suggest to slow down. However, this is a symptom of nervousness. Slowing down will just make the person more conscious of the nervousness. So, the nervousness will likely show up in a multitude of additional symptoms.

An analogy for this would be if your “Check Engine” light comes on. You can crawl under the dashboard and snip the electric wire to the light. The light will go off. The problem with the engine will still be there.

It is better to ask these friends for more specific feedback. “Did what I say make sense?” or “Was what I said easy to understand?”

• Self-Criticism from Video Presentation Feedback

This final type of feedback is the most detrimental. We are our own worst critic. So, I would never encourage you to video yourself as a way to improve your presentation performance. You will knit-pick every negative thing that you see about yourself. When we conduct video feedback in our presentation seminars, we focus on the positive. If you focus on your natural strengths, you will grow as a speaker. If you focus on your weaknesses, they will grow.

How to Collect Feedback on a Presentation that Will Increase Your Presentation Skills

If you want better feedback on your presentation skills, here are a few that work every time!

• The Way Your Audience Reacts to You Is a Much Better Way to Judge Your Effectiveness

Are audience members on their cellphones? If so, you are likely less interesting to them than what they are looking at. You should change something.

Are people getting up and leaving the room. If so, you have likely spoken too long without giving them a break.

Are they looking at you and nodding when you speak? If so, you are probably doing really well. They are agreeing with you and paying attention.

• Visual Feedback from Friends or Coworkers.

Although the verbal feedback from friends and coworkers can throw you off, the visual feedback can be helpful. One of the tips we give folks in our classes is to practice your presentation with a partner. (We do this in our classes before most presentations.) As you run through your presentation with another person, you get to see how they react. When you say things that they understand, they nod in agreement. When you say something confusing, their facial expressions will change. This allows you to alter and adapt your delivery. If you practice alone, you don’t get this important feedback on a presentation.

• Get Feedback on a Presentation from a Professional Coach.

Eventually, you may get to a point where you want some professional help with presentations. Investing in a good presentation can be a wise decision. If you have a big presentation where a lot is on the line, feedback from an independent third-party can help.

This is the way that I began helping companies with “shortlist” presentations. A company in Houston had a series of high-level sales presentations which amounted to millions of dollars. They wanted someone outside of their company to help them deliver the best presentations possible. After helping them with a few of these, I got better and better as a coach. In fact, we went on a run where we won about 12 of these presentations in a row.

People who attend our presentation training classes often come for this type of coaching as well. They have a big presentation coming up and want to do their best. So a class can be a good way to get access to a professional coach without the expense of one-on-one coaching.

Good Feedback Helps You Improve. Bad Feedback Can Stunt Your Growth

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How to give feedback about a presentation

As Saturday, June 1st is officially #SaySomethingNiceDay , I thought it might be “interesting” to research (and blog about!) something I’ve personally always found difficult – how to give feedback on a presentation. As that’s a significant part of my work as a presentations trainer, it’s something I’ve done a lot of, but I’m not really thinking about that kind of thing.

I’m more thinking of the time when you sit through something-or-other-but-you’re-not-sure-what from Fred in Finance. He bounds up to you at the water cooler later and grins at you. Your heart sinks…

Pick the right measure of a successful presentation

The thing about presentations is that we tend to judge them by the wrong measures. Because we’re all sat in the audience, possibly chewing off our own toe-nails in an attempt to find interest and/or meaning to the presentation and the slides, we judge presentations by how well it kept our interest and entertained us. The thing is, “keeping us entertained” is not (usually) the key metric for a presentation.

Of course, if we’re not interested in the presentation it’s hard to learn anything from it, so “being interesting enough” is the baseline for a successful presentation, but that doesn’t make it how you should measure it beyond that.

What you should do to measure whether a presentation was good or not was to ask two questions:

• what was the presentation supposed to do?
• did it do it?

If the answer to that question was “yes”, then you can go ahead an indulge praising Fred From Finance. Even if you’ve bitten off three of your toe-nails in the process.

But what about a failed presentation?

So far so good, but what do you do if the answer to the question above was “no”? That rather depends on if your job (or something similarly important) depends on the good graces of Fred From Finance. But let’s assume that you want to be reasonably honest and at the same time, reasonably positive?

How should you give feedback on a presentation?

Pretty clearly, the best option here is to get Fred to do a critique of his own work, so that you don’t need to be the one to point out the painful to him. And don’t forget, you have a moral obligation to help Fred here. Presentations cost your organisation money and morale, so letting Fred continue to get away with it is wasting time and money. Worse, bad presentations reduce the love of life! 😉

Start with something specific and concrete . For example, you might want to look at the slide’s colour scheme.

Once you’ve picked your “point of entry” for feeding back, go for a question. Use an open question, not something Fred can close down with a simple yes/no. An example might be something like “I love how much work you put into the slide design – what was it that made you pick those colours?”.

By couching it in those terms, Fred won’t automatically hear what you said as a critisism. Critisism makes people defensive. After all, they’ve done what they thought was right, and telling people they’re wrong is a direct challenge. By asking for more information you open up a conversation about the thinking process involved (assuming their was one! 🙂 ).

The important thing is to work with Fred on the problem, so that he’s receptive to change. If you work on Fred as the problem, he’ll resist.

Pro-tip – make sure the open question you use isn’t “Why?”. That’s pretty much always taken as a challenge. Compare the question above with “Why did you pick those colours for the slides?”.

If someone said that about your slides you’d automatically assume they thought the the choice was a bad one, wouldn’t you?

Oh, and don’t try to provide feedback on more than one (or two) things at a time. Too much critisism makes people feel like they’re being battered by a heavy weight – and they’re less likely to take things on board.

… and once you’ve got Fred talking about his processes, you can follow on with a hidden suggestion. Try something like “Oh, cool. I wondered if it was something like that. Have you come across the colour advice at XYZ?”

When Fred says no, you’re in the position of doing him a favour by giving him a tool to make his next presentation even better!

What about triaging the presentation?

Errrmmm… what’s triage, Simon? Triage is the act/art of splitting things into three bits:

• this can’t be helped no matter what
• this is on the borderline and can be helped with effort
• this is okay and doesn’t need to be helped

Side note: triage is originally a medical term, looking at the order in which casualties are to be treated.

In terms of Fred From Finance’s presentation this boils down to making sure the feedback you give him is in the middle bit. Don’t pick on the colour scheme of slides if it’s so damned bad that nothing you can do will save it. Similarly don’t feedback on the volume of Fred’s voice if it was loud enough for everyone to hear. Instead, pick on something about the presentation that’s on the cusp of being good enough – something that, once you improve it – will make a clear difference to how well the presentation goes.

The idea is to pick something that even Fred can see was useful, so that the next presentation is better and which in turn means that the next round of feedback is easier to give.

In short, pick your fights!

Think carefully about which bit of the presentation it’s worth giving feedback on and don’t just list everything that was wrong!

Have you ever been brutal, Simon?

Yes. That will come as no surprise, for long-time readers. I’ve walked out on public presenters because they were getting paid – but they were so bloody bad (as presenters, I’m sure they were lovely people) that they were wasting everyone’s time. That’s rare though. Normally I just find something else to do on my iPhone.

I semi-famously told someone who became a friend of mine “That was by far, the least crap presentation of today.” (If you’re interested, they held onto that line to use at a presentation of mine recently when I came off stage!)

The point is – and this is personal, not based on research… so ignore it if you want – that by not giving people some help, you’re actually doing them a disservice, along with everyone else in the audience.

On the other hand, if you’re on the receiving end of feedback, take a long hard look at whether your presentations will benefit from following it!

Love it! This is always a tricky subject to approach in my line of work. So thanks!

Hi Laura – I can imagine how tricky it is to give feedback on headshots and images. The phrase “What were you thinking?!?!” probably wouldn’t work too well! 🙂

Fun topic for #SaySomethingNiceDay : )) I saw a presentation a while ago. I disagreed with something fundamental the person said. But I just swallowed it. Your advice has encouraged me to tackle this sort of thing in future (perhaps…)

That’s interesting Janine – when I wrote it I was thinking more of ‘bad’ presentations rather than things in what might be good presentations (or bad ones) that we disagree with. I guess the principles remain the same though!

Good approaches here, Simon. It definitely sounds right to take the conciliatory/supportive approach rather than the “37 reasons why your presentation sucked ass (and why you’re even worse than that)” approach.

I’ve never heard of #SaySomethingNiceDay – what a world.

Hi John – to be honest, I’d not heard of it either until something arrived in my in-box. Nice that we’ve got such a day, but a shame that the world needs it!

Thanks Simon. This could be applied to any feedback. Particularly like the triage idea.

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Presentation Skills: 40 Useful Performance Feedback Phrases

Presentation Skills: Use these sample phrases to craft meaningful performance evaluations, drive change and motivate your workforce.

Presentation Skills are useful in getting your message or opinion out there in many aspects of life and work, though they are mostly used in businesses, sales, teaching, lecturing, and training.

Presentation Skills: Exceeds Expectations Phrases

• Always prepares well before making any form of presentation whether formal or non-formal.
• Gives a clear and well-structured delivery when making a presentation.
• Exhibits excellent skill when it comes to expressing ideas and opinions with clarity.
• Knows the audience well enough to use proper language and terms.
• Engages well with audiences before, during and after delivering a presentation.
• Gives the audiences ample and appropriate time to ask questions.
• Creates a very lively and positive outlook when delivering a presentation.
• Adjusts very well to the new surrounding and exudes a great aura of confidence.
• Knows how to get and maintain the attention of the audience.
• Responds well to questions and issues raised by the audience.

Presentation Skills: Meets Expectations Phrases

• Organizes a good, balanced and dynamic presentation with high impact results.
• Demonstrates good ability to use visual aids most appropriately during presentations.
• Speaks in a good speech rate not so fast and at the same time not too slow.
• Explains each point to the fullest and only tries to emphasize the key points.
• Demonstrates a good logical order when presenting ideas not to confuse the audience.
• Uses non-verbal forms of communication such as facial expressions in a good way.
• Does proper research on the topic to be presented to gather all updated facts and figures.
• Delivers short and powerful presentations that create interest and excitement.
• Knows how to use true stories in between the presentation to pass across a point or to grab the audience's attention.
• Makes good eye contact with the audience from the start of the presentation to the end.

Presentation Skills: Needs Improvement Phrases

• Does not make good and consistent eye contact with the audience.
• Has minimal movement on stage and does not walk around the presentation room.
• Does not talk in a very engaging and positive way something that creates a dull presentation.
• Does not exude confidence and poise when delivering a presentation.
• Uses old facts and figures when presenting as a result of not doing enough research.
• Gives long presentations and does little to get the attention of the audience.
• Does not use the visual aids to help deliver a powerful conversation.
• Does not know the audience well and uses hard words that they do not understand.
• Does not give audiences ample time to raise questions and to seek clarification if need be.
• Presents ideas in a non-logical manner that creates confusion to the audience.

Presentation Skills: Self Evaluation Questions

• Have you ever gone for presentation without preparing well? How did the presentation go?
• How frequently do you engage your audience during any presentation?
• What was the highest score or reviews you received for any presentation that you have made so far?
• Give an instance your presentation backfired and what was your backup plan?
• How do you normally conclude your presentations and how can you rate it?
• How well do you deal with questions and issues raised by the audience?
• When it comes to nervousness, how do you manage or deal with it before hand?
• How can you rate your experience level when it comes to giving presentations?
• What do you like or dislike most about giving presentations?
• What presentation method do you like and why do you like it?

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Tress Academic

#119: Why giving feedback to conference presentations–and how

April 12, 2022 by Tress Academic

Have you presented at a conference and found yourself wanting more useful feedback from the audience? Were you hoping the audience would recognise the hard work you put into your talk? We all need feedback to learn what we could improve to give a better presentation. Here, we would like to provide simple guidelines for presentation feedback at conferences. 

In our courses, we teach researchers how to successfully present their work to their peers at conferences, and we also discuss the reasons why participants want to present at conferences at all. Not everyone enjoys giving presentations, and many soon realize that successful conference delivery requires  investing a lot of time and effort. 

Despite the potential discomfort or additional workload, one of the key motivations to present for many of our course participants is that they appreciate receiving feedback from their peers on their talks. But when they’re presenting at conferences, the desired feedback is seldom provided. And if feedback is expressed, it’s not in the way the presenters were hoping for. Have you had similar experiences?

Here, we aim to encourage anyone joining a conference talk to provide good feedback to the presenters and establish a feedback-culture. To help you provide such feedback, we’ve created a free Presentation Feedback Sheet to download that you can use the next time you join an event where colleagues will present their research. 

I. What is presentation feedback?  

First of all, it is a sign from the audience that they followed the presentation and have feelings they wish to express about it. They can signal admiration, support, agreement, disagreement, or any other reaction that might be helpful for the presenters. Feedback is not a critique of the talk. It is not meant to turn the presenters down or cast them in a bad light in front of their peers. Presentation feedback can include positive, negative, or neutral input—but it should always aim to be useful to the presenters.  

Typically at conferences, a Q&A (questions and answers) session follows up the presenters’ talks. In the Q&A, the audience asks questions on the content, provides comments, or shares similar findings they’ve made. The Q&A should increase understanding of the presented research and help to embed it in a context familiar to the questioners and general audience. 

Presentation feedback goes beyond the Q&A part of a talk. It’s more than someone from the audience requesting additional information from the presenter on a specific aspect of the talk. Feedback also addresses how a presentation is delivered, organised, structured, or composed. It includes technical, communicative, as well as didactic aspects. It allows for an emotional response to the talk and considers the entire performance of the presenters and the way they conveyed their message to the audience. 

At academic conferences, Q&A and feedback can be mixed and come together. Yet, our own experience shows that most people from the audience prefer to ask questions to clarify or comment on a specific element of a talk rather than provide holistic feedback. Feedback is unfortunately not so common! 

II. Why is feedback necessary?  

Presenting at conferences can be quite nerve-wracking—particularly for early-career researchers and less-experienced presenters. Some told us that they are even more afraid of the Q&A at the end of their talks than of the talk itself. Even when they feel that they presented well, they’re afraid of receiving questions that they don’t understand and cannot answer. Balanced feedback, which may include a few questions, can provide a far better ending to a presentation for all involved. 

We heard another example from one of our course participants who had recently prepared a talk for a conference.  The delivery went well, but after the talk, there were neither questions asked nor feedback provided. It was silent, and then the chair went on to the next presentation. This silence felt very uncomfortable for the presenter. Understandably, it is awkward, if not down-right disappointing, to prepare a good talk, deliverwell, and have no one say anything about it. Was all the hard work a complete waste or not noticed? 

We had a similar experience back in the years when we studied in Heidelberg. We had a class with a professor in urban climatology, his name was Heinz K. Every student in his class had to prepare a paper and deliver it to the class in a short presentation. When it was our turn, we both delivered two separate papers and presented them. We had put a lot of effort into the papers because the subject was so interesting and we enjoyed doing it. For every paper delivered in class, two fellow students had to prepare as opponents and present feedback. 

Obviously, the fellow students who acted as our opponents were not living up to our professor’s expectations, as they hardly commented on anything. At the end of our session, the professor stood up and said “Doesn’t anyone realise that we just saw two excellent presentations?” And then he told the entire class why he thought we had done so well. 

The feedback we got at this very moment from our professor was so helpful, inspiring, and an enormous motivation booster. It was so good to hear that he recognised the hard work we put into our papers. Receiving his feedback has taught us a lot and encouraged us to become even better. We still remember it, and wish everyone could receive feedback as we received it that day in Heidelberg!

For us, providing feedback on conference presentations serves four purposes: 

1) Recognizing the work and time that presenters invested

All presenters want to deliver well and get their messages across, and everyone wants to have a positive impact on the audience. Some are more successful with this task than others, but all have that intention–otherwise they wouldn’t show up and present. Somehow the presenters need to know whether they were successful in this attempt or not, and feedback can provide that answer.  

2) Preventing the post-presentation gap

Giving a presentation means being the centre of attention. All eyes are on the presenter during a presentation, and everyone is following every word and every visual being shown. Many presenters enjoy the lime-light, others not, but regardless, they have worked hard to prepare for it. But if the presentation is over and no feedback is expressed, and the audience just moves on to the next talk, the presenter falls into the post-presentation gap. 

Nobody seems to notice them and if no one comes and talks to them, it can feel completely underwhelming or disappointing. Why did they then go through this exceptional and nerve-wracking process if their talk had no effect on anyone? It is frustrating for presenters to be ignored this way. It can happen all too easily at academic conferences: One presenter just follows the next one, and so on. Ideally, someone would tell the presenters how they honestly felt about their talk so that the presenter can see a purpose in the whole presenting exercise.

3) Providing helpful and critical input 

In every presentation there are ups and downs, but it is difficult for the presenters to spot them themselves. Being in the audience and listening to the talk makes it easy to see immediately what worked well and what did not. You might assume the presenters know that as well, but they most likely are not aware of it. You’re of great help if you let presenters know what the good and not so good elements of their talk were. Then they can build on their strengths and work on the weak parts, and their next talks will be better! Otherwise, they will do the same the next time and you will also feel the same. 

4) Establishing a relationship with the presenters

Providing feedback shows care for the person behind the presentation. If you liked their topic or the way they presented, giving feedback can be the first step in establishing a connection with them. You can wait and see how they behave offstage, and determine whether you would like to establish contact with them for future collaboration. Providing feedback is a great way to introduce yourself and begin a conversation with them about their work.

III. How to provide good feedback  

It’s great that you are considering providing feedback to presenters in the first place, but you also want to  ensure that your feedback is useful and well-received by the presenters. Here are some tips on how to do it right: 

• Be constructive: Even if you didn’t like everything the presenter came up with, feedback is the wrong place to air your negative thoughts. Instead, the goal is to improve the situation so that the presenters do better the next time they are up on stage. Therefore, suggest realistic steps for improvement and offer your suggestions if possible. 
• Be honest: If you did not like the talk, then don’t say it was a great talk. The presenters want to know how you really felt. You don’t need to give praise where it isn’t due, but that doesn’t mean you shouldn’t be friendly, kind, and supportive when you express less-positive feedback. But if you felt it was a great talk, then tell them, don’t be too modest! 
• Be fair: It’s so easy to fall into a mode of criticising from your comfy seat in the audience, but are you being fair? Put yourself in the presenter’s situation, and consider which types of feedback you would like to recieve. Always express your feedback in a form and mode that is considerate and accounts for the speaker’s feelings. Treat them as you would like to be treated. 
• Be timely: Provide feedback as close to the talk as possible. Then, you can still remember all the small details and the presenters can easily recall their talks. 
• Be specific: A general comment like “Oh, it was a great talk” is good, but it is even more helpful when you can point out specific moments in the talk that were good. Or, point out what specifically the presenter could do to improve. 
• Be careful in criticising publicly: Depending on where you provide your feedback, in private or in a larger group, provide critical comments in a personal exchange with the presenter rather than in a large group. Criticism can easily hurt the presenter, even if you did not intend it. It is easier for the presenters to take these comments in private, and you will likely have better results this way. 
• Be modest: Whatever you say, make it clear this is YOUR specific view, your opinion. It is not helpful to claim something is generally wrong or right because different people may have different thoughts about it. Rather, say “I think you could try this way,” instead of saying “You should do it this way.”
• Don’t ‘but’: Avoid using sentences like “Overall it was a very good presentation but …” The negative turn wipes out all of the praise. The presenter only hears the ‘but’ and waits for the negative news. Rather, say “I think you gave a really good presentation because ….” Then continue with a separate statement where you could say “I think on this specific aspect it would be better to do it this way …”
• Be positive: Let the presenter know what was really good, and provide an example. End in a positive tone to leave the presenter motivated. After all, feedback is about encouragement! 

Giving honest, fair and constructive feedback can raise the quality of presentations a lot. Feedback is not a judgement—good or bad—but an essential interaction and a learning process. Conferences are events where peers exchange, interact and learn from each other—they’re about communicating science. It is not a worthwhile experience if the only communication is from the presenters to the audience with no back-and-forth. When you give feedback to a presenter, you enable two-way communication, you pay them back for the time and effort they invested, and they will be grateful for it. Use our Presentation Feedback Sheet for your next conference and tell the presenters what you liked about their talks. By the way, even so-called “experienced” presenters are grateful to receive feedback! 

Resources: 

• Worksheet: Presentation Feedback Sheet
• Smart Academics Blog post #26: First conference presentation? 17 life-saving tips
• Smart Academics Blog post #30: Questions from the audience you should be prepared to answer
• Smart Academics Blog post #95: Apply these 5 tips to improve any presentation
• Smart Academics Blog post #116:  How to be a great conference chair—Part 1: Prepare and open the session
• Smart Academics Blog post #117: How to be a great conference chair—Part 2: Managing time, presenters and questions

More information

Do you want to present successfully at conferences?  If so, please  sign up to receive our free guides.

Photo by Arif Kusuma on unsplash.com

© 2022 Tress Academic

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!

Looking for visually supportive and professionally designed slide templates? Browse our shop. We have numerous slides available for download covering various (business) topics. Check it out today! ► Visit the Shop

You might also be interested in these articles:

• Preparing Presentations: 11 Tips
• Target Group Analysis
• Mastering Question and Answer Sessions

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Presentation Skills: 40 Practical Performance Feedback Phrases

Presentation Core: Uses these sample phrases to craft significant output evaluations, drive change and motivating your workforce.

Presentation Abilities are useful in got your message or opinion out there in many aspects of life and employment, when they can largely used in businesses, sales, educating, lecturing, and training. Step-By-Step Constructive Criticism Examples on Performance Reviews

Presentation Skills: Outstrip Expectations Phrases

• Immersive prepares well before making anyone form of presentation about ceremonial or non-formal.
• Gives a clear and well-structured delivery when making a presentation.
• Exhibits excellent skill at she comes to voice ideas and opinions with clarity.
• Knows the viewer well enough to use true language and terms.
• Engages well with viewer before, during and after delivering a presentation.
• Gives the audiences ample and appropriate time to ask questions.
• Creates adenine very lively and positives looking when delivering adenine presentation.
• Adjusts super well till of new surrounding and exhales a great aura away confidence.
• Knows how to get both service the attention of the audience.
• Responds well at questions furthermore issues rises by the viewing.

Presentation Core: Meets Expectations Phrases

• Arranges a good, balanced and dynamic presentation using high impact results.
• Exhibits good ability to use visually aids most appropriately at presentations.
• Speaks in a good speak rate not so fast and at the same time not too slow.
• Explains each point to the fullest and only tries to emphasize of key points.
• Demonstrates a good logical order when presenting ideas not to disorient aforementioned viewers.
• Application non-verbal forms of communication such as facial print with a good way.
• Does proper research on the topic to be presented to assemble all updated the and figures.
• Delivers shortcut and mighty presentations that create interest and excitement.
• Knows how toward usage true stories in with the presentation to walk across a point or to grab the audience's care.
• Makes right eye contact with the audience from the start of the introduction the the end.

Presentation Skills: Needs Development Phrases

• Does not make good the consistent eye contact with the audience.
• Has low movement on stage and does not run around one presentation room.
• Does not talk in a very engaging and positive way something that produces an dull presentation.
• Does not exude confidence and poise when delivering adenine presentation.
• User old the and images when presenting in a result of not doing enough research.
• Gives long presentations and does little to getting the attention of the audience.
• Does not use the visual serves to helps ship a powerful entertain.
• Does not know the hearing well and uses hard words is they do not understand.
• Rabbits not give audiences ample time up raise questions and to seeking educating if need be.
• Presents ideas in a non-logical manner that creates confusion to the hearing.

Presentation Skills: Self Evaluation Questions

• Have yourself everly gone to performance without preparing well? How doing the performance go?
• How frequently do it engage your audience during any lecture?
• That was the highest score or zeitschriften you received for any presentation that you have made so way?
• Give an instance owner presentation buckled and what made owner backup plan?
• Methods do you normally completing your presentations and how can you rate it?
• How fountain execute thou deal at related and issues rises by the audience?
• When this upcoming to nervousness, how do you manage or deal with it before hand?
• Whereby can to course your experience level when it comes to giving presentations?
• What what thou same or dislike most about giving presentations?
• What presentation method go you like and why do you favorite it?

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30 Positive Feedback Examples: The Best Way to Give Positive Feedback to Colleagues

There is a common misconception that positive feedback is worthless and one should only concern themselves with the negative feedback one receives. Well, the positive feedback examples we have in this list today would like to disagree with that statement.

While there is an argument to be made, about positive feedback examples can quickly turn into echo chambers that bring with them a dangerous sense of “Yes-Man-ism”, positive feedback examples are also one of the best employee recognition methods out there today!

So… “What are examples of positive feedback to staff?” you ask? We have the answer! The 30 positive feedback examples listed below are all designed to help you give your team the best possible positive feedback!

Whether you’re looking for some positive feedback examples for peers or your direct reports , we have something for you in this blog post. Let’s dive into the world of professional positive feedback examples!

Don’t Let Your Positive Feedback Go To Waste

How you deliver your feedback is just as important as the content of your feedback. One of the best ways to make sure your feedback counts is to set particular feedback standards through feedback templates .

It is even better if you have those templates fully integrated into your central communication and collaboration platform. For Microsoft Teams, this is where Teamflect comes in.

As the best free feedback software for Microsoft Teams, it lets users exchange feedback through customizable and comprehensive feedback templates that they can access even through Teams chat. You can try Teamflect’s feedback features for free, without needing to sign-up by clicking the button below!

Table of Contents

30 Positive Feedback Examples

1. Exceptional Work

Acknowledging a colleague’s exceptional work can motivate them to continue to produce high-quality work and inspire others to strive for excellence as well. It shows that their efforts are valued and recognized, which can boost their morale and confidence.

“Your work on that project was exceptional! You went above and beyond what was expected of you, and your attention to detail really paid off. Your hard work made a real difference, and I’m grateful to have you on our team.”

2. Engaging Presentation

Presenting to an audience can be nerve-wracking, so when a colleague does an exceptional job, it’s important to acknowledge their effort. Giving some positive presentation feedback examples can help them feel more confident and motivate them to keep improving their presentation skills if you acknowledge their capacity to keep the audience interested.

“I just wanted to let you know that your presentation was amazing! You did a fantastic job of keeping the audience engaged, and your passion for the topic really shone through. You have a real talent for presenting, and I can’t wait to see what you come up with next.”

3. Professionalism in Difficult Situations

Handling difficult situations with grace and professionalism is a valuable skill that not everyone possesses. By praising a coworker for maintaining composure under pressure, you can let them know their efforts are seen and encourage others to follow in their footsteps.

“I’m so impressed by your ability to handle difficult situations with grace and professionalism. You really saved the day with that client, and your dedication to finding a solution was inspiring. Your calm and collected approach is something we can all learn from.”

4. Outstanding Work

Practicing employee praise when a colleague has produced excellent work can increase their drive and self-esteem, and it can encourage others to adopt their strategy. Simply put, if an employee is being praised and rewarded for a particular behavior, they are more likely to repeat it and outstanding work is something we all would want more of.

“Your work on this project has been outstanding! You’ve put in so much time and effort, and it really shows in the final product. Your creativity and expertise are invaluable to our team, and we’re lucky to have you.”

5. Helpful Colleague

It is a sad fact that toxic concepts such as hustle culture have created a sense of unhealthy competitiveness in many a workplace. A teammate that is willing to go out of their way to help others fosters an incredibly positive atmosphere in the workplace. One that requires you to give said employee kudos!

“I just wanted to say thank you for always being willing to lend a helping hand. Your generosity and kindness have not gone unnoticed, and your positive attitude is contagious. You make our workplace a better place to be.”

6. Creative Problem-Solver

When you take the time to recognize a colleague’s ability to come up with innovative solutions to problems, you not only make them feel appreciated and valued, but you also inspire them to keep honing their skills. This kind of acknowledgment is crucial for employee morale and productivity, as it demonstrates that their hard work and ingenuity are being recognized and rewarded.

“You have a real knack for problem-solving. Your ability to think outside the box and come up with creative solutions is impressive. You’ve saved us time and again with your ingenuity, and I’m grateful for your contributions to the team.”

7. Exceptional Leader

Fostering a culture of leadership and mentorship, we create a supportive environment where individuals feel empowered to take on new challenges and grow in their roles. Recognizing and celebrating leadership skills sends a message that leadership is valued and encouraged within the organization. This in turn leads to a more collaborative and innovative team dynamic, where individuals are motivated to share their ideas and work together towards greater success.

“Your leadership skills are truly exceptional. You have a way of motivating and inspiring others that is rare, and your commitment to our team’s success is evident in everything you do. We’re lucky to have you at the helm.”

8. Expertise

Giving credit where it’s due is a fundamental aspect of building a successful and thriving team. When we acknowledge our colleagues’ knowledge and experience, we not only boost their confidence and motivation but also inspire them to keep sharing their valuable insights and expertise with others.

“I just wanted to let you know how much I appreciate your expertise. Your knowledge and experience have been invaluable to me, and I’m grateful for your willingness to share your wisdom. You’re a real asset to our team.”

9. Positive Attitude

A colleague’s ability to maintain a positive attitude can motivate them to continue to inspire others and can encourage others to approach challenges with a positive outlook. As a result, the work environment can become more positive and supportive. When you praise someone for having a positive outlook on their workday, you give them further incentive to stay positive!

“Your positive attitude is infectious! You have a way of lifting everyone’s spirits and making even the toughest days a little brighter. Your enthusiasm for your work is inspiring, and I’m lucky to work alongside you.”

10. Clear Communication

If we are praising our teammates on their communication skills, we are also encouraging them to put those skills to work. We are also recognizing the importance of that specific skillset. Having a better understanding of communication skills in the workplace can reduce misunderstandings, performance review biases , and many other issues that may arise from a lack of communication.

“You have a real gift for communication. Your ability to explain complex ideas in a clear and concise way is impressive, and your attention to detail is second to none. You make our team stronger with your excellent communication skills.”

11. Dedication to Excellence

On the heels of a year where quiet quitting was the talk of the town in every single workplace across the world, having teammates that are dedicated to achieving excellence is truly rare. That is why a situation like this is a great opportunity to give positive feedback to colleagues.

“Your dedication to your work is truly inspiring. You always go the extra mile and never settle for anything less than excellence. Your hard work and determination are a real example to us all, and we’re lucky to have you on our team.”

12. Growth Mindset

We here at Teamflect value the growth mindset immensely. Why do you think that we have an employee development plan attached to every single one of our performance review templates ? Getting even more specific: These aren’t one-sided plans. They often include a self-review section as well. That is just how much we value the growth mindset your employees have. So should you!

“Your willingness to learn and grow is admirable. You’re always seeking out new challenges and pushing yourself to be better, and your growth mindset is infectious. You’re an inspiration to us all.”

13. Valuable Contributions

Everyone’s contributions to the team are important and should be recognized. No contribution is too small to be praised! Acknowledging a colleague’s valuable contributions can motivate them to continue to contribute to the team’s success and can inspire others to do the same.

“Your contributions to our team are immeasurable. You bring so much to the table with your expertise and creativity, and you always give 110%. Your hard work and dedication do not go unnoticed.”

14. Strong Work Ethic

The ability to work hard is a valuable trait to have in any workplace. Taking the time to recognize the dedication and commitment of a colleague can motivate them to continue working hard and can inspire others to adopt similar work ethics.

“Your work ethic is truly remarkable. You set the bar high for us all with your commitment and perseverance, and you’re a positive influence on the entire team. We’re lucky to have you as a colleague.”

15. Positive Influence

A positive work environment can increase productivity, improve job satisfaction, and enhance employee morale on the contrary of a toxic workplace . Therefore, acknowledging an ability to lift others up, create a positive atmosphere, and foster collaboration can have a significant impact on the team’s success.

“I just wanted to take a moment to appreciate your sense of humor. Your ability to find the funny side of things is a real gift, and your lighthearted approach makes our workplace a more enjoyable place to be. Thank you for keeping us all laughing!”

16. Great Time Management

Strong time management is a skill that we all need but don’t have. That’s why recognizing a colleague’s exceptional time management skills could motivate them further to stay organized, meet deadlines, and deliver high-quality work in a timely manner.

“I’m consistently impressed by your exceptional time management skills! You always deliver your work promptly, and your ability to juggle multiple tasks without compromising quality is remarkable. Your dedication to meeting deadlines is well-recognized and sets a great example for the rest of the team.”

17. Exceptional Initiative

Recognizing a colleague’s exceptional initiative might motivate them to keep taking ownership, being proactive, and looking for possibilities for progress. It’s crucial to show your employees that their capacity to take the initiative and drive projects forward is highly valued. 

“Your initiative is truly outstanding! The way you take charge, look for areas to improve, and proactively implement solutions is highly commendable. Your ability to think independently, take calculated risks, and seize opportunities has a significant positive impact on our team’s success.”

18. Customer Hero

Recognizing a colleague’s exceptional attention to customer needs can inspire them to continue providing excellent service tailored to individual customers. It shows that their ability to understand and address customer requirements is highly valued.

“I couldn’t help but notice your exceptional attention to customer needs! The way you listen actively, anticipate their requirements, and go above and beyond to meet their expectations is worth recognizing. We’re lucky to have you in our customer support team!”

19. Good Mentorship

Supporting new hires or current employees with mentorship or buddy programs is a great way to create a positive workplace culture. We recommend recognizing that one colleague’s excellent mentorship skills since it can inspire them to continue guiding and supporting others in their professional development.

“Your mentorship has been invaluable to me and countless others. I am constantly impressed by your ability to impart knowledge, provide insightful feedback, and inspire us to reach new heights. Thank you for being an exceptional mentor and for making a significant impact on our development.”

20. Adaptability to Change

In modern times, everything changes quickly, and adapting to rapid changes is a skill we all seek. Extraordinary adaptability to change should be acknowledged to inspire them to embrace new situations, modify techniques, and thrive in dynamic surroundings.

“I find your adaptability to change truly impressive! No matter how fast things evolve, you always manage to adapt seamlessly and remain focused on our goals. Your ability to embrace new challenges and find effective solutions in dynamic situations is greatly appreciated.”

21. Team Collaboration

Having an employee who excels in team collaboration is a real blessing in today’s landscape. That is why offering quality and positive feedback on team collaboration is a real must. Make sure you highlight each element of team collaboration they excelled at.

“Your ability to collaborate effectively with the team has significantly contributed to our project’s success. Your willingness to listen to others, share ideas, and work cooperatively is a great asset to our team. Thank you for your exemplary team spirit!”

22. Attention to Detail

In such a rapidly shifting climate, those with attention to detail truly rise to the top. When giving positive employee feedback on attention to detail, it is important to highlight specific instances where their attention to detail made a difference.

“I’ve noticed your exceptional attention to detail in your work. Your thoroughness ensures high quality and minimizes errors, which is crucial for our team’s success. Your dedication to getting every detail right is highly appreciated.”

23. Innovative Thinking

While there are many useful employee skills and performance metrics out there, finding an innovative thinker is easier said than done. That is why if you should always offer positive feedback to those bringing innovative ideas to the workplace.

“Your innovative thinking has brought fresh perspectives and creative solutions to our challenges. Your ability to think outside the box is inspiring and has had a positive impact on our team’s approach to problem-solving.”

24. Consistent Reliability

When an employee performs well, it is a great thing. When an employee performs well consistently, that is something else. Consistency is an asset that can often go unnoticed by employees. Offering positive feedback to those who are consistently reliable will make them realize their hard work doesn’t go unnoticed.

“You have proven to be incredibly reliable. Your consistent performance and ability to meet deadlines under pressure are qualities that don’t go unnoticed. Thank you for being someone we can always count on.”

25. Effective Communication Skills

Great communicators make or break a team. When you offer positive feedback on an employee’s communication skills, you encourage them to actively use those skills more and more in the workplace, building a culture of empowerment.

“Your communication skills, both in writing and speaking, are commendable. You express your ideas clearly and effectively, which greatly enhances our team’s understanding and collaboration.”

26. Enthusiasm and Energy

There are a lot of people who come to work, clock-in, and clock-out. Those who come to work with a smile on their face and boost everyone’s energies, deserve regular and positive feedback.

“Your enthusiasm and energy are contagious! You bring a positive vibe to the workplace that boosts our team’s morale and productivity. Your passion for your work is truly inspiring.”

27. Resilience in Challenges

Adversity isn’t an unfamiliar concept in the workplace, especially in the volatile landscape of today. That is why you should give positive employee feedback to the anchors in your team who are holding strong through tough times.

“Your resilience in the face of challenges is admirable. You’ve shown great strength and a positive attitude during difficult times, which encourages and motivates the entire team.”

28. Consistent Improvement

It’s the journey and not the destination! Even if an employee’s performance isn’t where you would hope it would be right now, if they are consistently improving, it deserves some praise. Here is a positive feedback example on just that topic:

“It’s impressive to see your continual growth and improvement. Your commitment to personal and professional development is inspiring and sets a great example for the rest of the team.”

29. Strategic Planning Skills

The analytical minds on your team, every once in a while, might feel a bit left out. That is why you should offer positive feedback to those with great strategic planning skills. This particular positive feedback example will help you do just that!

“Your strategic planning skills have greatly contributed to our team’s success. Your ability to foresee potential obstacles and plan accordingly has been invaluable in achieving our goals.”

30. Cultural Competency

Sometimes an example of positive feedback at work doesn’t necessarily have to be about performance. It can also focus on whether an employee is a great cultural fit or not. The feedback example below is for that exact purpose!

“Your cultural competency and ability to work effectively with diverse teams is highly commendable. Your respect for different perspectives and backgrounds enhances our team’s creativity and collaboration.”

Tips for Giving Positive Feedback

When it comes to giving positive feedback for colleagues, there are some general tips we can give to help you provide effective and meaningful recognition. Our tips will ensure that your feedback is well-received and encourages further growth and development.

A. Be specific and detailed in your feedback

When offering positive feedback, it’s important to be specific about what the person did well. Instead of simply saying, “Good job,” provide detailed examples and describe the specific actions or behaviors that impressed you. Giving specificity to your feedback helps your colleague understand exactly what they did right and encourages them to continue those positive actions.

B. Provide feedback in a timely manner

Timeliness is key when giving positive feedback. Aim to recognize and acknowledge the person’s accomplishments as soon as possible after they occur. Giving immediate feedback reinforces the positive behavior or achievement and shows that you value their efforts. Delayed feedback may lose its impact and fail to motivate the individual effectively.

C. Use positive language and tone

The language and tone you use while giving positive feedback greatly influence how it is received. Ensure that your words convey genuine appreciation and positivity. Choose uplifting and encouraging phrases that make the person feel valued and respected. Avoid mixing positive feedback with negative criticism, as it can dilute the impact of your appreciation.

D. Tailor your feedback to the individual’s strengths and accomplishments

Recognize and highlight the specific strengths and accomplishments of the individual. Everyone has different talents and areas of expertise, so tailor your feedback to align with their unique qualities. Acknowledging their strengths helps boost their confidence and encourages them to further excel in those areas.

How to give positive feedback to colleagues?

Giving positive feedback for colleagues is an important aspect of building a positive and productive work environment. To do this effectively, it’s important to be specific about what you appreciate and why.

For example, you might say something like, “I really appreciate the way you handled that difficult client. You remained calm and professional throughout the conversation, and I think that helped to de-escalate the situation.” It’s also important to be genuine in your praise, so avoid giving generic compliments that don’t feel meaningful.

Try and make sure to deliver your feedback in a timely manner, as close to the event as possible, to ensure that it has the greatest impact.

Giving feedback in Microsoft Teams , however, is another story!

Using Employee Feedback Software

Speaking of giving feedback inside Microsoft Teams , you might ask the question “What about remote feedback?”. Whether you’re working remotely or not making use of employee feedback software is always a great idea.

Using feedback software allows you to make use of helpful feedback templates, keep feedback in the flow of work, make existing feedback trackable, and let you revisit past feedback in performance reviews .

We highlighted some of the top feedback software in a previous list before but if your organization uses Microsoft Teams on a daily basis, then the best option for you is…

Teamflect is an all-in-one performance management solution with one of the strongest employee feedback modules inside the Microsoft Teams ecosystem. With features such as 360-degree feedback, customizable employee feedback templates , and complete Microsoft Teams integration , Teamflect provides its users with a comprehensive feedback experience.

Teamflect provides a wide selection of pre-built templates in its feedback template gallery where you can choose anything from leadership skills feedback to employee developmental feedback . Teamflect’s feedback templates makes giving feedback to colleagues a breeze, and you can create custom feedback forms without a hassle!

Teamflect functions as so much more than just a platform to exchange positive feedback over. Looking for OKR software with some incredible goal-setting features? Teamflect has you covered! If you want to throw a dash of employee engagement survey into that mix,

Teamflect has your back there too. With a wide array of features neatly wrapped up in an easy-to-use dashboard, Teamflect is the best performance management solution available to Microsoft Teams users today!

How to use feedback software inside Microsoft Teams?

Now that we’ve discussed the use of feedback software as a best practice when it comes to building a positive feedback culture in your organization, we can’t not show you how exactly to use one.

In order to exchange feedback inside Microsoft Teams, we will be taking advantage of the best 360-degree feedback software for Microsoft Teams: Teamflect.

Step 1: Access the Teamflect Feedback module

Teamflect users can in fact access feedback templates without having to leave Teams chat but we do recommend you visit the feedback module itself, since it acts as a hub for all your feedback needs such as self-reviews, 360-degree feedback, and more!

Once you click the “New Feedback” button, you can start exchanging feedback inside Microsoft Teams right away. You don’t have to be the one giving the feedback. You can also request feedback for yourself or on behalf of someone else.

Step 2: Select a feedback template

Teamflect has an extensive library of customizable feedback templates. These ad-hoc feedback templates can be used straight out of the box and still work wonders in your team. That being said, you still have the option to create templates of your own, or customize existing templates with different question types such as Likert scale, rating questions, multiple choice, open-ended, and more!

Once you’ve chosen your template, you can start giving feedback right then and there!

Optional Step: 360-Degree Feedback

Many might consider 360-degree feedback to be a difficult practice to implement since it requires input from many different parties. Teamflect makes the entire process incredibly convenient.

With Teamflect, you can request feedback on behalf of yourself or others from direct reports, superiors, peers, or external parties. True 360-degree feedback covers all bases. That is why we made sure to include feedback from those outside of your organization such as customers, or independent contractors.

Optional Step: Summarize feedback with AI

For the sake of convenience, Teamflect users have the option to summarize the feedback they received throughout any given time-frame.

While every singe input is surely priceless, sometimes a summary can truly help speed things along. Simply click the “Summarize with AI” button to get all the key points from all the feedback you received.

What are the benefits of giving positive feedback at work?

Giving positive feedback can be a real game-changer in the workplace! Not only can it boost morale and motivation, but it can also help to create a supportive and positive work environment.

When someone receives positive feedback, they feel valued and appreciated, which can increase their engagement and commitment to their job. Plus, it’s always nice to know that your hard work is being recognized by your peers. Remember, peer recognition is magic!

Positive feedback doesn’t just boost morale and motivation! It also reinforces the positive behavior you praise. It is quite simply common sense, really. When you praise someone for a job well done, they’re more likely to continue doing the same things in the future. This leads to a more productive and efficient workplace, as well as happier and more fulfilled employees.

When to give positive feedback?

Positive feedback can be given at any time, but it’s most effective when it’s given as close to the event as possible. To make sure you give positive feedback at the best possible time, here is a small list of situations you should give positive feedback for:

When a colleague has completed a challenging project or task When a team member has gone above and beyond to help the team meet a deadline After a coworker has demonstrated exceptional teamwork or collaboration skills When an employee has achieved a significant milestone or accomplished a major goal When a team member has consistently shown improvement in their work or has overcome a personal or professional challenge.

How to give positive feedback examples?

Giving positive feedback is an important skill in both personal and professional settings. It helps motivate and encourage others, builds strong relationships, and fosters a positive environment.

Express appreciation: Let the person know that you value their contribution and effort.

Example: “I want to express my appreciation for your hard work on the project. Your dedication, attention to detail, and creativity really made a difference. The project turned out to be a great success, and you played a significant role in that.”

Focus on strengths: Highlight the person’s strengths and how they have positively impacted the situation or task.

Example: “Your problem-solving skills have been outstanding. Every time we face a challenge, you come up with innovative solutions that not only solve the problem but also improve our overall processes. Your ability to think outside the box is truly impressive.”

Connect to impact: Explain the positive impact of the person’s actions on the team, organization, or project.

Example: “Your leadership during the team project was invaluable. Your ability to delegate tasks effectively and provide guidance and support to team members greatly contributed to our success. Your leadership style fostered a collaborative environment where everyone felt motivated and empowered to do their best.”

Encourage personal growth: Highlight growth or improvement in someone’s skills or abilities.

Example: “I’ve noticed a significant improvement in your presentation skills over the past few months. Your confidence, delivery, and ability to engage the audience have all improved tremendously. Keep up the great work!”

Be genuine and sincere: Make sure your feedback comes from a place of authenticity and sincerity.

Example: “I genuinely appreciate your positive attitude and enthusiasm. Your energy is contagious, and it really boosts the team’s morale. Your positive outlook has created a supportive and enjoyable work environment.”

What to avoid when giving positive feedback to your colleagues?

While it may seem counterintuitive to consider potential issues when giving positive feedback, there are still important nuances to consider. While it may seem like positive feedback can’t do any harm, you just might be surprised at some of the nuances that go into good feedback comments. Here are some positive feedback issues you have to avoid!

Issue 1: Generic Praise

One common mistake when giving positive feedback is being too vague or generic. Generic compliments like “Great job!” or “You’re awesome!” lack specificity and may not carry the weight of genuine appreciation.

Be specific in your praise. Highlight the particular actions, behaviors, or achievements that impressed you. For example, instead of saying “Great presentation,” you could say, “I was impressed by how well you articulated the key points during the presentation, and your use of visuals made it engaging and informative.”

Issue 2: Overdoing It

While frequent positive feedback is encouraged, overdoing it can dilute its impact. If you praise every little thing, it may come across as insincere.

Reserve your positive feedback for truly outstanding or noteworthy accomplishments. This way, when you do offer praise, it will be seen as genuine and meaningful.

Issue 3: Public vs. Private Feedback

Publicly acknowledging your colleagues’ achievements can boost their morale, but not everyone is comfortable with public recognition.

Gauge your colleague’s preferences and comfort level with public praise. Some may appreciate it, while others may prefer private acknowledgment. Respect their preferences to ensure your feedback is well-received.

Issue 4: Exaggeration

Exaggerating your praise can make it seem insincere and overblown. Colleagues may question the authenticity of your compliments if they feel inflated.

Stick to genuine, honest, and good feedback. Express your admiration without resorting to hyperbole. If you genuinely believe your colleague did an exceptional job, your sincerity will shine through.

Ignoring the Details

Positive feedback examples are most effective when they are specific and meaningful. Failing to mention the details of what impressed you can make your praise seem superficial.

Pay attention to the specific actions, skills, or qualities that earned your colleague recognition. Highlight these details in your feedback to demonstrate that you’ve truly observed and appreciated their efforts.

In Conclusion

We want to end this post with a bit of a disclaimer. There isn’t a single example of positive feedback that has to be followed to a tee. While we wanted to provide you with as many professional positive feedback examples as we could, at the end of the day, the way you give positive feedback should change depending on who you are talking to, your organization’s culture, and a billion other things.

If you’ve come to this blog post with the question “What are some examples of positive feedback for colleagues?”, we do hope that you’re leaving satisfied and that we’ve also provided you with more than just good feedback examples but also some insight on how to give feedback as well!

Whether you are coming up with ideas for creative feedback for colleagues or simply looking to whip up some positive feedback for your coworkers, we hope you have the best of times!

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Written by Emre Ok

Emre is a content writer at Teamflect who aims to share fun and unique insight into the world of performance management.

20 Great Constructive Feedback Examples for Your Manager

The Importance of Feedback in the Workplace – Best Practices 2023

101 Positive Feedback Examples (Copy and Paste)

Positive feedback is essential for providing a supportive and encouraging environment – be it at school, in the workplace, or with personal relationships.

But it needs to be personalized, specific, and encouraging in order for it to have the most effect.

Below are 100 positive feedback examples that you can copy and paste – find the one that’s specific for your needs and then edit it so it’s more personalized for the person receiving the feedback.

Don’t forget to also embrace constructive feedback as well to give the person ideas about avenues for ongoing improvement.

Positive Feedback Examples

1. general praise.

• Excellent effort: It is clear to see that you put in your absolute best and this is a sign you’ll achieve great success in your life in the future.
• Writing Skills : Your writing skills are impressive. Specifically, your report started very clearly and remained readable through the body of the piece. The content was well-researched with use of authoritative sources.
• Presentation: Your presentation was engaging and informative. Well done! Thank you for the effort you put into preparing it.
• Creativity: Your creativity for this project has been outstanding. The design concept you came up with really sets our project apart.
• Customer Service: I appreciate your dedication to providing excellent customer service on behalf of the company. Our clients consistently praise your professionalism and helpfulness.
• Multitasking Skills : Your ability to manage multiple projects simultaneously while maintaining a high level of quality was impressive and makes me think you have a lot of potential in the workplace.
• Teamwork Skills: Your teamwork and collaboration skills such as your ability to find common ground have made a significant positive impact on our team’s dynamic and productivity.
• Leadership: Your leadership has been instrumental in driving the success of our project, and the team truly appreciates your guidance and support.
• Innovation: Your innovative ideas have led to significant improvements in our processes, saving both time and resources.
• Problem-Solving: Your problem-solving skills are exceptional; you always approach challenges with a positive attitude and find effective solutions.
• Public Speaking: Your public speaking skills have greatly improved; your recent presentation was engaging, well-delivered, and captured the audience’s attention.

2. Positive Feedback for Students

• Hard Work: Your hard work and dedication to your studies have led to a significant improvement in your grades. Always remember this as an exmaple of when hard work leads to self-improvement and mastery.
• Creativity: Your creativity and unique perspective on the assignment resulted in a thought-provoking and engaging project. Remember that creativity is your strength!
• Self-Confidence: You’ve shown great progress in your self-confidence, enabling you to tackle these challenges without hesitation. Keep on going, knowing you’re on the right track.
• Active Participation: Your active participation in class discussions has helped you to get really engaged in the coursework. It has also helped your classmates to see what it means to be a good learner.
• Collaboration Skills: Your ability to work well with your classmates on group projects demonstrates strong teamwork and collaboration skills. Specifically, you were very good at sharing ideas and brainstorming with your team.
• Attention to Detail: Your attention to detail and thoroughness is a strength. It ensures that you meet expectations and don’t go off track anymore.
• Time Management: You’ve shown great improvement in your time management skills. I’ve noticed you turning up to class more prepared and more ready to learn.
• Communication: Your ability to clearly articulate your thoughts and ideas in written communication is impressive. Your writing is always clear and concise.
• Seeking Feedback: Your willingness to seek help and learn from feedback demonstrates a strong commitment to personal success. Keep up that growth mindset !
• Enthusiasm: Your enthusiasm and passion for learning inspire both your classmates and your teachers.

3. Feedback Expressing Encouragement

• Keep it Up: Keep up the excellent work on the project; your dedication and focus are truly making a difference.
• Overcoming Challenges: I believe in your ability to overcome this challenge; your resilience and determination have always been inspiring.
• Making Progress: You’re making great progress in developing your skills; keep pushing yourself, and you’ll continue to achieve even greater success.
• Pushing through Setbacks: Don’t get discouraged by setbacks; you have the talent and drive to accomplish your goals.
• Keep Practicing: I can see how much effort you’ve put into improving your communication skills; continue practicing, and you’ll become even more effective.
• You’re on Track: You’re on the right track with your approach to problem-solving; keep refining your process, and you’ll achieve even better results.
• Positive Attitude: Your positive attitude and enthusiasm are contagious; continue to bring that energy to our team, and it will inspire everyone around you.
• Challenge Yourself: Keep exploring new ideas and challenging yourself; your creativity and innovation are valuable assets to our team.
• Leadership Skills : You’re showing great potential as a leader; continue to develop your leadership skills, and you’ll have a significant impact on our team’s success.
• Making Progress: Your progress in mastering new software is impressive; keep learning and growing, and you’ll become an invaluable resource for our team.

4. Feedback Expressing Recognition

• Outstanding Performance: I want to recognize your outstanding performance in meeting and exceeding our sales targets this quarter; your hard work has made a significant impact on our success.
• Invaluable contribution: Your contributions to the project have been invaluable, and I want to acknowledge your dedication to ensuring its successful completion.
• Exceptional customer service: I’d like to commend your exceptional customer service skills; we’ve received numerous positive reviews from our clients praising your responsiveness and professionalism.
• Efficiency improvement: Your ability to streamline our processes and increase efficiency has not gone unnoticed; thank you for your initiative and resourcefulness.
• Consistent attendance: I want to acknowledge your consistent punctuality and attendance; it demonstrates your commitment to our team and sets a great example for others.
• Conflict resolution: Your proactive approach in resolving conflicts within the team has been instrumental in maintaining a positive work environment; your leadership skills are truly appreciated.
• Excellent presentation: I’d like to recognize your excellent presentation skills; your recent presentation was both informative and engaging, and it clearly demonstrated your expertise in the subject matter.
• Mentorship contribution : Your mentorship of our new team members has played a crucial role in their successful onboarding and integration into the team; thank you for sharing your knowledge and experience.
• Effective multitasking: I want to acknowledge your impressive ability to multitask effectively, juggling multiple projects without compromising the quality of your work.
• Community outreach volunteering: Your volunteer efforts in organizing and participating in our company’s community outreach initiatives deserve recognition; your commitment to giving back is truly commendable.

5. Feedback Expressing Gratitude

• Timely completion: Thank you for going above and beyond to ensure the project was completed on time. I hope you’re proud of what you’ve produced!
• Colleague support: I’m grateful for your willingness to step up and help your colleagues when they needed someone to take up the slack. That sort of dedication makes a big difference in our team’s overall success.
• Team-building organizer: I appreciate your efforts in organizing the team-building event; it was a great success and helped to strengthen our team’s relationships.
• Thorough report: Thank you for your hard work in researching and preparing the report; your thoroughness made it an invaluable resource for our team.
• Commitment to team: Thank you for staying late to resolve that urgent issue; your commitment to our team is truly valued.
• Productivity improvement: I’m grateful for your initiative in developing a more efficient system for tracking our progress; it has significantly improved our productivity.
• Client-facing patience: Thank you for your patience and understanding in working with our clients, even when situations become challenging; it reflects positively on our company.
• Attention to detail: I appreciate your consistent attention to detail; it helps to ensure the quality of our work and minimizes errors.
• Valuable contribution to brainstorming: Thank you for your valuable input during our brainstorming session; your ideas and insights contributed significantly to shaping our project’s direction.
• Motivational support: I’m grateful for your support and encouragement during the difficult phase of the project; your positive attitude helped to keep the team motivated and focused.

6. Positive Feedback on Interviews

• Effective communication: You provided clear and concise responses to the interview questions, demonstrating your strong communication skills.
• Compelling presentation: Your ability to articulate your experiences and accomplishments in a compelling manner left a lasting impression on the interview panel.
• Thoughtful questioning: You asked thoughtful and relevant questions during the interview, showing your genuine interest in the position and the company.
• Professional demeanor: Your professional demeanor and positive attitude throughout the interview process made a strong impression on the hiring team.
• Problem-solving ability: You effectively showcased your problem-solving skills by providing specific examples of how you’ve tackled challenges in your previous roles.
• Company research: Your research on the company and its values demonstrates your commitment to finding a role that aligns with your interests and passions.
• Skills alignment: Your ability to connect your skills and experiences to the requirements of the position showcased your potential for success in the role.
• Interpersonal engagement: Your active listening and engagement during the interview indicated your strong interpersonal skills and ability to collaborate with others.
• Industry knowledge: You demonstrated a strong understanding of the industry and its challenges, positioning yourself as a knowledgeable candidate.
• Thoughtful follow-up: Your follow-up thank-you note after the interview was a thoughtful gesture that reinforced your interest in the position and appreciation for the opportunity.

7. Positive Feedback on Personal Growth

• Improved public speaking: I’ve noticed your increased confidence in public speaking; your practice and dedication are clearly paying off.
• Better time management: Your time management skills have improved significantly, allowing you to be more efficient and productive in your daily tasks.
• Developed leadership: I can see that you’ve made a concerted effort to develop your leadership skills, and it’s making a positive impact on our team.
• Impressive proficiency: Your growth in mastering new software and tools has been impressive, making you a valuable resource for our team.
• Clearer written communication: I’ve observed your progress in improving your written communication, and it’s made your reports much clearer and more concise.
• Enhanced analytical skills: The strides you’ve made in enhancing your analytical skills have resulted in more insightful and data-driven decision-making.
• Improved empathy: Your ability to handle difficult situations with more empathy and understanding has greatly improved, contributing to better interpersonal relationships within the team.
• Stronger client relationships: I can see your progress in building stronger client relationships, leading to increased trust and satisfaction.
• Improved problem-solving: Your commitment to personal development has led to a significant improvement in your problem-solving abilities.
• Expanded industry knowledge: You’ve made great strides in expanding your industry knowledge, making you a go-to resource for information and expertise on our team.

8. Positive Feedback on Teamwork Skills

• Effective collaborator: Your ability to collaborate effectively with others has played a crucial role in our team’s success.
• Supportive knowledge sharing: Your willingness to share your knowledge and expertise with your colleagues is truly appreciated and has fostered a supportive learning environment.
• Positive attitude and enthusiasm: Your positive attitude and enthusiasm make you a pleasure to work with, and it contributes to a great team dynamic.
• Skilled listener: You’re an excellent listener, and your ability to understand and consider the perspectives of your teammates has led to better decision-making within the team.
• Reliable team member: Your consistent reliability and dependability make you a valued team member that others can count on.
• Effective communicator: Your effective communication skills help keep the team informed and aligned on project goals and progress.
• Conflict mediator: Your ability to mediate conflicts and promote a harmonious work environment has been instrumental in maintaining strong teamwork.
• Helpful team player: You’re always willing to lend a helping hand to your colleagues, and your supportive nature makes a significant difference in our team’s success.
• Resilient under pressure: Your ability to work well under pressure and adapt to changing circumstances demonstrates great teamwork and resilience.
• Appreciative teammate: You consistently show appreciation for the efforts and contributions of your teammates, fostering a culture of recognition and gratitude within the team.

9. Positive Feedback on Initiative

• Proactive issue resolution: Your proactive approach to identifying and addressing potential issues has greatly contributed to the success of our project.
• Initiative in growth opportunities: I appreciate your initiative in seeking out new opportunities for growth and development within the team.
• Commitment to taking on challenges: Your willingness to take on additional responsibilities and challenges demonstrates your commitment and drive to succeed.
• Exceptional client service: Your ability to anticipate the needs of our clients and provide exceptional service without being prompted is truly impressive.
• Effective implementation of new tools: I commend your initiative in researching and implementing new tools and technologies that have improved our team’s efficiency.
• Industry trend awareness: Your proactive efforts to stay informed about industry trends and share that knowledge with the team have made a significant impact on our strategy and decision-making.
• Continuous learning: I appreciate your eagerness to learn and grow, continuously seeking out new resources and opportunities to expand your skills and expertise.
• Stakeholder relationship building: Your initiative in building relationships with key stakeholders has helped to strengthen our partnerships and collaboration.
• Process improvement: By identifying and addressing gaps in our processes, you’ve demonstrated a strong sense of initiative and commitment to continuous improvement.
• Feedback implementation: Your proactive approach to seeking feedback and implementing changes based on that feedback shows your dedication to personal and professional growth.

10. Positive Feedback on Leadership Skills

• Clear communication: Your ability to effectively communicate and articulate a clear vision for our team has been instrumental in our success.
• Collaborative leadership: Your leadership style encourages open dialogue and fosters a culture of trust and collaboration within the team.
• Motivational inspiration: Your ability to inspire and motivate your team members has contributed to a highly engaged and productive work environment.
• Exceptional mentorship: Your willingness to provide guidance, support, and mentorship to others demonstrates exceptional leadership qualities .
• Effective decision-making : Your ability to make tough decisions under pressure, while considering the best interests of the team and organization, is commendable.
• Fair conflict resolution: Your approach to conflict resolution is fair and balanced, promoting a harmonious and respectful team atmosphere.
• Appreciative recognition: Your consistent recognition and appreciation of team members’ efforts and contributions foster a culture of high performance and commitment.
• Effective delegation : Your ability to delegate tasks effectively and empower your team members to take ownership of their work is a key leadership strength.
• Commitment to learning: Your commitment to continuous learning and development, both for yourself and your team, sets an excellent example for others to follow.
• Emotionally intelligent leadership : Your strong emotional intelligence and ability to empathize with your team members have helped to create a supportive and inclusive work environment.

How to Give Positive Feedback

Feedback is often very hard to provide. As experts, we tend to have tacit knowledge of what looks good and what needs work, but this is very difficult to communicate in a simple and actionable way.

When giving your feedback, keep these tips in your mind, as they might help you to formulate more effective feedback:

• Be specific: Students get very frustrated when the feedback is too general and doesn’t given an exact example. So, be specific. Specificity means that you need to clearly describe what needs to be worked on and, if possible, point to the exact moment or place where the mistakes were made.
• Be genuine: Insincere feedback will be ignored. If the recipient thinks your praise is just performative, they won’t respect your opinions. In fact, sometimes the best positive feedback comes from someone who you know will give tough negative feedback if that’s what they genuinely think.
• Be timely: Timely feedback helps to reinforce an action or deter it in the future. If too much time has passed, the recipient will likely feel the feedback’s relevance has waned.
• Personalize it: Don’t make personal attacks, but rather, make it obvious that the feedback has been tailored to the person’s performance. I remember once my professor gave every student who got an A the same feedback, every student who got a B the same feedback, and so forth. Not many people in that class took the feedback seriously because they felt it didn’t directly address their paper.
• Strike a balance: The feedback shouldn’t all be overwhelmingly positive or else there’s no room for improvement. Offering constructive feedback alongside continuous and positive reinforcement can ensure the learner can identify ways to continually improve upon themselves over time.
• Encourage growth: Remind the recipient that feedback is about improvement, not tearing a person down or giving them a big ego. All feedback should be designed to elicit further improvement from the person.
• Offer examples: Often, examples of ways to improve are required in order for the recipient to truly understand what’s expected of them. Furthermore, noting specific examples of moments within their performance can help achieve more specificity in the work.
• Open a feedback loop: Ideally, the recipient of the feedback will have a chance to ask clarifying questions or explain themselves. Without dialogue, your feedback may feel unsupportive, miss the mark, or go over the recipient’s head. Conversation usually leads to better results.
• Allow a chance for improvement: Whenever possible, open the door for the recipient to demonstrate their growth in the future. This may be as simple as offering them the opportunity to come back and show you their next piece of work and tell you how they used your feedback.

By keeping these points in mind, you can provide positive feedback that is effective, meaningful, and supportive.

Strategy: The Feedback Sandwich

The feedback sandwich is an effective way to give constructive feedback that is framed positively and supportively.

This strategy is also known as the “praise-criticism-praise” or “compliment-suggestion-compliment” method.

The idea is to “sandwich” a piece of criticism or suggestion for improvement between two positive statements or compliments.

Because the feedback starts and ends positively, hopefully it will soften the impact of the criticism while also ensiring it is delivered.

This may help the recipient to know that you’re not just tearing them up – you have both positive feedback and constructive criticism to share, but your overall goal is to encourage and help them to improve.

Here’s a breakdown of the feedback sandwich method:

• Start with a positive statement: The first statement sets a positive tone by highlighting something you felt they did really well. This makes the recipient know you’re here to help and there is some value in their work.
• Offer constructive criticism: The middle feedback presents an area for improvement. Make sure that you’re specific and clear. Provide examples, if possible, and offer actionable suggestions to address this area for imprveoment for next time.
• End with another positive statement: Finish the feedback with something encouraging. Ensure it’s genuine, but also on a positive note. This helps to leave the conversation with a sense that the person receiving the feedback (and their work) has value.

One weakness of this approach is that it can come across as insincere. To address this, make sure your positive feedback is genuine and thoughtful.

Furthermore, ensure you allow for a chance to discuss and open the door for back-and-forth discussion about the person’s performance. Feedback should, ideally, be a two-way street and chance for discussion to help the person truly develop their skills.

Positive feedback is an essential part of helping students to understand the correct paths to take and when they did well so they can replicate that behavior. Praise and encouragement can help students stay engaged and develop self-confidence. Don’t forget to also provide constructive feedback that helps the learner know how to achieve self-improvement.

Chris Drew (PhD)

Dr. Chris Drew is the founder of the Helpful Professor. He holds a PhD in education and has published over 20 articles in scholarly journals. He is the former editor of the Journal of Learning Development in Higher Education. [Image Descriptor: Photo of Chris]

• Chris Drew (PhD) https://helpfulprofessor.com/author/chris-drew-phd/ 5 Top Tips for Succeeding at University
• Chris Drew (PhD) https://helpfulprofessor.com/author/chris-drew-phd/ 50 Durable Goods Examples
• Chris Drew (PhD) https://helpfulprofessor.com/author/chris-drew-phd/ 100 Consumer Goods Examples
• Chris Drew (PhD) https://helpfulprofessor.com/author/chris-drew-phd/ 30 Globalization Pros and Cons

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100 Examples: How to Write Performance Review Comments

By Status.net Editorial Team on December 18, 2023 — 18 minutes to read

• Setting the Right Tone Part 1
• Positive Phrases That Can Be Used in a Performance Review Part 2
• How to Highlight an Employee’s Strengths with Specific Examples Part 3
• Example Comments to Include to Provide Constructive Feedback Part 4
• Structuring Your Comments Part 5
• Using Examples in Comments Part 6
• Encouraging Continuous Development Part 7
• Avoiding Common Pitfalls Part 8
• Wrapping up the Review Part 9

Performance reviews are evaluations of an employee’s work performance, usually conducted periodically by a supervisor or manager. These assessments typically focus on an employee’s achievements, strengths, areas for improvement, and goals for the future. You might receive a performance review as a formal annual assessment or as periodic informal check-ins with your manager.

Part 1 Setting the Right Tone

Using positive language.

When writing performance review comments, it’s vital to use positive language. This not only makes the receiver more receptive to your feedback but also helps create an empowering experience. For example, words like “improve,” “achieve,” and “progress” are encouraging and can boost the employee’s motivation.

Instead of saying, “You failed to meet the deadline,” try using a more positive approach: “Although you didn’t meet the deadline, we appreciate your hard work and believe you can do better next time.” This simple change in tone shows that you recognize their effort and are confident in their potential for growth.

Constructive Criticism Techniques

To offer constructive criticism, focus on specific behaviors and outcomes rather than making personal judgments. For instance, avoid general statements like, “You’re not a good team player.” Instead, provide actionable feedback, such as, “During team meetings, try to engage more with your colleagues by asking questions and sharing your ideas.”

When discussing areas for improvement, pair them with related strengths or achievements. This way, you’re not only pointing out the problem but also acknowledging their effort and capability. For example, “Your creative ideas have significantly contributed to the project; however, working on time management will help you deliver even better results.”

Part 2 Positive Phrases That Can Be Used in a Performance Review

Using positive phrases can help boost employee morale and encourage growth. Here are some examples:

• 1. “Your creativity has brought fresh ideas that have driven innovation within our team.”
• 2. “You have shown exceptional growth and learning in your role.”
• 3. “Your dedication to meeting project deadlines contributes to our team’s success.”
• 4. “You have a positive attitude that positively influences the workplace environment.”
• 5. “You demonstrate strong problem-solving skills that help us overcome challenges.”
• 6. “Your commitment to excellence is evident in every task you undertake.”
• 7. “You effectively manage your time and prioritize tasks efficiently.”
• 8. “Your communication skills have been pivotal in maintaining clear and effective dialogue between team members.”
• 9. “You have shown remarkable initiative in taking on new responsibilities.”
• 10. “Your work ethic is an inspiration to those around you.”
• 11. “You consistently produce high-quality work that exceeds our standards.”
• 12. “You have a knack for building strong, collaborative relationships with clients and co-workers.”
• 13. “Your flexibility in adapting to change has made a significant impact on our team’s performance.”
• 14. “You have demonstrated leadership qualities that have guided our team through various projects.”
• 15. “Your ability to stay calm under pressure has been a stabilizing force for the team.”
• 16. “You are a reliable employee who colleagues can always count on.”
• 17. “Your analytical skills have contributed to more informed decision-making processes.”
• 18. “You consistently set a great example with your professional demeanor.”
• 19. “Your positive energy is contagious and boosts team morale.”
• 20. “You have a keen eye for identifying areas for improvement and implementing effective solutions.”
• 21. “You are proactive in seeking feedback and using it to enhance your performance.”
• 22. “Your technical skills have been a valuable asset to our team’s operations.”
• 23. “You have effectively mentored other team members, enhancing their skills and confidence.”
• 24. “Your strategic thinking has played a key role in our department’s planning and success.”
• 25. “You have a unique ability to turn challenges into opportunities.”
• 26. “Your contributions to the team often exceed the scope of your role, showing your commitment to our goals.”
• 27. “You maintain a high level of professionalism in all interactions, which reflects well on our team.”
• 28. “You have a continuous improvement mindset that helps elevate the entire team’s performance.”
• 29. “Your enthusiasm for your work is infectious and motivates others to strive for excellence.”
• 30. “You handle complex projects with ease, ensuring smooth operations and delivery.”
• 31. “You consistently go above and beyond expectations.”
• 32. “Your ability to adapt to new challenges has been impressive.”
• 33. “You are an excellent team player, and your colleagues value your support.”
• 34. “Your strong attention to detail ensures high-quality results.”

Remember to support these positive statements with concrete examples from the employee’s work.

Part 3 How to Highlight an Employee’s Strengths with Specific Examples

When discussing an employee’s strengths, try to be specific and use examples from their recent work. Focus on their skills and accomplishments, tying them to the overall success of the team or the company.

1. “I’ve noticed how effectively you manage your time, particularly during the (…) project when you delivered your part ahead of schedule without compromising on quality.”

2. “Your ability to lead the team was evident in the way you stepped up during the (…) event, ensuring that everyone was motivated and on task.”

3. “Your creative problem-solving skills really shone when you found a workaround for the budget issue on the (…) project.”

4. “Your attention to detail didn’t go unnoticed on the (…) report, where your thoroughness prevented potential errors.”

5. “Your technical skills are a huge asset, as seen when you implemented the new software that increased our team’s productivity.”

6. “Your communication skills have improved significantly, especially when you presented the quarterly results and received positive feedback from the stakeholders.”

7. “Your commitment to professional development is commendable, like when you completed the advanced training in (…) and immediately applied those skills to benefit our team.”

8. “Your teamwork has been outstanding, particularly when you assisted a new team member with onboarding and helped them become productive quickly.”

9. “Your initiative to organize the weekly brainstorming sessions has greatly enhanced our team’s creativity and collaboration.”

10. “Your customer service skills have consistently been exceptional, as evidenced by the glowing reviews from clients like in the (…) project.”

11. “Your sales performance has been remarkable, especially when you exceeded your targets by 20% last quarter.”

12. “Your adaptability was clearly demonstrated during the transition to remote work, where you maintained high productivity levels.”

13. “Your positive attitude has been a morale booster for the team, like when you encouraged everyone during the tight deadline for the (…) project.”

14. “Your strategic thinking was key in identifying new market opportunities that led to the (…) initiative.”

15. “Your reliability is something we can always count on, as you’ve never missed a deadline and always deliver quality work.”

16. “Your mentorship has greatly benefited your colleagues, such as when you guided your peer through the complex process of (…).”

17. “Your ability to communicate with clients has been outstanding, as seen in the successful onboarding of the (…) project.”

18. “Your analytical skills have helped us understand customer data better, leading to more targeted marketing strategies.”

19. “Your dedication to the company’s mission was evident when you volunteered to lead the corporate social responsibility program.”

20. “Your conflict resolution skills have been instrumental in maintaining a harmonious work environment, especially during the team restructuring.”

21. “Your writing skills have been invaluable, particularly in drafting the clear and persuasive proposal that won us the (…) grant.”

22. “Your resilience is commendable, as seen when you managed to keep the team focused and productive even amidst several unforeseen challenges.”

23. “Your organizational skills are top-notch, which was clear when you coordinated the successful industry conference last month.”

24. “Your ability to work under pressure was evident during the end-of-year audit, where you managed to deliver accurate reports within tight deadlines.”

25. “Your financial acumen saved the company significant costs by renegotiating vendor contracts effectively.”

26. “Your hands-on approach in the training of new hires has ensured they are fully equipped to perform their roles successfully.”

Part 4 Example Comments to Include in a Performance Review to Provide Constructive Feedback

Constructive feedback should be clear, specific, and actionable. Instead of saying, “You need to improve your time management,” try offering suggestions like, “Consider using a calendaring tool to better organize your tasks and deadlines, which will help ensure projects are completed in a timely manner.” Focus on behaviors that can be improved and support your feedback with examples.

1. “I’ve noticed that you excel in client interactions, consistently providing thoughtful and helpful responses. To further enhance your client management skills, I suggest participating in advanced communication workshops.”

2. “Your ability to work independently is impressive; however, I encourage you to engage more with the team during collaborative projects to contribute your valuable insights and learn from others’ perspectives.”

3. “You have shown great initiative in your role, but there have been instances where attention to detail could be improved. Double-checking your work before submission could help mitigate any minor errors.”

4. “Your creativity in problem-solving is commendable. To foster this skill, I recommend documenting your processes to share with the team, which could inspire innovative approaches across the department.”

5. “While you meet most deadlines, I’ve observed that some tasks are completed at the last minute. Prioritizing your workload and setting earlier internal deadlines might help reduce last-minute rushes.”

6. “You have a strong grasp of our project goals, yet sometimes there’s hesitation in decision-making. Confidence can be built through seeking mentorship or additional training in areas of uncertainty.”

7. “Your technical skills are outstanding, and to complement them, I suggest working on developing your presentation skills to effectively communicate your ideas to non-technical team members.”

8. “I appreciate your dedication to the team, but I’ve noticed that work-life balance could be an area for improvement. Managing your time to leave the office at a reasonable hour could benefit your overall well-being.”

9. “You often contribute innovative ideas in meetings; to take this further, I encourage you to lead a brainstorming session, which could help refine and implement these concepts.”

10. “Your project management is generally strong, yet there’s room to enhance your delegation skills. Trusting your team with more responsibilities can improve efficiency and team development.”

11. “You consistently produce high-quality work, though sometimes at a slower pace. Implementing productivity techniques, like the Pomodoro method, might help increase your output without sacrificing quality.”

12. “Your punctuality and attendance are commendable. To build on this, setting a personal goal to contribute at least one key point in meetings could further demonstrate your engagement.”

13. “You are very responsive to feedback, which is great. To take it a step further, actively seeking out feedback periodically could provide you with more opportunities for growth.”

14. “Your reports are always thorough, but they can be quite lengthy. Learning to condense information without losing clarity could make your reports more accessible to readers.”

15. “You show great enthusiasm for new projects, and I’d love to see you carry that energy through to project completion by setting and reviewing progress milestones.”

16. “Your teamwork is a strength, but taking on a leadership role in group tasks could help you develop management skills and provide valuable experience.”

17. “You’ve shown you can handle routine tasks well; now, challenging yourself with more complex assignments could further your expertise and career development.”

18. “Your sales numbers are impressive, and to enhance your performance even more, consider adopting a CRM tool to track customer interactions and follow-ups systematically.”

19. “You are very organized in your work, which is excellent. To improve efficiency, you might explore new project management software that could streamline your processes.”

20. “You handle customer complaints with patience and empathy. Enhancing your skills with additional conflict resolution training could make you even more effective in these situations.”

21. “Your ability to adhere to the budget is a real asset. To build on this, developing forecasting techniques could help you anticipate financial challenges and opportunities.”

22. “You are a reliable employee who often assists others. To further your development, I suggest you mentor a newer team member, which can help you hone your leadership abilities.”

23. “Your written communication is clear and concise. Expanding your skill set to include technical writing could open up new opportunities for you within the company.”

24. “You have a knack for identifying risks early on. Developing a formal risk assessment process could benefit the entire team by mitigating potential issues before they arise.”

25. “You’ve taken on additional responsibilities well. Now, focusing on strategic planning could help you understand how these tasks fit into the company’s broader goals.”

26. “Your proactive approach to learning new software is commendable. Sharing your knowledge through a short training session with colleagues could enhance team productivity.”

27. “You make sound decisions most of the time; however, incorporating data analysis into your decision-making process could provide a stronger foundation for those decisions.”

28. “You are very good at following up with clients. To improve even further, you might consider developing a standardized follow-up protocol to ensure consistency across all client interactions.”

29. “Your public speaking skills have improved, which is great to see. Joining a professional speaking group could provide you with even more opportunities to practice and refine these skills.”

30. “You have a strong understanding of our products, and to leverage that knowledge, you could create informational materials to help educate the rest of the team on product features and benefits.”

Part 5 Structuring Your Comments

Highlight achievements.

When discussing achievements, make sure to acknowledge your employee’s hard work and dedication. Start with praising their accomplishments, and then specifically describe what they did well. For example:

• “You successfully increased sales by 15% this quarter, which is an impressive accomplishment.”
• “Your attention to detail in project management led to a more efficient workflow.”
• “You’ve consistently shown strong leadership within the team, fostering a positive work environment.”

Don’t forget to include any metrics or data that showcase their success.

Addressing Areas for Improvement

When addressing areas for improvement, ensure you are providing constructive feedback and actionable advice. Be supportive and empathetic, framing the conversation as an opportunity for growth. For example:

• “Although you’ve made progress in time management, there’s still room for improvement. Setting daily priorities and using a scheduling tool might help you better manage your tasks.”
• “Your presentations are engaging, but sometimes you speak too fast. Practicing your pacing can help your message come across more clearly.”
• “Working on improving your written communication will make it easier for colleagues to understand your proposals.”

Focusing on Behavior and Results

When providing comments, ensure you focus on observable behaviors and results that can be measured or quantified. This helps to keep the feedback objective and avoids misunderstanding. For example:

• “You’ve demonstrated a strong ability to negotiate, which resulted in a larger budget for our team.”
• “Working on being more patient with new team members will help foster a supportive environment. Offering guidance and encouragement can go a long way.”
• “Your ability to collaborate effectively with other departments has contributed significantly to the success of our projects.

Purpose of Effective Comments

Effective performance review comments serve to support your growth and development in your job. They provide you with constructive feedback that can help you identify your strengths and weaknesses, as well as areas where you can improve. Well-written comments are:

• Specific – They offer precise examples of what you did well or need to improve.
• Actionable – They provide guidance on how you can enhance your performance.
• Relevant – They relate directly to your job responsibilities and objectives.
• Balanced – They consider both your achievements and areas for improvement.

For example, instead of vaguely saying, “You need to improve your communication skills,” helpful comments might go like this: “When presenting to clients, try to make eye contact and speak more confidently. This will help you build rapport and better convey your ideas.”

Part 6 Using Examples in Comments

Describing specific instances.

When providing feedback in performance reviews, it’s important to use specific examples to illustrate your points. This helps the employee understand the exact situations you are talking about and shows that you have paid attention to their work. For instance, instead of saying, “You need to communicate better with your team,” you could say, “I noticed at last week’s project meeting that you didn’t share updates about your progress with the rest of the team. Sharing this information can help everyone stay aligned and avoid duplication of work.”

Adding concrete instances of behavior or results allows your comments to carry more weight, making them more useful for the employee. They can then focus on these instances to learn and improve. For example, instead of saying, “You are a great problem solver,” mention a specific situation when the employee went above and beyond to address a challenge, like this: “You did a fantastic job troubleshooting the server issue last month, finding the root cause, and resolving it within two hours. That saved the company from significant downtime.”

Relating Examples to Goals

Aligning your feedback and examples to the employee’s goals helps to clarify how their actions affect their progress towards meeting their objectives. This demonstrates that you are invested in your employee’s growth and success. When discussing accomplishments, point out how they contributed to meeting their goals. For instance, “Your dedication to completing the new client proposal led to it being both well-received and signed, which was a crucial part of reaching this quarter’s sales target.”

On the other hand, when addressing areas that need improvement, emphasize how the observed behavior may hinder the employee’s progress towards their goals. For example, “Your tendency to miss weekly status update meetings has made it difficult for other team members to keep track of your projects, which can delay their own work and impede reaching our team goals.”

Using examples tied to their goals highlights the direct impact of the employee’s actions, whether positive or negative, on their overall performance and success. This encourages employees to take ownership of their development and strive for improvement in their day-to-day activities.

Part 7 Encouraging Continuous Development

Setting goals for the next period.

Help your employees grow by setting clear and achievable goals for the next period. Instead of setting a vague objective, try to make it specific and measurable. For example, rather than saying “Improve your sales skills,” you could say “Increase your sales numbers by 10% in the next quarter.”

When you provide feedback on their performance, explain how they can improve and discuss the steps needed to achieve their goals. For instance, if your employee needs to improve their presentation skills, suggest that they attend a workshop or take an online course. This way, they’ll have a clear direction to follow, and it will be easier to monitor their progress.

Offering Resources for Growth

Supporting your employees in their professional development is an important aspect of their career growth. Offer resources that can help them learn new skills and refine existing ones. These resources could include training programs, online courses, mentoring, or even access to relevant conferences and seminars.

Part 8 Avoiding Common Pitfalls

Steering clear of vague language.

To write effective performance review comments, avoid using vague language. Instead, get specific about the areas in which the employee demonstrates success or needs improvement. For example, instead of saying “You have great communication skills,” say “You are excellent at explaining complex ideas in simple terms during team meetings.” This specificity allows employees to understand their strengths and weaknesses and work towards improvement.

Avoiding Personal Critiques

Performance reviews should focus on an employee’s job performance, not their personality traits. Critiquing someone’s character can create a negative environment and perception of bias. Focus on tangible actions and behaviors to offer constructive feedback. For example, instead of saying “You are too emotional and disorganized,” say “It would be helpful if you work on keeping a more structured approach to your projects and manage your emotions during tense situations.”

Balancing Feedback Across Teams

When providing feedback, ensure that it is consistent and fair across all team members. Avoid comparing employees to one another during individual reviews, as this can cause resentment and competition. Instead, use benchmarks and objectives to evaluate their performance. For example, say “Your sales numbers have consistently surpassed targets for the last quarter” or “You have taken on extra responsibilities within your role, such as managing the new interns, which has shown great initiative.” By maintaining a balanced, objective approach, you can support your team and help them grow in their roles.

Part 9 Wrapping up the Review

Summarizing key points.

When you’re ready to finish the performance review, take a moment to recap the main points discussed. This can help reinforce important issues and ensure that both you and the employee understand what has been covered. For example:

• Highlight the employee’s strengths and achievements, such as meeting or exceeding targets, demonstrating leadership, or showing exceptional teamwork.
• Address areas for improvement or development, such as time management, customer service skills, or goal-setting. Offer specific suggestions, like attending a training or finding a mentor.
• Reiterate any action items or goals that have been set during the review, and discuss how progress will be monitored and evaluated.

Closing on a Positive Note

End the performance review on a positive note to foster a sense of motivation and enthusiasm. Show appreciation for the employee’s efforts, and express confidence in their ability to continue growing and succeeding in their role. Some ways to do this include:

• Offer words of encouragement and support, like “I believe in your potential to make a real difference” or “Your dedication to improving is evident, and I’m excited to see what you can achieve.”
• Reflect on any positive changes the employee has already made, emphasizing the impact this has had on the team or the organization.
• Discuss future opportunities for growth, such as potential projects, promotions, or new responsibilities that align with the employee’s skills and aspirations.

Frequently Asked Questions

Can you give examples of words that effectively describe employee performance.

Here are some words that can help describe employee performance:

• Goal-oriented
• Collaborative
• Detail-oriented

When using these words, make sure to include specific examples, so the employee understands the context and the impact of their work.

How can a manager identify areas for improvement in a performance review, and can you provide examples?

When pointing out areas for improvement, focus on specific behaviors or skills that need development. For example, if an employee struggles with delegating tasks, you could say, “To help improve your team’s efficiency, consider working on your delegation skills by identifying tasks that others can take on and providing clear guidance.” Stay supportive and offer solutions to help the employee grow.

What are the key elements to writing a summary for a performance appraisal?

Writing an effective performance appraisal summary should include:

• A brief recap of the employee’s accomplishments and strengths.
• Specific examples of their impact on the team or company.
• Areas for improvement, with clear and actionable suggestions for growth.
• A reiteration of your support and confidence in their ability to succeed.
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Scottie Scheffler Made an Awesome Gesture to His Caddie After Winning Second Career Masters

• Author: Kristen Wong

Every captain needs a trusty right-hand man—or when it comes to the Masters, every golfer needs a trusty caddie.

When Scottie Scheffler was crowned the victor of the 88th Masters tournament at Augusta National on Sunday, he rightfully celebrated with his caddie of two years, Ted Scott. 

The 27-year-old Scheffler clinched this year’s Masters four strokes ahead of runner-up Ludvig Aberg and became the fourth-youngest golfer to win the Masters twice. Entering the final round in a three-horse race for the lead, Scheffler pulled away from the other contenders on the second nine to win his second green jacket in the past three years.

As Scheffler, the No. 1 player in the world, continues to forge an inimitable legacy on the greens, he can look forward to making more history with the veteran Scott by his side. After Sunday’s win, Scheffler made sure Scott wasn’t just next to him but ahead of him as the two made their way to Butler Cabin.

In an ultimate class act, Scheffler pushed Scott to the front during their victory walk and had him lead them through the crowds.

Scottie Scheffler and his caddie, Ted Scott, take their victory walk. pic.twitter.com/LccXO2HGXo — Golf on CBS ⛳ (@GolfonCBS) April 14, 2024

Very cool moment after Scottie Scheffler's Masters win. Scheffler had his caddie, Ted Scott, lead the way to the scoring area. You can see him holding the yellow flag. It's Ted Scott's fourth Masters title as a caddie. pic.twitter.com/WsXJmKuUjg — Josh Berhow (@Josh_Berhow) April 14, 2024

This year marks Scott’s fourth Masters title in his caddying career, having previously won with Scheffler in 2022 and with Bubba Watson in 2012 and ‘14. 

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Final Rule to Strengthen Standards for Synthetic Organic Chemical Plants and Polymers and Resins Plants

April 9, 2024, the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) announced a set of final rules that will significantly reduce emissions of toxic air pollution from chemical plants, including the potent air toxics ethylene oxide (EtO) and chloroprene. The reductions dramatically reduce the number of people with elevated air toxics-related cancer risks in communities surrounding the plants that use those two chemicals, especially communities historically overburdened by air toxics pollution.

Regulatory Documents

• Final Rule (prepublication version) (pdf) (5 MB)
• Regulatory Impact Analysis for the Final Rule (pdf) (1.3 MB)

Fact Sheets, Infographic and Presentation

• Fact Sheet: Overview of the Final Rule (pdf) (287.6 KB)
• Fact Sheet: Key Things to Know About the Final Rule (pdf) (192.9 KB)
• Infographic: EPA’s Air Toxics Rules for the Synthetic Organic Chemical Manufacturing and Polymers & Resins Industries (pdf) (54.7 MB)
• Overview Presentation: EPA's Final Rules for the Synthetic Organic Chemical Manufacturing Industry and Group I & II Polymers and Resins Industry (pdf) (711.3 KB)

Additional Documents

• List of facilities covered by National Emissions Standards for Hazardous Air Pollutants for Synthetic Organic Chemical Plants and Group I and Group II Polymers and Resins Plants

Documents from Proposal

• Proposed Rule  
• Regulatory Impact Analysis for the Proposal
• Fact Sheet on  EPA's Community Risk Assessment and Risk Based Demographic Assessment

Web Pages for Individual Air Toxics Rules Included in the Final Action 

Synthetic Organic Chemical Manufacturing Industry: Organic National Emission Standards for Hazardous Air Pollutants (NESHAP) - 40 CFR 63 Subparts F,G,H,I

Group I Polymers and Resins: National Emission Standards for Hazardous Air Pollutants (NESHAP)

Group 2 Polymers and Resins: Epoxy Resins Production and Non-Nylon Polyamides: National Emission Standards for Hazardous Air Pollutants (NESHAP)

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Michael Keaton Back From the Dead in Zany ‘Beetlejuice 2’ First Look at CinemaCon: ‘It’s Really F—ing Good’

By Brent Lang

Executive Editor

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Michael Keaton was blunt about what audiences can expect when “Beetlejuice Beetlejuice” hits screens, more than 36 years after the first film opened.

“It’s really fucking good,” the actor told theater owners at CinemaCon . And based on the zany look at “Beetlejuice Beetlejuice” that Keaton and Tim Burton shared, the collaborators have come up with something that could be out of this Netherworld. Burton, Keaton, and Catherine O’Hara, who co-starred in the original, took the stage at Caesars Palace on Tuesday for Warner Bros.’ presentation to theater owners to hype the sequel’s undead delights.

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“The living. The dead. Can they co-exist?” Ryder says in the trailer that Burton and crew shared. “That’s what we’re here to find out.”

The trailer shows Keaton terrorizing a frightened looking townsperson who keeps insisting the ghost in front of him is an illusion. “Do I look like a figment of your imagination?” Keaton goads the man as he flashes him in a demonic manner.

Justin Theroux, Monica Bellucci and Willem Dafoe are joining the haunted house huddle for this go round. They were in Vegas, though Ryder and Ortega were not able to hit Sin City because of their production schedules.

“This cast is so good,” Keaton said. “Everyone is so friggin’ funny.”

“Over the years we would kind of kick the notion of it around,” Keaton said. When they joined forces the filmmakers tried to have everything “done as close to the way we made it the first time.” That meant dazzling, meticulously detailed, slightly macabre sets and makeup and props. “It’s like a weird big home movie for me,” Burton said in a BTS video that Warner Bros. showed before the director appeared.

“Beetlejuice Beetlejuice” opens on Sept. 6. Filming on the sequel was briefly suspended during the 2023 actors strike, with production resuming in November after SAG-AFTRA reached a deal for a new contract.

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Waltzing through the Victorian era with Dalhousie’s Costume Studies program

Mandy King - April 17, 2024

Graduating students from Dalhousie's Costume Studies program transported guests back to Victorian England last Tuesday during 1837: A Presentation of Historical Dress.

Petticoats and corsets of stark white were draped across chairs and tables on stage as guests entered Dal’s Joseph Strug Concert Hall, setting the stage for an unforgettable night of Victorian fashion.

A hush fell across the crowd against a backdrop of classical music as Dr. Perin Westerhof Nyman, an assistant professor of Costume Studies at Dal, took the stage. Nearby, students delicately padded toward the traditional undergarments they’d designed with the air of sophisticated ladies of Queen Victoria’s court.

“This is the culmination of so much of what they learn in the program, certainly in my class, but also in all the other classes,” said Dr. Westerhof Nyman in an interview. She oversaw the historiclal dress project this year.

“I'm there to guide them and help them along, but so much of this is their project management. It's their choice of gown, it's their idea, and their project plan,” she says. “It's such a massive undertaking for them, and often the biggest project that they've ever taken on at this point in their careers.”

From ballgowns to day dresses

The audience was treated to a thorough exploration of a Victorian woman’s mode of dress from chemise and corsets to under-petticoats, over-petticoats, bustles, and more. The crowd listened intently to a historical account of the dressing process, laughing at anecdotes about over-starched petticoats, as one remained upright on stage with no help from students.

And then the main event. 

Musician Jeremie Boudreau set the mood with classical guitar music as students Julia Beke, Sarah Cooper, Alex McCaw, Julia Sommerville, Louisa Steigenberger, Emma Wells, Sally Wilkie, and Madlyn Woodruff stepped onto the stage wearing their final designs.

Alex McCaw’s handmade silk roses created using period methods wowed the audience, with each rose taking over an hour to assemble.

“I wanted to do something quite different this year. And I have a range of criteria for choosing. It has to teach certain skills to the students,” Dr. Westerhof Nyman remarked. “I also look for years that have really interesting fashions, that forced them to look into a new aesthetic. 1837 fits that bill. It was a really interesting year in terms of the technology that was being invented and developed at the time, and how things were changing politically and socially, as well.”

An 18-year-old Queen Victoria also took the British throne that year, marking the beginning of a new period and a drastic shift in women’s fashion. Dresses became longer, shoulders broader, sleeves snugger to the arm, and hoop skirts and bustles were introduced to further accentuate the hourglass figure. All these elements were highlighted during last week’s event, as the graduating students revealed their final projects. 

Tapping into Victorian culture

Students selected their projects based on a wide range of research. Each student was tasked with creating the supporting garments for their design. At the end of the first term, they each submitted a proposal for their projects. From there students researched construction and began crafting their pieces throughout the second term. 

“Ultimately, when they hand in the final garments, they hand in all of their compiled research about every aspect of the gown’s construction, how they constructed it, and why they chose to do it that way based on original evidence,” explained Dr. Westerhof Nyman.

Students took inspiration from the Victoria & Albert Museum, China plate patterns popular during the time, portraits of Princesses Marianne van Oranje-Nasseu and Clémentine of Orléans, fashion plates from The Ladies Pocket Magazine, and other periodicals.

Using period materials

Dr. Westerhof Nyman gave students the option for fabric type, color, and print, but offered direction.

“Fabrics behave in different ways, particularly cellulose fibers like cottons and linens behave very differently from protein fibers which are your silks and wools. I really encourage them to make as much as possible in the types of fabric that would originally have been used. And substitutions can be made, you know, like a rayon velvet for a silk velvet.”

This was the case with Julia Sommerville’s recreated evening gown of deep green velvet. The heavy garment required a corset, two bustle pads, and three petticoats to support the weight of the winter garment. 

The evening presentation concluded with the students expertly dancing the quadrille, a dance fashionable in Europe during the 19th century. 

“These students took on so much extra with hand stitching, beading and embellishment, the fabric roses, and those things that might not be as obvious, like the piping or the hand draping, or the hand finishing that looks invisible,” Dr. Westerhof Nyman expressed. “I was just so impressed with what they took on. They did amazing work. I'm really proud of them.”

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Abba, notorious b.i.g.’, green day & johnny mathis music among library of congress’ national recording registry additions, cbs to rebroadcast billy joel concert after ‘piano man’ debacle.

By Greg Evans

NY & Broadway Editor

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CBS just announced that the network will rebroadcast Billy Joel : The 100th – Live at Madison Square Garden special in its entirety this Friday, April 19, after Sunday’s presentation cut out in some parts of the country as the singer was in the middle of his signature hit “ Piano Man .”

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“Due to the overwhelming demand from his legion of fans,” the statement continues, “ Billy Joel: The 100th – Live at Madison Square Garden will be rebroadcast in its entirety on CBS on April 19th at 9:00PM ET/PT.”

Sunday’s broadcast of the special in Eastern and Central zones cut away to local news at 11 p.m. shortly before the song’s final “la la la de de das.” The end came something like: “And the piano, it sounds like a carnival/And the microphone smells like a beer/And they sit at the…”

Billy Joel: The 100th – Live at Madison Square Garden special had started a half-hour late Sunday evening due to the 2024 Masters Tournament coverage running overtime.

Fans expressed their outrage on social media. “You couldn’t produce a worse product than CBS just did on the Billy Joel special,” tweeted one. “Way too many commercials, didn’t play some of his best songs, went extremely out of order in his set list, and then cuts away to the local news in the middle of Piano Man?!? A total flop by CBS.”

Wrote another, “@CBS You just might to re-schedule Billy Joel’s concert that your affiliates cut short to go to local late night news. We fans are not happy. And there are a lot of TV, etc viewing options other than you….You need to bring him back.”

And another: “Are you kidding me? I recorded it for 3 hours because I knew it was running late. They seriously cut to the news??? That’s terrible.”

Barstool Sports, which shared a clip of the truncated song, wrote, “How do you cut a Billy Joel Concert in the Middle of Piano Man?!”

Journalists from some of the affected TV stations apologized to viewers on X.

Said Rex Smith, anchor at Indiana’s WANE 15. “I apologize to the people who were enjoying Billy Joel singing on TV then all of a sudden had to see my face.”.

The concert was taped March 28 at Madison Square Garden to mark the 100th show in his long-running (and final) residency at his hometown venue.

In addition to the CBS rebroadcast, the concert special is available – in full – on Paramount+.

And in the unlikely case you can’t recall: “…bar and put bread in my jar/And say, “Man, what are you doin’ here?”

How do you cut a Billy Joel Concert in the Middle of Piano Man?! pic.twitter.com/QI409AwaxQ — Barstool Sports (@barstoolsports) April 15, 2024

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