One of the best things a presenter can do is to ask for feedback from the audience. Not only does it show that you value the audience’s opinion, but it gives you a chance to improve your presentation skills. Although feedback is sometimes feared and avoided, it is actually one of the best gifts you can get from someone because it allows you to better yourself. Think of feedback like it’s water for flowers…without it you just can’t bloom. Here are just a few reasons why it’s so important to listen to feedback.
It Gives You an Idea of What People Thought
Have you ever worked hard to prepare and rehearse the perfect presentation, but after it was over you were left wondering if people even enjoyed it? Luckily, feedback gives you a chance to find out. Whether you choose to ask for feedback in the form of a questionnaire, social media comments, or email, it gives the audience a chance to tell you what they thought and you are no longer left in the dark.
It Leads to Improvement
The only way to grow as a presenter is through feedback. You need to know what you are doing right and what areas could use some improvement. Knowing your strengths and weaknesses as a speaker is a key to growing and developing this skill. Build on your strengths and work hard to improve your weaknesses. This will only make you a better presenter in the long run!
It Can Motivate
When you listen to feedback, it can actually motivate you to do better. Whether your feedback is positive or negative, it can still give you that extra push to do better the next time. When you are praised for something you did well, you feel encouraged to build even further on that skill. If you are given constructive criticism, on the other hand, it can motivate you to improve that skill so you get better feedback the next time.
It is an Important Learning Tool
Although it is not always easy to receive, feedback is one of the most important learning tools. When people invest their time to give you feedback, it is important to listen to what they have to say. Peers and colleagues might have valuable advice to offer that will only strengthen your presentation skills. The more you ask for feedback, the more opportunities you have to learn and develop and continued learning is the key to success.