What do you do if you receive harsh feedback following an unsuccessful speaking event?

Feedback whether positive or negative accept the reality..don't argue or don't get in offence mode.Feedback is always feedforward.so it's the first step for improvement and also it talks about the audience that they were engaged and listening not hearing.Seek clarity for feedback,work on it..Make it your strength and bounce back. Sometimes the taste of your audience suddenly changes..it might not be your fault too. So be happy & improve

I believe feedback is how the other person experienced you and their perceptual reality! It takes courage to receive a harsh( I prefer to call it critical feedback) as much as it is to give one! So ideally one should approach it as.. 1- Be the empty vessel- any other way we do not accept reality rather justify, deny or explain it 2- Treat it as other person’s perception and if you negate it you are negating the other persons map of how you were seen and experienced In both cases one misses a golden chance to learn from it or connect well enough to first understand and then have connection enough to fill in any gaps& expand their experience positively

Feedback is the food of champions they say! ..so wipe the tears or the grimace off your face.. or any of the emotions you display at such moments then get to work to unpack the WHAT exactly the feedback says, dig into WHY/WHAT could have triggered your response/speech that got the negative feedback and HOW/WHAT measures to take to improve your performance at the next occasion. I was the main speaker at a webinar only yesterday with 380plus attendees!! All i've done since then is to get as much feedback as possible from the participants and am already taking learnings to improve my next speaking event.

It is said that feedback is the breakfast of champions. In this case, it might not be as easy to digest, but much more important than those who always tell you how good you were, regardless of your performance. I remember doing a talk in front of a small audience of around 200 people many years ago. Most of the feedback was brilliant but there were 3 that had some harsh things to say. Now, I do know you can never keep everyone happy...if that's your aim, go and sell ice-cream! However, I did focus on those 3, which made me feel a bit deflated. A while later, my friend and mentor, Les Brown, told me a similar personal story, where he taught me to not just accept it but seek it out as that is what will build you and make you stronger.

A long time ago, I learned an important lesson when right in the middle of my speech to a group of journalists, many of them walked out! Can you imagine that? I was devastated. What I was meant to learn is that when we ask for feedback from a presentation, the participants can rate my ability to deliver the topic and so on. However, the participants MUST also rate themselves ... how well did they listen, what pointers did they receive to take back into their lives, what upset them, what inspired them and so on. This is important because a Speaker is paid to challenge people. If they got upset, well I guess we did a great job! It's a two way street. The Speaker could also rate the participants ... how responsive were they, for example.

First of all, I will accept the truth that I was not able to contribute what I was supposed to do or the way I was supposed to do. I will find out the reasons behind the feedback. I don't think feedback can be harsh or smooth, it all depends whether you could provide the justice to the topic assigned to you. Besides, harsh feedback always teaches you the lessons yet to be learnt in particular area and let us know that there is room for improvement.

Not every speaking engagement is a home run. We've all bombed. It's frustrating and embarrassing, but the worst thing you can do is try to pretend it didn't happen. Acknowledge the feedback and humbly own the situation. This can help you maintain rapport with event planners and salvage the event. Review the feedback critically to identify specific areas for improvement. Look for patterns or recurring issues that can guide your revisions. Adjust and Improve: Use the insights gained to refine your content and delivery. Implement changes to address the concerns and enhance your performance for future events. Turn tough feedback into a roadmap for improvement and continue to evolve. It's all part of the process.

When faced with harsh feedback from an unsuccessful speaking event, it’s essential to reflect and reassess your approach. An “unsuccessful” event might indicate that the message didn’t resonate with the audience, or perhaps it wasn’t delivered in the most relatable way. Use this feedback as an opportunity to realign your message and ensure it’s tailored to your target audience—your people. Whether it’s refining your message, adjusting your delivery, or understanding the audience better, this reflection helps you grow and connect more deeply. Remember, every setback is a chance to strengthen your approach and enhance your impact.

Refletir profundamente pode ser importante se esse feedback apontar uma tendência. Mas não se sente em cima desse feedback e pare o que você está fazendo. Reflita e pensa em como você pode corrigir esse problema e fazer com que ele nunca mais aconteça. E então siga em frente. Não permita que este feedback defina o seu futuro.

There is a big difference between constructive criticism and "harsh feedback" - This implies that there was a disconnect between you, your audience, and your message. Ultimately, unless you took a job that violated your personal beliefs or core values, you should always have a connection to your audience. If the message failed, then was it the message that truly failed, you as a speaker, or maybe not the right event for that message. Feedback is always valuable, but also taken with a grain of salt. You cannot please everyone every time but sometimes what you learn from negative feedback is that some jobs perhaps are not worth taking.

Reflexionar sobre las críticas no es recrearse en la negatividad, sino desentrañar claves para mejorar. En lugar de ver la retroalimentación como un ataque, analízala con la frialdad de un estratega. Investiga si hubo falta de conexión con tu audiencia o si tu mensaje no resonó como esperabas. Solo cuestionándote tus propias suposiciones y abrazando una autocrítica honesta podrás refinar tus habilidades. No se trata de conformarte, sino de evolucionar de cada experiencia con lecciones claras y accionables.

After getting tough feedback, take a moment to really accept it without letting emotions take over. Break down the specific issues mentioned and see how they match up with what you felt during your performance. Set clear goals to fix these areas and work on improving your skills. Make the necessary changes, practice a lot, and get more feedback to see how you're doing. This way, you can turn criticism into a chance to grow and get even better.

Reflection also requires honesty with yourself. It’s easy to gloss over areas where you feel vulnerable, but being open to questioning your own assumptions about your speaking abilities is where true growth happens. Ask yourself tough questions: Could your approach have been more dynamic? Were there moments when the energy dipped or the message became unclear?

If you see the feedback as harsh, you don't need to reflect alone. You need to invite someone you trust, that has your best interest at heart to reflect with you on this. Most people generally don't like feedback as it is, so it's going to be more anxiety-filled if you're reflecting on what was said by someone who hasn't built equity and trust with you. If you reflect alone, you'll likely end up reflecting on the wrong thing.

While Receiving Feedbacks from Consumers, the few forms of those information's are very very important: # Source of Feedback - Whether it's his own experience or just passing statements from one or other # Detailed View of Feedback would definitely be required to solve those issues

If you need to seek clarity on negative feedback, start by asking specific questions about the areas of concern. For instance, if the feedback mentions that your delivery was weak, inquire about which aspects were problematic—whether it was the pacing, tone, or body language. Request examples or instances where the issue was most evident to gain a clear understanding of the problem. Using open-ended questions like, “Can you elaborate on what parts of my content seemed unclear?” can help you get more detailed responses.

If I were to receive harsh feedback from an unsuccessful speaking event, I would first take the time to reflect on the criticism and try to understand the reasons behind it. I would then use this feedback as an opportunity to learn and improve for future speaking engagements. It is important to remain open-minded and receptive to constructive criticism, as it can help me grow and develop as a speaker. Additionally, I would seek advice and guidance from mentors or peers to gain different perspectives and insights on how to enhance my speaking skills. Ultimately, I would use the feedback as motivation to work harder and strive for better outcomes in my future speaking events.

- Step 1: Clarify feedback is valid or invalid - Step 2: Act: + invalid: no improvement plan, and still thanks for commenters + valid: clarify details as much as possible, analyze root reasons, find suitable improvements: find to present in different way, ask for advice from better speakers, self-learning, then practice, practice, practice, then review -> PDCA method apply

Cuando la retroalimentación es confusa o emotiva, tu obligación es clarificar, no asumir. No basta con aceptar críticas vagas; necesitas ejemplos concretos que te permitan identificar fallos específicos. Pregunta con interés genuino y busca detalles accionables, dejando claro que tu objetivo es crecer. No evites la incomodidad de indagar más profundamente; esta búsqueda de claridad no solo mejora tu desempeño, sino que muestra tu compromiso inquebrantable con la excelencia.

Requesting detailed feedback shows that you are committed to your own growth and are serious about making improvements. It also fosters a constructive dialogue, allowing you to clarify any misunderstandings and gather practical advice that can be applied to future events.

If you have no equity and trust with the person giving the feedback, my opinion, as a person who has created curriculum on giving and receiving feedback, is that you do NOT seek clarity from that person. But you should seek clarity in an environment that will develop you. If there is a recording of the speaking engagement, ask trusted advisors to sit with you and discuss the feedback you received in a way that will make you better.

After getting tough feedback from a speaking gig, start by breaking down what was said and see how it matches up with your own thoughts on the performance. Set clear goals to tackle the main issues, like sprucing up your content or working on your delivery. Create a simple plan with actionable steps and maybe get some advice from mentors or take a workshop to sharpen your skills. Then, practice what you’ve changed and keep an eye on how you’re doing. This way, you’ll keep improving and be even more prepared for your next event.

Once I understand the reasons behind feedback, I will categorized those reasons for proper analysis. If its due to lack of knowledge, I will research the topic well. If it is on my presentation skills, I will make sure to work on those areas. I will take help from mentors, will review the recordings, if available. I will work on my vocabulary, body language, voice etc. to be the better version of myself for next event. Learning is a continuous process and practice makes a man perfect, and this equally applies to woman too:-)

Plan for Improvements should always be based on prioritizations on top Risk involved it may be on your product quality, service feedback or can be any other which needs to be prioritized based on high impact on business. The Issues which can give higher impact should picked up immediately to solve it.

One thing I have found helpful is to replay some of the clips with open mind so as to improve on the observations, constructive feedback surely helps to improve outcome.

Planificar mejoras sin caer en la trampa de la autocomplacencia es clave. Es hora de convertir las críticas en un plan de acción detallado y realista. Redefine tu contenido, perfecciona tu delivery y ajusta tu enfoque según el feedback recibido. Evita caer en cambios superficiales y céntrate en lo que realmente mueve la aguja. Cada ajuste debe estar orientado a resultados concretos que puedan ser medidos en tu próxima intervención. La planificación efectiva es lo que distingue a los amateurs de los profesionales.

Implementing the necessary changes based on unflattering feedback is welcome. Talk to your audience and ask them during your speech what you can do in the moment, should you see them not paying attention. For example, "I see that some of you look tired and not interested. Did something happen earlier in the day to make you feel that way or is it just me?" This question will get a response and possibly a laugh. It makes you understanding of what the audience might be feeling at the time. It could be time to throw away the script and have a personal conversation about the topic through storytelling.

Once you decide to implement changes based on feedback, creat a clear action plan. Begin by identifying the specific areas for improvement highlighted in the feedback. Break these areas down into actionable steps, and set realistic goals for each. For example, if feedback pointed to weak pacing in your delivery, plan to practice with a timer and adjust your speaking pace accordingly. Next, incorporate regular practice and review into your routine and rehearse your presentation with the new adjustments. Additionally, continuously reflect on the feedback and your improvements, making further adjustments as needed. This iterative process will help you refine your skills and enhance your performance over time.

Um feedback pode ser a coisa mais valiosa que você vai receber nesta transação. Principalmente se tiver sido um feedback de alguém que quer ver você melhorar. Aproveite a oportunidade e mude. Faça diferente! Faça melhor! Reinvente-se. Quem sabe este feedback não pode tornar se uma das melhores coisas que aconteceram para você?

El verdadero reto no está en identificar las mejoras, sino en ejecutarlas con consistencia. El perfeccionamiento de tus habilidades no ocurre en los grandes escenarios, sino en la práctica constante y deliberada en espacios más pequeños. Testea cada ajuste, desde tu storytelling hasta tu lenguaje corporal, en ambientes controlados antes de lanzarte a la audiencia masiva. Persistir en la implementación te sacará de la zona de confort, pero ahí es donde reside el verdadero crecimiento.

Acknowledging reality and making changes are crucial for growth. We all stumble at times due to our limited knowledge. Yet, it's how we respond to the feedback we receive that truly matters. That's why it's essential to have coaches who provide honest criticism rather than mere flattery. Equally important is evaluating the intent behind the feedback and considering its source.

If you recieve feedback that is less than flattering. Don't worry. Maybe it's your first time speaking, maybe you had an off day and maybe you were not prepared. Whatever the situation speaking is a skill that you can develop. Feedback is the key to improvement as well as practice over a long period of time. My mentor once told me, "you have to be bad enough long enough to be good."

Las críticas continuas son tu brújula; ignorarlas es estancarte. No se trata de acumular elogios, sino de buscar constantemente áreas para afilar tu arte como orador. Mantente en un ciclo de feedback donde cada intervención sea una oportunidad para medir la efectividad de tus cambios. El crecimiento sostenido requiere un compromiso constante con la retroalimentación; no basta con mejorar una vez, hay que hacerlo cada vez, ajustando y refinando tu enfoque.

Harsh or Not so Harsh... one needs to embrace Feedback with grace.. However, one needs to see what went wrong where... a little re/(in)trospection if i must say.. All comments arise from some point.. either it's agreement or concern or disagreement.. one needs to see to that reason and then work towards further improvement and avoid any harsh comments in the future. Take it as a part of learning and improvement...