The Most Valuable Feedback I’ve Received as a Speaker
One of the most impactful decisions I made in my speaking journey was hiring a speaking coach. At first that decision might seem unnecessary; when you speak at conferences or lead trainings, people are usually very kind afterward. They thank you for the presentation, offer compliments, and share what resonated with them. Those moments are encouraging and I genuinely appreciate them. But I realized fairly quickly that encouragement and improvement are not the same thing.
Most audiences are naturally supportive. People want speakers to succeed, and when they approach you after a presentation they are usually sharing appreciation rather than evaluating your delivery in detail. That is completely understandable. They came to learn, not to critique the structure of your talk.
Still, if the goal is growth, supportive feedback only goes so far.
At a certain point I wanted someone to evaluate the work more critically. I wanted feedback that focused on how the message was being delivered, not just whether the audience enjoyed it. That was the reason I decided to work with a speaking coach. I was looking for someone who could watch a presentation carefully, analyze it from a communication standpoint, and point out areas that could be stronger.
That kind of feedback is different from what you normally hear after a talk. Sometimes it is uncomfortable, especially in the beginning. There were moments where I was told to slow down, or reminded that a particular section felt more focused on the speaker than the audience. There were also comments about stage movement, pacing, and how certain transitions affected the flow of the presentation.
At the time, those observations could feel a little sharp. Looking back, they were exactly what helped me grow.
Learning to Use Critique as a Tool
Working with a coach changed the way I think about feedback. When you ask someone with expertise to evaluate your work, the expectation should not be reassurance. The expectation should be refinement.
My coach studies communication, audience engagement, and stage presence in ways that I simply don’t. That perspective matters. Ignoring it because the critique feels uncomfortable would defeat the entire purpose of asking for help in the first place.
Over time I’ve learned to approach feedback with a more practical mindset. Instead of reacting emotionally, I try to translate the comment into something actionable. What specifically can be adjusted? What small change would make the next presentation clearer or more effective?
That shift changes how you approach the craft of speaking. Public speaking is often framed as something people either naturally possess or don’t. In reality it develops through practice and intentional refinement. The pacing of your voice matters. The clarity of the message matters. Even subtle choices, like where you pause or how you transition between ideas, shape how an audience absorbs what you’re saying.
One of the most helpful adjustments my coach encouraged was focusing less on myself and more on the audience. Early on it is easy to think about how you are being perceived. Am I explaining this well? Am I losing the room? Am I doing a good job?
But a better question is whether the audience is actually receiving something useful. When the focus shifts toward the value of the experience for the people in the room, the structure of the presentation tends to improve naturally. The pacing becomes more thoughtful. The examples become more intentional. The overall message becomes clearer because the goal is no longer simply delivering information but helping the audience leave with something they can use.
Over time I’ve come to appreciate that the most meaningful progress rarely comes from applause or compliments. It comes from the moments where someone is willing to say that a part of the presentation could be stronger and then help you understand why.
Those moments are not always comfortable in the moment, but they are the ones that actually move the craft forward.
