Estimated read time: 2 minutes
Check out my main speaking page (and positive testimonials) here.
I’m quick to share the positive testimonials I get when I speak. I create images with text and share them wide and afar. Some might say I’m throwing them a parade – a phrase I first heard on a Curalate/IMA webinar I was a guest on. You can find many of those positive testimonials on my speaking page here.
But I also get not so positive feedback. I’m discussing some of it in the Scope at the link below. You can also read it below.
My worst rating for a workshop was a 1.75 out of 5. It was interesting, too, because it wasn’t all that different from the exact same workshop that I gave a few weeks earlier and that received a 4.5 out of 5. Sometimes it depends on:
- Timing – when is the workshop being held? Some times are just better than others
- Audience – the mix. While the topic works, sometimes when the audience is too diverse across disciplines examples don’t apply to all
- The breaks – strategically placed breaks can be helpful, but badly timed ones can make it hard to get the audience back
And here’s a list overview of some of the negative feedback I’ve received over the years:
- Paces
- Seems to be standing in one place too much
- Irritating … slightly arrogant
- Tells too many stories
- Thing is he’s not a good storyteller
- Why does he make the audience participate?
- More audience participation
- Don’t force audience participation. It’s early
- Nothing new presented
- Not that funny
- Didn’t like the structure of the session
- Left early. Not impressed
- Ignores the complexities
- Stop fiddling with the tie
- Clears throat too much
- Know your audience more
- Not specific enough
- Too specific for me
- What was the point of his talk anyway? Not related to me.
- Good info but presenter seemed needy!
- Maybe somebody got some value from this, I did not.
- I hate telling stories, actually I’m really bad at it. Doesn’t really apply to me and my position.
- He mentioned twice that he was flying in and out (it was part of a story actually, but true)
- The point of the workshop basically was that you should have a story!
Related Periscope:
But, hardly anyone ever complains about no slides. Every once in a while somebody does and says they wanted something to look at – in addition to me. 🙂
I appreciate feedback. The best feedback is actionable and specific:
Here’s specifically what could have been better and here’s why.
Overall, I appreciate feedback – good and bad – and thought it would be great to share some of the negative feedback I received in the spirit of transparent storytelling.