How To Get Useful Feedback On Your Speech

There's nothing quite as frustrating as investing weeks into crafting a speech, gathering feedback from everyone you know, and ending up with a talk that was "designed by a committee." You know, a camel that started as a horse. After coaching hundreds of speakers through this process, we've seen both extremes: brilliant talks that become watered-down because the speaker didn't know how to filter feedback, and speakers who refuse all feedback and miss blind spots that would have elevated their work. The key is knowing what feedback to seek, when to seek it, and how to trust yourself through the process. So, we put together this guide for you as well as the recording of our training on this topic:

1. The Four Phases of Feedback

Not all feedback is created equal, and timing matters more than you think. Here are the four critical phases where feedback can make or break your talk:

Ideation Phase - You're shaping the core idea and asking, "Is this going to fly?"

Script & Slides Phase - You're building the technical architecture of your talk.

Delivery Phase - You're refining how you bring the words to life on stage.

Post-Event Phase - Your video is live or your keynote is delivered, and you're looking at impact.

2. The Four Mistakes We Make

We don't hold the vision. If you're not clear on where you're going, every piece of advice will feel equally valid. Or equally terrifying. This can lead to you assuming that everyone knows better than you, and then you can't distinguish good feedback from bad. 

We ask the wrong audience at the wrong time. There are essentially two audiences: experts and general listeners. Both have value, but you need to know which one you're talking to and what they can actually help you with.

We don't give clear direction. If you just say "give me feedback," you'll get scattered opinions that may take you backwards instead of forward. You need to be specific about what phase you're in and what would actually be helpful.

We don't trust ourselves. This might be the most common mistake. When you take all the feedback and apply all of it, you end up with a speech that has no vision and feels like a patchwork of everyone else's ideas. Your voice disappears entirely.

3. Know Your Vision First

You need to own three things before you ask anyone for input:

Who you're trying to reach and what transformation you're creating for them. Not information, but transformation. What changes between when they sit down and when they stand up?

The problem you're solving and how your solution is different from everything else out there. This isn't about being contrarian for its own sake. It's about knowing what you bring that's fresh, new, or uniquely yours.

Your non-negotiables. What's the core of this talk that you won't compromise on, even if someone suggests otherwise?

Test your vision by saying it out loud. At dinner, in the car, wherever. If people respond with "wait, what's the idea again?" that's your signal to clarify, not to abandon it. The more you articulate it, the sharper it becomes.

Once you've crossed into the script phase, you shouldn't be retreating back to "maybe this whole angle is wrong." If feedback makes you want to scrap everything, either you haven't done enough work on the vision, or you're listening to people who don't understand what you're building.

4. Know When to Ask an Expert

Here's where most speakers waste time and hurt their talks: they ask general audiences for expert-level feedback.

During the ideation phase, both experts and general audiences can be useful. General listeners can tell you if the idea resonates. Experts can help you refine the structure and differentiation.

During the script and slides phase, you need expertise. Unless someone regularly works with speeches, they won't give you useful feedback on structure or flow. If you do seek feedback from non-experts here, ask specific questions: "What part took you out of it?" or "What stuck with you?" Don't ask for general opinions on whether the script "works."

During the delivery phase, expertise matters again. General audiences can tell you if something felt off, but they can't tell you how to fix it. If you're working with non-experts, ask: "Was there anything about my delivery that took you out of the speech?" or "What pulled you in?"

Post-event, you can ask anyone. The goal here is engagement and spreading your message, not perfecting the talk. Ask people to watch and share. Some feedback might be valuable, but mostly you're creating momentum. NOTE: If this is a talk you plan to do again, you can also do a review session with an expert. This will allow you to see what worked and how you can improve it.

5. When You're the One Giving Feedback

If someone asks you for feedback, here's what you need to know:

Determine what they actually want. Some people want you to say "I loved it." Others genuinely want to improve. Figure out which one you're dealing with.

Start positive. Always open with something growth-oriented. If you lead with "you lost me" or "I didn't like that," they'll fixate on the negative and won't hear anything else you say.

Be specific. "I got lost here" is only useful if you can point to the exact moment and ideally why. Vague negativity without specificity is useless.

Know your lane. Are you an expert or a general audience member? Be clear about which role you're in. Don't try to give structural advice if you don't regularly work with speeches.

Resist the urge to add sizzle. Just because you saw someone else do a sing-along or an audience interaction doesn't mean it belongs in this talk. Context matters. Don't suggest tricks or gimmicks to fix a deeper structural issue.

Final Note: At the end of the day, this is your creation. You're the one it sticks with forever. Make sure it reflects you and stays true to your vision. That's when your speech becomes powerful, not perfect, but truly yours.

If you’re ready to write, land, and deliver your TEDx talk or keynote speech, schedule a call with Cesar here!