How to give feedback

🎤 A 2-minute masterclass in feedback at a Parisian comedy club

Last weekend I did something I was afraid to do: I tried performing amateur stand-up comedy.

After the show I went to talk with the host, an experienced comedian named Billy.

I said: Hello

Billy said: Dude, you need to look at your audience. You kept looking at the floor.

Pics or it didn’t happen

I thought he was exaggerating. In my memory I spent almost all of the time looking directly at the public.

Then he showed me the pictures.

Can you guess which of these two people is an experienced comedian with great stage presence, and which one is me?

Giving feedback

The chat took only a few minutes, and yet it was a complete masterclass in giving feedback.

Here’s what made it good:

• It was timely → Billy told me what I need to work on right after the show

• It was specific → The pictures don’t lie, even when my memory did

• It was direct → Billy didn't waste any time trying to drop subtle hints. He looked me right in the eye and with the intensity of Jay Gatsby he said: “Dude, you need to look at your audience”. Straight to the point.

• I felt that he cared → People don't care how much you know until they know how much you care. I loved hearing from Billy, because he seemed invested in me getting this better then next time.

Conclusion

I fret a lot about giving feedback.

It’s good to get a reminder on how to do it well.

Pick the right time. (And “now” is often the best time.) Make it specific and direct. Give it for the right reason.

More on this

• 🎤 If you're in Paris and want to see some stand up comedy in English, follow my amazing coaches and guides in the world of Parisian stand-up: Billy and Safia

Postcard from Paris

Currently looking for a device that'd deliver a small electric shock every time I look down. #StartupIdea

Look at your audience,
– Przemek