34 Reflection and Self-Evaluation
Learning Objectives
- Perform a self-evaluation of speech performance to determine speaking strengths and areas of improvement.
As adults, one of our biggest methods of learning is through experiences and mistakes. While just getting through the speech may feel like a huge win, we should not stop there if we wish to improve our speaking habits. We need to analyze what went well or as planned, what didn’t, and what we can do differently so that the next time we speak in public we are even better than before.
Self-reflection enables you to understand what you did well and what you can improve. Self-reflection is something that we may do at a subconscious level. We may walk away from a speech thinking, “I rocked that!” or “That was terrible!” While neither of these extremes is likely true, we generally walk away with a sense of the experience and if it went well or not. However, purposeful self-reflection offers us the opportunity to analyze specific elements of our performance to provide us with more accurate information about our strengths and opportunities for improvement.
One method of self-evaluation is using a SWOT analysis to examine strengths, weaknesses, opportunities, and threats. Although this is typically used in a business setting, it can also be used to understand our personal strengths and opportunities for improvement. Specifically, it can help us to see how we approach our public speaking and helps us to see how we can improve our speech-making process to enhance our speaking skills.
Watch the following video for a method of evaluating your nonverbal behaviors during your speech.
Key Takeaways
- Engaging in self-reflection is a powerful tool for learning and growth.
- A SWOT analysis can help us to determine our strengths, weaknesses, opportunities, and threats.
