Recording and analysis

Videotaping to detect tics and vices

Objective self-eva luation is impossible without an external record. The brain eliminates or ignores one's own mistakes in real time.

This is why video recording is the most honest and brutal diagnostic tool.

By seeing himself on screen, the speaker is confronted with the reality of his performance, detecting nervous tics, asymmetrical postures or vocal crutches of which he was completely unaware.

The exercise consists of recording oneself regularly (for example, once a week) giving a short presentation or reading.

When reviewing the material, this should be done with a notebook in hand, noting down specific faults: "Do I touch my nose?", "Do I sway?", "Do I look at the floor?".

It is crucial to perform this analysis before allowing oneself to be influenced by the opinion of others, in order to develop one's own judgment and a keen body awareness.

This historical archive also makes it possible to visualize tangible progress over the months, which is highly motivating.

How to receive feedback without taking it personally

Soliciting the opinion of others is vital to uncovering "blind spots" in communication.

However, the ego often gets in the way, interpreting technical correction as a personal attack.

For feedback to be constructive, the speaker must dissociate his identity from his performance: "You are not criticizing me as a person, you are eva luating a skill I am developing."

When asking for feedback, the eva luator should be instructed to be specific and objective, avoiding vague comments such as "it was good" or "I didn't like it".

Actionable information is sought: "your volume dropped at the end" or "your eye contact was sparse."

The speaker should listen without justifying or defending him/herself, thanking the input as a gift for improvement.

Professional maturity lies in filtering useful i