I'll start with this example. Let's say you just saw the worst presentation imaginable to upper management by Aziza, a new employee of Misterioso, Inc. and one of your promising direct reports on the team you manage. Aziza is a deeply experienced technical analyst but completely inexperienced in addressing nonacademic audiences. This fulltime job is her first out of academia. You want Aziza to succeed, so you want her to learn from her weak presentation experience.
Subject: Embracing Growth and Learning from Every Presentation
Hey Aziza,
I hope this message finds you well! First and foremost, I want to commend you for taking on the challenge of presenting to our management team. It's not an easy feat, and you demonstrated courage by stepping up to the plate.
I understand that you might be feeling a bit disappointed with how the presentation went, but I want you to know that everyone has been there at some point in their career. The most important thing is not how we start, but how we grow and learn from each experience. Here are a few thoughts to keep in mind:
It's a Learning Process: Every presentation is an opportunity to refine our skills. The more we practice and learn from our mistakes, the better we become. Treat this experience as a valuable lesson in your professional development journey.
Feedback is fuel for improvement: Constructive feedback is a powerful tool for improvement. Reach out to those who attended the presentation or ask your colleagues for their thoughts. Embrace their feedback as a means to refine your future presentations. Remember, it's not about criticism; it's about growth.
Celebrate Your Effort: Presenting to management is no small task. You took the initiative, and that alone is commendable. Celebrate the fact that you had the courage to step into the spotlight and share your ideas. The more you expose yourself to such situations, the more comfortable and confident you'll become.
Focus on Progress, Not Perfection: Perfection is an unrealistic standard. Instead of aiming for flawless presentations, focus on making progress with each one. Small improvements over time lead to significant growth.
We're a Team: Remember that you're not alone in this journey. We're a team, and we're here to support each other. If there's anything specific you'd like assistance with or if you just need someone to bounce ideas off, don't hesitate to reach out. We've got your back!
Lastly, take a deep breath and remind yourself that setbacks are a natural part of any learning process. Your commitment to improvement is what will set you apart. Keep your head high, learn from this experience, and I have no doubt that your next presentation will showcase the progress you've made.
You've got this!
Best,[Your Name]
1. Is writing the best way to communicate with someone in this situation? Would a face-to-face chat in a dark corner of your company cafeteria or even a video call make more sense? Aziza and you understand that a meeting is imperative to maintain Aziza's privacy. Wouldn't writing be too distant in its delivery and too permanent as a record?
2. Does the presenter really need feedback? Would a simple question or two do, such as "How did the presentation go?" Who knows how Aziza might answer? Maybe she'll say, "I wasn't myself because my mother just had a stroke." In that case, you might offer Aziza paid time off to attend to her mother. But what if Aziza instead said, "I did a poor job of merging data and their value to the company," and then she mentioned her weaknesses as purposefulness, completeness, organization, style, and body language (eye contact, hand movements, enunciation), then she would be a great candidate for presentation skills training. Aziza will be an excellent presenter if she addresses all those issues with a promise to work on them every workday. As her manager, you wouldn't be able to add much to such a brilliant self-assessment. Let the presentation skills coach take over.
3. Am I the best person to provide the feedback? Likely, no. The presenter might be better off getting feedback from a non-employee communication coach skilled in all aspects of oral presentations.
But say I decide to write Aziza an email because of our busy schedules in different cities. Might the artificially generated text serve as a start of my writing process? Again, I'm not so sure, for at least two more reasons:
1. The content is too general. Perhaps Aziza failed to summarize her data. Or she stated too many obvious points. Or she repeated those points too often. Or her structure was confusing. Or she often distracted her audience mid-sentence by twirling her hair, looking up to the ceiling or down to her shoes, or moving around aimlessly, frequently, and quickly. The content in the AI-generated piece just lacks such specifics.
2. The content may not suit your communication style. You might feel the message title, "Embracing Growth and Learning from Every Presentation" and the closing "You got this!" are too patronizing. Perhaps you feel "Hey" is too unlike you. You may not be a big fan of the introuctory sentence, "I hope this message finds you well!" which couldn't be farther from the way Aziza feels after her poor presentation. You may like even less the useless transitions "First and foremost" and "Lastly." You may despise the courteous closing "Best," as it shows limited care. You'll have to reshape a lot of language to own it.
The bottom line is this: Does the original AI-generated draft spur serious reflection or encourage creative laziness at best or shirking responsibility at worst? To be continued.
