Why effective feedback matters more than ever…
Imagine for a moment that you were the one being judged… You step onto a stage, or in front of a classroom, give a speech, perform a song, submit a piece of writing, or present an idea you have worked hard on. When the results come back, the comment sheet says:
“Good job.”
That’s it.
No explanation.
No encouragement about what worked.
No guidance about what could improve.
How helpful would that be?
Probably not very. Especially if you were hoping to improve or gorw!
Yet this is increasingly what feedback looks like today—short, vague, and often almost nonexistent. I recently was going over a competitor’s ballots with them and it took less than 5 minutes to go through 6-9 ballots! Is this because he had a flawless performance? Does he not have room for growth? No. I believe judges don’t exactly know what type of feedback students are looking for. Plus, in many areas of life—education, competitions, workplaces, even the arts—people are writing less and less when evaluating others. Time is short. Attention spans are shorter. And meaningful critique is quietly disappearing. But good feedback is not just helpful—it is essential for growth. So- what can we do about it? Grab a cup of coffee and read this article!!
Judges Carry a Responsibility
Whether we realize it or not, whenever we evaluate someone—students, performers, coworkers, or even our own children—we step into the role of a judge. And quite frankly, judges have influence. The whole point for competition is not to WIN (ok- maybe that) is to find ways to IMPROVE. A thoughtful comment can inspire someone to keep going. A careless or empty ballot can discourage someone from ever trying again. And if judges or ballots don’t exist? Quite frankly, there wouldn’t be competition. So- if we are going to judge, we should ask an important question:
How would we be ranked as judges?
“Good Job” Isn’t Feedback
One of the most common comments people give is simply:
“Good job.”
While it may be well-intended, it tells the recipient almost nothing. What a competitor really wants to know is…
What was good? (Was it interesting? Did it keep your attention?)
What stood out? (What did you like?)
What should they keep doing?
What could they do to improve?
Real feedback answers those questions!! In fact, if ballots were this clear- judges would know what was expected of them! Instead they are given numbers or starts to evaluate. Effective evaluation should help a person see their work clearly—both the strengths and the areas that still need growth!
The Three Elements of Effective Feedback
If you want your comments to truly help someone improve, they should include three simple elements. We should all want to be effective communicators! That includes judges and giving feedback! Here are Heather Neumann’s top THREE tips for giving effective feedback…
1. Identify What Worked
Start by pointing out specific strengths. What did you like? This could be multiple things. Everyone loves a compliment- give them one! But not just “Great performance,” but something like:
“Your vocal expression brought the emotion of the story to life, especially during the final paragraph.”
Specific praise helps people understand what they did right so they can repeat it. Everyone remembers there favorite part in a movie, or a quote from a song. Why would it be so difficult to identify your favorite part in a speech. Or an easy personal comment could be as simple as, “You looked very professional.” or “I appreciated your smile.”
2. Offer Clear Suggestions
Growth happens when we know what to work on next. Instead of writing:
“Needs improvement.”
Try something actionable:
“Slow down during the middle section. Your ideas were strong, but the pace made it difficult for the audience to absorb them.”
Helpful feedback doesn’t just point out a problem—it points toward a solution.
3. Encourage the Next Step
Finally, remind the person that improvement is possible. Great feedback motivates. It should leave someone thinking:
“I know what to do next.”
Something as simple as:
“You have a strong foundation here. With clearer pacing and stronger eye contact, this piece could become very powerful.”
Encouragement turns critique into momentum. This is sometimes hard for judges, so I encourage this question- If you were giving the speech, what would you do?? You need to put yourself in their shoes? Do you know some information you chould share with them? Do you have a suggestion that that could try? Offering IDEAS is what a competitor wants!!
Why Writing Matters
In an age of quick comments and emojis, written feedback has become rarer—but it is more important than ever.
Written comments allow someone to:
- Reflect on feedback later
- Notice patterns in their work
- Track improvement over time
A few thoughtful sentences can provide insight that a score or rating alone never could. Students go through the comments and ballots digging for clues. Don’t allow them to come up empty handed!
A Challenge for All of Us
If you are ever in a position to evaluate someone—whether in a classroom, competition, workplace, or community group—remember that your words matter.
Take an extra minute.
Write the extra sentence.
Be specific.
Because behind every performance, every speech, every creative effort, there is a person who took a risk. And if we are going to judge them, the least we can do is judge well. So the question remains: If someone ranked judges based on the quality of their feedback…
What rank would you receive as a judge?