avatarJacquelyn Lynn

Summary

The article emphasizes the importance of watching one's own video recordings to critique and improve one's performance, posture, and speaking style.

Abstract

The article, titled "When You’re in the Video, Watch It!", encourages individuals to overcome discomfort and review their video appearances to enhance their performance. It suggests that self-evaluation through video can lead to significant improvements in public speaking and on-camera presence. The author, Jacquelyn Lynn, uses her own experience and the example of a pastor who avoids watching his sermons to illustrate the common aversion to self-critique. Lynn advocates for constructive criticism over self-deprecation, focusing on aspects such as posture, distractions, clarity of speech, and natural expression. She also reminds readers to acknowledge and celebrate their strengths and improvements. The article includes links to additional resources on video creation and personal development.

Opinions

  • The author believes that watching oneself on video is an effective method for personal growth in public speaking.
  • Self-critique is seen as a valuable tool for improvement, despite potential discomfort.
  • There is an emphasis on the importance of honest feedback and self-awareness in the pursuit of better communication skills.
  • The article suggests that viewers should focus on both positive and negative aspects of their performance without being overly critical.
  • The author encourages readers to embrace the opportunities that video recordings offer for self-improvement and skill development.

When You’re in the Video, Watch It!

Critique your performance so you can improve

Screenshots from Jacquelyn Lynn’s videos taken with Snagit. Courtesy of the author.

A pastor I know is quite comfortable getting up in front of his congregation, but he’s a mediocre preacher. When I asked him if he watched the videos of his weekly sermons, he said, “No. I don’t like to see myself on video.”

These days, more and more of us are appearing on video more often than ever before.

On our video channels, for example, we have a collection of videos with publishing information, videos promoting our books, videos of me giving talks, and our just-for-fun unboxing channel.

Beyond Zoom meetings, video chats, and even Facebook Live sessions, people who never thought they’d spend time in front of a camera are finding an increasing number of reasons to record and share messages for viewing later.

These recordings are a great opportunity to improve the way we look and speak — but only if we watch them and learn from them.

So if you’re uncomfortable watching yourself on video, get over it. I know it might be painful but watch anyway. It’s the best way to get honest feedback. As you watch, ask yourself these questions:

  • How’s your posture?
  • Are you fidgeting in a way that could distract your audience?
  • Are you speaking clearly and distinctly without a lot of unnecessary pauses or uhs and ums?
  • Is your expression warm and natural?

The key is to view with an eye toward constructive criticism, not to beat yourself up because you made a few mistakes or your appearance isn’t celebrity-perfect.

At the same time, look for the things you did well and celebrate them — no need to be modest when you nailed it.

Am I an expert public speaker? No. But I get better with each presentation because when I have it on video, I watch it and use it to improve.

Thanks for reading. This article was originally published on my site at CreateTeachInspire.com. You can reach me there or email me at [email protected].

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