Playbook › Praise first

Editor's example
A teammate shows you slides an hour before a client meeting. The idea is good, but slide 4 is confusing.
Be honest — does this presentation work?

Practice with this prompt

Tone: Polite · Serious advice

○ Replies that work

The story is strong. One thing: slide 4 lost me for a second — could the chart go first?
Praise first Be specific
Why it works: Real praise first, then one specific fix, gives them something they can act on within the hour.
Want my quick take or my picky take? We have an hour, so I'd go quick.
Ask permission
Why it works: Asking how much feedback they want respects the time pressure and their nerves before a meeting.
If it were mine, I'd cut slide 4 down to one number. What do you think?
Own it Ask back
Why it works: Framing it as what you would do keeps the decision with them and avoids sounding like a verdict.

× Replies to avoid

Looks great!
They asked for honesty, and empty praise leaves the confusing slide in front of the client.
Slide 4 is a mess.
Blunt criticism with no fix, an hour before the meeting, mostly adds stress.

Practice prompts