I was listening to a Work Life podcast and Adam Grant was talking about how he gets pitched ideas every day by strangers and acquaintances. He talked about the one person’s pitch and how he was intrigued enough to leave the person some feedback. He then went on to discuss pitches that failed and got rejected.
I remember what that feels like. I don’t consider myself someone who has ever had to pitch anything for any reason, really. But here I was soon to be out of work trying to create a new job for myself at the company. I researched who I needed to pitch to, took months writing and rewriting my pitch. Reading guides on how to do it well. When I finally got up the nerve to make my pitch and scheduled the meeting I was nervous. It was a video meeting with someone whom I had never met before. I made my pitch. He rejected it then as Adam of the work life podcast he took it upon himself to offer me some feedback on my pitch.
So as I’m listening to Adam talk about the feedback he was providing I became annoyed with the whole idea of it. Giving the feedback. I get the whole idea of not giving up. Trying again, finding the right person or time for your pitch. But who was he to think, like the person I pitched to, that I was in need of his feedback, or wanted it? It’s never been a desire of mine to become good at pitching, why would I care what his feedback was. I’m critical of myself enough, I don’t need someone else expressing that of me too.
Worse off, if after hearing a pitch the only thing the person can do is offer how you can improve your pitch, were they really listening to the point of your pitch? I think that’s what annoys me the most, they just stopped listening to the entire point of your pitch and started making mental notes to provide as feedback. Because a person is not a good speaker or may be nervous, the person being pitched to just stopped listening is very disrespectful and nobody deserves to be treated like that.
I cared very little for the feedback I was given. I was not going to be making it again, for me it was a one time shot hoping that the value of my proposal was what would be considered, not that I provided a fancy presentation. I had a skillset created by the company, I figured they would understand the benefit. To realize how shallow people’s perceptions are of each other is disappointing.
Doooh Head 