Have you ever received positive feedback on your pitch, only to be disappointed later when it came time for a true commitment?

Do you feel like you're having "good" meetings, but unsure if they'll lead to anything down the road?

When we deliver our passionate pitches, the responses we often hear might sound like this:

• “Wow, that’s great.”
• “Sounds exciting, keep us updated as you get closer to launch.”
• “Super interesting, let me introduce you to Susan on our strategy team.”

We think we’re being kind when we offer this type of feedback, but what we’re really doing is fostering false hope and depriving the person delivering the pitch of an opportunity to improve.

The truly benevolent thing to do is to give honest feedback, but we fear the social repercussions: Will they perceive us as mean, too direct, or a dream killer? Rarely do people want to be the one to shoot down the next big idea or deter someone from pursuing something they feel strongly about.

So, we default to platitudes and cheer them on.

But what if I told you there’s a magical phrase that could help you get the honest feedback you need? This phrase can reveal the true obstacles standing in the way of getting what you want out of the meeting, strengthen your next pitch, and spare the person you’re pitching from being the bearer of bad news.

Here it is: “What would your colleagues say about this?”

This phrase works like magic because it adds a layer of abstraction: of course, they wouldn’t say this, but here’s what a colleague might push back on.

Asking what someone thinks in the room puts them on the spot and forces them to give you feedback about your idea directly to your face. Rarely will you get a truly honest response. Asking what someone else thinks about the idea relieves the social pressure of being kind in order to be liked.

If you have an idea of who the decision-making body might be (an investment committee or functional group), you could ask:

“What feedback would the investment committee have on this idea?”

To uncover potential objections, asking a negative assumption question such as “What problems would the investment committee have with this pitch?” is proven even more likely to elicit an informative response.

In your next meeting, if you want real feedback, ask: “What would your colleagues say about this?”