You've probably done it yourself -- sat through an incredibly boring presentation only to be approached afterward by the speaker, who asked,"How did I do?" 

You knew it was the same "How did I do?" that your significant other asks after a romantic interlude. Few, in either case, are mean-spirited enough to say, "It could have been better." 

So how do you get beyond the polite and predictable responses, to actually 
discover how well you actually performed? 

Here are a few questions you should ask yourself: 

Will they remember you the morning after? The next week? Months from now? 

A good speech reverberates in people's memories. The speaker will receive 
comments and compliments days and weeks later. These are far truer indicators than immediate feedback at the event. 

Does the media pick up your sound bites, and quote your speech extensively in print? 

A good speech doesn't end at the podium. It sends media ripples out in ever widening waves. 

Do organizations genuinely seek you out as a speaker, not just as someone with an appropriate title?

A good speaker is like the belle of the ball, her dance card is always as full as she wants it to be. If requests are not coming in from those who have seen you perform, you know the real answer is, "It could have been better... much better."