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Task: min 200 words for the education section of the newsletter; 1st draft 400 words

Title: Evaluate to Motivate
Congratulations Fellow Supreme Toastmasters,

It is well known that evaluations are the heart of the Toastmasters program, and we have shown a lot of heart. Despite the fact that we are such a young club, I do not think it is any wonder our club won at the Regional level. A winner in both of the categories. We give good evaluations! And, we receive them. I notice that we coach each other not only on public speaking delivery skills, but on the effectiveness of the presentations themselves, content-wise and in terms of speech structure and development.

Remember what Paul S** taught us with his visit February 9, 2006? Be specific. And be honest, without being overly complimentary. Directly provide real, meaningful feedback. For sure after hearing his presentation, and then seeing him put his expert preaching into practice by doing an evaluation right before our very eyes/ears, I bought into his tougher minded approach. “I’m sorry if I went a little light” he said to me after publicly providing at least 3 or 4 specific recommendations I could take away, without making me feel bad about an effort I was personally very disappointed in.

If you truly want to help a person improve you must offer useful evaluations of their efforts. I thought he suggested we be brave in addressing opportunities for improvement, while also stressing the importance of diplomacy. I think we have all been sensitive to the fact that an overly harsh evaluation could cause hardship or harm to a fellow member but our invited educator that day reminded us that if you are too effusive or kind in balance then you deprive the speaker a chance to improve and develop.

I had suggested earlier we use a 3 to 1 did well to next time script, modeled on what I was taught for video coaching new Customer Interaction Models, and the Education Session made me rethink it. In the end my favourite approach is the one the Prez herself urged our Guest Education Session Presenter to define for us that day, the Toastmasters sandwich. You remember, packaging your feedback so that you acknowledge something positive up front, then get to the meat of it and provide your specific recommendations and reasons, the next time feedback, and on the other side of that you provide more positive feedback.

I say, keep those sandwiches coming! Our meetings make a healthy, nourishing lunch.



Contributor’s profile:
this writer was honoured to act as chairperson recently for the recent club International Speech Contest, and keeps a toastmasters-y blog, which you are welcome to check out at http://loguelikevogue2.blogspot.com/ (there's worksheets!)