When You’re an Evaluator

Back to Basics; When You’re an Evaluator


Opening:
When we are scheduled to be an evaluator, we are responsible for giving feedback to a speaker on how their speech came across to us. Was it effective? If so, what made it effective? What about the speech could be improved? How would our suggestions improve the speech? Our feedback to the speaker is important. Our feedback is the foundation for the speaker making their next speech even more effective. As humans we all strive for continuous improvement.

Today we will examine:
1. How to evaluate a speech,
2. The responsibilities of the evaluator,
3. The importance of receiving feedback.

Body:
The Toastmaster’s manual on evaluation states, “Each of us is an evaluator. From our first cup of coffee in the morning until our last yawn at night we are constantly evaluating the people and things around us. It is hoped that, through this method of constructive evaluation, we may be able to improve the environment in which we live.”

“Your goal as an evaluator is to provide honest reaction to the speaker’s presentation in a constructive manner, utilizing prescribed guides.”

For the benefit of both the evaluator and the speaker, it is helpful for newly joined Toastmasters members to get some experience prior to evaluating more seasoned members. Newer members however can evaluate Icebreaker speeches. I believe they can become comfortable if they are just one speech in the manual ahead of the person they are evaluating. The information should be fresh to them.

Let’s get down to the nuts and bolts of evaluating. When assigned the job of evaluating you may want to talk to the speaker ahead of time to find out which project they are working on and what specifics (if any) the speaker wants you to look for.

I would recommend you confirm your assignment with the Master Evaluator to make sure your assignment has not changed. You may think this should be the speaker’s responsibility but if you want to be prepared, contact the speaker in advance to be prepared. Read the evaluation in advance so you are ready to listen to the speech and know what to focus on.

As an evaluator your purpose is;
1. To determine the effects of a speaker’s performance on you.
2. Give a description of the specific impact of the speech.
3. Provide suggestions for improvement of the speech. What could they do to make the speech more effective?
4. Your goal is to give feedback effectively. If you can get across feedback for improvement, you as an evaluator are well on your way to being an effective communicator too.
5. Remember you are not judging the person or the ideas presented, you are giving feedback on how effective you saw the presentation.
6. To encourage the speaker in a way that allows them to take something away to work on and improve next time.
7. Let the speaker know that your responses reflect how you saw, felt and responded to them not concrete rules of speaking. Our job as speakers and evaluators is to communicate effectively to each other and audiences.
8. If you are confused by the speech, say so. If you liked it say so and say what you liked about it.
9. Think of your feedback as open handed instead of close handed, “You could do this to make your speech more effective” versus “Never, ever do this!”

When the speaker begins their speech, stay focused on the speaker. Evaluating is about listening. I like to take notes during the speech on a separate sheet of paper and then fill out the evaluation form once the speaker is finished. I usually wait until all speakers are finished then I fill out the form.

When it comes time to give the evaluation, I like to review the purpose and objectives of the project the speaker was delivering.
1. Cover the points of the evaluation,
a. Point out what was effective,
b. Point out areas for improvement,
c. Point out how the improvements would make the speech more effective.
2. Was the speaker prepared?
3. Was the presentation organized?
4. Was the delivery effective?
5. How effective was the closing? If there is a weak part of a speech, it is the close. How well did the speaker close?

Speaking of feedback, a word about the sandwich method of feedback. Many people like this form of giving feedback. I don’t like it. The sandwich method is to put a point of negative feedback between two positive points like a sandwich.

I think of the sandwich method in this way. A speaker has completed their speech and is in a state of vulnerability. Using the sandwich method, the evaluator picks them up with positive feedback, slaps them back down with a negative comment and then picks them up again. For me it is too plastic and the speaker rides up and down and up again not really going anywhere. A good evaluation will inspire the audience and motivate the speaker to improve even more.

Conclusion
Being an evaluator helps us improve our listening skills. It also helps us improve our speaking skills as we must prepare and deliver an evaluation (a speech!) in a short period of time.

Being an evaluator challenges us to provide feedback for improvement in a way which will allow the speaker to improve their communication skills to be more effective next time.

It also challenges us to provide feedback in a positive manner.

When you get the assignment to evaluate a speaker;
· Be prepared.
· Listen.
· Give constructive feedback on the effectiveness of the speaker’s communication skills.
· Build up the speaker’s confidence and inspire them to keep improving.

This world of ours needs effective communicators. As an evaluator you can become one and help a fellow toastmaster become one as well.