Evaluations are a key part of every Toastmasters meeting. They help both speakers and evaluators grow. At Gilbert Toastmasters, evaluations go beyond feedback and focus on building confidence, encouraging improvement, and fostering supportive relationships.
Whether you are preparing for your first evaluation or competing in a contest, this guide will walk you through the process. You’ll learn useful frameworks and discover how to apply these lessons both in Toastmasters and in everyday life.
1. The Toastmasters Method of Evaluation
What makes the Toastmasters evaluation method stand out is its focus on motivating improvement and fostering positive change. The feedback aims to build confidence while offering actionable suggestions for growth.
The Sandwich Method is the most practical framework. It’s simple, effective, and works just as well in real-life conversations as in Toastmasters meetings. Here’s how it works:
- Start with praise: Highlight what the speaker did well to build rapport and encourage them.
- Offer constructive feedback: Provide one or two suggestions for improvement with specific examples.
- End on a positive note: Reinforce your belief in the speaker’s potential and express excitement for their progress.
At Gilbert Toastmasters, members adapt their evaluations based on the speaker’s experience. For Icebreakers, the focus is on encouragement, helping new members feel comfortable and motivated. With experienced speakers, evaluators dig deeper, offering detailed and sometimes nitpicky feedback to push them toward mastery. Both approaches ensure feedback is relevant to the speaker’s growth stage.
2. Alternative Evaluation Frameworks
While the Sandwich Method is the most popular, other frameworks offer unique ways to structure feedback. These methods can help evaluators tailor their comments to fit different scenarios and provide deeper insights.
- What I Heard – What I Saw – What I Felt:
This framework encourages evaluators to reflect on the content and emotional impact of the speech. It helps speakers understand how their message resonated with the audience and which aspects stood out emotionally. - Structure – Content – Delivery:
This approach breaks feedback into three essential areas. It focuses on how the speech was organized, the effectiveness of its message, and how well it was presented. This method helps pinpoint where improvements can enhance both clarity and engagement. - C.A.R.S. (Content, Audience, Response, Summarize):
Evaluators assess the quality of the content, how well it connects with the audience, and their response, and they end by summarizing key points. This framework works well in helping speakers focus on audience engagement. - M.A.R.S. (Message, Amazing points, Recommendations, Summarize):
This method allows evaluators to highlight what stood out, provide constructive recommendations, and wrap up with a summary of the overall performanceTAt Gilbert Toastmasters, members choose the framework that best suits the speaker and the speech. This flexibility ensures feedback stays personalized, whether the focus is on emotional impact, content structure, or audience response.
3. How to Use Toastmasters Evaluation Forms
Using Pathways evaluation forms keeps feedback aligned with the speaker’s goals. Here’s how Gilbert Toastmasters recommends working with these forms:
- Coordinate with the speaker before the meeting: Ask them to share the correct form and project objectives.
- Review the evaluation criteria: Understand what the speaker is trying to achieve.
- Use the form as a guide: Take notes on key elements like delivery and structure, and align your feedback with the project’s objectives.
Here’s how to use them effectively:
- Coordinate with the speaker before the meeting:
Reach out to the speaker ahead of time to confirm which project they’ll present. Ask them to share the correct Pathways evaluation form for that project. - Review the project’s objectives and criteria:
Take a few minutes to study the form’s evaluation criteria. This helps you understand what the speaker aims to achieve and which areas the form prioritizes for feedback. - Use the form to guide your feedback:
During the speech, take notes directly on the form. Focus on key elements such as delivery, structure, and content based on the outlined criteria. The form will help you stay on track and ensure your feedback aligns with the project’s goals.
This preparation makes your evaluation more structured and helpful, giving the speaker actionable insights for improvement.
4. Three R’s and Six Steps to Evaluation Success
The Three R’s of Evaluation are the foundation of effective feedback:
- Review the speech objectives:
Understand the speaker’s goals and the project’s requirements before the speech. This ensures your feedback stays aligned with what the speaker intended to achieve. - Reward strengths with specific examples:
Highlight what the speaker did well. Be specific—mention particular moments, techniques, or parts of the speech that stood out and why they worked effectively - Respond with practical suggestions for growth:
Offer actionable feedback that the speaker can apply. Focus on areas within their control, such as pacing, gestures, or vocal variety, and suggest ways to improve these elements.
Six Steps to Evaluation Success
- Prepare by reviewing the objectives and the speaker’s personal goals ahead of time.
- Listen actively and take notes during the speech on structure, delivery, and impact.
- Identify key points—choose 2-3 areas to commend and 1-2 suggestions for improvement.
- Organize your feedback with a method like the Sandwich framework or an alternative that fits.
- Deliver your evaluation clearly and concisely within 2-3 minutes, staying focused on your key points.
- Follow up with positive reinforcement if needed, ensuring the speaker leaves motivated to grow
At Gilbert Toastmasters, evaluators are encouraged to stay flexible and adapt their feedback style based on the speaker’s experience level.
5. The Pillars and Competencies of Toastmasters
Toastmasters fosters personal and professional growth through its three core pillars:
- Communication: Develops clear, engaging speaking skills for public and personal settings.
- Leadership: Builds abilities to manage, inspire, and guide others effectively.
- Mentorship: Encourages experienced members to mentor newer members, fostering mutual growth and learning
5. Real-World Insights from Gilbert Toastmasters
Guacy’s Journey to Area Competition
A great example of dedication comes from Guacy, who advanced to the Area level in an evaluation contest. Even when she wasn’t assigned as an official evaluator during meetings, Guacy would take notes and mentally craft evaluations. This consistent practice sharpened her skills.
Outside of meetings, Guacy and other members held small gatherings of 5-6 people, where they practiced Table topics and gave contest-style evaluations. This extra effort helped Guacy prepare and improve, showing that practice beyond regular meetings is key to success.
6. Applying Feedback Skills Beyond Toastmasters
The value of Toastmasters evaluations extends beyond meetings. For example, Vincent, a manager, uses the Sandwich Method to give feedback to his teammates. This structured approach helps him provide constructive, actionable feedback while keeping his team motivated.
Similarly, members learn that evaluations are not only about the speaker but also about how they receive feedback. One Gilbert member shared how they once received a harsh evaluation from someone who struggled socially. Instead of taking it personally, they focused on appreciating the effort the evaluator made. This story highlights an important lesson: learning to accept feedback with grace is just as valuable as giving it.
7. The Pillars and Competencies of Toastmasters
Toastmasters develops its members through three core pillars:
- Communication: Enhances public speaking and interpersonal skills.
- Leadership: Builds the ability to manage and inspire others.
- Mentorship: Encourages experienced members to guide and support new members
Evaluations help members develop five key competencies:
- Public speaking: Gain confidence and clarity in presenting ideas.
- Critical thinking: Analyze speeches to provide meaningful feedback.
- Active listening: Focus on the speaker to offer relevant insights.
- Positive reinforcement: Motivate others through encouragement.
- Leadership development: Improve decision-making and communication skills essential for leadership
Conclusion
Evaluations are more than just feedback—they’re opportunities to grow as both a speaker and a leader. Gilbert Toastmasters emphasizes practice, adaptability, and community support in its approach to evaluations. Whether you’re preparing for a contest or simply looking to improve your feedback skills, consistent practice and thoughtful feedbackwill help you succeed.
For more insights and examples, check out Gilbert Toastmasters’ Evaluations Page, which includes helpful videos: Gilbert Toastmasters Evaluations.
