Mastering Feedback
Gilbert Toastmasters Toolkit for Effective Evaluations
Must-see Videos
Designed to empower members in providing constructive feedback, these evaluator tools are your key to refining your evaluative abilities and contributing to the growth of fellow Toastmasters.
Be Objective
Focus on the speech content and delivery rather than personal opinions. Your feedback should be based on observable behaviors and speech elements (like body language, vocal variety, and organization), not on personal preferences or content choices.
Foster a Supportive Environment
Remember that giving an evaluation is also an act of service. Approach it with empathy, considering how you would like to receive feedback yourself. Frame your evaluation in a way that promotes a growth mindset, focusing on the potential for development and learning rather than fixed abilities.
Engage the Entire Audience
Craft your evaluation in a way that not only addresses the speaker but also provides learning moments for the entire audience. Highlight lessons, techniques, or moments in the speech that everyone can learn from, turning the evaluation into a mini-educational session.
Direct Engagement
Use inclusive language that involves the audience, such as “We can all learn from John’s effective use of analogies” or “Notice how Jane used her body language to emphasize her main points. We might try incorporating similar gestures in our presentations.” This approach helps reinforce the idea that evaluations are a learning tool for everyone, not just the speaker.
Speech Elements to Look For
Eye Contact and Gesture
-Whole-body movement
-Moving on purpose
-Meaningful movement
-Scan and talk to the whole room
Interest
-word wizardly
-Title
-Humor
-Staying away from cliches
-Hook Them
-Stage props
-Pause
-Audience participation
Comfort Level
-Own it
-Demeanor
-Energy contagious
-Authenticity and credibility
-Confidence
-Demonstrate authority
Vocal Variety
–Pitch, Pace, Pauses, and Projection
-Storytelling
-emotional contact with the audience
-multi-person conversation
-Gentle voice
-Style of the speech working with the content
Clarity
-Speech structure
-Opening, middle, close
-Clear and well-articulated
-Easy to follow
-Style of the speech working with the content
Evaluation Frameworks
Sandwich
This method starts with praising the speaker for something they did well, followed by offering recommendations for improvement, and then ending with another commendation.
Learn More
The sandwich method for evaluation involves three key steps: Start with positive feedback (the “top slice of bread”), then provide constructive criticism (the “filling”), and conclude with more positive feedback (the “bottom slice of bread”). This structure aims to create a supportive environment by acknowledging strengths, addressing areas for improvement in a non-threatening manner, and reinforcing confidence with further encouragement. It’s important to be sincere and specific in each section to ensure the feedback is meaningful and actionable, helping the recipient to feel valued and motivated to improve.
What I Heard - What I Saw - What I Felt
Evaluators assess the speech based on these three criteria, providing feedback in each category.
Learn More
The evaluation structure “What I Heard – What I Saw – What I Felt” is a reflective feedback technique focusing on personal observations and emotions. Start by summarizing the key points or messages you heard, ensuring clarity and understanding of the communicated content. Then, describe what you observed, including behaviors, actions, or non-verbal cues, providing a factual basis for your feedback. Finally, express how these elements made you feel, linking your emotional response to specific aspects of the communication or behavior. This structure encourages empathetic, personalized feedback that can foster deeper understanding and connection between the evaluator and the recipient.
Structure - Content - Delivery
The “Structure – Content – Delivery” Method is a comprehensive framework for evaluating speeches, emphasizing the organization, substance, and presentation style. Here’s a closer look at each component.
Learn More
Structure: This element assesses the speech’s overall organization and coherence. Evaluators examine how the speech is constructed, focusing on the introduction, body, and conclusion. A well-structured speech should have a clear progression of ideas, making it easy for the audience to follow. Evaluators look for a logical flow, effective transitions between points, and whether the speaker effectively sets up and concludes their argument or narrative.
Content: Content evaluation revolves around the meat of the speech. This includes the relevance, depth, and originality of the information or stories shared. Evaluators consider whether the content is well-researched, accurately presented, and tailored to the audience’s interests and level of understanding. They also assess the clarity and impact of the main message, and how well the speaker supports their points with evidence, examples, or anecdotes.
Delivery: Delivery focuses on the speaker’s execution and performance. This encompasses vocal variety, pace, clarity, and the use of pauses, as well as non-verbal cues like body language, eye contact, and gestures. Evaluators look at how these elements enhance or detract from the message, the speaker’s ability to maintain audience engagement, and their overall confidence and presence on stage. Effective delivery can significantly influence the audience’s reception and retention of the speech’s content.
C.A.R.S
Content, Audience, Response, Summarize.
It assesses the substance of the speech, its connection with the audience, the speaker’s interaction with feedback, and concludes with a positive summary to motivate further development.
Learn More
- Content refers to the substance of the speech, including its organization, clarity, relevance, and the use of supporting materials. This dimension encourages speakers to deliver well-researched, logically structured presentations that convey clear messages.
- Audience focuses on the speaker’s ability to connect with and engage the audience, taking into account the appropriateness of the content for the audience, the use of relatable examples, and the effectiveness of the speaker’s engagement techniques.
- Response evaluates the speaker’s ability to handle audience interactions. Point out opportunities for improvement.
- Summarize: Conclude with a brief summary of the evaluation. Reiterate key points and finish on an encouraging note to motivate the speaker to keep improving and experimenting.
M.A.R.S.
Message, Amazing, Recommendations and Summarize.
The M.A.R.S. framework begins with analyzing the speech’s core message, highlights the speaker’s strengths, provides targeted recommendations for improvement, and concludes with a positive summary to motivate further development.
Learn More
This method focuses on a comprehensive view of the speaker’s performance, offering a balanced mix of commendation and constructive feedback. Here’s how it breaks down:
- Message: Begin by discussing the core message of the speech. Was it clear and impactful? Reflecting on the message allows the evaluator and the speaker to focus on the speech’s purpose and its reception by the audience.
- Amazing: Highlight what the speaker did exceptionally well. Identifying strengths not only boosts the speaker’s confidence but also encourages them to continue leveraging these strong points in future speeches.
- Recommendation: Point out opportunities for improvement. Constructive criticism is key to growth, so providing specific, actionable suggestions can help the speaker enhance their skills.
- Summarize: Conclude with a brief summary of the evaluation. Reiterate key points and finish on an encouraging note to motivate the speaker to keep improving and experimenting.
The M.A.R.S. framework is designed to foster a supportive and productive evaluation process. By dissecting the speech into Message, Amazing aspects, Recommendations, and a Summary, this method ensures that feedback is well-rounded and actionable. It’s crucial for evaluators to be specific and genuine in each section, thereby making the feedback invaluable to the speaker’s growth. Implementing the M.A.R.S. framework can transform the evaluation process into a powerful tool for development and encouragement in the Toastmasters journey.
Gilbert Toastmasters
