Evaluations play a key role in developing communication skills.
In addition to the evaluation page from the manual, evaluator should prepare handwritten notes on a separate paper capturing details from the speech.
Evaluation is about active listening, critical thinking, and then compiling notes captured to develop an insightful, coherent, one-on-one conversation with the speaker.
It is critical for evaluator to capture specific details from the speech by taking copious amount of notes. These notes should help evaluator use specific details from the speech while giving evaluation.
At toastmasters, we have tools to organize the message, to learn how to listen effectively, to cultivate empathy, emotional intelligence.
Speeches and evaluations can help us cultivate this all.
Deven’s thoughts on this are in this video. (He gave a speech at his club in Orange, Paul Revere Toastmasters, to record this video)
[Deven’s note: I wish I had recorded the evaluation I got from Rich on this speech. If I did, I think it would have been helpful to post it right after the presentation. (Some of you know Rich, he came to our meetings a few times and gave ideas, feedback on a variety of things.) My takeaway from him “Deven, if I could think of one way that you can improve, and I don’t know how to do that … it is the way you conduct yourself. When you show emotions, they don’t seem natural.” So, that is a perspective for me from his vantage point. Thinking about it, I don’t show a lot of emotions when I meet with people one-on-one. It’s not right or wrong; it’s the way I am. So, it is my opportunity to learn and show more emotions if I were to connect with Rich’s of the world. I think the most emotions that I express is while I am coaching at toastmasters. I enjoy it so much; it puts me in my element. Maybe, I carry it around everywhere I go, whatever that I do 🙂 We live and learn.
The title of my speech was Perspective. I aimed to weave that, in conclusion, to reinforce it. In the flow of the moment, I missed it.
I am happy that the message did come through … or in the spirit of this conversation, I should say … so I think … 🙂 ]
Our two tools for prepared speeches and evaluations:
Feel free to provide feedback, ideas, your thoughts related to this topic in the comments section of this blog. We can learn so much from each other while talking about it.
