Page 10 - voices.may2018
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COVER STORY
my interview clothes at home. I went dressed in what, I want them to leave feeling inspired to do
the only thing I could buy at the last minute— better, but feeling good that they had the courage
stovepipe jeans and a top that I hadn’t realize to give their speech. This rule #1 guides every
would wrinkle so much. I most certainly wasn’t evaluation I do.
going to wow them with my first impression! Now I always remember that it’s less about ‘what’ I
I had two strikes against me—I was a psychologist say than ‘how’ I say it. I try to couch ever sentence
not a pharmacist and I sure didn’t look like good with ‘I feel . . .’ instead of ‘you did. . .’ and instead
hiring material. of using ‘but. . .’ (which often feels like it negates
But as I stepped into the room, my magical everything that came before) I try to use the
Toastmasters cape of confidence slipped over word ‘and . . .’
my shoulders allowing my best self to step If I feel awkward about saying it, then I know
forward. They laughed at my sassiness and my it’s going to make the person receiving the
stories and hired me. Whether it’s standing in message feel awkward. But I also know there
front of my team to motivate and inspire them is always a way to say even difficult things in a
or giving an employee honest feedback (just way that still leaves a person feeling honored. If
another evaluation), or stepping into leadership I truly can’t find a way to say it that doesn’t feel
roles, Toastmasters has given me a safe place to awkward then rule #2 applies: if in doubt then
experiment and skills training that I could not leave it out, and if it’s important enough to their
have received anywhere else. And, it did that all future development possibly tell them privately.
for pennies on the dollar. For me the good old sandwich method works
really well. I’m also aware that I’ve only got
What do you look for when evaluating a around 3 minutes to create a truly delicious
speech? sandwich so I don’t want to waste any part of it
I’ve always found that merely telling someone telling them what method I’m going to use to
where they can improve without demonstrating evaluate them, or share my stories about how I
how it would look or sound if they did it relate to their content. I want those few minutes
differently isn’t much help. With this in mind, I to be packed with all the stuff that will make the
look for places where I can take part of the speech most impact for the speaker.
and re-do it demonstrating the alternative that I For my sandwich, I want two large hunks of
believe could have enhanced the speech. delicious ‘you-did-good-bread’ and just a small
amount of meat. I write down as many good
How do you decide what elements to things as I possibly can and then split these good
include in your evaluation? things into two. These will be my bread that
It starts with a reminder to myself that people sandwich the meat. I may have written down
may not remember exactly what I say when many bits of meat, but I’m careful to only choose
I’m finished evaluating them, but they’ll always two (maybe three) to use in my feedback. Very
remember how I made them feel, so no matter often I’ll choose ones that I think of as having a
10 ONE COMMUNITY
