Page 25 - Voices April 2018
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away from Toastmasters with my feedback again,
and fawns and bunnies started dancing to a
Disney tune. Nope. Didn’t happen.
I did change my approach to feedback. I
joined an advanced club. I geared my feedback
to the level of the speaker I was evaluating.
I stayed away from harsh feedback, but I
gave experienced speakers a point by point
analysis of how to improve their speech. Those at the same time—at every level of speaking
speakers appreciated the attention to detail, the proficiency.
description of their nervous tics while speaking, I’ve changed my approach to evaluation again.
and the suggestions to improve. I thought I’d My new method is to evaluate every speaker
figured out the evaluation formula! Hooray! based on everyone in the room. Oh, I am still
But my evaluations were still turning away analytical and look for ways the speaker can
potential members from my new club. Beginning improve. What changed is how I do my verbal
speakers were intimidated by the level of the evaluations. I work at presenting a universal
speaking and evaluating in the club. Guest and balanced evaluation in front of the club.
comments at the end of the meetings were very An evaluation that instructs, inspires, and does
informative. not intimidate. I want visitors to hear care and
“I don’t think I could join this club, I’m not concern for every speaker in every one of my
that good of a speaker. This is clearly an advanced evaluations. I want them to feel comfortable
club. Someday I might want that type of an coming back to the club because the environment
evaluation, but not now! I’m still too nervous to is safe and supportive—a place to grow as a
get up in front of people and speak. I’ll go find speaker. After my evaluations I offer the speaker
a beginning club to try out.” additional feedback—a more in depth analysis
That club is Feedbackers Toastmasters, and we —in a one-on-one environment.
were happy to receive such great compliments. I This is a new venture for me. I’ll need lots of
was elated to think others saw I was an advanced feedback to find out if I have the right approach.
evaluator. It was a feather in our cap, but the I encourage you to find the right approach for
bottom line was; the club wasn’t attracting new you and your club. Are your evaluations too
members. We were too advanced, too good, too harsh, too fluffy, or too intimidating? Listen to
professional, too unapproachable. We were also what your visitors have to say. Are they walking
too small. Visitors weren’t becoming members— out the door—never to come back—because of
feedback was still driving them away. the evaluations? If so, maybe a new approach to
The light of understanding broke through feedback is needed. Every club is different. Look
upon me; I was evaluating at either end of the at yours to find out how to make it better. What
spectrum—at the extremes. Too harsh at first— is your feedback saying about your club?
too advanced later on. I needed to move to the James Wantz joined Toastmasters in 2008. He is a
middle and find balance. I needed to evaluate as member of New Horizons and Feedbackers. This year
if I were speaking to every member of the club he is serving as District 7 Public Relations Manager.
VOICES! | APRIL, 2018 25
