When you are the

General Evaluator

PRIOR TO THE MEETING

o Check with the Toastmaster of the Day to find out how the program will be conducted and if there are any planned deviations from the usual meeting format. Remember: always be ready when the meeting starts.

o Contact all of the Evaluators to brief them on their job and to tell them whom they’re evaluating and what evaluation format you will be using. Suggest each evaluator call his or her speaker to talk over any special evaluation requirements suggested in the manual for the speech.

• During the briefing, emphasize that evaluation is a positive, helping act. As conscientious Toastmasters, their goal must be to help fellow Toastmasters develop their skills.
• Emphasize that evaluations should preserve or at least enhance the self-esteem of the speaker.
• Contact the remaining members of the evaluation team to remind them of their assignments.
• Prepare a brief but thorough talk on the purpose, techniques, and benefits of evaluation (for the benefit of the guests). Evaluation is a positive experience designed to help people overcome weak habits and add power to good ones.

UPON ARRIVAL AT THE MEETING

• Insure the individual evaluators have the speaker’s manual and understand the project objectives and how to evaluate it.
• Greet all evaluators who are present. If an evaluator is not present, consult with the Vice President Education and arrange for a substitute.
• Verify each speaker’s time and notify the timer.
• Sit near the back of the room to allow yourself full view of the meeting and its participants.

DURING THE MEETING

• Take notes on everything that happens (or doesn’t but should). For example: Is the Club’s property (trophies, banner, educational material, etc.) properly displayed? If not, why? Were there unnecessary distractions that could have been avoided? Create a checklist from which you can follow the meeting. Did the meeting, and each segment of it, begin and end on time?
• Cover each participant on the program. Look for good and unacceptable examples of preparation, organization, delivery, enthusiasm, observation, and general performance of duties. Remember, you are not to reevaluate the speakers, though you may wish to add something the evaluator may have missed.
• Before table topics, you will be asked to stand and brief the audience on your team’s means and methods of evaluation. Describe what way and how your team will handle evaluations.
• Identify the Timer and Grammarian. Have these members briefly state the purpose of their jobs.
• Request the “Word of the Day” from the Grammarian.
• When introduced to conduct the evaluation phase of the meeting, go to the lectern and introduce each evaluator. After each recitation, thank the evaluator for his or her efforts. Wrap up by giving your general evaluation of the meeting, using the notes you took as suggested above. You may wish to comment on the quality of evaluations. Were they positive, upbeat, helpful? Did they point the way to improvement?