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How To Take On The General Evaluator Role In Toastmasters

If you’ve been asked or have volunteered to become the General Evaluator at your local Toastmasters club you’ll already know just what an important role it is. You might have an idea on the tasks you will need to perform but if you’re not certain of all that you need to do, keep reading.

In this article we’ll be taking a close look at the role of General Evaluator and explain exactly what tasks you will be expected to perform.

What Is Expected Of The General Evaluator At Toastmasters?

The role of the General Evaluator is an extremely important role and the General Evaluator is expected to perform three main duties. Which are;

1. Help all participants during the meeting (otherwise known as meeting functionaries) improve their skills and achieve a higher standard.
2. Detail everything the club does well or could improve upon.
3. Serve as an important connection between different clubs (General Evaluators are often drafted in from other clubs to offer unbiased evaluations).

Responsibilities

As the title says, the role of the General Evaluator is responsible for evaluating everything that happens during a club meeting. The General Evaluator is also responsible for the whole evaluation team which includes;

• The Speech Evaluators
• The Ah-Counter
• The Grammarian
• The Timekeeper

You will be expected to explain the reasons for and benefits of evaluations to the group, make sure other evaluators are fully aware of their tasks and responsibilities, confirm the program for the club meeting with the Toastmaster and identify and confirm any meeting assignments with the Ah-Counter, Grammarian and Timekeeper.

You will also be expected to take notes during the meeting and report on all club activities by evaluating things including;

• Enthusiasm
• Timeliness
• Organisation
• Preparation
• Performance Of Duties

Give Feedback

Basically your role is to review and assess the whole meeting from the time people start to arrive, to the end of the meeting’s educational component and then make a report on what you find. Your role is designed to help individuals improve their leadership and speaking skills by giving structured, motivating specific feedback.

You should offer recommendations and commendations on what was said, how it was said and whether it came across well or not so well. Which means that before you can undertake the role of General Evaluator, you must have a clear understanding of what’s entailed by performing each of the roles at the meeting.

If you don’t know what’s expected of the other roles in the meeting, you cannot give an accurate assessment of how that role was performed or offer any helpful suggestions on how to improve on it.

Examples Of Feedback Offered By The General Evaluator

The General Evaluator should offer feedback along the lines of;

• The change from the Toastmaster/Table Topics Master was too long or at a good pace.
• The Toastmaster of the meeting did a good job of introducing the speakers effectively (or didn’t).
• The Grammarian introduced a word of the week that was helpful for members to learn (or was too difficult or obscure).

You will also be expected to ensure that evaluators offer feedback in line with the speaker’s particular pathway project. You should also only add to a speech evaluation if the evaluator didn’t include a relevant and motivating assessment and never highlighted the speaker’s strength or offer specific ideas for improvement.

You’ll Also Be Expected To Lead The Evaluation Team

At most Toastmasters clubs, the General Evaluator is also responsible for managing the evaluation section of the meeting. That means watching over the rest of the evaluation team. This includes; Speech Evaluators, the Timekeeper, Grammarian, Ah-Counter and Table Topics Evaluator.

Before the meeting starts, you should take charge of the evaluations by telling the evaluators exactly what you need them to do.

The General Evaluator’s Report Helps The Club To Fulfill Its Duty To The Members

Your report as General Evaluator should offer insights on how the meeting is structured, the overall protocol of the meeting and how well members have accomplished club tasks.

These insights should reveal an overall view of the performance of the entire club. This enables members to learn more while making sure that the club meetings are effective and efficient and show how well (or not) the club is doing.

One example of this was a club that never had anyone to greet guests as they came in. This was noted by more than a few General Evaluators and that club now has an official meeter & greeter who welcomes all members and guests.

This is why it’s a good idea to invite someone from another club to be General Evaluator at your club. This is because an outsider is more likely to identify areas in need of improvement rather than someone who has only ever been to your club.

Having said that, it’s a good idea to have a few practice runs at your home club first and before undertaking this role you should feel confident about your own skills and abilities. You should ideally have completed at least 5 speeches and a few evaluations as well as the role of Toastmaster before attempting the role of General Evaluator.

What Will You Get Out Of Performing The Role Of General Evaluator?

Make no mistake, the role of General Evaluator is challenging, but the benefits and scope for learning are immense. You can expect to improve numerous skills including, your listening skills, observation skills and your critical thinking skills.

Plus the restricted time limits placed on the role will help you to focus and express your ideas in a short space of time. Also it will help you to take back better practises to your club from other clubs you officiate at.

Common Pitfalls For New General Evaluators (and how to avoid them)

Although the General Evaluator role is a rewarding one, there are a few common pitfalls that first time General Evaluators sometimes encounter. One of the most frequent is slipping into giving full speech evaluations, rather than focusing on the structure and delivery of the meeting itself. 

It’s important to remember that the individual speech evaluators have been assigned that specific task, and your role is to assess the meeting in its entirety.

Another common mistake is running over time. It can be easy to become so absorbed in offering thoughtful feedback that you forget the tight time frame you are working within. Being mindful of the clock throughout your evaluation and pacing your remarks can prevent this from happening.

Occasionally, a General Evaluator might offer feedback that comes across as overly critical rather than constructive. Always remember that Toastmasters is about encouragement and growth, your feedback should aim to uplift, inspire and suggest improvements in a positive and supportive manner.

Some General Evaluators overlook small but important aspects of the meeting, such as how guests are welcomed or whether meeting logistics are properly explained. Paying attention to these finer details can make your evaluation far more comprehensive and beneficial to the club.

What Do You Need To Do As General Evaluator?

To perform the role well, you need to do a certain amount of preparation beforehand.  This not only makes it easier to carry out the role effectively and efficiently, but also saves you time on the actual day.

Before The Meeting

Before the meeting you should check on the way the meeting is run (this is even more important if you’re officiating at a different club). You can do this by going online and checking the club’s social media and get to know all about the club and its activities.

Log into Easy Speak a few days before the meeting and check on the format and agenda of the meeting and liaise with the Vice President of the club. You can also prepare records cards and get them formatted before the event.

During The Meeting

On the day of the meeting, you should aim to arrive as early as you can. Ideally you should arrive at least 15 to 20 minutes before the due start time of the meeting. Make yourself known as soon as you arrive and ask for the best place to sit in your role as General Evaluator. 

You will typically be placed at the back of the room with a table so you can make your notes. However, you can choose to sit wherever you like in the room, but it generally makes sense to sit at the back where you can observe all proceedings.

You will be expected to evaluate many of the roles performed at the meeting. Here is a list of roles that you will need to evaluate as well as some points to consider. They include;

• Club President
  What was the Presidential introduction like? Did it motivate, encourage or inspire? How was it delivered?
• Toastmaster Of The Meeting
  How was the overall time management of the meeting? Did the Toastmaster introduce each speaker to the stage promptly? DId they encourage and lead the applause?
• Timekeeper
  DId the meeting start and finish on time? Was the role of Timekeeper introduced properly? Were the reports accurate?
• Grammarian
  Was the word of the week creative/obscure? Was their report thorough but short and to the point? Did they count all of the filler words?
• Speech Evaluators
  Did all of the Speech Evaluators give specific and easily actionable recommendations? Did their evaluations focus on the main speech points and areas of development? Were their evaluations structured properly?
• Table Topics Master
• Did the Table Topics Master explain the importance of impromptu speaking skills properly? Were the Table Topics questions easily understandable? How was the transition between each Table Topics Speaker?
• Table Topics Evaluator
  Did each Table Topics Speaker get one recommendation and one commendation? Were the recommendations easy to action?
• Sergeant At Arms
  Did the Sergeant At Arms welcome guests, members and speakers? Was the room set up before the meeting began? Were the votes collected promptly?

As you will be evaluating the entire meeting, there are a few other things you’ll need to take note of as well. They include;

• Timekeeping
  The whole ethos of Toastmasters is based around a set idea within a set time. You need to check on the start and finish time of the meeting and if the meeting ended more than 10 to 15 minutes after the stated time, you should highlight that point.
• Meeting Organisation
  Is there a guest book available? Were you contacted before you performed your role? Is everything at the club clearly explained?
• Atmosphere Of The Meeting
  This can be quite tricky because all clubs vary from region to region. However, if you found anything that was really wrong or felt wrong, you should highlight it after the meeting but don’t include it in your evaluation.

To perform this role correctly, you’ll need to pay attention to the whole of the proceedings. Try to remain focussed and don’t allow yourself to get distracted. Particularly when speech evaluators are evaluating speakers. Try to keep your notes as short as possible.

How To Handle Unexpected Problems During The Meeting

Sometimes, despite the best planning, meetings do not run as smoothly as expected. As General Evaluator, part of your role is to remain calm and supportive when unexpected issues arise.

 For instance, if a key participant such as an evaluator or a speaker fails to attend, avoid panicking. Instead, liaise quietly with the Toastmaster of the evening to see if another member can step into the role or if the agenda needs to be adjusted slightly.

Technical difficulties are another common hurdle, especially when meetings involve virtual elements or audiovisual equipment. Again, your role is not to solve every technical issue, but to observe how the club responds and mention any helpful suggestions during your evaluation if appropriate.

If the meeting significantly overruns its scheduled finish time or if parts of the agenda are missed altogether, it’s important to highlight this in a tactful manner. Mention the importance of sticking to time schedules for the benefit of both members and guests, but always frame your comments positively, focusing on how the club can continue to improve instead of pointing out failures.

Above all, keep in mind that Toastmasters meetings are learning experiences for everyone involved. Showing grace under pressure and maintaining a positive atmosphere, even when things go slightly wrong, will set a strong example for the rest of the club.

Tips For Staying Organised While Taking Notes

Staying organised during the meeting is vital to delivering an efficient and well rounded evaluation. A simple but effective method is to draw up a basic table in your notebook before the meeting begins, with each functionary’s name and role listed in order. 

This gives you a structured space to quickly jot down observations as the meeting progresses, without scrambling for blank pages. Developing your own shorthand is also extremely useful. 

For example, instead of writing full sentences, you might note abbreviations like “GEC” for “Good Eye Contact” or “TI” for “Timing Issue”. This speeds up your note taking and helps you capture more details without losing focus on the meeting.

It’s wise to bring two pens along with your notebook,  just in case one runs out or stops working. Preparation in the smallest of details helps to keep you calm and composed, which will naturally reflect in the quality of your evaluation.

How To Deliver Your General Evaluation

When doing your general evaluation you need to be as efficient as possible. You’ll typically only have around 7 to 10 minutes to evaluate more than 12 different functionaries (this varies from club to club).

We have found the best way is to go through each role in chronological order from the club president to the table topics evaluator. When giving your report you should;

• Speak using the third person (he, she, they, him, her, them) when delivering your report.
• Limit your evaluation to one commendation and one recommendation for each official role.
• Make the report general if possible, if several officials could have spoken clearer, make that a general recommendation for the whole club.
• Make sure that your report is encouraging and positive.
• Be sure to be specific when giving recommendations to individual officials and include a brief example if you feel it is needed.
• Keep any comments you have concerning the club or the overall atmosphere of the meeting brief. You should elaborate on this to the club president after the meeting.

Sample General Evaluator Script Or Template

When you come to deliver your General Evaluator report, having a basic structure in mind can be extremely helpful. A good approach is to give one commendation and one recommendation for each key role, while keeping your feedback concise and motivating. For instance, you might say:

“John, our Toastmaster this evening, did an excellent job in creating a welcoming and energetic atmosphere. One suggestion would be to provide slightly clearer instructions when transitioning between segments to maintain the momentum of the meeting. Our Grammarian, Rachel, introduced a creative and accessible word of the week, which many members used effectively. A potential improvement would be to ensure the final report is delivered within the allotted time to maintain the meeting’s pace.”

Keeping your comments structured in this way ensures you stay within your time limits while delivering maximum value to the club and its members.

How To Introduce Yourself As General Evaluator

When invited to speak you should say something along the lines of;

Good evening Mister/Madam Toastmaster, fellow Toastmasters and Guests. The purpose of the General Evaluator is to evaluate everything that happens here this evening throughout the meeting.

During the meeting I’ll be taking notes on everything that happens as well as what doesn’t happen. I will evaluate every participant on the program and look for good examples of organisation, presentation, enthusiasm, delivery, observation and the performance of duties.

At the end of the meeting I will give my report.

Thank you Mister/Madam Toastmaster.

Becoming A Successful General Evaluator

Taking on the role of General Evaluator is a fantastic opportunity to develop your leadership, observation, and critical thinking skills within Toastmasters. While it may seem a bit challenging at first, with preparation, attention to detail, and a positive approach, you will not only fulfill your responsibilities but also make a real contribution to the growth and improvement of your club. 

Remember that your purpose is to support, encourage and uplift your fellow members, helping them to achieve greater success in their Toastmasters journey. Approach the role with enthusiasm, confidence and a willingness to learn, and you will find the experience both rewarding and immensely satisfying.

SEE ALSO: How To Take On The Grammarian Role At Toastmasters

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