Andrew covers reasons to attend, reasons to compete, and ways to win.  A must read for anyone considering entering the evaluation contest this spring.

1. Connect with the speaker.
2. Connect with the audience.
3. Give one specific, actionable, and heartfelt piece of advice that will help both speaker and audience on their path.

Simplified of course, but critical.

Maybe time to start thinking about creating that app???

An evaluation that delivers much needed feedback to a speaker delivered in a poor style will not likely win a contest, and most likely will alienate the speaker. The advice will be ignored.

On the other hand a vacuous evaluation delivered with poise and panache will give you a fantastic chance of winning a contest, but will be of little benefit to the speaker.

Clearly, style AND substance would be preferred. It is quite a challenge to deliver an effective evaluation with style, but it is possible. This should win any contest, but sometimes does not. Why?

I believe that you need to have style and substance that are congruent with each other. Your presentation style needs to match the content. If you suggest having bigger gestures, your gestures should be bigger, but not uncomfortably so. In other words, if you wouldn’t take your own advice, why are you giving it?

Now, there’s an argument for needing to give advice to internalize it ourselves. I have done this and it is a great mechanism for personal improvement. Just don’t expect to win higher level contests if you don’t talk the talk yourself.

The scalable, profitable strategy is to change the game, not to become the most average.

If you want to become the best speaker you can be, you need to stop doing what everyone else does.  A New Year is fast approaching.  Use 2010 as an opportunity to redefine yourself.  Here are some ideas:

1. Compete in all the Toastmasters contests.  Yes, even Table Topics.
2. Prepare.  Prepare your speech.  Prepare for the contests.  Talk to the speaker before the meeting.
3. Join an advanced club.  Start a new club that pushes the envelope.
4. Present outside your club.  At a job group, Kiwana’s, Rotary, etc.
5. Push the limits of all of the Toastmaster roles.  Act out the Quote of the Day, do a backwards meeting, etc.

You left your comfort zone when you joined Toastmasters.  You regained it by being a member for a year or two.  Now is the time to push the envelope again.  Join me, and have fun!

Question: How has Toastmasters and more specifically evaluations helped you with being a professional speech coach?

It has made me an active listener, taught me to critique on the fly, and exposed me to a large diversity of both speaking styles and audience needs. The broader one’s experience, the greater help they can be as a coach.

Question: What skills does a speech coach need to possess and why?

A coach must be able to discern what is inside the speaker, and be able to coach them to bring what’s inside out to an audience in the way the audience needs to hear, it, as opposed to how the speaker wants to say it. Coaching is a balancing act of ego and efficiency , listening and communicating, guiding and inspiring. Coaching is sales – your client must want to buy what you’re saying. Once you know how they like to buy, you can sell them all the way to the highest stages.

About Rich Hopkins

In addition to finishing 3rd in the 2006 WCPS, Rich has been a 5 time District Evaluation Contest Finalist, winning 3 of those 5 times.  He has been a Toastmaster for over 10 years and has expanded significantly on Toastmaster evaluation theory as a professional speaker and presentations coach.

Visit Rich’s blog to see his current progress towards making it a 3rd time to the WCPS and also follow Rich on Twitter.

Question: How would a Toastmaster improve their evaluation skills?

1. Evaluating every chance you get.
2. Taking  notes on speakers they are not evaluating, and comparing them to what their evaluator says.
3. Trying different note techniques – there are several templates available on the internet  – or make your own.
4. Record your evaluations. You’ll be amazed at what you said, and what you didn’t.
5. Going to other clubs to evaluate speakers they are not familiar with.
6. Competing in the Evaluation Contests.

About Rich Hopkins

In addition to finishing 3rd in the 2006 WCPS, Rich has been a 5 time District Evaluation Contest Finalist, winning 3 of those 5 times.  He has been a Toastmaster for over 10 years and has expanded significantly on Toastmaster evaluation theory as a professional speaker and presentations coach.

Visit Rich’s blog to see his current progress towards making it a 3rd time to the WCPS and also follow Rich on Twitter.

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Why Compete?

Question: What is the difference between a good evaluation and a great evaluation?

A good evaluation covers basics, follows the manual, and encourages  the speaker. This is the least any evaluation should do.

A great evaluation shows, not just tells, a speaker what they can improve on the next time, and gives the speaker enthusiasm to speak again. It also reinforces what they are doing well, leaving them more open to the constructive criticism provided. I often demonstrate to the speaker how I would have used my voice differently, or show them on the same stage where their gestures and body movements could have strengthened their speech.

About Rich Hopkins

In addition to finishing 3rd in the 2006 WCPS, Rich has been a 5 time District Evaluation Contest Finalist, winning 3 of those 5 times.  He has been a Toastmaster for over 10 years and has expanded significantly on Toastmaster evaluation theory as a professional speaker and presentations coach.

Visit Rich’s blog to see his current progress towards making it a 3rd time to the WCPS and also follow Rich on Twitter.

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Interview with Colin William

Question: Were you comfortable evaluating when you first joined Toastmasters?

I was comfortable, but not necessarily effective.

Several years of drama experience in college, watching the directors, dealing with rehearsals, gave me a keen eye for performance     technique. In addition, the graphic design program I was in required regular presentations and evaluations in the classroom on a weekly basis.

It was when I went beyond critiquing technical aspects, and towards helping speakers find more of themselves through technique, that     my evaluations had more impact. If speakers must care about their audience, evaluators must care about their speakers.

Question: What helped you become comfortable as an evaluator?

Becoming a comfortable evaluator is similar to becoming a comfortable speaker. Know your audience – ask your speaker what they need from you beyond the manual guidelines. What are they trying to accomplish.

Stage time – evaluate often, and enter the contests. Even just attending evaluation contests, one gets the opportunity to see top-notch evaluators, and witness the different styles and approaches of each on the same speech.

Accepting that I couldn’t say EVERYTHING in an evaluation. Write more in the manuals, and talk with your speaker afterwards if need be.

About Rich Hopkins

In addition to finishing 3rd in the 2006 WCPS, Rich has been a 5 time District Evaluation Contest Finalist, winning 3 of those 5 times.  He has been a Toastmaster for over 10 years and has expanded significantly on Toastmaster evaluation theory as a professional speaker and presentations coach.

Visit Rich’s blog to see his current progress towards making it a 3rd time to the WCPS and also follow Rich on Twitter.

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What is your intent?

Question: How would you describe evaluations to someone who has never been to a Toastmaster meeting?

An evaluation is an opportunity to hear an individual give you their opinion of your speech delivery in a direct, yet supportive manner. The absence of back and forth discussion provides  the evaluator an opportunity to fully express  several thoughts in a short amount of time. The goal for the evaluator is to single out items to praise and reinforce, as well as identify areas of improvement based on the experience level of the speaker.

For the speaker being evaluated, it is an opportunity to practice discernment. Determining which advice is sound vs. which advice may not apply is a valuable life tool, as well as speaking skill. In the end, it is the speakers job to do what they wish with feedback given.

For others in the room, it becomes an exercise in listening – and applying someone else’s evaluation to their own speaking. A great opportunity to learn from other mis-steps and magnificence.

About Rich Hopkins

In addition to finishing 3rd in the 2006 WCPS, Rich has been a 5 time District Evaluation Contest Finalist, winning 3 of those 5 times.  He has been a Toastmaster for over 10 years and has expanded significantly on Toastmaster evaluation theory as a professional speaker and presentations coach.

Visit Rich’s blog to see his current progress towards making it a 3rd time to the WCPS and also follow Rich on Twitter.

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Who learns from a Toastmaster speech?