Improving the process while overseeing the execution.

 

General Evaluator is a director and host of the third part of the meeting. 

Time: no special time limits, but you should plan your session according to the evaluation session time interval from the agenda.


Don’t worry, there’s no capital punishment during Toastmasters meetings. Unless, of course, the grammarian is in a bad mood:)



If you think of a club meeting as a project, then you can see the general evaluator as a kind of project manager. As GE, your responsibilities include:

  • Ensuring the speech evaluators know their responsibilities,
  • Supervising the Timer, Grammarian & Word Master and Ah-Counter,
  • Evaluating everything that takes place during the club meeting,
  • Making sure each activity is performed correctly.

Several days before the meeting, develop a checklist to follow during the meeting so you don’t have to keep all the details in your head. Check the agenda of the meeting either here or from the Secretary in order to learn the prepared participants and see time schedule of the meeting, in order to understand the ideal structure of the meeting.

As the General Evaluator, you’ll introduce Personal evaluators, Grammarian & Word Master, Ah-counter, Timer with their reports.

Please, contact them beforehand. Remind them of their assignments and responsibilities, the members they will evaluate and the evaluation format to use. Make sure the evaluators understand that evaluation is a positive, helping act that enables fellow Toastmasters to develop their skills. Point out that an evaluation should enhance the speaker’s self-esteem and encourage evaluators to prepare thoroughly for their role. Recommend that they call the member they’ve been assigned to evaluate to discuss specific project objectives.

You will get all the necessary emails from the special General evaluator reference email from the Secretary 2-3 days before the meeting. Or if you need these emails beforehand, please, contact the Secretary with this request yourself. You can learn his/her email here.

There are no special time limits for every introduction, but you should plan your session according to the General Evaluator general time interval from the agenda.

Your final task before the meeting is to prepare a brief verbal explanation detailing:

  • The purpose, techniques and benefits of evaluation so guests and new members will better understand the function of evaluations.
  • How evaluation works as a positive experience designed to help people overcome flaws and reinforce good habits in their presentations.

The Big Show

On meeting day:

  • Arrive a bit earlier.
  • Make sure all evaluators are present and that they have the appropriate speaker’s manual.
  • If an evaluator is absent, consult with the vice president education and arrange for a substitute.
  • Ask each evaluator if he/she has any questions about the project objectives to be evaluated, verify each speaker’s time and notify the timer if there are any changes.
  • Take your seat near the back of the room. This will ensure you have a good view of the meeting and all its participants.

During the meeting, use your checklist and take notes on everything that happens (or doesn’t, but should). For example: is the club’s property (e.g. trophies, banner, educational material) properly displayed? Were there unnecessary distractions that could have been avoided? Did the meeting and each segment of it begin and end on time? Etc.

Study each participant on the program, from the president's opening to the last report by the timer (you can evaluate the reports of your team as well). Look for good and less than desirable examples of preparation, organization, delivery, enthusiasm, observation and general performance of duties. 

 

The Toastmaster of the meeting introduces the General Evaluator after Table Topics session.

This is the time to give your general evaluation of the meeting:

  • Use your checklist and the notes you took during the meeting.
  • Phrase your evaluation so it is helpful, encouraging and motivates club members to implement the suggestions.
  • You may wish to comment on the quality of evaluations. Were they positive, upbeat, helpful? Did they point the way to improvement?
  • When you’ve completed your evaluation, return control of the meeting to the President.
  • After personal evaluators give their reports, remind everyone about the evaluation sheets for the speakers.

  • At the end of your evaluation, please ask the members of the Toastmasters community to evaluate our meeting and its participants with the voting ballots on their desks.


Being a general evaluator is a big responsibility and it is integral to the success of every single club member. People join Toastmasters because they have a goal – they want to learn something. The club is where we learn. If the learning environment isn’t focused and fun, members won’t learn what they joined to learn. Your observations and suggestions help ensure the club is meeting the goals and needs of each member.

And what do you get out of the deal? You get the chance to practice and improve your skills in critical thinking, planning, preparation and organization, time management, motivation, and team building!