AN EVALUATION LIKE NO OTHER
Hope Kansiime, Vice President
Education, Bukoto Toastmasters Club shares her experience
at the recent Bukoto Toastmasters Club Humorous Speech and Evaluation
Contest held on 5th February 2019.
The Evaluation
contest is an opportunity for Toastmasters members to test and sharpen their speech
evaluation skills before many people. Basically, a number of contestants
evaluate one prepared speech delivered on that day.
I have always enjoyed
evaluation, although others didn't appreciate it. Many people believe that
feedback has to be critical-pointing out each and every flaw.
They forget to package it with praise, thus leaving a bitter taste in the lives
of those they evaluate. This causes people to shy away from receiving or requesting feedback,thus perpetuating the culture of negative, and sometimes humiliating feedback. I was
therefore thrilled to join Toastmasters which thrives on evaluation that is
affirming, sympathetic and motivational. When I heard about this contest last
year, I knew that I had to be among the contestants.
I therefore prepared for
the contest by looking up notes and videos of evaluation contestants online, and
kept practicing.
 |
| Taking the risk,leaving it all on the floor |
On the D day, I
kept wondering if I would remember all that I had read. I was
also anxious because I realized that with 6 people evaluating one
speaker, it was difficult to say what others hadn't already said.
When I walked into the room, I realized that whether I wanted it or not,
the moment of truth had come. I saw the audience and it seemed as though
the number had doubled. As I walked to the front, I quickly
searched my mind to remember my presentation. Though, I had the notes in my
hand, I never used them because I was worried that they would confuse me as
they were too many. I decided to focus on 6 points (an introduction, 2
points on what I liked about the speech, 3 points on what I thought
could be improved and a conclusion where I encouraged the speaker to
go forth on her Toastmasters journey. At the beginning of
my presentation, I couldn't locate where the guest speaker was seated. Before
this could disorganize me, I recalled that one of the pointers I had read
online encouraged me to not only look at the speaker but engage the rest of the
audience with eye contact. This technique helped me to stay focused throughout my presentation.
 |
| Accepting my certificate as winner of the Contest |
I gleaned a few lessons
from this experience. One, it is important to note where the speaker is
seated before moving out so that you focus on both the speaker
and audience. I also learnt that while writing my notes, I should write them in
the structure I will use instead of writing too many points which cannot fit
in the 2-3 minutes given. I also learnt that in an evaluation contest, you do
not only engage one's listening skills, but also one's analysis skills. I was
thrilled to emerge the winner of the Evaluation Contest and I will go ahead to
compete in the Area Toastmasters Evaluation Contest that will
held at Naguru Skyz Hotel on 5th March 2019 at
6pm.
While evaluation is
an everyday aspect of our Toastmasters meetings and our
own lives, the preparation for a contest takes it a notch higher. The
competition snaps you out of your comfort zone. There are some pointers I got
through my preparation for this contest that will stay with me for the rest of my life. I
encourage everyone to join Toastmasters as delivering evaluations often and
with feedback from others, will impact all other areas of your life including
your workplace, business, and home, among others.
Want to come see me
fight for the title of Toastmasters Evaluation Champion in Uganda?
Come join us on 5th March 2019!
