General Evaluator in Toastmasters
The role of the General Evaluator (GE), in a Toastmasters club is one of the most comprehensive leadership and quality-control positions within the meeting structure. Often described as the "evaluator of evaluators," the GE is responsible for assessing the overall quality of the meeting, managing the evaluation team, and ensuring that the club maintains the high standards of the Toastmasters International educational program.
The Strategic Purpose of the General Evaluator
The primary objective of the General Evaluator is
to provide a "big-picture" assessment of the club’s performance. While
speech evaluators focus on individual speakers, the GE focuses on the
environment, the flow of the meeting, and the performance of those in
leadership roles during the session. This role is essential for the continuous
improvement of the club, as it identifies systemic issues—such as poor time
management or lack of guest hospitality—that might otherwise go unaddressed.
By taking on this role, a member develops advanced
skills in critical thinking, organization, and team building. The GE must
observe the meeting with a keen eye for detail while maintaining a supportive
and motivational tone, embodying the Toastmasters philosophy that "feedback
is the breakfast of champions.”
Pre-Meeting Responsibilities and Coordination
The General Evaluator’s work begins long before
the gavel falls. As the leader of the evaluation team, the GE must ensure that
all roles are filled and that every team member understands their specific
duties.
Team Confirmation: The GE contacts the
evaluation team—which typically includes speech evaluators, the Timer, the
Grammarian, and the Ah-Counter—to confirm their attendance and readiness.
Program Review: The GE collaborates
with the Toastmaster of the Day to review the meeting agenda and identify any
deviations from the standard format.
Evaluator Preparation: The GE ensures that
speech evaluators have contacted their assigned speakers to discuss specific
project goals and areas where the speaker desires focused feedback.
Leadership of the Evaluation Team
During the meeting, the General Evaluator acts as
a master of ceremonies for the evaluation segment. This involves several
distinct phases of leadership:
Introduction of the Team: The GE introduces the
evaluation segment, explaining the importance of feedback to guests and new
members.
Facilitating Speech
Evaluations: The
GE introduces each speech evaluator. After each evaluation, the GE may provide
a brief transition or word of thanks.
Managing Functional
Reports: The
GE calls upon the Timer, Grammarian, and Ah-Counter to provide their technical
reports on the meeting’s proceedings.
Evaluating the Evaluators: A unique aspect of
the GE role is providing feedback to the speech evaluators themselves. The GE
assesses whether the evaluators were constructive, followed the "sandwich
technique" (praise-improvement-praise), and addressed the specific objectives
of the speaker’s Pathways project.
Comprehensive Meeting Assessment
The climax of the GE’s role is the General
Evaluation report, usually delivered toward the end of the meeting. This report
covers everything not previously evaluated by others.
Logistics and Environment
The GE observes the physical or virtual setup of
the meeting. This includes checking if the club banner and timing lights are
properly displayed, if the room was arranged on time, and if guests were
greeted warmly upon arrival.
Meeting Flow and Punctuality
The GE tracks the timing of each segment. If the
meeting started late or if transitions between speakers were clunky, the GE
notes these for improvement. They also evaluate the Toastmaster of the Day on
their ability to lead the meeting with enthusiasm and professionalism.
Performance of Meeting Roles
The GE provides feedback to roles that often go
unevaluated, such as the Table Topics Master, the Sergeant-at-Arms, and even
the club President’s opening remarks.
The GE looks for:
Preparation: Did the Table Topics
Master have a cohesive theme?
Organization: Were the
introductions of speakers smooth and informative?
Enthusiasm: Did the meeting
leaders maintain a high energy level to engage the audience?
Best Practices for Effective Evaluation
To be effective, a General Evaluator must remain
objective yet encouraging. Academic and instructional texts on the role suggest
that the GE should avoid being "nitpicky" and instead focus on one or
two major areas for improvement while celebrating the club's successes.
The GE should use "I" statements (e.g.,
"I felt the transitions were a bit long") rather than "You"
statements ("You were too slow") to ensure the feedback is received
as a personal observation rather than an absolute judgment. This approach
fosters a safe learning environment where members feel empowered to take risks
in their communication and leadership.
