Feedback at Gilbert TM
Toastmasters Evaluations
Evaluations are the reason Toastmasters works. Anyone can stand up and give a speech. The difference is what happens after — when someone who was paying close attention tells you what landed, what didn't, and what to try next time.
At Gilbert, we don't do fluffy evaluations. We also don't do harsh ones. We do useful ones — the kind that makes a speaker walk away knowing exactly what to work on and feeling motivated to do it.
Read the room
Gilbert's Philosophy on Feedback
A good evaluator has emotional intelligence. Before you say a word, read the room. Is this a brand-new member giving their Icebreaker, or a seasoned speaker working on an advanced project? The answer changes everything.
For newer speakers, be easy and light. They just stood up in front of a room for the first time. They need encouragement and one or two concrete things to try next time. That's it.
For experienced speakers, be thorough. They're here to get better. They can handle specific, direct feedback — and they want it. Pulling your punches with a veteran doesn't help them grow.
The line between the two isn't always obvious. Pay attention to the person, not just the speech.
Pick a structure
How to Give a Good Evaluation
You don't have to wing it. Here are five approaches that work well at Gilbert. Use whichever fits the speech and your style — the structure is there to help you organize your thoughts, not to box you in.
The Sandwich
Start with what worked. Then what to improve. Close with something positive. Simple, reliable, and easy to follow for your first few evaluations.
What I Saw, What I Heard, What I Felt
Three lenses. What did body language and movement communicate? What stood out in their words and voice? What emotional response did the speech create? Forces you to be specific.
M.A.R.S.
Message: did we understand what the speaker wanted to say? Amazing: what did the speaker do well? Recommendations: where's the opportunity for growth? Summarize: wrap it up. Clean and thorough.
3-2-1
Three things the speaker did well. Two things to work on. One thing the speaker was amazing at. Fun to deliver, easy for the audience to follow.
Structure, Content, Delivery
A more technical breakdown. Best suited for advanced speakers who want detailed feedback on the mechanics of their speech.
Remember
This Is a Speaking Role
You're not just giving feedback. You're giving a speech about someone else's speech. Talk to the whole room, not just the speaker. What you say should benefit every person listening. The best evaluators make their evaluations engaging, even entertaining. This is your chance to practice speaking too.
Save the detailed, personal feedback for your one-on-one conversation with the speaker after the meeting. The verbal evaluation in front of the club is the highlight reel.
What to avoid
Three Traps to Skip
- Don't retell the speech.Your role is not "the speaker said this, then that, then this happened." The audience was there. They heard it. Evaluate, don't narrate.
- Evaluate the speech, not the speaker.Stay focused on what happened at the lectern. Don't get into personal territory.
- Don't be vague."Great speech" helps nobody. "Your opening story about your grandmother landed because you slowed down and let the silence do the work" — that's an evaluation.
What to look for
The Elements that Make a Speech Work
Not sure what to evaluate? You don't need to cover all of these. Pick the ones that stood out, for better or worse.
Eye Contact and Gesture
- Whole-body movement
- Moving on purpose, not just pacing
- Meaningful gestures that support the message
- Scanning the room and talking to the whole audience
Interest
- Word choices that surprise or delight
- A title that pulls you in
- Humor that serves the speech
- Staying away from clichés
- A strong hook
- Use of stage props
- Strategic pauses
- Audience participation
Comfort Level
- Owning the stage
- Demeanor and energy
- Authenticity and credibility
- Confidence without arrogance
- Demonstrating authority on the topic
Vocal Variety
- Pitch, pace, pauses, and projection
- Storytelling through the voice
- Emotional connection with the audience
- Multi-person conversations and character voices
- Matching the vocal style to the content
Clarity
- Speech structure: opening, middle, close
- Clear and well-articulated language
- Easy to follow from start to finish
- Style of the speech working with the content
First time evaluating
Tips for First-Time Evaluators
You're going to be nervous. That's normal. Here's what to keep in mind.
- Use a structure. The Sandwich or What I Saw, What I Heard, What I Felt are the easiest starting points. Having a framework means you're not staring at a blank notepad wondering what to say.
- Write notes during the speech. Don't try to remember everything. Jot down moments as they happen — a phrase that worked, a gesture that distracted, a moment where the speaker connected with the room.
- You don't need to cover everything. Pick two or three things that stood out and go deep on those. A focused evaluation is more useful than a list of ten surface-level observations.
- Be specific. Not "good eye contact" — but "you made eye contact with the left side of the room for most of the speech; try including the right side next time." Specifics are what speakers remember and can actually act on.
- Watch the evaluators you admire. There's no secret formula to becoming a great evaluator. It comes from experience and from being inspired by the people who do it well. Pay attention to how they structure their feedback, how they balance praise and suggestions, and how they hold the room while doing it.
- Talk to the whole room. You're standing in front of everyone. This is a speech. Make eye contact, project your voice, and deliver your evaluation like it matters — because it does.
Still not sure what to say?
Ask yourself two questions: Did I learn something from that speech? Was I inspired by something in that speech? The answers are your evaluation.
You have 2 to 3 minutes and 30 seconds. That's enough time to say something meaningful without dragging. Practice staying within that window.