It seems also that the worst thing about Toastmasters is evaluations. Because even the best evaluations sometimes yield suggestions for improvement that just don't make sense.
I read through last night's round robin exercise that yielded nine sets of comments (which means less than half the room bothered to put down even an 'Attaboy!). And indeed, there was a lot of food for thought and some stunningly perceptive suggestions. Those, I will cheerfully adopt. Yes, I looked down during pauses. And yes, I didn't milk pauses nearly well enough.
Some comments were contradictory. One kind soul suggested that I widen my vocal range more, to really drive home points of passion. In contrast, another club member fussed that I was often much too loud and had too wide a vocal range. In another weird pairing an evaluator demanded more emotional output while another suggested I had a moment or too that was too emotional. Go figure. In such cases, this still-inexperienced speaker must go with the weight of comments. Hence, I have been on the understanding from listeners that I already have a very wide vocal range and that I had a noticeable emotional shift. Fine: I will enhance those and build what I already have.
And then there were the comments that, I am sorry, I cannot work with. Here's one: I was advised I shouldn't call an audience of strangers "my friends". Gosh, it sure worked for Octavian in Shakespeare's Julius Caesar (i.e. "Friends, Romans, Countrymen"...). Perhaps I say "friends" too often? In my club, I am routinely told that this affectation warms my speeches. I shall take the risk and persist.
In any case, I have the challenge of a two-year Toastmaster in having the horse sense to know when to apply an evaluator's comments---or not. We know that in Toastmasters Country every speech can be improved. There is no perfection. But we also know that it is a fool's errand to listen to everything. Where is the sweet spot?
That, my friends, is the real trick of having an evaluation.
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