Feedback Speech Practice Session, June 3 / フィードバックスピーチ練習会 6/3

We held another special event, Feedback Speech Practice Session, on Sat., June 3. This special session was attended by a total of eight, six members and two guests.

Presentation

At the beginning of the event, one of the members made a presentation titled "The Best Takeaway in Toastmasters." Though we practice making speeches, we don't really have many opportunities to deliver a 5- to 7-minute speech in life. To the contrary, our life is a series of providing and receiving feedback. Practicing feedback speeches, or Evaluation Speeches as we call it in Toastmasters, is in a sense the best takeaway in Toastmasters. 

He talked about how to deliver an evaluation speech using an analogy to a course meal. 

Appetizers

Though the main purpose of an evaluation speech is to provide constructive criticism, starting with suggestions is not easy for the listener to swallow. So, we might want to start with appetizers, some compliments in recognition of what the speaker did well in their speech. 

Main dish

Once the speaker is ready, it's time to serve the main dish, your suggestions to make the speech even better. Yet, you might want to pay attention to make it easier to swallow. Some techniques you can employ includes:
1. Using "I-words" rather than "You-words,"
2. Talking specifically using some examples,
3. Using inanimate subject and passive voice ("be -ed" form), and
4. Using subjunctive mood ("I would have appreciated it even more").

Dessert

After you've made some suggestions, you might want to finish your evaluation speech with some dessert, some encouraging comments to urge the speaker to incorporate some of the suggestions you've made for a better result.

Practice

After Tenten's presentation came the main part. The participants listened to Kama-yan's prepared speech and discuss what was good and what could be improved upon in two breakout rooms. This was followed by a series of evaluation speeches delivered by each and every participant.

The final session was our usual Evaluation Session, but this time, two each form the two breakout rooms delivered their evaluation speeches for Kama-yan. Four evaluators delivered their evaluation speeches from their own perspective. It was great to see two guests delivered a beautifully crafted evaluation speeches with valuable suggestions. Wonderfully done!!

This was so fun and educational that we are doing a similar event this Saturday, June 10 from our usual meeting time, 2:00 p.m. The session is scheduled to last 90 minutes. If you're interested, sign up from the "CONTACT US" form on our website! You, too, will enjoy "The Best Takeaway in Toastmasters."

 

「Toastmasters一番のお土産」
今回はフィードバックをする練習会でした。準備したスピーチをする機会なんて実際の生活ではあまりありませんが、フィードバックの機会なら毎日のようにあります。それが練習できるのがToastmastersのおいしいところ。今回はスピーチへのフィードバック（Evaluation Speech）の練習を通してフィードバックの方法を練習しました。

最初にメンバーのTentenがコツをプレゼンテーション。コース料理と同じようにメインディッシュである改善への提案をいきなり出されても身構えてしまうもの。まずは前菜のごとく、良かった点を認めて聞く態勢を作ってもらいましょう。

次にメインディッシュ。スピーチをより良くするための提案です。ここでもスピーカーにとって受け入れやすいように、
１．自分がどう感じたかを中心に話す、
２．例を使って具体的に分かるように話す、
３．無生物主語を使って攻撃的に聞こえないように話す、
４．仮定法を使って仮の話として話す
などの工夫ができます。

プレゼンテーションの後は実践の機会。Kama-yanのスピーチを聞いてブレイクアウトルームに分かれて感想を話し合った後、参加者全員がEvaluation Speechを練習。その後、メインルームでは通常の形式のEvaluation Sessionとなりましたが、今回はそれぞれのプレイクアウトルームから２人ずつ４人がKama-yanのスピーチをEvaluation。４人とも独自の視点でのEvaluation Speechで良かったですね。特にゲストのお２人が価値ある提案を含んだよくまとまったEvaluation Speechをしてくれたのが印象的でした。素晴らしい❣

今回、とても良い学びの機会になったので、また似たイベントを行います。今度の土曜日（6/10）、いつものミーティングと同じ午後２時から90分のセッションです。ご興味がおありでしたらホームページの CONTACT US フォームからお申し込みを。「Toastmasters一番のお土産」を持って帰ってください。