The Gift of Feedback: A Toastmasters Perspective
- Kamohelo Makwela
- May 5
- 6 min read
The Value of Constructive Feedback in Toastmasters
There’s a moment in every Toastmasters journey where you deliver a speech, sit down feeling proud, and then someone stands up and gently takes it apart, thoughtfully, supportively, and thoroughly. At first, it feels like a bruise. Then, if you're open, it becomes a mirror.
That mirror is feedback. And in Toastmasters, feedback isn’t an afterthought, it’s the point.
Before Toastmasters, I thought I was a decent communicator. I’d spoken on stages, led team meetings, and given presentations. I knew how to sound confident. What I didn’t realise was how much I was relying on rhythm and tone, rather than clarity and intention. I wasn’t bad, but I wasn’t improving either.
Then came the evaluations. The kind that tells you, “You said ‘um’ 17 times,” or “You looked at the floor when you spoke about your purpose,” or “I didn’t feel invited into your story.” That kind of feedback? It humbles you. And then it sharpens you.
Let’s talk about that.
The First Time I Was Evaluated
I still remember my Icebreaker. Four minutes. Clean, simple, structured, and personal enough to pass.
I put effort into it. I practised. I smiled throughout. When I sat down, I felt like I’d ticked the boxes. My evaluator stood up and delivered their feedback with warmth and encouragement.
“You’ve got a natural presence. You’re clear and confident. Great energy. Keep going.”
It was a nice evaluation. Encouraging. Kind.
But I wanted more.
Because I don’t just want to be “good.” I want to be great. I’m not chasing gold stars, I’m chasing growth. I don’t want to leave the stage and only hear praise. I want to know what I missed. What I rushed. What I could’ve done.
That’s when I realised, I needed to start asking for the knit-picks. The little things. The overlooked notes. I started inviting people to challenge me more. To look beyond the polish and dig into the substance.
That moment changed how I viewed evaluation. I didn’t need feedback to protect me. I needed it to provoke me.
How Toastmasters Delivers Feedback Differently
Not all feedback is created equal. And most of us know this. We've sat in office meetings where feedback feels more like a takedown. We’ve received vague “great jobs” that feel empty. We’ve also given feedback that didn’t land because we lacked the skill to make it useful.
Toastmasters' changes that.
Here’s what it teaches about how to give feedback:
1. Start with Commendation (The ‘C’ in CRC)
Every evaluator starts by highlighting what worked. This isn’t flattery. It’s framing. You want the speaker to know they’ve done something right, to feel seen. You build trust before you redirect.
“Your voice has strength. I was immediately drawn in by your tone and pacing.”
2. Offer Specific Recommendations (The ‘R’)
Then comes the detail, what can be improved? Not “you need to be better,” but “here’s how you could elevate that moment.”
“You mentioned your grandmother, but didn’t show us who she was. Maybe add a short scene, a moment you shared that captures her essence.”
3. Close with Encouragement (The final ‘C’)
You leave the speaker feeling hopeful, energised to try again.
“You’re a storyteller. And with just a bit more vulnerability, I think you’ll create real emotional impact.”
This isn’t theory. This is how we do it every week. And over time, that structure becomes second nature. You don’t just speak better, you listen better. You give better. You learn the art of saying hard things with a soft edge.
Feedback Made Me a Sharper Speaker
At first, the feedback caught me off guard. Then it became something I craved.
Why? Because it made me sharper.
Toastmasters taught me that great speakers aren’t perfect, they’re aware. Aware of their tics. Aware of their strengths. Aware of the audience’s emotional journey. That awareness is built through repetition, and through being held accountable by others who care enough to point out what you can’t yet see.
Here’s what I started doing differently after a few evaluations:
I slowed down. Way down. My pacing was killing my message
I started pausing. Letting my words land instead of rushing to fill the silence
I stopped ending powerful thoughts with filler words like “so yeah…” or “you know?”
I looked into people’s eyes instead of scanning the floor or ceiling
I chose my opening line with intention, not just a “Hi everyone,” but a statement that sets the tone
None of these shifts came from self-discovery alone. They came from the feedback loop Toastmasters provides, and from being willing to take the notes seriously.
Feedback Made Me a Better Leader
Leadership isn’t about having all the answers. It’s about creating space for dialogue, accountability, and growth. That’s what feedback cultivates.
Toastmasters aren’t just for speakers. It’s a leadership lab. The same way we evaluate speeches, we evaluate meeting roles. The way we receive feedback as speakers mirrors how we receive feedback at work, in teams, in partnerships. And the way we give it? It can make or break someone’s confidence.
I’ve had to give tough feedback to team members before. Before Toastmasters, I often waited too long or watered it down. After Toastmasters, I started structuring my feedback with care:
Start by affirming what’s working
Be specific, not emotional, about what needs to change
Offer a path forward, don’t just critique, coach
In fact, I’ve borrowed Toastmasters’ CRC model for my own leadership toolkit. It works in coaching. It works in mentoring. It works in conflict resolution.
Because feedback isn’t just about correction. It’s about belief. When someone gives you honest, thoughtful feedback, it means they believe you can improve.
A Culture of Feedback
The real magic of Toastmasters is that everyone expects feedback and wants it.
We normalise critique. We create a room where evaluation is woven into the culture. That’s rare.
In many workplaces, feedback is feared. Annual performance reviews are anxiety-inducing events rather than ongoing conversations. People get defensive or disengaged. Managers avoid tough conversations because they weren’t trained to have them.
Imagine if we brought the Toastmasters spirit into the workplace:
Every meeting ends with a round of reflections
Every project comes with an evaluation, focused on growth, not blame
Feedback isn’t delayed for six months, it’s embedded into the process
People give feedback with kindness and clarity, not sarcasm or snark
That’s not utopian. It’s possible. But it requires leaders who’ve practised giving and receiving feedback in a structured, supportive environment.
When Feedback Stings
Let me be honest. Not all feedback lands well.
There were times I felt misunderstood. Times when the evaluator didn’t really listen to what I was trying to say. Times I thought, “That’s not fair.”
But even then, especially then, I learned something. If the feedback was unclear, I’d ask for clarification. If it stung, I’d sit with it. If I disagreed, I’d reflect on why.
Sometimes feedback tells you more about the evaluator than it does about your speech. And that’s okay too. Toastmasters teaches you discernment, how to filter feedback without rejecting it altogether.
And it teaches grace, because one day, you’ll be the one giving the feedback. You’ll remember what it felt like to sit in that chair. And you’ll deliver your words with that same blend of truth and kindness.
Feedback is a Leadership Language
The more I grow in Toastmasters, the more I realise, feedback isn’t just a skill, it’s a language.
And it’s one of the greatest gifts Toastmasters gives.
So, if you’ve ever feared feedback, or felt unsure how to give it, consider this an invitation. Not just to join Toastmasters, but to step into a new way of seeing feedback, not as a flaw-finding mission, but as a bridge to growth.
We don’t need more perfect communicators. We need more honest ones. And that starts with listening, with speaking, with evaluating, with evolving.
What’s Next in the Series?
If you’ve been following my Toastmasters journey, you know I’m using this space to reflect out loud, on what I’m learning, unlearning, and building. If this resonated, let me know. Share your own experience with feedback. Or better yet, give me some.
Because I’m still learning too.
