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Toastmasters
Toastmaster
Here is some information on the Toastmaster function
that may help you with your assignment as Toastmaster; you probably need
about an hour of prep time to do the following.
IN ADVANCE OF THE MEETING
Contact the Topic Master and General Evaluator to make sure that
they will be in attendance or are providing a substitute.
Contact the speakers and get them to commit to their assignment;
ask for time of their speech and let them know that you will
need a brief introduction the day of the meeting which should
include, the speech title, manual being used, speech in the
manual and a bit about themselves if they care to give it to
you.
In the event a speaker cannot make it; it is his/her
responsibility to find a replacement and get back to you. There
is an “on the spot speakers list which is part of the schedule
for those who will fill in as speakers.
You may have to call and e-mail the speaker a few times. Start
working on this part of your assignment by the weekend prior to
the meeting over which you will preside.
You can keep track of those who have responded by using the
printable agenda available on our website. Use a pencil because
in most cases there will be last minute changes,
look on the right hand side of the schedule page for Gilbert
Etiquette. Under the five
points shown, click on Toastmaster agenda.
It will be helpful to grab a seat close to the lectern.
There is also helpful information in your Competent Communication
manual—pages 67 &
68.
AT THE MEETING
When you get to the meeting, huddle with the General Evaluator and
the Topic Master to
make changes to the lineup like a football coach does when
adjusting for injuries.
Check with the speakers to see if they want the lectern where it
is, moved to a different
position, or removed completely. There is a place at the top of
the Toastmaster’s Agenda
for this information.
You will run the first half of the meeting and the General
Evaluator the next portion.
.
Follow the agenda: The president will introduce you. Make a few
comments about the
meeting theme. However, you are the manager and it is your job
to move the meeting
along. To do so you need to limit your comments to allow as much time for
others to speak.
The Topic Master should wrap up by about
7:30 PM, slightly later if
there are less than 3 speakers.
After your comments, introduce the functionaries ending with the
Topic master.
Follow the agenda! The agenda is tried and true and you will not
get lost if you follow it.
For the prepared speeches portion, follow this format:
1. Read the speaker’s prepared introduction. If a speaker has
forgotten his/her
introduction, simply introduce the speaker with, “Please help me
welcome, John Gignac !” LEAD THE APPLAUSE after you have introduced the
speaker, shake
his / her hand, and take your seat.
2. Ask the timer for one timed minute for the audience to fill out
written evaluation
forms. Remind the audience to remain quiet during this minute, if
you see this is
necessary.
When all speakers have completed their speeches ask for a
timer’s report.
After the timer’s report, ask members to vote for the speaker
“who has best met their
objectives” and pass their votes to the Topicmaster for counting.
After the vote turn control of the meeting over to the General
Evaluator and you are
finished for the evening.
You can find other information in your Communications Manual and
on our website under
functionaries.
Have fun and if you have any further questions, contact your
mentor, any of the officers, or
any other seasoned member for clarification.
First time Toastmasters usually stumble on the following:
Not following the agenda
Not communicating in advance with speakers so we have three
speakers.
Taking up to much meeting time with their comments (the guiding
principle of any
Toastmasters Club is to give everyone a chance to talk in some
manner).
Not communicating with the GE and Topic Master for a few minutes
before the meeting
starts to be sure they all have the same players in place on the
agenda. |
