Toastmaster Meeting Guide

So you are our upcoming Toastmaster for Monday’s meeting.   Here is a guide you can use to help you. You can also access it through Google Apps.

Guide for Club Meeting Toastmaster

Being Toastmaster of the Day is one of the most valuable experiences in our Club because these meetings are helping members advance in their communication and leadership skills.   This is an opportunity to strengthen your leadership skills and learn how to master running and facilitating meetings.  As the Toastmaster, your job is to make sure we have a successful meeting that starts and ends on time.   This is where you can practice your planning and organizational skills, along with your ability to delegate and coach your colleagues who are holding functionary roles at the meeting.  You also have the opportunity to be creative with the theme as the host for the evening.   If you have any questions, please contact the Vice President of Education.

Prior to the meeting (during the week) :

  1. The Vice President of Education selects the theme, but if you would like to modify or change the themes, please coordinate with the VPE.
  1. Prepare a question related to your theme that will help you to introduce your team: Timer, Grammarian, Ah Counter (if present), Table Topics Master, Speakers and General Evaluator.
  1. Confirm participation of every functionary and speakers by email, phone and text. You should have your program finalized with confirmations secured three days before the meeting.  This allows you to make any adjustments. It is the responsibility of members who cannot make a meeting and fulfill the role to find their replacement.
  1. Call and email each speaker to remind them they are delivering a Ask them to prepare an introduction. It is always important to have them include information that is relevant to their speech topic.

Also ask for:

  • Title of the speech
  • Speech Length
  • Manual Name
  • Project Number
  • Personal purposes to be achieved
  1. Prepare a short introduction for each member of your team besides speakers: Timer, Grammarian, Table Topics Master, General Evaluator. Do not hesitate to find out interesting points to introduce them properly, like their past Toastmasters achievements (inquire after any experienced member OR just ask the participant. A proper introduction is important to the success of each member’s performance. Ask each of the major functionaries (Table Topics Master and General Evaluator) to provide you with a short introduction.
  1. For your information, all the evaluators (topics and speeches) are under the responsibility of the General Evaluator
  1. Prepare the agenda (template available on Google Docs and the Website at pv174.org) Print the agenda.
  1. Make sure you provide the President or presiding officer your introduction.
  1. Incorporate the theme throughout the agenda. Come up with ways to add to the program to engage members and guests, as well as keep them interested. Keep the energy up by leading applauses and keeping the meeting upbeat.  Be creative-for instance if your theme is about “Chocolate”, you could incorporate interesting facts about chocolate and distribute chocolates and use them as decorative pieces for the meeting.
  1. It is the Toastmaster’s duty to handle the time throughout a meeting. Since the Toastmaster is the time handler, always check the time on your agenda. The VPE should work with you during the meeting to help you keep on track if you need support.

At the meeting :

 1.          Arrive early at the meeting. 

  1. Place a copy of your agenda in front of each table setting where the Sergeant at Arms has already placed the ballots and evaluation sheets.
  1. Assign someone to complete the appropriate project under the Competent Leader Manual.
  1. Check if there are any last-minute changes; (if so, inform the Sergeant at Arms to mention them prior to his introduction of the
  1. Meet with the Timer to confirm times and  for any last-minute changes.
  1. 7:00 pm, it’s time for the Sergeant at Arms to introduce the President.
  1. The President will lead the meeting and conduct the business meeting, after which the President will introduce you. The success of the meeting is now in your hands!
  1. Introduce each of the four support functionaries: Ballot Counter, Timer, Ah Counter and Grammarian.

Always lead the applause before and after each functionary describes their role. 

  1. The Toastmaster introduces the Grammarian and invite the Grammarian to explain his or her role; then you lead the applause and thank the Grammarian
  1. Introduce the Table Topic Master.
  1. Once Table Topics Master is done, they will be responsible for asking the timer to give their report. The Table Topics Master will also ask members and participants to vote for the Best Table Topics Master for the evening.

Always lead the applause before and after the topics session, each prepared speaker and the general evaluator.

Remain standing near the lectern after your introduction UNTIL the speaker has acknowledged you, shaken hands and assumed control of the meeting, then be seated.

Don’t forget, after each performer to lead the applause.

PREPARED SPEECHES 

  1. The Toastmaster will introduce each speaker (see template for more accurate details); mention the name of the speech.
  1. After each speech, declare a moment to fill out the evaluation sheet or ballot sheet for this speaker (if you mention 1 minute, then you will require that the Timer sets the chrono at 1 min and advice you by showing the red cardboard when time is over).
  1. When the speech period is over, ask for the Timer’s report and invite the audience to vote for Best Speaker

EVALUATION

  1. The Toastmaster will introduce the General Evaluator with a short but a little more elaborate introduction; applaud until the General Evaluator is at the lectern; shake hands; then you may be seated.
  1. The General Evaluator will : (this role is not timed)
    • usually have a short introduction;
    • call upon the speech evaluations; (2-3 min allotted)
    • call upon the timer’s report for each evaluator (not timed)
    • The General Evaluator will invite all members to vote for Best Evaluator
    • The General Evaluator will invite all members to fill their ballots and hand them over to the Sergeant at Arms who will tally them for the awards;
    • call upon the Ah Counter’s and Grammarian’s report
  1. The Toastmaster thanks the General Evaluator.
  1. The Toastmaster will call up the Ballot Counter and will unveil the names of the winners; (check if any ties)
    • Best Topic winner :
    • Best Speech winner :
    • Best Evaluation winner :
    • Best Improvement (it should be someone who did an outstanding performance – such as first-time Toastmaster or Table Topics Master, not necessarily a speaker);

The Toastmaster will end his or her session with a short thought.

The Toastmaster will return the control to the President by saying: “I now return the control to the President” then shake hands and applause.