How to Do Table Topics Master
Toastmasters is an organization that helps you improve your speaking and presentation skills. It also focuses on leadership training and techniques. When you join, one of the positions you can fill is the table topic master. This individual is responsible for presenting a variety of topics to the group and the members are required to respond in a certain amount of time. This helps the members learn to think on their feet and speak without adequate preparation. Table topics can be presented in a number of ways, and the only limitation is the table topic master's imagination.
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Instructions
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Wait for the introduction from the president of the meeting. The meeting is called to order by the president. The president will introduce the table topic master and that person will come up to the podium and explain how the process works. (Read on for details.) Each participant is usually given two minutes to respond to a topic. There will also be a timer present to keep time with a clock and make a note if someone goes over her allotted time.
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Determine what your topics will be. The table topic master is responsible for coming up with the topics during the toastmaster program. He should also have a format in mind regarding how the topics will be presented. Sometimes the topic can be one single word written on a piece of paper. The table topic master can lay out five or six pieces of paper on a table and ask each person to pick up a piece of the paper and respond to the word written on it. The table topic master can choose to ask a question and ask once of the participants to respond to it. A question may be formatted like these ones: “If you were running the country what changes would you make?" or "If you were starting a basketball team, what players, past and present, would you select as starters?"
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Call on participants for each topic. The table topic master can ask for volunteers or select someone at random. When participants come up to speak, the table topic master is required to remain standing at the podium until the first speaker arrives at the podium. The table topic master will then take a seat while the speaker is answering the question and addressing the members.
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Respond to the member’s impromptu talk. When a member has finished speaking, she will wait at the podium until the table topic master arrives, and then take her seat. The table topic master will address the members and provide some positive feedback to the members about the question just answered. This procedure will continue until all members scheduled to participate have spoken.
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Turn the program over to the Toastmaster. When the last participant has returned to his seat, the table topic master will provide even more positive feedback. The other members will be reminded to fill out their survey to determine which speaker had the most interesting table topic response. This is usually done at the end of the meeting. The table topic master will then turn the meeting over to the toastmaster, who will then continue with the meeting. Each meeting has a different person assigned to be the toastmaster. This person serves a role similar to a master of ceremony. At the end of the meeting, the toastmaster will turn the meeting over to the president.
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Tips & Warnings
Each toastmasters club is responsible for determining the order of the agenda.
There is no one specific format for running a toastmaster meeting.
