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Toastmasters Int'l
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What is Toastmasters?

Mark your calendar for the Spring Conference

Hosted by Division I, Friday and Saturday, May 30 + 31, 2008 in San Antonio.

Tips For A Successful Meeting

TOASTMASTER = Keeps the meeting running smoothly

• Start preparing as soon as you sign up for job. Talk to scheduled speakers as soon as possible.
• Have an agenda prepared (a theme is optional-talk to TT Master to incorporate theme topics)
• Follow UP!

Call, email, reminders to your people in your part of the program; Table Topics, speakers,

General Evaluator

• Introduce WAG first, so everyone has an opportunity to use the word.
• Build up the speakers, get their introductions ahead of time.
• Allow time to write comments to speakers, between speeches.
• Call for timers report and vote.
• Ask For Timer's report at end of meeting.

TABLE TOPICS MASTER = Provides impromptu speaking opportunity. 1-2 minutes

• Check with Toastmasters for a possible theme, incorporate theme in topics
• Before meeting, check the agenda and look around. Find out who is doing what jobs.
• Pick the people who have no assigned jobs FIRST.
• DO NOT CALL ON THE TOASTMASTER, SPEAKERS, OR GENERAL EVALUATOR.
• The shorter the topic the better -- 13-15 words at most.
• Call for the timer's report, and call for the vote.

SPEAKERS = Prepare!

• Prepare & practice speech
• Prepare a written introduction of yourself.
• Your introduction should include appropriate info for your speech.

Also include your speech title, the manual and speech number you are working on, how much time you need, and your objective (what you are trying to accomplish).

• Provide Toastmaster of the evening with your intro ahead of time.
• Find a substitute if you cannot speak on assigned night. Inform the TM.

GENERAL EVALUATOR = Evaluates everything.

• Follow up and make sure all your people (evaluators, WAG, timer) will be at the meeting.
• Help Find substitutes if need be.
• First, position yourself in the room where you can see everything that goes on.
• Bring up the evaluators right away. You need to evaluate the evaluators (not speeches).
• Evaluate everything - 3-5 minutes.
• Request WAG report last. (so you get a chance to use word, or screw up your grammar)

EVALUATORS = Evaluate the speech & presentation, not the speaker 2-3 minutes

• Before meeting (or call ahead of time) talk to the speaker & obtain their manual for the written
• evaluation.
• Find out what they want you to look for during their speech.

W-A-G = 3 Jobs in One

• Wordmaster - prepares a word for the evening. Provide correct spelling & pronunciation,
• part of speech, use in a sentence and track users for the evening.
• Ah Counter - or any other “crutch” words that people use too much -- “ah,” “and,” “so,” “okay,” “um,” “well,” etc.
• Grammarian - Listen for proper grammar - misuse of the English language. Or GOOD use of it. You can also compliment anyone on their proper and good wording.

TIMER = Times Everything

• Time the whole meeting. When it starts, the business meeting itself, and when it adjourns.
• Before the meeting begins talk to the speakers, get their times requested.
• Table Topics = 1-2 minutes, Evaluators = 2-3 minutes. Speakers = as requested.
• Most times you will be asked to count votes.

JOKE MASTER = Please, keep it clean

INVOCATION/PLEDGE = Be prepared

ALL TOASTMASTERS = PREPARATION

• Keep a “hip pocket” speech handy
• Collect a few jokes and keep them handy.
• Prepare a few words to use.
• Prepare a few invocations.
• Prepare some table topics questions
• Written comments - please sign them, so the person knows who wrote it and may want to ask questions.

Comments (good/bad) can also be given to anyone (Toastmaster for the Night, General Evaluator, Table Topics Master, speakers, evaluators).

• Never leave the lectern unattended.
• If you can’t complete the job assigned, it is your responsibility to find a replacement.

From Kathy Thompson ATM-B, San Marcos, TX