Toastmaster

Toastmaster of the Day

  • The easiest way to plan the meeting is to use the agenda. Ask for it if you don't know it.

  • Review the schedule to see who has what duties. Then email the list to the group identifying all the people who have duties, what those duties are, and asking for confirmation. Try to do this as soon after the previous week's meeting to give participants time to prepare. Ask those with duties to confirm their availability and preparedness to fill the role. Ask them to confirm their availability with you. The lack of confirmation of roles is the biggest contributor to a disorganized meeting.

  • Although you should list the evaluators in your initial email and ask them for confirmations, it is the GEs responsibility to contact the evaluators and assign them to speakers. Communicate with the GE to make you are all in sync.

  • Speaking of the GE, they can be a big help in getting ready for the meeting.

  • If someone lets you know that they cannot perform a given task, ask them if they would try to find a replacement and then let you know who they found. You will have enough on your hands so that it's easier to have the member find the replacement.

  • Identify one TM member who is very experienced and can fill in for any role. Contact them to confirm they will be at the meeting and ask them if they can be your 'emergency' backup. If a member oversleeps or just doesn't show up, you can fall back on this person to bail you out without having to run around last minute.

  • For each speaker, the TT, and the GE, request that they provide you with an introduction. If it can be keyed to the day's theme, so much the better, but it need not be.

  • Remember to call the joke master after the last duty report. You can identify the joke master when you are asking people to explain their duties, but they usually won't say anything until the end. You do have the option to call them BEFORE the ahh counter though….

  • If you have to double up any duties, DO NOT give the ballot counter an additional duty that requires a report at the end of the meeting (they need that time to tally ballots, etc.)

  • When the meeting starts, be aware of any guests. If we have guests, make sure that the duties and purposes of each part of the meeting are clearly explained so the guest understands the various ways they can benefit.

  • Contact the TT master in advance and make sure they have AT LEAST 5 questions. You control the time of the meeting. If you have two 5-7 minute speeches, you have time for at least 5 TT questions (or more if some people speak for a very short time.) Please provide the TT master with the following lists:

    • All the members with no duties at all (so they will have at least one chance to speak during the meeting)

    • All members (and the duty) who have 'light duties (ahh counter, ballot counter, etc.) so they can be called on if there are few or no members without a duty.

    • Remind the TT that they should not be calling on members who are performing any of the following jobs: GE, TM, SP, or E. These people should only be called if all the other members have been called first – and then, start with the Evaluators first.

    • Remind the TT not to call on any guests (unless they are current TM members in another club or former members of our club.)

    • After the third question, expect the TT Master to look at you for a signal. Should they keep going or not? Look at your schedule. If they ask another question, will it result in the meeting going late? If not, go for it. Remember that we used to have 3 speakers (and evaluators) per meeting, so you should have time unless a speaker is giving a long speech.

    • NOTE: The spreadsheet the VPE has will generate a list of minor/no duty members for you.

  • Try to contact your speakers early in the week to give them time to prepare. Ask them which manual they will be using to create their speech (we want to encourage members to speak from the manuals.)

  • Introductions:

    • Your GE can be introduced with a standard introduction. (Remember that they will then introduce each evaluator.)

    • Each speaker should be introduced with the introduction you received from them (hopefully in advance.) You should then also specify the following:

      • Speech title

      • Manual used

      • Purpose of the speech

      • Time range

      • NOTE: if a non manual speech, there should still be a title, purpose, and time range.

    • Don't forget to send your introduction to the President to be used to introduce you!

  • Remember that the Sgt. at arms will start the meeting and call up the President of the club. That person will then call on the invocator. Following that, they will introduce you. Make sure you have sent them information for them to use for your introduction.

  • If you have to call on any members to fill in at the last minute, remember to update the member lists you give to the TT master.

  • If you are in a position of having to find a replacement because some member did not have any consideration for you, consider the following:

    • Use newer members to fill in for light duties (provided they have done it at least once before.)

    • Use seasoned members to fill in for more involved duties. You have a number of members who can perform SP, E, GE, and/or TT duties with little or no preparation. Don't 'waste' them by giving them a 'light' duty until you are sure your major duties are filled.

  • When you are done, you will return control of the meeting to the President who will announce the winners, bring up any club business, review next week's duties, etc. Your job is done after you call up the joke master.

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