Meeting roles: Tips and Reminders part 3

Table Topics Each week a member will bring a set of questions to the meeting, and ask for volunteers to come up and answer a question, on the spot. This exercise develops impromptu speaking skills, and is open to both members and visitors.

So much fun. Be creative with the way you do this role. In visiting a recent club the Table Topics master had a list of questions and had the members roll dice for the number of the question they would use.  They also threw in another option for "extra credit". That was they listed a few different accents they could use and it was awesome. One lady used the southern accent and it was awesome! Another member used the Rocky Balboa accent. SO much fun!

  Evaluators Constructive evaluation is central to the Toastmasters philosophy. Each time you give a prepared speech, an evaluator will point out strengths as well as suggest improvements. Receiving - and giving - such feedback is a great learning experience.

 This is a very important roll. Sometimes difficult when you have such good speaker. It is important to give positive feedback for sure but honestly we are here to try and help each other improve! SO be looking for things to suggest they can do better and some suggestions to take the speech just over the top in quality 

Quizmaster In Pioneer Toastmasters, we believe that listening is as important as speaking. The quizmaster will test how we’ve listened throughout the meeting by quizzing us on what was said during the course of the evening.

 Not totally unique to our club but not every club has this. It's important to listen as well as to speak. 

Meetings Roles Tips and Reminders Part 2.

Prepared Speakers: 

 The prepared speaking role,  Some might say,  the whole reason for the rest of the meeting.  This role of course has the most preparation involved as you have to write a speech and prepare to deliver it.  

 What a great opportunity and it is being offered to you courtesy of Pioneer Toastmasters.  All of the meeting roles depends on everyone of us to prepare and execute these roles so that we can have a good meeting. This, like most everything in our club, is based on team work.   

  I would offer this role is also perhaps the most cancelled out on role!   People get to that day and realize or feel I am not ready!  Sometimes that is legitimate they have not prepared.   Some times it is just an insecurity and a feeling that everything is not perfect so they are not ready.   I suppose we could talk at length about this but my challenge for all of us is to take these slots and treat them with respect!   Prepare and be ready for your speaking roles.    

 One last note:  Be ready even when it is not your turn to speak so you can jump in and fill that role. We use the term  “hip pocket speech.”  This in general is a good idea just for occasions like that where we could use another speaker also you might visit a struggling club and offer to speak!   It is all about getting that time in front of an audience and practicing speaking to get better at it. Also you might have something to say as well that someone needs to hear!   Don’t be selfish and not share that thing that someone needs to hear! 

 I can’t wait to hear you all speak and what you have to say! 

Meeting Roles: Tips and reminders

Meeting Roles

Many of us have been in Toastmasters long enough we are at minimum familiar with the the roles during a toastmaster meeting. Some of you are new and may not be. I would like to go over some things regarding  The Toastmaster, The IOG (Inspiration Outspiration and Grammarian) and the  Timer Word of the Day and Jokester today and continue this in the coming weeks until I cover all of the roles. 

Toastmaster: The Master of ceremonies for our meeting. I would challenge all of us to prepare for this role with enthusiasm and creativity.  As many of us have become seasoned toastmasters we probably just show up and jump into this role as we have the experience and basically know what to do. But a little preparation will make it even better. Perhaps some thoughts when opening about the theme of the meeting.  Before the meeting during the week ensure the speakers have entered their speech information on the free toast host website.  Ensure the role are filled and best case try to get members without a role to take the open slots before the meeting day.   Basically preparing for success for the weeks meeting. 

IOG (Inspiration Outspiration and Grammarian)

 I think this is a very fun role. Choose some of your favorite inspirational quotes and share them at the beginning and end of our meeting. This is often done with the theme of the meeting in mind.  The grammarian part of this role is where you will record the filler words  and grammatical errors and note the good usage of the language as well.   We have gotten away from using the clicker but I think we should get back to using it.  I believe it is very valuable to all of us to be notified of our filler words via the clicking sound while we are speaking. 

Timer Word of the Day and Jokester

  Timer is very important role in Toastmasters. I would challenge us all to be very attentive when conducting this role.  This role is important that it be done correctly. This is especially true during speech contests. Practice timing the way you would want to be timed if you were competing in a speech contest!  We all would want it to be very accurate. Word of the of course Day is an opportunity to introduce new words or one relating to the theme. The joke of course is an opportunity to add some levity to our meeting and is always welcome. By the way I think our club has especially proven that the joke does not have to be that good to still get a laugh. :) 

  I will continue next week talking about meeting Roles during the educational moment. 

Happy New Year Pioneer Toastmasters!

 Happy New Year Fellow Pioneer Toastmasters!  We started our new fiscal year as of July 1st. I trust that you as well as I will have a great Toastmasters year!  

   I wanted to talk about  scheduling.  As everyone knows it takes all of us to make our club and club meetings successful!  I am serving again this year as VP of Education.  Last year as many may recall and for the new people,  how I did the scheduling was I tried to keep the agendas filled in 3 to 4 weeks out. Meaning those roles have names assigned. I want for everyone to have enough notice to know they are speaking for example several weeks out so as to have plenty of time to prepare and yet not so far out that it is hard to plan for it as you don’t know for sure your plans that far out.   It is a balance.   

  I also try to have agendas with Themes assigned 7 to 8 weeks out so if you should want to schedule your self for a role or speech you have that option to do that. 

 So what I would ask is go into our website (Free toast host) ideally weekly but for sure every few weeks and review what is coming up for you and plan accordingly to fulfill you roles.  If you know. you are going to be absent any given week go in there and mark yourself as not attending that week. What that does is let me know you won’t be there and out also will not allow me to schedule you as it removes your name from the list! 

  In conclusion what I would love to see in our club is a culture of taking on these roles when assigned either by yourself or by me and taking responsibility for them.   For example if somthing changes and you can’t make a meeting, ask your fellow toastmasters to help you put and take it for that week.  

 So we talked about scheduling = 3 to 4 weeks out,  Open agendas where you can assign yourself 7 to 8 weeks out. When you know you are going to be absent marking the agenda as such.  Taking responsibility for your roles.   I look forward to an amazing year here in Pioneer Toastmasters! 

Special Occasions Speeches

Social or Special Occasions Speeches:

 

We have all probably been asked at some social occasion to say: "A few words".  Perhaps it was a moment that motivated you to join Toastmasters? I remember one such member,  that at her wedding, was put in such a position to say some words in front of people and was terrified. This eventually lead her to toastmasters to overcome that fear. 

 

  Since being in toastmasters some many years now I have had many occasions to speak at different social occasions and even lead entire memorial services for loved ones. I never envisioned that when I began my Toastmasters journey but it certainly made a big difference for me and the appreciation of many family members and friends that I was able to do this.

 This perhaps is something you may or may not have thought a lot about. Many times our emphasize is career related and that is our focus regarding public speaking.  

In the olden days of toastmasters their was an entire manual  about “Special Occasions  Speeches “ which addressed  Giving a Toast, Speaking in Praise, The Roast, Presenting an Award and Accepting an Award,   

 These speeches are no in Level three of most if not all pathways.  They are something we should consider being basically prepared for as we go throughout our adult lives.  The ability to communicate at social events is a very valuable and relevant thing in our lives. 

References:

https://d7toastmasters.org/beta/wp-content/uploads/2019/06/Pathways-Paths-and-Core-Competencies-11-Paths.pdf

https://www.toastmasters.org/magazine/magazine-issues/2016/dec2016/special

Distinguished Club Program

   I am always be impressed with Pioneer Toastmasters and the achievements in the Distinguished club Program. This will probably be the last time I talk about this for our fiscal year which ends at teh end of June.   

 Congratulations you all have achieved all of the educational goals and all of the other goals other than new members. 

  We are currently showing 13 members and we need 20 to get the distinguished award.   The last several years,   we have struggled to get the required number of members to qualify.  Never give up we have a few weeks to add the required number. 

Note: IF we get the 7 members needed to get to 20 we will check off the remaining new members goals as well and have checked off all the goals. 

No matter how this turns out,  well done Pioneers!   

Speaking Time Limits

We all are familiar that in toastmasters we time a lot of things. We of course time the prepared speeches, as well as Table Topics and Evaluations.  

  Why is timing so emphasized and why is it important? 

 

 Several years back I was in attendance to What we in the Air Force called an Senior NCO (None commissioned Office) induction Ceremony. This is a big deal for enlisted folks and among many things it is an opportunity to honor those entering the top levels of the enlisted Ranks. Top three as they are called. (E-7 to E-9 ranks)

   

  This particular year they invited a retired Colonel to be the keynote speaker. He went over his time limit significantly. It was very awkward and cringeworthy. I don’t recall exact times but it was probably close to double the time limit he was suppose to speak.  I guarantee the planners of this event did not forget this and it definitely went with this gentleman’s reputation after that.   This could be regarded as unprofessional and at minimum it was careless.  This caused the entire evening to run considerably late. 

This is one example of why time limits are important. I think that perhaps little more subtle is the choices on must make when taking your speech down to the time limit allowed. It causes you to focus on what is important. If you can not focus on all of the good things you had hoped to share what is most important?  

  Speech contests in Toastmasters are very strictly timed and if you go outside of the time limits you will be illuminated.  I watched,  one year,  a well known individual in district 26 exceed his time limit for the District Final contest.  He in the most professional way simply said it was my fault I deviated from how I normally gave the speech and I knew better than to do that. 

 To quote an article which I will link below, “Manage Your Speaking Time   By Diane Windingland, DTM"

 “Sticking to time limits is a signal of discipline and respect.It’s not just about following rules; it’s about respect—respect for the audience’s time, respect for fellow speakers, and respect for meeting agendas. Managing time well ensures meetings run efficiently and helps speakers practice delivering concise, impactful messages.”

There is much more that can be written or said about adhering to time limits but it is a very important part of public speaking in a concise and respectful way. It truly deserves the attention that toastmasters gives it as well as our own

Great article to read to go along with my quick thoughts on this subject;

https://www.toastmasters.org/magazine/magazine-issues/2025/feb/manage-your-speaking-time article to read along with my quick thoughts on this subject!