The Toastmaster of the meeting is its overall host, introducing all the items and linking them together.
Prior to the meeting
Study the agenda.
Decide if there is going to be a special theme for meeting. If there is, publicise it to the members.
Contact the Prepared Speakers. Ask for their speech details and some interesting information for you to use when introducing them.
Prepare introductions for each speaker.
Prepare remarks for the start and end of the meeting, and for between items.
Work with the Vice President Education to replace any speakers who cancel.
During the meeting
Preside over the meeting with energy and decisiveness. The audience want you to be in charge!
Do not miss anything. Items that are particularly easy to miss are:
- timekeeper’s reports
- requests to fill out comments slips
- invitations to vote
To avoid omissions, tick off each item as the meeting proceeds.
Create an atmosphere of interest and expectation for each speaker.
When introducing a speaker, it sounds good if the last thing you say is their name – enthusiastically!
After introducing a speaker, lead the applause. Then remain standing and shake hands with the speaker – to signify that control of the meeting is being handed over.
When a speaker has finished, lead the applause again. Then stand up and shake hands with the speaker again – to signify that control of the meeting is being returned to you.
Script
Fellow Toastmasters and most welcome guests. My name is __________ and it is my pleasure to serve as your Toastmaster this evening.
My 3 main responsibilities today are:
- facilitate the meeting
- introduce participants
- Finish the meeting on time
Before we start I would like to remind Housekeeping rules
- toilets – ladies/gents
- File alarm and fire exit
- mobile phones off or silent
Format of evening & Guests
We have a number of guest with us today (names and how many)
- Guest 1
- Guest 2
- Guest 3
Our meeting is divided into three sections,
- Mastering Speaking – Prepared speeches
- Mastering listening – Evaluations – each prepared speech is evaluated
- Mastering thinking – Table topics – where you have to think on your feet. 1-2 minutes of impromptu talks
Apart from the speeches, evaluations and table topics you will notice on the Agenda that we also have Functional roles – which help
- to run the meeting on time and
- have educational purpose
Changes on Agenda (if there are any)
At this point I would like to note some minor changes on the agenda….
Functional Roles
Now, allow me to introduce the members that will perform functional roles this evening.
- Our Jokemaster/Quotemaster for this evening is – _______, please give warm welcome to _______
- Our Grammarian for this evening is – _______, please give warm welcome to _______
Here at Toastmasters we shake hands a lot. Shaking hands has a meaning the new presenter accepts the responsibility for leading the next part of the meeting and is now the new focus for the audience.
- Our Timekeeper for this evening is – _______, please give warm welcome to _______
Toastmasters are an enthusiastic group. They express their enthusiasm with frequent applause. But sometimes this applause can be off-putting for first-time guests. Why exactly do Toastmasters clap? Applause is an important part of being a Toastmaster. It demonstrates: Appreciation, Encouragement, Recognition, Transition, Energy & Support. Therefore, please be generous with clapping this evening.
- And now I would like to introduce Ah Counter for this evening is – _______, please give warm welcome to _______
Prepared Speeches
Now let’s begin with part 1 of our Education Session, the Prepared Speeches.
When you become a member of Toastmasters, you are able start an education journey designed to your needs.
Giving a prepared speech provides an excellent opportunity to practice your communication and leadership skills, including planning, organization, and time management
Tonight we have _______ speakers
At the end of every speech, you can fill out the evaluation form in front of you, to give to the speaker during the break or at the end of the meeting. This is extremely helpful for the speaker, in order to improve on his/her next speech.
“Are we ready to begin?”
**** Educational speech – if there are any introduce the speaker *****
- Our first speech for this evening will be _______. who will be introduced and evaluated by _______, please give a warm welcome to _______
What a brilliant speech.
Madam Timekeeper, can you please give us a minute to fill out the evaluation form for _______?
- “Our second speaker for this evening is _______, who will be introduced and evaluated by _______, please give a warm welcome to _______
What a breathtaking speech. Madam Timekeeper, can you please give us a minute to fill out the evaluation form for _______?
- “Our Final speaker for this evening is ________ , who will be introduced and evaluated by ______________, please give a warm welcome to _____
This was an amazing speech, thank you ________. Madam Timekeeper, can you please give us a minute to fill out the evaluation form for ______?
Timekeeper Report
And now I would like to invite _______ for time keepers report
Just a Minute
Just a minute is a jam session where anyone and everyone is welcomed to share something that they want with audience and you have 1 minute to do this
Who would like to go first?
Break
And that concludes the first part of the Education Session.
We will now take a 5 minute break.
Please come back at __________ in order to start the 2nd part of the Education Session, Evaluations.
I would encourage the guests speak with our members to find out more about Toastmaster
Evaluations
Welcome back everybody. Now we will begin the 2nd part of the Education Session, the Evaluations. Public speaking and leadership are skills that can be developed and improved though feedback
- I would like to call on the stage the first evaluator ____________who will evaluate _______speech________________ please welcome ____________________
- Our second Evaluator is _______, _______will evaluate __________speech, please welcome _______
- Our final Evaluator is _______, _______will evaluate _______speech, please welcome _______
Table Topics
Now we are moving to the final part of the Education Session, Table Topics.
For that, I would like to introduce the Table Topics Master for this evening.
Ladies and Gentlemen please welcome _______”.
Table Topics Evaluator
Great Table Topics session, Our table topics Evaluator for this evening is ________ , please give a warm welcome to _____
Voting & Reporting
Now we are moving to the final part of the meeting, the reporting.
For that, I would like to invite the people who performed functional roles. Let’s start with Timekeeper’s report – please give warm welcome to _____
Ah Counter’s report. _______
Grammarian Report _______
General Evaluator
This is the learning portion of the meeting, where we find out what we’re doing well, and what we need to improve on.
Our General Evaluator for this evening is _______
Ladies and gentleman, please welcome _______
Closing
“Thank you General Evaluator. It has been a pleasure serving as your Toastmaster this evening and I hope you have enjoyed the meeting. At this time I would like to present our President [President’s Name_______________] for their remarks.”