Guide To Meeting Roles

Each role in the club meetings gives an opportunity to develop leadership and impromptu speaking skills and Toastmasters International provides guidance on these roles but each club has its own variations and traditions. The following is a list of hints and tips for members taking these roles at Ipswich Electrifiers.

All members

  • State your role in the introduction so any confusion is cleared at the start

  • If you are completing the traditional education program bring your CL manual and agree with another member which project it will be evaluated against.

  • If the role is being used towards a pathways project (e.g. Active Listening) please ensure that the VPE is aware of this.

Toastmaster

Do

  • Check that each role on the agenda is filled
  • Explain clapping, evaluations and timing to new members and guests
  • Ask for votes for evaluators and table topics,
  • Collect and count the votes, sign and present certificates
  • Ask guests if they would like to comment on the meeting, be sensitive that some may be too shy

Beware

  • Giving too long an answer or story to your own introduction question – you will set the trend.
  • Making your transitions into an evaluation of the speech

Sergeant at Arms

Do

  • Check the room setup : hanging banner / pull-up banner / gavel / lectern
  • Check equipment : lights / stopwatches
  • Check refreshments are ready: Milk / Kettle or hot water ready for the break
  • Open the meeting at the start of each half
  • Check paperwork: agendas, voting slips

Beware

  • Doing all the above yourself – other members are glad to help

Timer

Do

  • Check requested time of speeches
  • Time all speakers AND ROLES
  • Provide times on reports for table topics and speeches
  • Embellish each time report with a short phrase or sentence

Beware

  • Evaluating the speeches

Wordmaster

Do

  • Make two copies of your word for display
  • Give a definition and example of your word
  • Correct grammar if you feel confident
  • Explain the role

Beware

  • Evaluating more than words and phrases used
  • Making the introduction too long

Table Topics Master

Do

  • Explain your role
  • Ask some experienced members before inviting guests
  • Ask guests but make it clear that they can say no
  • Count the votes and sign the certificate (work with the TM)

Beware

  • Having too long an introduction or transitions
  • Commenting on speeches (don’t evaluate them)

Evaluators

Do

  • Point out good techniques used with examples
  • Include a point for improvement
  • Respect your own opinion

Beware

  • Re-stating or simply summarising the speech
  • Providing too many points for improvement
  • Proving no points for improvement

Table Topics Evaluator

As per speech evaluator plus

  • Evaluate the table topics speeches either by the speaker or by topic (e.g. eye contact)
  • Remember to be encouraging to new members and guests, accepting the challenge can be a brave thing to do.

General Evaluator

  • Evaluate roles similar to speech evaluators

    • TM
    • Wordmaster
    • Timer
    • Table topics master (unless covered by TT evaluator)
    • SAA
    • Evaluators
  • Evaluate the overall meeting
  • Keep comments short

Beware

  • Restating earlier evaluations or speeches