Table Topics Master Cheat Sheet

HOW TO PREPARE TO BE A GREAT TABLE TOPIC MASTER?

January 28, 2016Arboretum TM AdminMeeting RolesTableTopics, TableTopicsMaster

When you are the Table Topic Master (TT), Your job is not to give a speech about the topic, but to let the participants talk about the topic. The following provides guidelines to that end:

Guests participation is okay, but the first preference should be given to the members who do not have any other role that week. To find out which members do not have any role at the meeting, be with Education Vice President as (s)he assigns the roles at the beginning of the meeting; we always seem to have some changes from the printed agenda.

1. You start with very brief remarks and then ask a question. It gets everyone excited about the time to speak, and a slight tension, too. Developing that tension is kind of a requirement to be a good speaker. Then pick a participant to respond to that question. Do not say, “Who wants to answer this question?” Following each table topic speech, deliver the next question and select the next speaker.

2. If you have not come to the meeting with questions, have at least three questions ready by the time the first speaker has finished his/her speech. Because sometimes there is a cancellation of the speaker(s) at the last minute, you might need even more questions. It would be nice if you and the Toastmaster of the Day decided on the theme of the day a few days before the meeting. Then you can come prepared with at least three questions.

3. Through this activity you learn how to bring several people to the podium/lectern, how to ask for the time for each participant, how to tell the audience about voting and how to turn the control of the meeting back to the Toastmaster.

Be Creative With Your Questions — And Have Fun!