toastmaster (online version)
The main duties of the Toastmaster are to coordinate and conduct the entire meeting, introduce participants, and act as a genial host.
At Croydon Communicators, the Toastmaster of the evening will usually be introduced by the President following his/her opening address.
The meeting is now in the Toastmaster’s hand to run according to the agenda and usually hands back to the President following the General Evaluator report (if there is a GE scheduled).
At Croydon Communicators, the Toastmaster of the evening will usually be introduced by the President following his/her opening address.
The meeting is now in the Toastmaster’s hand to run according to the agenda and usually hands back to the President following the General Evaluator report (if there is a GE scheduled).
Before the meeting:
- Communicate with the Vice President Education for a list of members scheduled to speak or fulfil meeting roles.
- Confirm any special theme for the meeting and any programme changes. Make announcements on the WhatsApp group as necessary to encourage attendance and participation from members.
- Familiarise yourself with the running order of the meeting.
- Take time to confirm each speaker’s speech title, project, time requested, and anything interesting to include in your introduction.
- Prepare an introduction for each functionary – this is optional, but it can be fun to pose a question to role players in advance of the meeting (on the WhatsApp group) and use their response in your introduction.
- Prepare remarks to bridge the gaps between programme sections.
During the meeting:
- Preside with sincerity, energy, enthusiasm, and decisiveness.
- Strive to begin and end the meeting on time.
- Lead the applause before and after each prepared speech or other speaking role.
- Ask for 1 minute after each speech and request that the audience provides a feedback sandwich (commendation / recommendation / commendation) directly to the speaker via the chat.
- Call for voting polls at three points: after the speeches, the evaluations and table topics. Polls will be launched by the President or Zoom Master.
Tips:
- Join the meeting early, this will give you time to address any last-minute agenda changes.
- In your opening explain the typical meeting format for benefit of guests i.e. prepared speeches, evaluations and Table Topics.
- Identify the Table Topic Master and encourage guests/members to volunteer for a table topic during the network break.
- Use the Grammarian’s word of the day!
- Don’t forget that you will have to mute/unmute yourself multiple times during the evening as you will be speaking between each role player, it’s easy to forget!