The Role of Toastmaster
Please note that the information contained on this page may include links only accessible by WEHOT club members.About Toastmaster-of-the-Day
As Toastmaster-of-the-Day, you are the meeting's director and host.
You are responsible for:
setting the meeting tone.
sparking interest and excitement.
creating a welcoming and fun environment!
The role of Toastmaster improves organizational skills, time management skills and public speaking skills.
As Toastmaster-of-the-Day, you are responsible for leading the planning and execution of your assigned meeting. You will work with the Vice President Education and your meeting team to ensure a successful meeting. Your meeting team includes the General Evaluator, Speakers, Humorist/Inspirer, and Topicsmaster.
This role is one of the most valuable experiences in your club work. The assignment requires careful preparation in order to run a smooth meeting.
To that end, please consider the recommendations below, which can help you and the meeting participants gain the most value from the experience.
Review
Review the tips and suggestions for the Toastmaster role that follow - before, during and after the meeting.
Recognize
Understand how your meeting role contributes to the learning experience for other members.
Reference
Make use of the checklists and other resources referenced on this page to plan and execute the meeting.
The online agenda includes email functionality so you can easily communicate with club members and your meeting team.
Ensure they understand the agenda and their meeting roles (encourage the General Evaluator to do the same with the evaluation team).
Find members to fill open roles.
Familiarize yourself with the Speakers.
Ensure they update the agenda with their manual/project and speech title no later than the Friday which immediately precedes the meeting for which you’ll be Toastmaster.
Encourage them to update the agenda with the Speech Introduction for you to use to welcome the Speaker to the podium.
Check out Toastmasters International's quick tips for introducing speakers.
Plan the meeting
Decide the meeting theme and add it to the online agenda (click here for step-by-step instructions).
Communicate the theme that you’ve chosen so the other meeting members can apply it in their planning.
Check with the vice president education to find out if there are any program changes.
Find members to fill open roles.
Call the Topicsmaster to discuss his or her duties. Also provide the Topicsmaster with a list of program participants to ensure these people will not be called on for responses.
Call all speakers in advance to remind them that they are speaking. Interview them to find out their speech title, project details, purpose to be achieved, time requested and something interesting which you can use when introducing them (job, family, hobbies, education, why this topic for this audience, etc.).
Call the General Evaluator to confirm the assignment. Ask the General Evaluator to call the other members of the evaluation team (speech evaluators, leadership evaluators, Topicsmaster, timer, grammarian, Ah-Counter, etc.) and remind them of their responsibilities.
Prepare introductions for each speaker. A proper introduction is important to the success of the speaker's presentation.
Prepare remarks which can be used to bridge the gaps between program segments and speakers. You may never use them, but you should be prepared to avoid possibly awkward periods of silence.
Send your introduction to the meeting's presiding officer.
At the meeting
Arrive early in order to finish any last-minute details.
Check with the speakers for any last-minute changes.
Sit near the front of the room and have your speakers do likewise for quick and easy access to the lectern.
During the meeting
Preside with sincerity, energy and decisivness. Take your audience on a pleasant journey and make them feel that all is going well.
Always lead the applause before and after the Table Topics session, each prepared speaker, and the General Evaluator.
Remain standing near the lectern after your introduction until the speaker has acknowledged you and assumed control of the meeting; then be seated.
Introduce the Humorist/Inspirer as you would any speaker.
Introduce the General Evaluator as you would any speaker; the General Evaluator will then introduce the other members of the evaluation team.
Introduce the Topicsmaster as you would any speaker. If the Topicsmaster forgets to call for the timer's report and vote for Best Table Topics Speaker, you do it.This is some more content.
Introduce each speaker in turn.
At the conclusion of the speaking program, request the timer's report and vote for Best Speaker.
Briefly reintroduce the General Evaluator. If the General Evaluator forgets to call for the timer's report and vote for Best Evaluator, you do it.
While votes are being tallied, invite comments from guests and announcements (such as verification of the next week's program).
Award ribbons for Best Speaker, Best Table Topics Speaker and Best Evaluator.
Reintroduce the presiding officer.
Toastmaster resources
Club Members: For more information about any meeting role, or to plan your educational roadmap, check with your mentor or contact WEHOT's Vice President Education.