Meeting Roles

      Sally and Becky the two friends would like to improve upon their public speaking skills. Sally asked Becky, “Do you know a place where we can learn public speaking?” Becky said, “Yes, I have heard of Toastmasters, where we can practice our public speaking.”

They both found a Toastmasters Club nearby and went the next day to attend a meeting. They were welcomed by the member of the leadership team at the front desk. They wrote their names in the guest book with their contact information.

The meeting started promptly on time, and Sally and Becky were given the agenda of the meeting. This is where they became aware of the different roles at the meeting. The Toastmaster of the meeting conducted the meeting with a theme and made sure that the meeting started and ended on time. Since timing is very important in life, to practice this skill, the Timer timed the prepared speeches, evaluations and impromptu speeches. Since, we unknowingly use add-on words in the sentences when we speak, the Ah-counter counted the crutch words used in the meeting. To increase the club member’s vocabulary the Wordmaster introduced the word of the day. Occasionally, there is improper use of grammar and sometimes, the speakers take an extra step and make exemplary use of grammar, the Grammarian makes the notes for those sentences. 

The meeting consisted of a few prepared speeches, table topics, and speech evaluations. After the speeches were done, Sally and Becky listened while members of the club, Evaluators – each assigned to a different Speaker – gave their evaluations of the prepared speeches.  Sally was happy to find that the evaluations were positive, encouraging and designed to make the speaker want to get up and speak again.  The evaluations were not criticism, per se, but constructive opinions that were happily received by the speakers.  It helped not only the speakers alone but the entire group to learn how to provide an effective feedback and what they can improve upon in their next speaking projects.

Table Topics were impromptu speeches. This part of the meeting was run by the Table Topics Master. The Table Topics Master asked questions based on the meeting theme. Sally and Becky got the opportunity to speak. They both were thrilled to be a Table Topics Speaker and at the same time they both found how nervous it could be when you give an impromptu talk. It gave them more confidence to join the club.

Sally and Becky enjoyed the meeting thoroughly. They found that Toastmasters would be a place where they would practice their leadership and communication skills. They departed, waiting eagerly for the next meeting.