Being Table Topics Master
Table topics help club members and guests sharpen their impromptu speaking and active listening skills.
Before the meeting you need to be adequately prepared to ensure maximum success.
As the table topics master you get to set and ask the questions, and practice your facilitation and meeting continuity skills.!
Prepare questions that will be interesting and engaging, easily able to be addressed, perhaps even inspiring for individual members and guests, be creative!
Every speaker will be evaluated on his/her performance on stage even the guests!
TOPICSMASTER TOP TIPS: KEEP IT SIMPLE!
Sit at the front row of the meeting.
Call up members who haven’t spoken or had a meeting a role first.
Explain the key aspects of Table Topics, what is being evaluated tonight and confirm the timings.
Pick an experienced speaker first.
Prepare up to 14 questions.
Brief the meeting well
What will be specifically evaluated for your table topics session.
What are your expectations for your session
What are the speech timings
After the first or second speaker, and before calling upon the first guest, repeat what is expected especially if it has not been demonstrated by the previous
speaker
Clear, unambiguous, challenging, thought provoking questions
Keep the questions related to the theme.
Keep the questions clear and simple.
Keep the question short – it’s a question not a speech!
Be creative – A little bit of randomness can make for a very energetic table topics session.
The questions you present can be about anything and everything, you could use props to form the basis of the question.
Open-ended questions topics are best – Avoid questions lead to a “yes” or “no” answers.
Its ANOUNCING the questions – clearly and loudly
Repeat exactly the question twice (for clarity), build some suspense, then call upon the speaker and again REPEAT the question as they walk forward.
Always announce the questions BEFORE you call the speaker to the stage. This way of presenting will ensure a much more attentive audience. Those who have not yet been called upon will have to start thinking - how would I answer that question?
“Can you please repeat the question” is not usually because they were not listening, it could more likely be because your questions was ambiguous, you could not be adequately heard, or you had not repeated it THREE times.
Lead the applause before someone shakes your hand to take-over the stage and when speakers are finished with their topic.
Thank each speaker with a couple of tailored words, reflective of their impromptu speech.
Without delay announce the next question. Rambling feedback such as “I agree with what you said because I...” are a sure way to waste time and lose focus.
When the participant is speaking, review your notes, thoroughly familiarize yourself with the next questions and match it with who you may call. It makes a massive difference in how you appear on stage and when handing over from one speaker to the next.
Keep an eye on time, the Toastmaster for the evening will advise you when you are on your last question. If a meeting runs late, the number of table topics speakers might be limited Once the session is over congratulate all the speakers that have taken part and hand the stage back to the Toastmaster.
Order matters!
Always choose a few club members first before picking up guests. This way the guests (hopefully) have seen a few good answers and have an idea of what is expected in table topics.
Before the meeting and at the break, identify club members present who are neither speaking nor doing a role.
Team – together everyone achieves more.
Meet with your evaluators at the break.
Confirm with them what will be specifically evaluated for your table topics session.
What speakers will they each evaluate?
What are you seeking the participants to demonstrate during your session
In a Nutshell
At the start provide a brief as to what is expected in Table Topics
Make sure you have clear, unambiguous question.
Announce the question TWICE, before you call upon a speaker, then repeat again the question.
Unless there is time, do not call on people who already have a meeting role or speech.
Table topics help club members and guests sharpen their impromptu speaking and active listening skills.
Before the meeting you need to be adequately prepared to ensure maximum success.
As the table topics master you get to set and ask the questions, and practice your facilitation and meeting continuity skills.!
Prepare questions that will be interesting and engaging, easily able to be addressed, perhaps even inspiring for individual members and guests, be creative!
Every speaker will be evaluated on his/her performance on stage even the guests!
TOPICSMASTER TOP TIPS: KEEP IT SIMPLE!
Sit at the front row of the meeting.
Call up members who haven’t spoken or had a meeting a role first.
Explain the key aspects of Table Topics, what is being evaluated tonight and confirm the timings.
Pick an experienced speaker first.
Prepare up to 14 questions.
Brief the meeting well
What will be specifically evaluated for your table topics session.
What are your expectations for your session
What are the speech timings
After the first or second speaker, and before calling upon the first guest, repeat what is expected especially if it has not been demonstrated by the previous
speaker
Clear, unambiguous, challenging, thought provoking questions
Keep the questions related to the theme.
Keep the questions clear and simple.
Keep the question short – it’s a question not a speech!
Be creative – A little bit of randomness can make for a very energetic table topics session.
The questions you present can be about anything and everything, you could use props to form the basis of the question.
Open-ended questions topics are best – Avoid questions lead to a “yes” or “no” answers.
Its ANOUNCING the questions – clearly and loudly
Repeat exactly the question twice (for clarity), build some suspense, then call upon the speaker and again REPEAT the question as they walk forward.
Always announce the questions BEFORE you call the speaker to the stage. This way of presenting will ensure a much more attentive audience. Those who have not yet been called upon will have to start thinking - how would I answer that question?
“Can you please repeat the question” is not usually because they were not listening, it could more likely be because your questions was ambiguous, you could not be adequately heard, or you had not repeated it THREE times.
Lead the applause before someone shakes your hand to take-over the stage and when speakers are finished with their topic.
Thank each speaker with a couple of tailored words, reflective of their impromptu speech.
Without delay announce the next question. Rambling feedback such as “I agree with what you said because I...” are a sure way to waste time and lose focus.
When the participant is speaking, review your notes, thoroughly familiarize yourself with the next questions and match it with who you may call. It makes a massive difference in how you appear on stage and when handing over from one speaker to the next.
Keep an eye on time, the Toastmaster for the evening will advise you when you are on your last question. If a meeting runs late, the number of table topics speakers might be limited Once the session is over congratulate all the speakers that have taken part and hand the stage back to the Toastmaster.
Order matters!
Always choose a few club members first before picking up guests. This way the guests (hopefully) have seen a few good answers and have an idea of what is expected in table topics.
Before the meeting and at the break, identify club members present who are neither speaking nor doing a role.
Team – together everyone achieves more.
Meet with your evaluators at the break.
Confirm with them what will be specifically evaluated for your table topics session.
What speakers will they each evaluate?
What are you seeking the participants to demonstrate during your session
In a Nutshell
At the start provide a brief as to what is expected in Table Topics
Make sure you have clear, unambiguous question.
Announce the question TWICE, before you call upon a speaker, then repeat again the question.
Unless there is time, do not call on people who already have a meeting role or speech.