Guide to conducting table topics

The first rule for conducting a table topic session is that you are the master of the session. You are the person that can make it enjoyable and challenging to your fellow members. Or you can ruin the table topic experience for your members.

Preparation for table topics

To get a good start in table topics requires adequate preparation. Find out from your Vice President Education (VPE) whether there is a theme. If there is, style the topics around the theme. For example, if the theme is 'Spring', you can make the topic Spring Memories, e.g. spring break, most memorable spring, first spring, etc. If there's no theme, you are free to be as creative as you can be in coming up with a theme/topic for your session (see the table topic ideas section for ideas).

Also find out from the VPE who the prepared speakers for the evening will be as you generally will not ask them to speak and give other, non participating, members the opportunity to speak.

At the meeting

When the Toastmaster introduces you, go up to the lectern and start the session. At this point I'd like to repeat the first rule of the table topic session: YOU are the master of the session. Members will follow your lead - if you seem in control, members will trust you are and follow your lead.

If your club has voting slips, explain how they are used for the benefit of guests and visitors. Also explain the timing (one to two minutes) and ask the timekeeper to illustrate how the lights work (one-green, one and a half-amber, two-red).

We generally like to give a speaker around 10 to 20 seconds to think on the topic. How we do this, is the table topic master tells the audience what the topic is for this specific speech (8 seconds), tells the audience who will do it (3 seconds) and ask that person to come to the lectern (9 seconds). When the speaker is close to the lectern, you repeat the topic, give the speaker's name, applaud and move to sit down when the speaker starts speaking. Some clubs have members speak from where they are seated (just standing up) and this is also acceptable, but remember it is not either/or: let your speakers know whether they should come to the front or not.

After the speaker is done, applaud him while moving back to the lectern and retaking control of your session. A good table topics master has now attentively listened to the speaker and makes a short comment on the speech (e.g. "now I know I won't do that again"), a 'thank you' or any other bridging technique that may seem appropriate. You then introduce the next topic and welcome the next speaker and so on till you have called on all your speakers or ran out of time.

If there was voting to be done, ask the sergeant-at-arms to collect the voting slips. You then hand control back to the president or chairman of the meeting. During the meeting you then count the slip and afterwards announce the winner of the table topic session. And then that is it - you have conducted a table topics session, table topics master.

These guidelines to conducting the table topics session is specific to how our Toastmasters club does it, but you are free to follow it if you wish. An additional guide can be found in the back of your Communication and Leadership manual in the chapter 'About Your Club'.