A Melbourne Toastmasters Club - Beaumaris, Mentone & Surrounds

As the Table Topics Master: you prepare a list of up to 6 topics. You then give these to members of the audience without prior warning. They each have 60 to 90 seconds to respond with an impromptu mini speech.

• You have 8 minutes allocated (not 6 as it may have said on the draft agenda).
• TT gives each speaker 60-90 seconds. The green light comes on 60, yellow at 75 and red at 90 seconds. Explain that before you launch your topics.
• Prepare at least 6 or 7 topics, if the timing goes well you should be able to get 5 - 6 people on their feet speaking depending on how long they speak.
• Make 3 copies of your list of questions. Give one to the TT Evaluator and the other to the Toastmaster. This will make their roles easier.
• Look at the agenda and target people who don’t have a major role on the night – i.e. don’t pick speakers, evaluators, the Toastmaster.
• Focus on picking the members and perhaps one guest. Impromptu speaking is an important learning opportunity for members so we need to give them the chance.
• Avoid sex politics and religion – these sibjects are off limits at Toastmasters.
• Give a very brief explanation of how Table Topics words (less than 20 seconds).
• Make sure to keep your topic introductions brief to avoid eating into the speakers' time. You want to get as many speakers into the allocated 8 minutes as possible.
• Have some fun with it. If you do then so will everyone else.