Toastmasters Meetings

What happens at a regular meeting?

A regular meeting looks like this:

  1. Introduction and presentation of meeting roles.
  2. Table Topics (impromptu speeches).
  3. Prepared speeches.
  4. Evaluations.

All roles are filled by members. The Toastmaster of the Evening leads us through the program. The Word Master challenges speakers to expand their vocabulary. The Timer times all meeting activities. The Ah-Counter and Grammarian assist speakers by noting unnecessary words and grammatical mistakes. At the end, the General Evaluator gives feedback on the meeting as a whole.

What are Table Topics?

Table Topics are unprepared speeches. A Table Topic Master prepares questions and calls on members and guests, if they want, to present a two minute impromptu speech on an unknown topic. It is entertaining, terrifying, and great practice!

Table Topics build your professional and social skills, including thinking on your feet, speaking clearly, keeping to the point and ending on time.

What are prepared speech and leadership projects?

When you join Toastmasters you receive the basic Competent Communication Manual with ten speech projects and the basic Competent Leadership Manual with ten leadership projects. For each project you prepare a speech or serve in a leadership role, enabling you to learn and practice specific speaking and leadership techniques.

Each project has specific objectives and your performance will be evaluated based on these objectives. If you are expected to speak at a meeting, you should read your manual at least a week before, so you have enough time to prepare the speech. While you speak, an Evaluator writes comments in your manual. The same person will also present an oral evaluation of your speech. The purpose of the evaluation is to make you more aware of your strengths and points for improvement.

As an evaluator, you will learn important skills such as active listening, critical thinking, and giving constructive feedback.

How much does it cost and what do I get?

After you pay the SEK 250 new member registration fee you will receive:

The SEK 750 annual fee includes a printed magazine, The Toastmaster, which is issued ten times per year. At every meeting an additional SEK 60 is paid by each person towards the conference room rental.

Come as a Guest!

You are always welcome as a guest at Toastmasters meetings. We encourage voluntary participation and feedback. Please come as often as you wish until you have decided if Toastmasters can help you meet your personal development goals.

As a guest you are welcome to participate in the Table Topic session to deliver unprepared speeches. You are also welcome to deliver your first prepared speech – The Icebreaker – which counts as the first project in the Competent Communication Manual.