Table Topics is one my favorites parts of a Toastmasters meeting. It brings the meeting to life with wisdom, laughter, spontaneity. At Table Topics, there is a golden opportunity that is sometimes missed.
I believe that it should be a goal every Toastmasters meeting to have all the attendees speak or at least be given the opportunity to speak. The Table Topics Master has a unique opportunity to seek out attendees who are not on the agenda and ask them to participate in the meeeting.
Here is how I try to specifically accomplish that. Before I go up to fill my role as Table Topics Master, I take the agenda and then look around the room. I write down the name of anyone that is in the room but not on the agenda. I take the list up with me and my introduction includes a line to the effect of:
"Table Topics is also an opportunity to have people speak that are not on the agenda. I will first try to call upon people who do not have a role in tonight's meeting."
I then proceed to choose people from my list.
There is a reason I mention the line above as opposed to just calling upon the list of people I wrote down. In using this explanation, it subtly reminds people that when they are the Table Topics Master, they too should try and seek out people that are not on the agenda. In drawing attention to what I am doing, rather than simply doing it, to reminds or teaches this practice to others. I feel this periodic explanation of calling upon people who are not on the agenda is necessary for the club members who may forget to do this and for new members who are not yet aware of this.
Participation by everyone at a Toastmasters meeting is important for many reasons.
People feel really good if they spoke, no matter how small a speaking role they took on. If they don't speak at a meeting, they were merely observers and not participants. By getting people to speak and participate, you give them a stronger reason to come back and visit. This is especially important for guests who perhaps pushed themselves to accept doing a Table Topic. Guests of course should always be commended for taking on the challenge of Table Topics.
A meeting becomes stronger, richer and more vibrant when more voices and personalities compose it. In your role as Table Topics Master, don't miss a golden opportunity - seek out people who are not on the agenda and give them an opportunity to participate in the meeting.
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