Chairperson

Before the Meeting:

• Check to see if all the people who have a role for the meeting are present. If there is an absence, find someone willing to take on the role.
• Greet guests as they enter the room

During the Meeting:

The Sergeant at Arms will introduce you. Your role now is to lead and conduct the beginning parts of the meeting until you introduce the Toastmaster. You may find the following 9 steps useful to guide you in your role:

  1. Welcome: Present a brief, upbeat welcome message to the room. Thank everyone for coming.
  2. Announce any changes to the agenda.
  3. Brief Message: Say a few words about the origins of Toastmasters International, or the meeting’s theme, or present a personalized message about the benefits of your involvement with Toastmasters.
  4. Introduce the Head Table, inviting each of them to stand when their name is called: Remind the room to hold their applause until all the members of the head table have been introduced. The Head Table consists of the: Sergeant at Arms, Toastmaster, Table Topics Master, Timer, Treasurer, General Evaluator and yourself as Chairperson.
  5. Invite the Grammarian to stand and explain their role.
  6. Welcome the guests: Ask each one individually to stand, introduce themselves and tell us know what brings them to our meeting.
  7. Introduce Short Roles:
    a) ask the timer to state the timing procedures for the short roles
    b) introduce each short role in turn: Public Speaking Tip, Moment of Reflection, Moment of Humour, and Toast
  8. Open the Business Session:
    a) state that you are opening the business session and bang the gavel on the side of the lectern
    b) ask if there is any old business to be presented
    c) ask if there is any new business to be presented
    d) state you’re closing the business session and bang the gavel
  9. Introduce the Toastmaster: Pass the floor to the Toastmaster with a handshake.

At the End of the Meeting:

The second part of your role is to end the meeting. The Toastmaster will pass the floor to you.  You may find the following 5 steps useful:

  1. Make a brief positive comment about how successful and enjoyable the meeting was.
  2. Thank the guests for attending and participating. Time permitting, ask if any of the guests would like to make a comment or share their impression or experience of the meeting.
  3. The Awards Ceremony: present the awards for:
    First Timer: (give “first timer” ribbon to anyone who gave their icebreaker)
    Best Table Topics Evaluator (give this person their choice of chocolate)
    Best Table Topics Speech (give ribbon)
    Best Evaluator (give ribbon)
    Best Prepared Speech (certificate)
    You can prompt the room to give a drum roll before announcing each winner. Present each winner with the appropriate ribbon or chocolate – and pose for a photo during the handshake presentation!
  4. Time permitting, ask if there are any other announcements before closing the meeting.
  5. Ask for a motion to close the meeting. Bang the gavel on the side of the lectern.