When You Are (or want to be) the Speaker

This is my weekly Vice President, Education post.

Our meeting last night, while successful, highlighted an opportunity for improvement.

We had 4 prepared speeches on the schedule. Each of the 4 speakers had confirmed with our Toastmaster for the evening that they would be delivering their speeches.

At the start of the meeting, we realized that 2 of our confirmed speakers were not present and our Toastmaster for the evening, Karen Novek, had not been notified by either of them.

Karen did a great job covering for this by allowing everyone an opportunity to introduce themselves and giving a 30 second spot for any members who did not have a speaking role during the meeting. Table Topics Master, Jeff Tockman, came prepared with plenty of topics to give more members a chance to speak.

How could this have been improved?

1) The two missing speakers could have called Karen to say they weren't going to be able to speak as soon as they knew. Ideally, they would have reached out to the backup speaker (we did have one listed on the online roster) and told Karen they had arranged for another speaker. Even if they hadn't arranged for another speaker, they would have given Karen the opportunity to find another speaker. By the way, if you need to cancel, call the Toastmaster, don't just send an e-mail, especially if it's the day of the meeting. Some of us can not check our e-mails all day.

2) Sometimes, life happens. Emergencies pop up and it doesn't occur to us to call someone as we are dealing with the emergency. I don't know what happened in the lives of our two missing speakers last night and, quite frankly, it's none of my business. I just hope they are ok.

Lets look at this from the flip side of the issue. Had our backup speaker arrived at the meeting prepared to speak, had other speakers been prepared, someone could have jumped in at the last minute to deliver a speech. We are a speaking club after all.

Karen did a great job but shouldn't have been in the position to cover for two missing speakers.

If you are scheduled to speak, plan on speaking. If things come up, make a phone call or two in order to find a replacement. Let the Toastmaster of the evening know what's going on so they can work with you. It's a team sport, we work together and support each other. Open speaking slots don't come back once the meeting ends. They are lost forever. Give someone else the opportunity to speak.

If you sign up to be a backup speaker, assume you ARE speaking. Come prepared to speak. If you don't get to, at least you have your next speech prepared.

Do not sign up to be a backup speaker unless you intend to come prepared to speak.

I've been told by some of our more senior members that advanced speakers should show up at each meeting with a speech in their pocket. I think that may be a good idea.

What do you think about what I have just posted? Please comment below.

Have a great week. Best of luck to Nina Potter at the Division contest this Saturday morning. Come out to support her.

John Schneyer
Vice President, Education