Everything you need to know ...
The Chairman ensures the meeting runs efficiently. Responsibilities include:
- Contacting members assigned to meeting roles in advance.
- Ensuring meeting documents are available (e.g., Toastmasters agenda, Rentons' Guide).
- Managing the business session, including reports, correspondence, and general business.
- Running the meeting in an organised and professional manner.
Well before the day of the meeting, it is the Chairman’s responsibility to contact all the members who are scheduled on the agenda, to do the following assignments:
- Invocation
- Welcome to Guests
- Loyal & Second Toast
- TableTopics Master
Ascertain the member’s availability for the meeting, and his/her understanding of the assignment. If an assigned member is unable to conduct the assignment, the Chairman must advise the VP Education.
Chairing a meeting is a most challenging and important task. The tone of a meeting is frequently the reflection of the performance of the Chairman during the initial phases of the meeting.
Prior to the start of the meeting, the Chairman must have a copy of the following documents:
- The Club Constitution and the Standard Bylaws for Clubs of Toastmasters International (Code 210-C).
- Guide for Meetings, by N. E. Renton, Law Book Co. known as “Rentons”.
- The Miranda Toastmasters Standard Meeting Procedures and Agenda.
Ensure that you have these publications before the meeting starts. You cannot correctly fulfil the duties of Chairman without these documents at hand for reference particularly during the business session. You are to accept the responsibility for being well informed.
Prior to the start of the meeting, ask each club officer if they have a report for the members. Generally, not all officers will, but you need to know who does have a report, so that you can simply ask those who do, to present their report. It will show that you are prepared for your role as chairman. It is much better to do it this way rather than asking each officer while the meeting is in progress if they have a report.
The chairman must use the Miranda Toastmasters “Standard Meeting Procedures and Agenda” throughout the meeting. It provides the correct script that must be used by the chairman for the entire meeting. Tip: bring a ruler to help you keep place when working through this document.
Prepare for your meeting so you know what is going to happen and when. Think ahead and remain calm and assured and make rulings without haste.
In the business session, which should be conducted seated, the order of business shall be: declare the meeting open, invocation, quorum, apologies, introduction of guests, welcome to guests, alterations to the program, loyal and second toast, minutes of previous meeting, business arising, correspondence and business arising, treasurer’s report and business arising, executive report by the president, sub-committee reports, and business arising from these reports. This is followed by a general business session of fifteen minutes.
Encourage written motions to save time and avoid misinterpretation.