Planning Club Meetings

Map your way to masterpiece meetings.

A successful Toastmasters club is similar to a successful business: Club members are the customers and the club strives to keep them happy with the service it provides. The service a Toastmasters club provides is the club meeting. Good club meetings provide the means and environment for members to reach their goals by becoming effective speakers, listeners, thinkers and leaders.

Program planning and meeting organization are important factors in providing top-level service. Your club helps its members attain success and provides the services everyone needs by guaranteeing that:

  • Each member is prepared to carry out all assignments to the best of his or her ability.
  • Members present well-developed speeches from the Competent Communication manual and manuals in the Advanced Communication Series.
  • Members complete projects in the Competent Leadership manual to enhance their leadership skills.
  • Every member receives an agenda outlining the program of the day.
  • Meeting participants’ responsibilities are explained to the assembly.
  • The program is planned and participants are reminded of their responsibilities at least a week in advance.
  • The meeting plan includes exciting theme programs and thought-provoking Table Topics sessions and is organized so the meeting starts and ends on time.
  • Guests are invited to join the day they visit the club.
  • Club officers use the Club Success Plan to set goals for the club and members.
  • Evaluations are based on project objectives and the individual learning needs of the member.
  • The vice president education encourages completion of manuals.

Established members aren’t the only ones responsible for providing good customer service within the club. New Toastmasters contribute too. For example, new members are usually assigned a meeting role soon after they join the club – perhaps as grammarian or timer. By preparing ahead of time to fulfill their duties to the best of their ability, they serve as role models. Perhaps they help their fellow members learn to curb their use of filler words and sounds during a presentation or to present an idea within a specific amount of time.

You don’t need an intimate knowledge of club traditions or the Toastmasters educational program to be an important part of your club’s and fellow members’ success. All you need is a little planning.