Tips for Toastmasters

The presiding toastmaster at every culinary catastrophe must be prompt, yet seem to be phlegmatic. He may appear to be caustic but he must stay calm.

As waiters clear the tables, the toastmaster looks out at the jovial crowd, then turns to the principal speaker: “Shall we let them enjoy themselves a little longer or shall we introduce you now?”

While it’s important for the toastmaster to emote, it also is important that his jokes tie into his text. Generalities instead of specific relevant stories are too apt to make his emotions distort the facts as in the case of little Sue when hers got mixed:

When her Daddy lost patience with her bickering, he sent her to her room and sped her reluctant departure with a resounding swat. Immediately afterward he felt sorry and followed her for a reconciliation.

In her room, there she stood before her mirror, viewing her reddened little rear. On seeing her Daddy her eyes flashed indignation as she pointed, “See, you went and cracked it!”

The toastmaster must assume responsibility for the complete program. He should know when to pop up and when to pop down by working out a schedule in detail and then faithfully follow its sequence. A program that’s been mishandled becomes overly-long, is improperly timed, or lacks dispatch, worries the speaker for fear the suburbanites will leave to catch the last train home. The person making the introduction should take the monkey off the speaker’s back accept responsibility for delay-and apologize for any lack of tact.

Tags: public speaking

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