by Joy M. Pirkl, DTM , PID
Toastmaster club meetings need to provide moments of enjoyment. It is more difficult to do during times of low membership.
The key to saving a club and seeing it through hard times is for the members to remain flexible and positive. The kiss of death for any club is to suspend meeting until the membership has grown. The ludicrous aspects of this decision are evident. The membership cannot grow if there are no meetings. Toastmasters is the one club that will foster personal growth in people even under adverse conditions. In fact, anyone belonging to a low membership club will undoubtedly experience personal growth in an enhanced capacity far more readily than those in larger clubs.
Here are some ways your club can still provide those moments when there are fewer than six members present.
Two Members Present
HAVE ONE SPEAKER AND THE OTHER EVALUATE
The speaker can be prepared or impromptu. The evaluator should incorporate grammar usage and number of ah's into the evaluation.
Three Members Present
HAVE ONE SPEAKER, ONE EVALUATOR AND A TOASTMASTER
If no one is able to give a speech then expand Table Topics. Everyone gives a topic, receives a topic and evaluates a topic.
Four Members Present
HAVE ONE SPEAKER, GENERAL EVALUATOR, TOASTMASTER
AND TABLE TOPICS MASTER
The General Evaluator incorporates the duties of "ah" counter and grammarian into the evaluation of both the speaker and the meeting. The Toastmaster also acts as timer. It is essential to the health of the club that these duties remain natural and that a positive attitude is adopted by members. Don't lose guests by adopting a bad attitude!
Five Members Present
TOASTMASTER, SPEAKER, GENERAL EVALUATOR,
TABLIC TOPICS MASTER AND TIMER
With five people in attendance the duties somehow now seem to be a breeze. The opportunity to have a truly quality meeting according to all the requirements of Toastmasters International are now possible. Each and every guest will see the positive growth aspects, and if each guest is ASKED TO JOIN, one can be reasonably sure they will.
The business meeting (for al the above meetings) should incorporate the essentials of parliamentary procedure whenever possible. Membership building plans to include conducting a Speechcraft, increasing local publicity, and everyone inviting three guests each week should be discussed. Invite your Area and Division Governor to attend and offer ideas.
The schedule of next weeks meeting would be reviewed and the Toastmaster for the following week would be directed to phone ALL members to remind them of their duties. Printed agendas should be available to help guests follow the meeting.
The key to a successful meeting is to plan, prepare, execute and follow up. If you make each meeting organized, educational and fun, guests will join. The more members, the more opportunities there are to learn and grow. Remember that Ralph Smedley taught us that "We learn best in moments of enjoyment." Make your next low member meeting one of enjoyment and growth.