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Table Topics Master

The person who hosts the impromptu speaking game. They ask questions to help members practice speaking off-the-cuff.

Role overview

Table Topics gives members without assigned roles a chance to speak. As the Table Topics Master, your job is to challenge participants with a question or prompt and encourage a 1–2 minute impromptu response.

• Call on speakers at random—avoid going in order around the room.
• Use different questions for each person unless assigning opposing viewpoints.
• State the question before calling on a participant.
• Keep track of time and adjust the number of questions if needed to stay within your allotted segment.
• Aim to end on time, even if your section starts late, to help the meeting stay on schedule.

What to fill in on the agenda

After you sign up, open your role on the meeting agenda and add the Table Topics theme (you can enter it when you sign up or later with Edit Table Topics theme). Pick a theme that fits the meeting—if Toastmaster suggested a meeting theme, lean on that. Have a few prompt questions ready before the segment starts.

Table Topics script

Thank you, Mr./Madam Toastmaster, Fellow Toastmasters and guests:

The purpose of Table Topics is to practice impromptu speaking—our ability to speak confidently and clearly without preparation. This is a valuable skill we often use in everyday life, from job interviews to casual conversations.

Tonight’s theme is: [insert theme here]

[Begin calling on participants and asking questions.]

Speaker priority order

1. Members not on the agenda
2. Functionaries (Inspiration, Ah Counter, Grammarian, Timer, Joke Master, etc.)
3. Evaluators, Toastmaster, General Evaluator (time permitting)
4. Scheduled Speakers and Guests (if time allows)

Print the Speaker Priority Order PDF for a quick reference during the meeting.

Closing your segment

Members and checked-in guests, please refresh the agenda and vote for Best Table Topics. We will announce the winner in the General Evaluation portion of our meeting.

Thank you. I now return control of the meeting to our Toastmaster, [insert name].

Running the digital vote

• Ask the Timer to time speakers from the member or guest list (not a custom name only), so they appear on the ballot. Speakers under 1:00 or over 2:30 are time-disqualified and do not show as voting options.
• In the meeting sidebar (above Members), click Start Table Topics vote (needs at least two timed speakers with accounts who stayed within 1:00–2:30). Super Admins can start it too. That jumps to the Table Topics card under Polls, where turnout updates live. Expand the remaining count to see who still needs to vote. Use See Table Topics tallies in the sidebar anytime to jump back.

  Ready to start the Table Topics vote.

  Start Table Topics vote

  Table Topics vote is open.

  See Table Topics tallies

• Watch live tallies on that card. You do not cast a regular ballot — if first place is tied, pick the winner there, then click Close vote. If you pick a tie-break winner but forget to close, completing the meeting still counts that person as the winner. Before the meeting ends you can Reopen vote to include late speakers and take more ballots.