(Club#946002 | Area 1 | Division F | District 41) www.d41tm.

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Table Topics - an introduction

A typical Toastmasters meeting has three parts - The Prepared Speech, The Impromptu Speaking (Also called Table Topics) and Evaluation/ Feedback session. Table topics is at once the most anticipated, dreaded, and enjoyable session in a Toastmasters meeting. Anyone may be called on to the stage, given a topic and without any preparation, is expected to speak for a minimum of one minute and a maximum of two minutes - with a grace of 30 secs. The Timer will show a green flag to the speaker at 1 minute, a yellow flag at 1.30 secs and the red flag at 2 minutes, which is held up as long as the speaker continues to speak - even if he or she has overshot the grace period. At 2.31 seconds, the speaker is disqualified for voting as the best Table Topic speaker for the day. The Table Topics Master (TTM) selects about 8-12 topics, and depending on the time available, invites members and guests to speak on various topics. The TTM usually gives a brief introduction about the session, explaining what is expected of speakers, reiterating the timings and saying why impromptu speaking is essential. He or she might give some humorous examples of the need to think on one's feet in real life - as for example, telling your husband why you cannot eat more than one piece of the baked (yeah right! burned!!) dish he's cooked up for you. Or how you'd fob off a relative who wants to come with family and spend the summer vacations at your house At Hyderabad Toastmasters, the pattern we follow is: First call an experienced Toastmaster, so that guests understand the format. The speaker is called on to the dais; his name is asked or spoken out loud for all to hear. The topic is read out clearly. In contests, the topic is read out a second time, but not in regular meetings. The time starts as soon as the topic is announced and the TTM leaves the dais. The speaker then starts speaking. However, on certain occasions, we vary this format. One could, for example, read out the topic, then ask for volunteers. Those who feel they'd like to speak about a topic can then come on to the stage. At one meeting, the TTM read out a topic, and invited anyone in a brown shirt to come and speak, then someone wearing checks etc. At yet another meeting, the TTM asked members and guests to come up if they felt the adjective applied to them...."Confused but happy", "Inspiring leader", "Cheerful and lazy" etc. The person would come up, and a topic linked to that adjective would be given. For example, "Confused but happy --> "Don't cry over spilled milk". We also prefer to end the session with an experienced Toastmaster. The TTM notes all the names with the topic given, and at the end of the session, reads out the name of the topic, name of the speaker - asking her to put up her hand

and be recognized. Then the audience is invited to vote for the best table topic speaker. Table topics can be a lot of fun, especially when the TTM has a good sense of humor, and makes even the person, who has not spoken a word, feel good about having made the attempt. Applause should be encouraged at all times. A person who goes blank with one topic could be offered another, simpler topic. Topics should ideally be generic, not needing special knowledge. Club members should be given an opportunity to speak, as should guests and visiting Toastmasters. Often, guests who attempt Table topics end up joining the club - as they realize how tough (yet fun) it is to speak on stage. There are no hard and fast rules about how to go about conducting a Table topics session - with the exception that it should always be fun!

How to handle table-topics

- TM Harsh Singhal, ACB, ALB

To the reader: Dear readers, some of these tips are ideas taken from observing good speakers and how they do it, as also suggestions from experienced speakers and some methods observed in practice at a few of our club meetings. These tips are definitely not exhaustive, but are merely an attempt to help fellow toastmasters and friends better their impromptu speaking skills.

General Tip before we begin: Personalize these tips and tricks to your own speaking style. Each Table Topic is like a prepared speech, it must have a beginning, a body, and a conclusion. Remember that you need to be quick and nimble in order to understand where you should apply which style to address a particular table topic.

Method 1: Past Present Future On the given topic begin speaking about its past. It can be the actual past of the topic. It can be any connection that the topic may have with yourself or anyone that you know, with respect to the "past". Then transition to the present times on the topic. Give an example about it. Move to the future of the topic and summarize to its end with panache. Method 2: The 6 Questions - Who, What, When, Why, Where & How

Avoid asking the question out loud. You may choose to vary the ordering of the question which you ask yourself and paraphrase your thoughts/response to that question as a table topic speech. Method 3: For/Against - your opinion on the topic The tip is quite self explanatory. You may wish to talk on both aspects if not indicated by the Table Topics Master. Keep it simple upto 2 or 3 supporting points max. Method 4: P.E.P - Point Example Point Understand the topic given to you; make a point about it, give an example for supporting your point, and summarize the point again. If you still have time you may wish to give another example, and then summarize. Method 5: The Story/Movie If you're good at listening stories, chances are you can tell a story too. All you need is a beginning, a plot, some characters and the climax. The story can be real, fictitious or a mixture of both. Method 6: U-Turn Transition Don't speak on the given topic but speak on something of your own choice. Example: I don't know whether Sachin Tendulkar will play in the next world cup or not but let me tell you about my dreams of becoming the singing sensation of my school when I was eight years old... And then build your story and bring it down to a smooth close.
Method 7: HIJACK the question

It so often happens that we often land up with a topic that we have no idea about. This trick is the most handy in such situations. Example: "Nano Technology is the future" My immediate thought: I have no idea what this is. Is it a worm? Is it a disease? What is it?!?... Begin: Mr. Table Topics Master, Fellow Toastmasters and welcomed guests, Nano Technology is the future they say... I agree because I believe in the future. The future holds many good things. It can be what we want to make of it, by our actions today. Today however we are surrounded with technology. We have become very dependent on technology. However we are smart enough to use it to the best and make our future shine brighter. And the best example of a
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superb future ahead with the use of fabulous technology is the latest Nano Car by the Tata's. . Now I know the above example is quite short, and it will just cross over the one minute mark. If you want to add more to it, then make full use of the next and final tip.

Method 8: Potpourri Mix n match all the previous tips and make a new Table Topics attempt each time!

Go dazzle your audience!!

TABLE TOPICS
Here we give a list of quotes, proverbs, sayings and phrases which you might try at your Toastmaster club with the tips as mentioned in the previous pages.
1. Do not look where you fell, but where you slipped. -African Proverb 2. Life may not be the party we hoped for but while we are here we might as well dance! 3. The early worm gets eaten by the bird, so sleep late. -Unknown 4. When it's time to die, let us not discover that we have never lived. -Henry David Thoreau 5. Minds are like parachutes--they work best when open. -Thomas R. Dewar 6. By the time we realize our parents were right, we have children who think we're wrong -Guillermo Hernandez 7. We worry about what a child will become tomorrow, yet we forget that he is someone today -Stacia Tauscher 8. You can lead a fool to wisdom, but you can never make him think. 9. Alcohol may not be the solution, but it definitely makes you forget the question. 10.A day without sunshine is like, you know, night. -Steve Martin 11.If you don't know where you are going, you will probably end up somewhere else. -Laurence J. Peter 12.Always read stuff that will make you look good if you die in the middle of it. -Unknown 13.When everything's coming your way, you're in the wrong lane. -Unknown 14.You may be only one person in the world, but you may also be the world to one person. Unknown 15.Some mistakes are too much fun to only make once. Unknown 16.Don't cry because it's over; smile because it happened. Unknown 17.A truly happy person is one who can enjoy the scenery on a detour. 18.Happiness comes through doors you didn't even know you left open. unknown 19.Accept that some days you're the pigeon, and some days you're the statue. -Unknown 20.The secret of genius is to carry the spirit of childhood into maturity. -Thomas Henry Huxley 6

21.Sometimes the majority only means that all the fools are on the same side. Unknown 22.None are so empty as those who are full of themselves. -Andrew Jackson 23.Love may not make the world go round, but I must admit that it makes the ride worthwhile.-Sean Connery 24.Diplomacy is to do and say the nastiest thing in the nicest way. -Isaac Goldberg 25.When a man marries a woman, they become one but the trouble starts when they try to decide which one. Unknown 26.If at first you don't succeed, try again, then quit. No use being stupid about it. Unknown 27.All great discoveries are made by mistake. Unknown 28.We can't always control what happens to us, but we can always control how we react to it. -Robert Urich 29.Women and cats will do as they please, and men and dogs should relax and get used to the idea. -Robert A. Heinlein 30.The man who will not act until he knows all will never act at all. -Jim Elliot 31.We see things as we are, not as they are 32.Nobody ever said that life would be easy; they just said "it would be worth it" 33.How sharper than a serpent's tooth it is to have a thankless child - W. Shakespeare 34.Some are born great, some achieve greatness, and some have greatness thrust upon them - W. Shakespeare 35.Madness is methodical 36.A soft answer turns wrath away 37.It's better to burn out than fade away - Kurt Kobain 38.Artificial Intelligence is no match for natural stupidity 39.Nothing shows a man's character, than what he laughs at 40.Without a rich heart, wealth is an ugly beggar 41.Jealousy is the best compliment you can ever receive 42.The things we can die for, are the things that we live for... 43.There's always a little truth behind every "Just Kidding", knowledge behind every "I don't know", and emotion behind every "I don't care". 44.The worst brings out the best in us 7

45.Don't walk as if you rule the world, but as if you don't care who does. 46.The more I know, the more I know I don't know. 47.Wounds can turn into wisdom 48.Hope is like soap, with which you need to take bath everyday Rajashekhar Mamidana 49.Smile, even if its a sad smile, because sadder than a sad smile is not knowing how to smile. 50.Dreams are like ice creams, if you don't act quickly, they will melt away. 51.Youth is a blunder; manhood a struggle; old age a regret --Benjamin Disraeli 52.Old age puts more wrinkles on our minds than on our faces - Michel De Montaigne 53.The world is a comedy to those that think, a tragedy to those that feel - Horace Walpole 54.That which costs little is less valued - Miguel de Cervantes 55.A celebrity is one who works hard all his life to be known, then wears dark glasses to avoid being recognized. - Fred Allen 56.To be great is to be misunderstood - Ralph Waldo Emerson 57.Everything has its beauty but not everyone sees it - Confucius 58.Marriage has its pains, but celibacy has no pleasures - Samuel Johnson 59.Children suck the mother when they are young, and the father when they are old John Ray 60.In an underdeveloped country, don't drink the water. In a developed country, don't breathe the air - Jonathan Raban 61.The first blow is half the battle - Oliver Goldsmith 62.He that eats till he is sick must fast till he is well - Hebrew Proverb 63.I couldn't wait for success, so I went ahead without it.- Jonathan Winters 64.Familiarity breeds contempt... and children. - Mark Twain 65.Denial ain't just a river in Egypt.- Mark Twain 66.Never have children, only grandchildren.- Gore Vidal 67.A compliment is like a kiss through a veil.- Victor Hugo 68.A sweetheart is a bottle of wine, a wife is a wine bottle- Baudelaire 69.He who laughs last didn't get it- Helen Giangregorio 8

70.Cheer up, the worst is yet to come- Philander Johnson 71.If you're not confused, you're not paying attention- Tom Peters 72.A goal without a plan is just a wish- Antoine de Saint-Exupery 73.Love is not altogether a delirium, yet it has many points in common therewithThomas Carlyle 74.If you judge people, you have no time to love them.- Mother Teresa 75.Love is or it ain't. Thin love ain't love at all- Toni Morrison 76.If the love you think you felt goes away quickly, then what you felt was never love to begin with- Henry Mac 77.Ever has it been that love knows not its own depth until the hour of separation. 78.When you are sorrowful look again in your heart, and you shall see that in truth you are weeping for that which has been your delight. 79.Your daily life is your temple and your religion. When you enter into it take with you your all. 80.Faith is a knowledge within the heart, beyond the reach of proof. 81.Out of suffering have emerged the strongest souls; the most massive characters are seared with scars. 82.Yesterday is but today's memory, tomorrow is today's dream. 83.Wisdom ceases to be wisdom when it becomes too proud to weep, too grave to laugh, and too selfish to seek other than itself. 84.Your living is determined not so much by what life brings to you as by the attitude you bring to life. 85.After silence that which comes nearest to expressing the inexpressible is musicAldous Huxley 86.Easy come, easy go 87.Familiarity breeds contempt 88.Give someone enough rope and he will hang himself 89.Look before you leap 90.Many hands make light work 91.Pride goes before fall 92.Procrastination is the thief of time 93.Still waters run deep 9

94.Take care of pennies and the pounds will take care of themselves 95.United we stand, divided we fall 96.If you do not milk the cow fully, it falls sick Lalu Prasad Yadav 97.Hatred does not cease by hatred but only by love; this is the eternal rule Buddha 98.I dont mind making jokes, but I dont want to look like one Marilyn Monroe 99.Dont be afraid to see what you see Ronald Regan 100. I am the greatest, I said that even before I knew I was Muhammad Ali 101. An ounce of practice is worth more than tons of preaching Mohandas Gandhi 102. A person who never made a mistake never tried anything new Albert Einstein 103. If you dont like something, change it. attitude Maya Angelou If you cant change it, change your

104. Adopt the pace of nature; her secret is patience Ralph Waldo Emerson 105. Do not pray for easy lives. Pray to be stronger men John F. Kennedy 106. Laugh and the world laughs with you, cry and you cry alone Ella Wilcox 107. The Hand That Rocks The Cradle Is The Hand That Rules The World William Ross Wallace 108. Wanting to be someone else is a waste of who you are Kurt Cobain 109. If it is to be, it is up to me Zig Ziglar 110. The tongue is the only tool that gets sharper with use - Washington Irving 111. Your attitude and not your aptitude will determine your altitude Zig Ziglar 112. The key is not to prioritize whats on your schedule, but to schedule your priorities Stephen R Covey 113. Management works in the system, Leadership works on the system Stephen R Covey 114. A stitch in time saves nine 115. I am not young enough to know everything Oscar Wilde 116. The public do not know enough to be experts, yet know enough to decide between them Samuel Butler 117. We're drowning in information and starving for knowledge Rutherford Rogers 118. When nothing is sure, everything is possible - Margaret Drabble 10 D.

119. Do not follow where the path may lead. Go instead where there is no path and leave a trail Ralph Waldo Emerson 120. Nearly all men can stand adversity, but if you want to test a mans character, give him power Abraham Lincoln 121. If you tell a big enough lie and tell it frequently enough, it will be believed Adolf Hitler 122. It is hard to interest those who have everything in those who have nothing Helen Keller 123. If you cant make it good, at least make it look good Bill Gates 124. Not everything that counts can be counted, and not everything that can be counted counts Albert Einstein 125. Gravitation is not responsible for people falling in love Albert Einstein 126. Live life every moment 127. Once in a lifetime 128. Opportunity knocks at you always- So keep your eyes wide open 129. Love, Labour, never lost 130. Happiness- The elixir of life 131. A stitch in time saves not nine but hundred 132. I want to stay hungry and foolish 133. You want to get closer to someone who will leave you alone 134. If my life flashes before my eyes, its worth watching because.. 135. In my dictionary, I found feedback when I looked for failure 136. I want to be really really close to someone who will leave me alone 137. Keep looking, don't settle 138. Enough with calculating risk and reward - just do what you know is right 139. Crying is a sign of strength 140. Selfishness is one of the qualities apt to inspire love 141. If I were a director of movie 3-idiots (or some other movie), then end would have been 142. Things we do not expect, happen more frequently than we wish 143. Avoid too lengthy meditation on the past, but a little is required. 11

144. Intuition is a spiritual faculty that does not explain, but points the way 145. Bring two speakers on stage - ttm will tell the first line of a story "once upon a time little Johnny (or any other club member) ....". Ask them to continue this for 2 minutes. 146. I don't care to belong to any club that will accept me as a member 147. The quickest way to make Zoom TV (or MTV/FTV etc TV channels ) a very educational is ... 148. I repent because I lied to my mom 149. The more argument you win, the lesser friends you have ... but if you dont argue, you dont add value.

150. I don't care to have every street mongrel come and tell me what to do. Unknown
151. First understand then be understood 152. What it takes to say "No"?

153. We are not here to do great things, but small things with great love Mother Theresa. 154. Work is love made visible - Khalil Gibran 155. Will I need an umbrella? 156. Those who are born in the wave and keep in it do not see the depression and what is there Unknown

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Hyderabad Toastmasters
Inspiring Leadership We would love to have you attend one of our meetings. Hyderabad Toastmasters is the first community club in the City of Pearls. HTM has a lovely mix of people ranging from IT Professionals, Entrepreneurs, Doctors, Students, Home-makers, Government Employees (India Post, no less!), Sales executives and youngsters enhancing their skills while looking for work opportunities! Also, amongst our members are past Division Governors and District officers, District and Division level speech contest winners. Just a few reasons, why HTM is referred to as the Lighthouse Club of Hyderabad. We have our meetings on the second & fourth Sunday of every month and I say with pride that we have not cancelled a single meeting, except for one owing to a bandh. We have had the opportunity to host several visiting Toastmasters and guests from Australia, the Middle East, Europe, USA, Sri Lanka and of course all over India. Their calls have indeed made our meetings very exciting and their thoughts and ideas have without a doubt enriched our TM experience. We at HTM look forward to having you as our guest!! To attend a meeting, you may RSVP on our website http://www.meetup.com/hyderabadtoastmasters. The website will give you details of the meeting time, venue and also availability of seats. So when in Hyderabad, do drop in! You can also get in touch with our VP-Membership TM Sudha on htm.membership@gmail.com to attend meetings of Hyderabad Toastmasters.

Salil Ganeriwal President, Hyderabad Toastmasters (2013-14) Email: salilyoga@gmail.com

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