BEFORE THE MEETING

• Verify with each speaker the length of his or her speech. If it’s a longer, advanced speech, ask when they’d like to have you turn on the lights (some advanced speeches have several timing components that need to be clarified prior to the meeting).

• Check the stopwatch and lights to be sure you understand how and if they work.

DURING THE MEETING

A. Explaining the Role of Timer

The Toastmaster will call upon you and others who have meeting roles to explain the duties being performed. As Timer, you will want to explain WHY we time and HOW you will alert the speakers. Your explanation should be clear, but succinct.

Example: In Toastmasters we learn how to speak within designated timeframes so as not cause the meeting to run longer or shorter than desired. Timing is one of the tools that helps us stay focused and organized. Accordingly, I will time the prepared speeches, table topics speeches, and evaluations, and will turn on (demonstrate by flicking proper switches) the green light at the minimum time, the yellow light midway between minimum and maximum times, and the red light at the maximum time. The speaker then has 30 seconds to conclude his or her message. Timing for tonight’s speeches are listed on the agenda. Table Topics Respondents have 1-2 minutes and the Evaluators have 2-3 minutes.

B. Timing

Start the timer as soon as the speaker utters the first word or communicates to the audience with a gesture that indicates he/she has begun the speech. First words may be: “Mr. Toastmaster” or “Fellow Toastmasters.” Just be observant. Examples:

• Most speeches are 5-7 minutes: Green light at 5 minutes; Yellow at 6 minutes; Red at 7 minutes; Grace-period of 30 seconds on either side.

• All Table Topics are 1-2 minutes: Green light at 1 minute; Yellow at 1-1/2 minutes; Red at 2 minutes; Grace-period of 30 seconds on upper side only.

• All Evaluations are 2-3 minutes: Green light at 2 minutes; Yellow at 2-1/2 minutes; Red at 3 minutes; Grace-period of 30 seconds on either side.

Stop the timer as soon as the speaker concludes message and returns control of the program to the introducer.

C. Reporting Results

On three different occasions you will be asked to give the results of times you recorded: (1) after the prepared speeches; (2) after table topics; and (3) after the evaluations. If either the Toastmaster, Table Topic Master, and/or the General Evaluator forgets to call for your report, try unobtrusively to alert them. If they don’t see your “signal” or don’t understand why you are trying to get their attention, then interrupt as soon as you can by saying “Would you like the Timer’s report at this time?”

Stand when called upon and state each speaker’s name and the specific time that they used for their speech, table topic response, or evaluation. If any speaker speaks less than the minimum time or more than the maximum time, mention that they are disqualified.

• Table Topics respondents must talk for at least 1 minute and not more than 2:30 in order to qualify for eligibility in the voting.

• Speeches and Evaluations have a 30-second grace period on either side of the time frames in order to qualify the speaker for eligibility in the voting.

End your report by returning control to the Toastmaster with a statement such as, “This concludes the Timer’s report.”

The chart below summarizes the timing.