This article outlines the purpose of the Table Topics section of Toastmasters regular meetings. It also provides 100+ questions organized into 15 themes that you can immediately use next time you are the Table Topics master.
Table of Contents
What are Toastmasters Table Topics?
Toastmasters is an educational organization that builds confidence and teaches public speaking skills through a worldwide network of clubs that meet online and in person. Table Topics is the impromptu speech part of a Toastmasters regular meeting. There is a designated Table Topics master who is in charge of introducing this part of the meeting and sharing the Table Topics questions he or she has chosen. From there, members of the audience can volunteer to speak for 1-2 minutes to answer the question. Every question will be unique so that each participant has an opportunity to practice answering a question that they did not know in advance, in front of other audience members. The purpose of table topics is to better acclimate members with impromptu speech moments which invariably happen in life. For example:
- You are at a meeting or event and are asked to introduce yourself to the group and share something interesting about yourself.
- You are called upon to answer a question or share a thought during a work or social event meeting.
- Even just regular conversation with a group of people can be considered impromptu speaking as you haven’t put together prepared thoughts on a topic.
The more we practice putting ourselves into these impromptu situations, the better we will become at managing any mental or physical stress that can accompany public speaking and / or feeling like you have been put on the spot.
Preparing to be the Table Topics Master
As the Table Topics master, you should come prepared with 6-8 questions as the Table Topics session usually lasts 15-20 minutes. The best Table Topics are ideally ones that majority of your fellow toastmasters will understand and be able to answer vs. a question that is obscure or super niche. Try to avoid anything that is potentially controversial or polarizing…probably best to avoid anything around politics in this somewhat crazy election year or religion. If there are new members attending your chapter meeting for the first time, be sure and explain exactly how Table Topics works so that they understand how to participate, time limits, etc.
In terms of the prepared questions, you have a few options.
- You can pick questions that align with the theme of the meeting, if there is one at your particular Toastmasters club. To do this, you would need to coordinate in advance with the member picking the theme.
- You can choose a theme for your Table Topics session that is independent of any broader meeting themes. For example, you many prepare 6-8 questions around the theme of international travel or home decor.
- Your list of questions can be totally ad hoc and draw from a variety of categories.
There is really no right answer for how you choose to organize your questions.
Volunteers: Preparing for Your Question
There is a very real possibility that you won’t immediately know how to answer the question posed to you during Table Topics. Remind yourself that you are in safe company and are participating to become better prepared for impromptu questions and conversations that will inevitably come your way in life. It is perfectly ok to silently reflect on the question while you think of how to begin. Don’t feel like you need to immediately begin speaking or fill the air with filler words such as “um….um…” while you think. Silence can be golden and often takes discipline to exercise. Also, what may feel like minutes of pause to you is probably only a few seconds in reality!
What if You Can’t Come Up with an Answer?
Knowing that there is a time slot associated with Table Topics, go with the first thought that enters your mind relative to the question. Remember, no one is looking for the perfect answer. You are simply providing “an answer” and sharpening your public speaking muscles. If absolutely nothing comes to mind, that is ok too and it very well may happen in real life situations. If you were asked a question at work for which you don’t have an answer, you would typically say “that is a good question, let me do some research and get back to you with an answer.” Or, “I don’t have an answer to that question right now but let me ask a couple colleagues their thoughts and I will email you back later today.”
In the context of Table Topics, you could say “An answer to this thoughtful question is not immediately coming to mind. After today’s meeting, I am going to challenge myself to come up with an answer. The way that I will go about doing that will include doing a Google search or asking a friend. Perhaps I will find inspiration after a longer reflection time. Regardless, I appreciate the opportunity to come up on this stage in front of all of you and practice the art of publicly speaking to an audience.” You know what you just did in that last example? You rose to the challenge even though a true answer to the question never came to you during your time slot. You let yourself be a little uncomfortable, thought on the spot and practiced managing what could feel like a stressful situation in the real world. Keep showing up and maybe next time you volunteer, an answer will hit you sooner.
Question Themes
Sports
- What was is your favorite sport that you played during gym class?
- If you could attend one sporting event championship, which event would it be? Eg. the Superbowl, the NBA Finals etc.
- Which sport did you play as a kid? Either formally or informally.
- What are your thoughts on the pickleball craze?
- Which Olympic sport is your favorite to watch?
- What was the first sport you ever played?
Media
- What was your favorite concert?
- What is your favorite song?
- Which podcast do you listen to the most?
- Based on your own experience, do you think social media is healthy for our society?
- When is your favorite genre of books?
- Do you have personal time limits for the personal phone / device usage?
- Which type of movies are your favorite to watch?
Food
- Tell us about a meal that you ate in the last day?
- Have you cooked a meal in the last week?
- What is your go to condiment that you regularly use?
- Do you prefer to cook at home on a Saturday night or go out to a restaurant?
- Do you think restaurant prices have become unaffordable?
- Do you prefer quick service or traditional restaurant dining?
- What is the biggest challenge that you face in the kitchen?
- What is your favorite cooking equipment or utensil?
Holidays
- If you could participate in a holiday from another culture or religion, which would it be?
- Do you think Christmas has become over commercialized?
- What is your favorite movie to watch during the winter holidays?
- What is your favorite gift that you have given to another person?
- What is your favorite holiday?
- Tell us about a family holiday tradition that you most enjoy.
- Do you consider Valentines Day a holiday?
Hobby
- What is one new hobby that you want to try?
- Tell us about a current hobby.
- When is the last time you tried something new?
- Tell us about a hobby that one of your grandparents enjoyed.
- How do you learn new things related to a current hobby?
- Do you have a hobby that you regularly enjoy with other people?
- What is a popular hobby that does not interest you in the least?
Career
- How do you avoid burnout in your career?
- Which alternative career would you pursue, if given the option?
- Tell us about your best boss or mentor.
- Do you currently work from home, go into an office or both?
- What is the most important thing you have learned in your career?
- Do you plan to stay in your same career until you retire?
- Would you consider becoming an entrepreneur?
Focus
- Why do you think great ideas happen in the shower?
- What time of day are most productive?
- Are you a morning person?
- What is your favorite way to unwind before bed?
- What helps get you focused on an important task?
- Do you listen to music while working?
- Do you feel that you are easily distracted?
Nature
- Do you like rainy days?
- Do you prefer oceans or lakes?
- Do you try and intentionally get outside every day?
- Do you find outdoor walks to be invigorating?
- Have you considered planting a garden of flowers and / or vegetables?
- What are your thoughts on hiking?
- Which animal or insect that is found in nature, scares you the most?
US Travel
- Which state is next on your list to visit?
- Are you a road trip person?
- Tell us something interesting about the state in which you were born.
- What is your spirit state?
- Have you ever been to a national park?
- Do you feel a stronger pull to warm weather or cold weather states?
- Do you enjoy vacationing in a big city?
Colors of the Rainbow
- What are your thoughts on the color red?
- Of what does the color orange initially make you think?
- Is yellow a part of your wardrobe in any way?
- Tell us about 5 green vegetables that you like to eat
- Do you prefer sun and blue skies or dark rainy days?
- Eggplant is a pretty polarizing food. In fact, people will debate whether eggplant is actually a fruit or a vegetable. Will you eat eggplant or is there not a chance?
Home Decor
- Do you prefer to decorate your room, apartment or home in warm or cool tones?
- Do you lean more towards minimalism or heavily styled spaces?
- Black out shades or natural light for sleeping?
- Do you lean more towards a modern home decor style or vintage?
- Are there any items that you collect and, have on display in your home?
- Fake plants, real plants or no plants at all?
International Travel
- What is the furthest you are willing to travel on a plane, in economy class?
- Do you find it challenging traveling to another country where very few people speak English?
- Do you like to prepare most of your trip in advance, wing it as you go or, a little of both?
- Are you adventurous when trying unfamiliar foods from another country or culture?
- What is an international location that you would like to visit that may surprise your friends or family?
- Do you prefer to spend your time doing structured activities such as museums or galleries or, unstructured wandering?
Snacks
- What is your go to snack?
- Which snack do you wish you liked, but you just don’t?
- What snacks did you pack in your school lunch when you were a kid?
- What snacks do you pack for road trips?
- What is your favorite empty calorie snack?
- Do you have a snack that reminds you of another person or memory?
- Do you snack before going to sleep at night?
Famous People
- Which celebrity or public figure have you been told that you look like?
- If you could swap lives with an actor / actress for a day, with whom would it be?
- If you were a newscaster, would you prefer the early shift or the night shift?
- Do you think the lives of famous people are as glamorous as they seem?
- What is one movie that you can watch over and over?
- If you had to star in a reality tv show, past or present, which would it be?
- Have you ever seen a famous person up close?
Free Time
- Are you an early bird or a night owl?
- What is your favorite activity to undertake when you are not working?
- Do you relax by doing or relax by lounging?
- What is the best way to recharge your battery when you are feeling run down or over worked?
- Do group get togethers drain your battery or fill up your cup?
- Do you find exercise relaxing?
- What is your favorite beverage to enjoy when you are relaxing?
Table Topics is a very enjoyable part of Toastmasters meetings in that it gives people who may not have signed up for a specified speaking role, an opportunity to get up on stage and share a little bit about themselves with the audience. Above all, whether you are the Table Topics Master or the participant, go into the experience ready to have fun and don’t overthink it!
Leave a Reply