This article provides context on how themes work for Toastmasters meetings. It also provides 34 theme ideas to consider that would allow most people to participate in theme incorporation, if they so choose.
What is Toastmasters?
Toastmasters International is an educational organization that builds confidence, and teaches public speaking skills through a worldwide network of clubs that meet online and in person. I can personally attest that in my 20+ year career, Toastmasters made the biggest impact on my professional development by a factor of 100. Anxiety speaking in front of others is what led me to start attending meetings and the work that I put in to strengthen my mental fortitude and tactical speaking skills continues to serve me well in both professional and social speaking situations. Strong communication skills are essential in nearly every single profession and can help you rise in your career more quickly. They can also help build confidence for letting your voice be heard in social, community and even household speaking situations.
In Toastmasters, a meeting theme acts as a central idea or focus that ties together various parts of the club’s meeting, from the opening and closing to the speeches, table topics, and evaluations. Themed meetings tend to create more engagement and camaraderie among audience members.
Here’s a more detailed explanation:
How Themes Work:
- Theme Selection: The meeting “Toastmaster of the Day” selects the theme and shares it during the meeting. Typically, there is some commentary surrounding the chosen theme. For example, if the theme is “Board Games,” the Toastmaster may share insights about their favorite board games as children and/or as adults. Fun meeting themes can enliven the group and prompt creative thinking.
- Theme Incorporation: The Toastmaster can incorporate the theme into their opening remarks and in transitions between segments. Club members with other meeting roles such as Table Topics Master, Table Topics Speaker, Word of the Day, General Evaluator, Ah/Um Counter etc. can also try and weave the theme into their remarks. It almost feels like a game where you can score bonus points!
- Speech Integration: Speakers of the Prepared Speeches can choose to in incorporate the theme into their speeches, either directly or by connecting the topic to the theme.
- Table Topics: The theme can be used to generate table topics questions, prompting fellow Toastmasters to think about the topic in a creative and engaging way. Often the Table Topics Master will have their questions pre-prepared which is perfectly fine. Inclusion of the theme in speaking roles is purely optional and meant to invoke a fun factor. Usually club members aren’t aware of the theme until the meeting begins.
Toastmasters Meeting Theme Ideas
- Seasonal holidays (Halloween if the meeting is in the fall; 4th of July if it is in the early summer)
- Current events (steer clear of anything related to politics in your club meeting….esp if this day an age)
- Cultural events happening in your City (concerts, plays, conferences, sports)
- An upcoming special event – maybe it is a holiday, maybe it is the first day of school in your community, Earth Day etc.
- Board games
- United States Presidents (this could be fun and educational but potentially controversial depending on where you live!)
- New Year’s Resolutions….a reflection. This is a fun topic to introduce several months after New Years. Club members can report on progress they have made (or not) with any resolutions.
- The four seasons (pick one or open it up to all)
- Social media (tread lightly with this one…maybe social media benefits to encourage members to place a positive spin on the topic)
- Volunteering
- Dr. Seuss
- Outdoor activities
- Non-alcoholic beverages (couldn’t everyone talk for days about their favorite brands and flavors of sparkling water?)
- Fruits and vegetables
- Colors of the rainbow
- Regions in the US (you could pick West Coast, Southwest, New England, the South)
- Island vibes
- Taylor Swift (she has earned the right to be in a category all her own!)
- Spooky
- Rock and Roll
- Old fashioned fun
- Outdoor activities
- Camping
- Disney characters
- Movies from your childhood
- International travel
- Pop culture icons
- Favorite infomercials
- Artistic expression
- Library books
- Target (the store….doesn’t everyone love Target and have thoughts on it?)
- Move your body!
- Kindness revolution
- Thrill seeking
Hopefully one of these themes clicks with you or, has inspired an entirely new idea that you can introduce at your next Toastmasters meeting. No need to overthink it. I am always amazed at how creative people can get with incorporating a theme into the various elements of a meeting. Themes are a great opportunity for people to show their fun side. Besides steering clear or political or controversial topics, my only other suggestion is to pick a theme that is somewhat relatable to most people in the audience. While you may be a science person, picking a theme of molecular biology might produce a roomful of blank stares. Aim for inclusion! You provide the theme, they decide how and if they incorporate.
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