Friday, February 4, 2011

Table Topics tip of the week!

Table Topics is an exercise for us to work on our extemporaneous, last-minute, “fly by the seat of your pants” speaking skills, because that is how most of our communications occur on a day-to-day basis!

When you are a Table Topic Master: there are any number of ways to select people to field the table topics.  Which way is the best?  While there may be no best way, there are a couple of guidelines to follow.  First, the Table Topics Master should ask any guests before the meeting if they would like to field a table topic.  You can ask at the beginning of the Table Topics session, but its best not to put them on the spot.  Second, select people who don’t have a speaking role that day to field a table topic. Our goal is to have everyone speak at every meeting.  Occasionally it might be OK to do a “jump ball” – i.e. to ask for volunteers to field a table topic.  But in general it is best for the Table Topics Master to pick someone and direct the table topic question to them.  

By Jason Kent, VP Public Education

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