Timer

TIMING: Intro – 1 min, Report – 2 min
AWARDS: Overtime Award

AIM

  • To assist the meeting to run on time.
  • To assist all speakers to speak within time constraints by use of timing equipment.
  • To notify the Chairman if the meeting is not proceeding according to the agenda timing.

Your efforts will ensure our meeting proceeds according to the agenda and our speakers gain a sense of time while speaking. You will also practice your speaking skills while presenting your report to the meeting.

PREPARATION

Make sure you read the agenda and are familiar with the times for the individual assignments.

ON THE NIGHT

  • Arrive early and familiarise yourself with the agenda, timing device and stop watch.
  • Make sure you have the timing guide to record the starting and ending times of the various sessions and assignments.
  • According to instructions given during the meeting (e.g. from Chairman for General Business Session, Table Topics Master and Toastmaster) indicate elapsed time by use of the gong or timing lights.
  • Notify the Chairman as you become aware the meeting is going over time and not according to the agenda timing.
  • Present a simple report of 2 minutes on how well the meeting and individual speakers were able to keep on time.
  • It is not necessary to give individual times for Table Topics – mention only those who were significantly short of the assigned time.
  • Give times for all speakers and evaluations.
  • If an entire session has gone over time, e.g. Table Topics due to lengthy introduction/questions, bring this to the attention of the meeting in your report and suggest a way this could be overcome in future meetings. (Ideally, this situation should not arise as it is up to you to notify Chairman.)

POINTS TO REMEMBER

In an effort to keep on meetings to time, the Committee has agreed that all assignments which go significantly over time will be given an indication by gong – e.g. if the Toast is still being given at 3 minutes, sound the gong; if a speech is more than 1 minute over the allocated time, sound the gong. Use your discretion when doing this.