TIME

30 seconds to 1 minute

PURPOSE

Timing is an important part of all meetings. One of the lessons to be practiced in speech training is that of expressing a thought within a specific time.

As such, it falls upon the timer to time each major section of the meeting and to time the participants. Did it start on time and end on time?

Image the situation where a speaker is asked to speak for five minutes and they speak for 20. Equally horrifying is the speaker asked to fill 20 minutes that only talks for five minutes. The timer’s role is to keep us aware of time during the various activities.

BEFORE THE MEETING

Ensure that the chronometer and lighting device are in working order. See the Sergeant-at-Arms if there are any problems. Situate yourself in a location where all speakers will be able to see the lighting device. Confirm what the time criteria will be for each portion of the meeting. Prepare an explanation of your duty as you will be called upon by the Toastmaster at the beginning of the meeting to explain what is your role.

AT THE MEETING

Keep an accurate record of time for each meeting event.

Note the time that the meeting started.

Note the start and end times of the business meeting. Monitor the current time and be prepared to provide timing instructions when called upon.

Be prepared to handle timing requests from the Chairman during the business meeting.

Time break as instructed and be sure to alert the Toastmaster when the time is up.

Record each table topic, speakers and evaluators, as indicated below.

Table Topics: 2 minutes

• Green: 1:00

• Amber: 1:30

• Red: 2:00

• At the direction of the Table Topics Master, you may be asked to lead the applause should the speaker speak longer than 2:30.

Speakers: 5 to 7 minutes

• Green: 5:00

• Amber: 6:00

• Red: 7:00

• We do not clap down prepared speeches but you may flash the red light should the speaker go over by more than 1 minute

Evaluators: 3 minutes

• Green: 2:00

• Amber: 2:30

• Red: 3:00

• Flash the red light and get the Evaluators attention after 3:30

General Evaluator

Timing of the General Evaluator is calculated as a whole including the report of the evaluators, grammarian, ah counter and yourself, the timer. Therefore, the more quickly you deliver your report, the more time the General Evaluator will have to deliver his/her report.

Flash the red light if someone or a section of the meeting is overtime. Make sure you are informed about when green, amber and red lights are to appear for each speakers. Make your report brief. Time for your report should be approximately 45 seconds.

Give timers report if called on by the General Evaluator. List times recorded for the meeting start, business meeting start and end, table topics, speakers and evaluators.

Sample explanation of your role for the meeting

The aim of the timer is to assist each participant of the meeting to speak within their designated time allotment with the assistance of this timing device. For example, In the case of Table Topics, the lights will be activated as follows. The green light will be activate at 1:00 minute, the amber light at 1:30 and the red light at 2:00 indicating that the speakers time has elapsed. The speaker is then allowed a 30 second grace to close his thought but should he/she still be speaking after the 30 seconds grace, the speaker will be clapped down.