Creative Ways to Encourage Participation in Club Meetings

Does your club struggle to get members to sign up for meeting roles?

Changing up your club’s meeting format may be the key to engaging both new and longtime members.

Table Topics: Zombie Apocalypse Edition

One of my club’s favorite October meetings is the table topics Zombie Apocalypse. In this activity, members select three items from a free Jeopardylabs.com board—similar to the concept of story cubes—and use them to craft a 1 to 2-minute table topic response. The twist is that if a member uses more than five filler words or does not meet the time requirements, they “become a zombie.” This adds a fun, competitive edge to the traditional table topics session.

Backwards Meeting

Another favorite among many clubs is the backwards meeting. The format is simple: flip the meeting upside down for a fresh and entertaining experience. Evaluators begin by identifying how a speaker can “improve” their speech, such as by reducing distracting body movements. Then, speakers deliver their speeches, incorporating the feedback from the evaluators. The focus of a backwards meeting is to emphasize fun and creativity over perfection, making it enjoyable for everyone involved.

Theme Speech A-Thon

Consider organizing a theme speech a-thon, where members can vote on the funniest, tallest tale, or most “spooktacular” speech. Speech a-thons offer a lively, engaging open house opportunity and provide a platform to showcase the speaking skills of both new and seasoned members. For example, Palmer Toastmasters has hosted a Laugh Out Loud open house every autumn for several years, highlighting the club’s spirit and camaraderie.

Wheel of Toastmasters

If your club is experiencing difficulties getting members to volunteer for meeting roles, one creative solution is to introduce a “Wheel of Toastmasters.” This interactive approach involves using a spinning wheel to randomly assign meeting roles to members for the next session. By incorporating an element of chance and fun, the Wheel of Toastmasters encourages participation and ensures all roles are filled, helping meetings run smoothly and engaging members in a lighthearted manner.

For more creative meeting ideas, check out the Road to Distinguished office hours Wednesday at 6-7 PM Alaska, 7-8 PM Pacific.