Time Limits

A future Toastmasters speech...

I've heard it said at several of our Toastmasters meetings that we should be more concerned with saying what we have to say than with the time limits Toastmasters imposes on manual speeches, evaluations, and table topics. I understand and respect the thoughts behind this opinion, but I believe the time limits are a very important part of the Toastmasters educational process.

1. Many events feature multiple activities and in order to accomplish everything on the agenda, time limits have to be followed. It is disrespectful to the event organizers and attendees to run over your time limit and throw the rest of the event in disarray. Some things can't be delayed (meals if we want them hot, departure times if we're dependent on commercial transportation), so using more than our allotted time means something else has to be cut short or eliminated in order to stay on track. I've heard very few speeches or presentations that couldn't have been edited down by a few minutes without losing their impact or making their point.

2. We all complain about poorly run meetings that don't follow the agenda and don't finish on time. If we don't respect our time slot on the agenda, we are guilty of contributing to the very thing we dislike. If you have 10 minutes on the agenda, plan for seven or eight - chances are that is ample time to say what you need to say (if you have prepared properly) and allows a few minutes for questions or discussion.

3. Communication is not a one-way street. If you are prone to delivering long-winded monologues in your communications with others, you probably are not communicating at all. More likely, you are monopolizing the conversation and the person you're attempting to communicate with has little energy or interest to respond when you are finally done speaking.

As Merrill Davies said in the May 2010 TMI magazine: It’s an honor to be asked to speak to a group. You may have knowledge that can benefit others. Or you may have been invited because of your humor and ability to entertain. No matter why you were asked, always keep in mind that by attending and listening to you, the audience is giving up other activities. So respect the audience members’ time and the other presenters on the program. In club meetings, Toastmasters always check the timing on speeches and the timer holds them accountable. You’ll find this practice of watching the clock useful in your professional presentations, too. Always ask how long the speech should last and then stay within those limits – better to leave them wanting more than to have them sighing!