Club meetings of Toastmasters International have a one-to-two-minute impromptu speaking portion called Table Topics. Where can you find good questions? On December 8, 2022 I blogged about how Job interview questions about soft skills also can be used for Table Topics questions at Toastmasters club meetings.
There is an interesting 2023 book by Karen Eber titled The Perfect Story: How to Tell Stories That Inform, Influence, and Inspire. She has the following six lists which might be used as 59 questions for Table Topics:
YOUR PERSONAL EXPERIENCES – page 62
What is a defining moment in your life?
What was a situation that didn’t start funny, but you now laugh about?
What would you do differently if you were able?
What did you learn from a vacation adventure?
What pets did you have growing up?
What is a hidden talent of yours?
Who was your favorite teacher?
What was your first concert, car, or date?
Have you had a car break down? What did you learn?
What would you save if your home was on fire?
What is the best advice you’ve received?
What is a skill or talent you mastered?
What traditions were observed in your home?
What is something you should have thrown out but can’t part with?
Ask a friend or family member:
What is your favorite thing about me?
What was I like as a child?
What did you image I would do for a living?
YOUR PROFESSIONAL EXPERIENCES – page 63
What was your first job?
What was a mistake or failure you learned from?
What was a difficult team or project you experienced?
What change made you afraid of losing or gaining something?
Who was your best or worst leader?
What was a moment when you thought, This is why I do this work?
What was a moment when you had no idea what you were doing?
What is something you would like to do over?
What would you tell the younger version of yourself?
What are you most proud of?
What is the best advice you’ve received?
LOOK AT CUSTOMERS, CLIENTS, AND STAKEHOLDERS – page 64
What problems do your customers face? What do they complain about?
What do your clients aspire to be, do, or have in the future?
What pain points have you solved for your clients?
What do customers say they love about your product or solution? Why?
How do your clients find you?
What challenges would you find of your customers if you searched online?
What have you learned from the evolution of your product or solutions?
What are the seven principles or ideas your clients need to know?
Why did you start your products and/or services?
FIND A MUSE – page 64
What would make someone your ideal customer?
What problems do they struggle with?
How have you helped them, and what did they realize in the process?
Where have they had success?
What comes easily to them? Where are they looking to grow?
What aspirations do they have?
IN THE WORLD – page 65
What is a favorite movie or piece of art that moves you? Why?
What music can you play endlessly?
What topics can you talk about all day?
What is an outdoor space you love to visit?
Have you ever heard the origin of a product or a company that stuck with you?
Do you have a favorite museum?
Is there an article or podcast episode that stood out to you? Why?
What is your favorite city or place to visit? Why?
Do you have a favorite book?
Have you heard a speech or speaker that stayed with you?
PASSAGE OF TIME – page 66
Is there a conference room or building in your workplace that has witnessed different events or meetings over the years?
Do you have a stuffed animal, blanket, lucky charm, or piece of clothing that followed you ob multiple experiences?
Is there any object that has been passed down through your family?
What are objects in tour day-to-day that have evolved over the passage and time (e.g. rotary phone to mobile phone)?
What are different world events your audience witnessed over their lifetime?
What is an object that could tell multiple points of experience? For example, my hiking boots are twenty-five years old. They represent many stories of the different hikes, trips to different countries, and life events.
An image of a drop-leaf dining table came from Wikimedia Commons.
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