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Frequently Asked Questions

Is there a fee to attend a club meeting?
There are no fees to attend a meeting as a guest.
Am I required to speak at a club meeting?
No. You are not obligated to speak when visiting a pacesetters club. You may simply observe if you wish.
How long are club meetings and when?
We meet for 2 hours every 2nd & 4th Sunday of the month at the Boardroom of UI conference centre, inside UI hotels, Ibadan, Oyo State.
Do I need to bring anything to a club meeting?
Yes. You are required to bring a jotter and a pen.
Is there a leader or instructor?
There is no instructor in a Pacesetters meeting. The club will have elected club officers present and a Pacesetter who facilitates the meeting
Can anyone become a member?
As long as you are at least 18 years of age, you can become a Pacesetter.
How much does it cost to become a member?
Members pay prescribed dues every month.

What is Timer role?
One of the skills Pacesetters practice is expressing a thought within a specific time. As Timer
you are responsible for monitoring time for each meeting segment and each speaker. To
perform as Timer, you:

1. Acquire the timing/signalling equipment from the Sergeant-at-Arms and know how
to operate it.

2. Explain the timing rules and demonstrate the signal device if called upon to do so.

3. Throughout the meeting, listen carefully to each participant and signal them
accordingly.

4. When called to report, announce the speaker’s name and the time taken.

5. After the meeting, return the timing/signalling equipment to the Sergeant-at-Arms
and give your timer’s report to the secretary.

Benefit: Taking on this role improves time management skills

What is Meeting Speaker role?
Every speaker is a role model and club members learn from one another’s speeches. As a
Meeting Speaker, you:

1. Prepare, rehearse and present a speech during the club meeting.

2. Arrive early to make sure the microphone, lectern and lighting are working and in
place.

3. Discuss your goals, strengths and weaknesses with your evaluator prior to giving
your speech.

Benefit: Taking on this role improves critical thinking, confidence and public speaking skills.

Why should i become a Pacesetter member?
1. Improve your communication abilities in an atmosphere of fellowship and fun with
other Pacesetters.

2. Unlimited opportunities for personal and occupational advancement based on
improved abilities and expanded experience.

3. Leadership development through training and club involvement.

4. Professionally prepared educational materials and resources on speaking, listening, discussion & more.

5. Increased confidence, ability to organize your ideas and deliver powerful, persuasive
speeches on short notice.

6. A better understanding of human Psychology.

7. Prepare for local impact and global relevance.

What is Club Meeting Roles?
The success of a club meeting depends on the program participants. In Pacesetters
Leadership Club, you learn by participating. There are many roles to fill and all meeting participants play an important part in making the club experience educational and enjoyable.

The following are the roles you will be called upon to fulfil and tips for doing a good job.
Roles and responsibilities may vary slightly from meeting to meeting, so check with the Vice President (Education) when you are assigned a role.
1. Pacesetter
2. Evaluator
3. Topicsmaster
4. Table topics speaker
5. Grammarian
6. Timer
7. Meeting Speaker

What is a Pacesetter role?
The Pacesetter is a meeting’s director and host. A member typically will not be assigned this role until they are thoroughly familiar with the club and its procedures. As Pacesetter, you:

1. Acquire a meeting agenda from your Vice President (Education).

2. Work with the General Evaluator to ensure all club participants know their roles and
responsibilities.

3. Introduce speakers during the club meeting, including their speech topic, project
title, objectives, delivery time, etc. during your introduction.

4. Ensure smooth transitions between speakers during the club meeting.

Benefit: Taking on this role improves organizational skills, time management skills and public speaking skills.

What is Evaluator role?
In Pacesetters, feedback is called evaluation, and it is the heart of the Pacesetters
educational program. You observe the speeches and leadership roles of your fellow club members and offer evaluations of their efforts, and they do the same for you. As evaluator, you:

1. Provide verbal and written evaluations for speakers using the Effective Evaluation
manual.

2. Ask those you’ve been assigned to evaluate what they will present and what they
wish to achieve.

3. Answer evaluation questions in the manual as objectively as possible.

4. When giving any evaluation, offer praise as well as constructive criticism.

Benefit: Taking on this role improves listening skills, critical thinking and positive feedback
skills.

What is Topics Master role?
The Topics master delivers the Table Topics portion of the meeting, which helps train
members to quickly organize and express their thoughts in a jiffy. As Topics master, you:

1. Select inspiring and engaging topics in advance of the meeting that allow speakers to offer diverse opinions.

2. Give members who aren’t assigned a speaking role the opportunity to speak during
the meeting by assigning impromptu talks on non-specialized themes or topics.

3. Don’t ask two people the same thing unless you specify that it is to generate
opposing viewpoints.

4. Ask members to vote for the best Table Topics speaker and present the best Table Topics speaker award.

Benefit: Taking on this role improves organizational skills, time management skills and facilitation skills.

What is Table Topics Speaker role?
Table Topics is a long-standing Pacesetters tradition intended to help members develop
their ability to organize their thoughts quickly and respond to an impromptu question or
topic.

1. Table Topics typically begins after the prepared speech presentations.

2. The Pacesetter will introduce the Topics master, who will give a brief description of
Table Topics and then call on respondents at random.

3. When asked to respond, stand next to your chair. Your response should last between
one to two minutes.

Benefit: Taking on this role improves confidence, critical thinking and ability to deliver superb impromptu speeches

What is Grammarian role?
The Grammarian plays an important role in helping all club members improve their
grammar and vocabulary. As Grammarian you:

1. Introduce new words to meeting participants and monitor language and grammar
usage.

2. Write down the language and grammar usage of all speakers, noting incomplete
sentences, mispronunciation, grammatical mistakes, non-sequiturs, malapropisms,
etc. Example: “One in five children wear glasses” should be “one in five children
wears glasses.”

3. At the end of the meeting, give your complete report when called on.

Optional: Introduce a “Word of the Week” that helps meeting participants increase
their vocabulary; Display the word, part of speech, and a brief definition with a visual
aid and prepare a sentence showcasing how the word should be used. Note who
uses this word or any derivatives thereof correctly or incorrectly during the meeting.

Benefit: Taking on this role improves vocabulary, grammar, critical listening skills and
evaluation skills.