WHEN YOU TAKE THE FLOOR TIPS

A.  When you, the delegate, take the floor:

1. Be confident.  Show the delegates that you know your topic well.
2. Maintain professionalism.  The more professional you are the more serious people will take you.
3. Slow down when speaking.  Project your voice and annunciate every word.  If you sound confident and strong people will be willing to listen to you.
4. Don’t read off a paper when speaking for or against a resolution.  Have a few key points written down and then discuss the topic.
5. Be friendly.  Thank the delegate for their question.  Remember you are trying to make allies, not enemies.
6. Be positive and don’t take criticisms personally.
7. If you are the main submitter of a resolution, try to be the last speaker in open debate.  The final thing you want other delegates to hear is positive information about the resolution.
8. If you aren’t sure how to answer the question, ask the Chair to have the delegate repeat the question.  This allows you more time to think or understand the question.
9. Plan with other delegates to use the same key phrases over and over again: “this resolution will improve the living conditions or migrant workers”, “this resolution is a violation of national sovereignty”.  Repeating the message will ensure that the other delegates know your main point.
10. When speaking, address the chair as “Honourable Chair” and delegates are “Honourable Delegates”, or “Fellow/Honourable Delegate”.
11. You are under no obligation to answer any questions at all.  The Chair will ask if you are open to any “Points of Information”, or questions after you have finished speaking.  If you are not, just say so.  However, it is advisable to be open to P.O.I., even more advisable to limit the number of questions.  So, limit the number of questions to be asked by other delegates in order to keep delegates happy and to appear confident and firm in your country’s opinion (whether you are or not).
12. If you want a certain country to support you and speak immediately after you, then ask the chair if you may lead the floor to that country.  Unless there are time constraints, the chair will usually grant that request without hesitation.  Keep in mind that the floor can only be yielded to another delegate ONCE.  After Speaker #2 finishes, then the floor must be yielded back to the chair immediately.