Officer Roles
PRESIDENT
As Chief Executive Officer, the president is responsible for
the club’s overall operation. The president presides at meetings, guides the
club through the Distinguished Club Program, meets regularly with club officers
and works closely with the area director to coordinate goals. With a
big-picture perspective, the president sets the trajectory for the club’s
activities.
Sununtawan Peukpattanaruk, CC, of Thai Airways International
club in Bangkok, emphasizes early planning. “I would have a plan for my term,
and I would do it immediately. Good planning is half the success. If I wait, it
will never happen.” Open communication is important, and technology can help.
Dalton Lewis, CL, of Stenden Toastmasters in Leeuwarden,
Netherlands, says, “Our members wanted a closer relationship with the officers.
So I made a ‘Whatsapp’ group (a cross-platform method of phone communication)
that allows us to share ideas and information.”
Rui Marques, CC, ALB, of the Invicta club in Portugal,
emphasizes delegation to cement team involvement. “In my MBA classes, I learned
that the best way to involve a team member is to give him responsibility, then
value and recognize the commitment. It’s a successful strategy.
VICE PRESIDENT EDUCATION (VPE)
This officer helps members progress in their educational
journeys by scheduling meeting roles and signing off on completed projects.
VPEs facilitate new-member orientation and assign mentors. This position is
often regarded as the most challenging, but it doesn’t have to be if the workload
is divided.
Alison Lilly, CC, ALB, of Highway Club in Pinetown, South
Africa, says, “We have two (overlapping) VPEs—one from July to June and one
from January to December. They get recorded at Toastmasters International after
they complete their first six months as an assistant. They get credit for their
second six months while training their successor.”
For VPEs in particular, cancellations pose a challenge, but
Patricia Pitt, DTM, of Maryborough club in Queensland, Australia, is proactive.
“I always feared cancellation phone calls on meeting day, so I asked a seasoned
member to have ready a 10-minute educational program to take the place of a
seven- minute speech and a three-minute evaluation.”
In fact, it’s wise to ask several seasoned members to have a
“hip-pocket” speech ready to deliver at a moment’s notice as a substitute for a
cancellation.
VICE PRESIDENT MEMBERSHIP (VPM)
These officers focus on building club membership. They greet
visitors, provide them with information packs and plan outreach activities
(open house or community events) to attract visitors. A diligent VPM collects
guest contact information and follows up quickly. “It’s better to do it
immediately after a meeting when you might get three or four visitors instead
of at the end of the month when you could get 15 to 20 visitors,” says Paulo
Martins, ACB, ALB, of Business Speakers Toastmasters, in Lisbon, Portugal. A
phone call is most effective because people often appreciate the personal
contact. They may have questions, and you can use the opportunity to invite
them to visit again.
OTHER TIPS FOR THE VPM:
Ask members to bring old issues of the Toastmaster magazine
to distribute to visitors.
Pre-fill membership applications with standard club
information. Then all you have to do is add in specifics about the new member,
which cuts down on time and confusion.
Send personal notes to members you haven’t seen in a while.
VICE PRESIDENT PUBLIC RELATIONS (VPPR)
This officer establishes and maintains the lines of
communication between the club and its members, as well as between the club and
the public. Activities include writing and distributing press releases and
newsletters and conducting publicity campaigns and website maintenance, as well
as social media representation.
Work to increase awareness of Toastmasters through publicity
in the local media and promoting your club on social media. Publicize your
club’s photos, news and events, member achievements and success stories through
newspaper articles, news segments and social media posts.
When working with the local media on an article or a
broadcast segment, persistence pays off. Spend time finding the correct contact
at the news outlet and explain how Toastmasters can help members of the
community become better communicators and leaders. Remember to communicate
Toastmasters’ key messages when writing news releases and while speaking to
members, potential members and journalists.
Old-fashioned ways work too. With permission, leave fliers
at doctors’ offices, public bulletin boards, stores, churches, vocational
schools and other high-traffic places. If you are VPPR of a corporate club,
approach management to explain the value of Toastmasters and how it can enhance
their employees’ careers.
District 9 has enjoyed great success with Meetup. Their
website reads, “Moonlighters Club in Spokane has gained several members as a
result of Meetup. The Spokane/North Idaho Meetup group has had a steady stream
of people expressing interest in our clubs.”
SECRETARY
The club secretary manages all records and correspondence,
including membership attendance, supply orders, officer lists, past club
records and meeting minutes. This job is less visible but plays a significant
role in cultivating camaraderie and engagement.
Joe Abbott, ACS, ALB, of Country Chatters, in Tara,
Queensland, Australia, says, “As secretary, write the minutes and meeting
reports as soon as possible after the meeting and circulate them to members.
Corrections can be made immediately, and it gives members time to address any
issues arising from the meeting. It also is a refresher for members.”
TREASURER
The treasurer manages the club’s financial health by
collecting dues, paying bills and tracking financial status. This role is
important (especially at contest time) because the “club in good standing”
status is dependent on paid memberships. Members with an accounting background
are very comfortable and well-suited for this role.
Always know the financial status. Paul McDonald, DTM, of
Victory! Toastmasters in Prairie Village, Kansas, says, “I reconcile the books
every month. I don’t want to wait until the end of the year to open up the bank
statements and wonder, ‘What’s all this stuff ?’”
It helps to prepare short and regular finance reports.
Alicia Curtis, DTM, a member of several Australian clubs, says, “As treasurer,
spend one minute each meeting announcing what the current bank balance is and
what was purchased. I provided a printed report for each meeting. I sent a
report monthly to the officers and quarterly to the entire club.”
You may want to explore other ways to simplify your role,
such as using a club PayPal account or club debit card or collecting yearly
member dues.
SERGEANT AT ARMS
The sergeant at arms (SAA) addresses meeting logistics,
including room reservations and meeting set-up and cleanup. They arrange timing
lights, the club banner, the nation’s flag (if displayed at the meeting),
direction signs and evaluation forms. The SAA properly stores and transports
the supplies and equipment. If you’ve ever arrived at a meeting and found it
completely ready to go, thank the sergeant at arms!
There are other ways the SAA’s duties can be simplified.
Sandra Lawes, DTM, of the 104 London Debaters club in England, says, “Keep an
eye on the inventory of supplies and order things in bulk from World
Headquarters to save shipping costs.”
Emma Jane Santa, DTM, of the Mother Lode club in Grass
Valley, California, offers this smart tip: “Create an emergency kit with a
timer sheet, 20 ballots, a small flag, a page of inspirational quotes, humor
and Table Topics ideas, and red, yellow and green paper. Then, if you’re ever
locked out of your meeting place, you can hold your meeting anyway.”
These tips should eliminate some of the intimidating factors
for new club officers. The Club Leadership Handbook says, “As a club leader,
you play an important role in the mission of Toastmasters International: We
empower individuals to become more effective communicators and leaders.” It’s a
privilege to affect others and become a better version of yourself. By tapping
into the experience of others who have gone before you, your officer term will
be terrific.
For more information visit
https://www.toastmasters.org/magazine/articles/congratulations-club-officers
https://www.toastmasters.org/magazine/articles/congratulations-club-officers
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