Being a Club Officer

The new Toastmasters year begins July 1.  This means (hopefully) that clubs within Toastmasters International should be focusing on the upcoming club elections.  If the new officer team wants to take off running, then clubs need to hold their elections soon (in May) so the new team is in place by July 1. 

So now you are asking two questions: why would I want to serve as an officer? and where do I learn the responsibilities of each role?  Let's tackle each question.

1) Why become an officer?  There are a number of reasons.  Serving as a club officer is one of the requirements for the Advanced Leader Bronze award.  The skills you develop working with others, and on behalf of your club, are transferable to your work and/or home life.  The club does not run itself.  It needs a team of members who are willing to put in some effort to keep the club going and prime it for growth in the future.

2) How do I find out what the responsibilities are of each office?  The are several avenues available.  You can ask the current officers for feedback on their roles.  Each officer receives a manual full of information to help them throughout the year.  You could ask an officer if you could borrow their copy.  Once you become an officer, our District offers formal training to help you learn about your officer role.  Club officers from around the area come together to learn, ask questions, and trade tips with one another.  The first of these training sessions occurs in July, then a follow-up session is offered in January.

            There are seven officer positions: President, VP Education, VP Membership, VP Public Relations, Secretary, Treasurer, and Sgt at Arms (also referred to as Master Host).  While I would not recommend the first two to first-time officers, the others are good starting points for building your leadership skills.  Over the next few weeks I will be posting further information about each of these officer positions. 

            Take the challenge of leadership.  Accept the growth possibilities within you.  Take that next step in your Toastmasters development.  Take the officer step!