As a Toastmasters club member you expect your club officers to know how to manage the club and to support all club members in reaching their educational goals.
When you serve as a club officer, you want to do your best in operating the club and supporting your club members. To accomplish this, you rely on being properly trained to fulfill the tasks of your officer role.
At Toastmasters we do not try to elect the person who has the most experience, instead we look for members who will commit to do the work and LEARN from the experience. Toastmasters is all about learning, and serving as an officer is a learning opportunity.
Are you a new club officer? As a new club officer you should do the following:
- Coordinate with your other club officers to ensure that you are all working together to complete all club business.
- Read the Toastmasters International Club Leadership Handbook
- Review other club officers tools, tutorials and resources available at Toastmasters.org. In particular you should click the “Club Central Tutorials” in order to become familiar with Club Central.
- Contact your Area Director – Each club is in an Area, and club officers can rely on their Area Director as a resource for training and for District news.
- Attend the next Toastmasters Leadership Institute (TLI, Club Officer Training) – Ask your Area Director or check the District 7 Events calendar to see when the next TLI is scheduled. TLI, and additional club officer training sessions, will be scheduled to occur during June to August and during November to February.
- All Club Officers should complete two projects in Pathways: Understanding Your Leadership Style and Understanding Your Communications Style. These are Level 2 projects in many paths, but not all paths. Even if the projects are not required by your current path, it would still be good to complete both projects.
President
In addition to reading the Club Leadership Handbook, the Club President should be familiar with Club Central and with serving as a Pathways Base Camp Manager.
The Club President should be familiar with conducting a Moments of Truth module and with completing the Club Success Plan.
The Club President should speak with their club’s Area Director frequently, and utilize the assistance of the Area Director as needed to support club members, and to encourage club member participation in District and International activities.
Vice President Education
In addition to reading the Club Leadership Handbook, the Club Vice President Education should be familiar with Club Central and with serving as a Pathways Base Camp Manager.
The Club Vice President Education should be familiar with the Toastmasters Educational Program, Pathways, and how to support members in completing their educational goals. The Vice President Education also plays a significant role in completing the Club Success Plan.
This is often the most difficult club role and should be approached with a solid commitment to supporting club members.
Vice President Membership
In addition to reading the Club Leadership Handbook, the Club Vice President Membership should be familiar with Club Central.
The Vice President Membership should be familiar with conducting a Moments of Truth module and with completing the Club Success Plan.
The Vice President Membership needs to work closely with the Club Treasurer and/or Secretary to ensure that guests are readily supported in completing their membership application and submitting dues payments.
In most clubs it is the Vice President Membership who works directly with incoming members to complete the Membership Application Form.
Vice President Public Relations
In addition to reading the Club Leadership Handbook, the Club Vice President Public Relations should be familiar with conducting a Moments of Truth module and with completing the Club Success Plan.
The Vice President Public Relations takes the lead in helping to publicize the club, and making it easy for potential members to find and visit the club meetings. Two tools are most valuable in doing this, and the Vice President Public Relations should ensure they are both current and accurate: Find a Club at Toastmasters.org, and the club’s own website. If information at Find a Club is inaccurate, the Vice President Membership should utilize Club Central to update the club’s information. If information on the club’s own website is innacurate, the Vice President Public Relations will need to work with the webmaster or website administrator for the club to update the site.
District 7 has a specialty Toastmasters Club, PR Masters, with the specific mission to support clubs in improving their public relations success.
Secretary
In addition to reading the Club Leadership Handbook, the Club Secretary should be familiar with completing the Club Success Plan.
The Secretary records official motions and actions of the club, maintains records of the club, and should take the lead in tracking deadlines so that the club keeps on track with required tasks.
Treasurer
In addition to reading the Club Leadership Handbook, the Club Treasurer should be familiar Club Central and with completing the Club Success Plan.
The Treasurer takes primary responsibility for collecting dues payments from club members and submitting dues payments to Toastmasters International. The Club Treasurer needs to be familiar with any financial accounts of the club, and with submitting applications and dues payments to Toastmasters International.
Sergeant At Arms
In addition to reading the Club Leadership Handbook, the Club Sargent at Arms should be familiar with completing the Club Success Plan.
The Sergeant At Arms takes the lead on securing and preparing a meeting venue for the club, ensuring the venue is open and ready for club meetings, and welcoming members and guests to attend the meetings.
Upcoming training opportunities in District 7 are list in the District 7 Events Calendar
Additional Club Officer Training opportunities are listed here: https://d96toastmasters.ca/events/club-officer-training-online
NOTE: When attending any training outside of District 7, ask the presenters to send confirmation of your attendance to pqd@d7toastmasters.org.
Check these sites for additional Club Officer Training being conducted by other West Coast Districts:
| Founders District District 115 District 101 |
District 100 District 57 District 52 District 49 |
District 39 District 33 District 15 |
District 9 District 5 District 4 District 1 |