Ten Commandments for the Club Secretary

1. Acquire a binder or some other method of storage for keeping all of your records in one safe and convenient location. Keep the information current and at the end of your term transfer the Club Records to the incoming Club Secretary.
2. Create a standard way of keeping minutes for weekly meetings and board meetings. You can use the same system for both or the systems for each can differ.
3. Commit to a reasonable time frame for preparing and distributing meeting minutes for approval. Electronically distribute the minutes to the appropriate individuals and once you have received corrections, make the necessary alterations and then prepare the documents for approval at the next meeting.
4. Always make sure you have someone scheduled to cover for you at the weekly meetings when you are absent. This individual must be trained and have a clear understanding of the expectations.  Don’t let this responsibility go untended.  Your records of the weekly Club Meetings serve as the V.P. of Education’s backup for member’s speeches should someone take a break in the Educational program.
5. Keep an attendance sheet. In some clubs the Ah-Counter Report can also be used for the purpose of keeping attendance.  It is recommended that the attendance sign in sheet reflects a monthly or at most quarterly record of member’s attendance.  A copy should be supplied to the V.P. of Membership on a regular basis.  This allows V.P. of Membership to follow-up on any trends of absences. Your club should have a separate sign in sheet or guest book for guests.
6. Read the Leader Letter from Toastmasters International and communicate with the Club President regarding any deadlines that are listed by the District Leadership, in the Club Leadership Handbook or posted in the monthly Toastmasters International emails that are specifically directed to the President and the Secretary. Make certain that these deadlines are marked down in a calendar and frequently referenced to ensure that important dates are not missed.
7. Support other Executive Board members when needed as described in the Club Leadership Handbook.
8. Always have blank thank you cards on hand (you never know who you might need/want to thank) and whenever a Member does something worthy of additional praise or gratitude have the Club Officers and/or Members sign a card and then send it off to the intended recipient immediately.
9. Midway through your term begin to focus on succession planning. Work towards identifying a replacement for your Club Officer role.  Approach the candidate and if they are willing to consider the position take the initiative to begin mentoring them.  Set them up for success by transferring clean records and a nice neat package to them at the end of your term.
10. Be aware of your administrative duties as described in the Club Leadership Handbook and also confirm your responsibilities amongst your Club Officer team to eliminate duplication of effort and ensure that all club operational tasks are addressed within specified time frames or deadline dates.