Club Secretary’s Role (Officer Blog Series)

*This is a weekly blog series with our Club Officers writing about their personal experience in the role they serve..

My name is Salam Alchi, Club Secretary for San Diego Toastmasters 7. I rejoined Toastmasters in 2018 after a 9 year hiatus and immediately became immersed in the process of my growth as a speaker, leader, and most importantly, as an active listener.

After a few short months of membership, I was presented the opportunity to take the Secretary role for SDTM 7. I was nervous and reluctant to take the role, however after the helping hand of the previous secretary, Corinna Koehler, I found the courage to take the role.

The secretary role by nature is a supportive role. For Toastmasters, it allows club officers to communicate effectively and clearly while having faith the contents of discussion are captured. When I do my job of taking notes, updating sheets, welcoming members, and taking executive meeting minutes, the operations of the club can flow with ease. This role in a nutshell, is a functional record keeper which is a gateway teacher “behind the scenes” of our beloved organization. 

After 4 months of serving, I can say I am absolutely glad that I did for these three reasons:

1. Service:
Being one of 6 leaders in the club, it is a privilege and an honor to be of service to such an outstanding organization. 
2. Accountability:
Being a club officer deepened my responsibility to the club. Though attending is not a “requirement,” I no longer have an easy scapegoat to miss a meeting. Outside of the connections I built organically through participation, the leadership makes sure I have the tools necessary to be a positive contribution to the club. 
3. Attention: 
We are here to grow, evolve, learn, and execute those skills in an emotionally safe space. In order to do so, it is important to actively listen while participating in the meeting. Showing up is great, but the benefits are decimated when mentally checked out. In my role I must provide an accurate ledger for participants, guests, and attendees for each meeting. This includes last minute changes and cancellations. I have learned this process warms up my attentive skills to be a more attuned and active listener while participating in the meeting. 

I look forward to fulfilling the term through the end of the year. 🙂 

About Salam Alchi:

Salam was born in Baghdad in 1988 and immigrated to the US in 1993.  His passion in life is to study and understand the nature of our existence, both individually and collectively. When ready, he will apply what he has learned for the betterment of his family, peers, and environment.

“As above, so below, as within, so without, as the universe, so the soul…” – Hermes Trismegistus