The Sergeant At Arms- Role Unlocked
by Priscilla Dias, DTM
President, Kuwait Challengers Toastmasters Club
Ever since I joined toastmasters in 2017, I have witnessed the Sergeant at Arms starts the meeting, welcoming all present, recite the club mission and read the ground rules for the meeting, be it physical, online or a hybrid meeting.
The Challenge
This year I chose to train the Sergeant at Arms at the district 20 Club Officers Training. While prepping for the same, I was studying the Club Officers training manual and the corresponding PowerPoint presentation on the Toastmasters International website. To my surprise, starting the meeting, reciting the club mission and reading the ground rules were not mentioned as the responsibilities in the “during the meeting” segment.
I then referred to the “club leadership handbook” page 45 and guess what; it is not mentioned there either.
Now I was going to train the SAAs here in Kuwait and we are all familiar with this being the responsibility of the SAA.
Had I not to mention it during the training or brush it aside when asked by the attending SAA whether it was and not their responsibility, I would be in trouble (not literally); but I had to get it right.
“Ask and you shall receive”
So I asked; not chatGPT… I asked members of The Official Toastmasters International Facebook Page.
“Ever since I joined toastmasters in 2017, I noticed the Sergeant at Arms start the meeting / event welcoming all, reciting the club / district mission and reading the ground rules for the meetings be it physical, online or hybrid meeting.
At our Club Officers Training, I am the trainer for the SAA. Prepping for the same, while going through the training material on the Toastmasters International website I have not come across this particular responsibility in the SAA responsibilities ppt. slide nor the training manual.
The club leadership handbook page 45 also makes no mention.
What am I missing? Is it, or is it not the responsibility of the SAA to start the meeting?”
The Overwhelming Response
The comments I received on this post of mine firstly, was an eye-opener to my very own role as President of my club. And here is what it means. Fellow Toastmaster Raveendran Subramaniam, a top contributor on the Facebook page, pointed out that it is the President that opens the meeting as mentioned in the Club Leadership Handbook.
17 other toastmasters commented on the post sharing who starts their club meetings; some clubs SAA while some club presidents, also attributing it to club culture, parliamentary procedures, tradition, motion passed, availability etc…. Notably, TM Kim Hale Goode highlighted that this responsibility was moved to the President in 2014, prior to which it was the responsibility of the SAA as per the Club Leadership Handbook.
Reading all the comments to my post I now felt equipped to train the SAA. During the training I brought it up for discussion. The result: SAA present at the training nodded the heads confirming they performed the responsibility of starting the meeting. When I pointed out that it was not their responsibility but that of the President, heads turned towards fellow toastmasters, then towards me with that look of disbelief.… “does she even know what she is saying”? It was a healthy discussion with most SAA not willing to give up on the responsibility as they thought it was an opportunity to speak that no one should take away from them. I suggested that they take it up with their clubs executive committee members.
Are you asking me, who starts the meetings in our Kuwait Challengers Club? It is our SAA, TM Jata Johnson who does a fantastic job setting the tone for the meeting. I, Priscilla Dias, DTM, President of Kuwait Challengers Club would like TM Jata Johnson SAA of our club to shoulder the responsibility of opening our club meetings.
Who do you think should start your club meetings?
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Priscilla Dias a is a postgraduate in commerce who left behind a 20-year long career in the administration field to follow her passion for baking and cake decorating. Owner of Cake Obsessed serving custom designed cakes and cupcakes. She is a distinguished toastmaster who conducts workshops and trainings and thrives at speech contests. Member of Kuwait Challengers Club since 2017.