02 FEBRUARY 2013

MOTLATLA SOCIETY

YMG MINI-WORKSHOP

What is a secretary?Who is the secretary?Who can be a secretary?What are the qualities of a secretary?What are the roles of a secretary in an

organisation?

SECRETARY

Secretaries can also be known as an administrative assistant, a clerk or a personal assistant. These titles might reflect various types of a secretarial job, but they all carry out administrative tasks. A secretarial position is actually quite old: Roman and Greek politicians and businessmen used clerks and personal secretaries to supervise their affairs.

What is a SECRETARY?

A secretary is usually a very important person within the office, and they do not always command a salary as well as respect from an outsider that a higher ranking person within the office does.

Who is a SECRETARY?

Good secretaries will anticipate the requirements of the office staff, will solve problems quickly, and work so competently that a lot of people will not realise just how valuable they are until they leave the job. In companies a secretary can work as a temporary employee, part-time, or full-time secretary.

Who can be SECRETARY?

GOOD LISTERNING.ABILITY TO ACT.ABILITY TO READ AND WRITE.ABILITY TO COMMUNICATE.ABILITY TO MAKE JUDGEMENTS(WHEN

NEEDED).

What are the qualities of a SECRETARY?

One of the toughest jobs in a church is that of the church secretary. A church secretary can be an asset to a pastor; she can also ruin a pastor’s ministry. There are attributes for a secretary other than office skills that many forget to consider. If you are a church secretary, seeking the position or are a pastor with or without a secretary, here are a few qualities to consider in a church secretary.

What are the roles of a SECRETARY in an organisation?

Discreet. Another way to say this is “selective amnesia”; she needs to be able to forget certain information easily. A church secretary is privy to confidential information from counselling sessions to tithe records. It is important that the one in this position be able to forget what she knows when seeing the individual on Sunday. There should be no change in behaviour toward an individual because

of what is known. Trustworthy. The church secretary needs to be able to keep

“secrets”. Confidential information does not belong on the church’s prayer tree as gossip. Many

things are said in the church office Monday through Friday that do not need to be repeated to others

at any time.

What are the roles of a SECRETARY in an organisation?

Protector. A great church secretary will protect the pastor’s reputation. She will dress modestly. She should make sure that there is no question regarding the relationship between pastor and secretary.

Personality. A church secretary should be personable. Many times she is the first contact strangers will have with your ministry. She should be friendly, out going, and pleasant. She needs to be helpful and able to handle herself in many situations, both business and social.

What are the roles of a SECRETARY in an organisation?

Organized. The secretary should be able to organize the office into a well run machine. While a church is a ministry it is also a business. Files, correspondence, church membership records, the calendar and financial accounts should be kept up to date.

Foresight. A good church secretary will constantly be two steps ahead. She should be able to keep the pastor informed of up coming meetings, activities and unexpected problems. A pastor’s schedule is constantly changing; one phone call can disrupt a “normal” routine. The secretary needs to be able to make quick adjustments when necessary.

What are the roles of a SECRETARY in an organisation?

Equipment skills. Today’s office has many new gadgets to make the office run smoothly. Computers, copiers, fax machines, and the like are constantly changing and/or breaking down. The secretary needs to know how to work these machines; however, this should not be a main criterion. Machine usage and office skills can be learned. A “trained” secretary will be a detriment to a pastor if she does not possess certain personal attributes such as discretion and trustworthiness. These qualities far outweigh any mechanical skill she may or may not possess. The church secretary is a vital position in a church. She helps take on the little day to day things such as fielding phone calls, opening mail, producing the church bulletin and keeping track of membership and tithe records.

What are the roles of a SECRETARY in an organisation?

Agenda

1. Apologies2. Minutes of last Meeting3. Matters arising and follow up actions4. Correspondence5. Reports 9. Other agenda items, e.g. item(s) postponed or item(s) motion(s) 10. Financial Report11. Requests for approval of expenditure12. Any Other Business13. Date for next meeting 

HOW TO DRAW UP AGENDA

WHY REPORTING?

HOW TO REPORT?

WHAT TO REPORT?

WHEN TO REPORT?

REPORTING

GOD BLESS ALL