Membership Officer - First Steps

  New to the role? Start here. You don’t need to do everything at once.

Purpose

Your first 30 days are about understanding how things work — not fixing everything.

The goal is to get oriented, build connections, and ensure essential tasks are covered.

By the end of this phase, you should have clarity — understanding how things work, who to work with, and what matters most.

  Success in this phase means you feel oriented, not overwhelmed.

Focus

• Learn before changing anything
• Build relationships with key people
• Identify what must happen each month
• Avoid overwhelm

Week 1: Get Oriented

Connect with Key People

• Your predecessor (if available)
• Local Secretary (LocSec). Ask the LocSec to have membership@localgroup.us.mensa.org redirected to your email address.
• Other key board members
• Regional Vice Chair (RVC), if needed

Understand Your Role

• Review your role page (e.g., Membership Officer)
• Ask: “What absolutely has to happen each month?”

Weeks 2–3: Learn the Systems

Identify What Already Exists

• Email lists and communication channels
• Event calendar and processes
• Member reports (how and when you receive them)
• Templates or past communications

Observe Before Changing

• How are new members currently welcomed?
• How are events communicated?
• What seems to be working well?
• How are contacts currently personalized?

Weeks 3–4: Start Light Engagement

Begin Core Tasks

• Send welcome messages (if applicable)
• Respond to member inquiries
• Share upcoming events or information

Look for Quick Wins

• Clarify a confusing message
• Improve a simple process
• Organize existing materials

By Day 30, You Should Have Clarity

You should have a basic understanding of:

• How members are welcomed and communicated with
• Who is responsible for what locally
• What tools and systems are used
• What recurring tasks exist
• Who your key points of contact are

What You Do NOT Need to Do Yet

• Redesign systems
• Launch new programs
• Fix long-standing issues
• Take on additional responsibilities

Common Pitfalls

• Trying to fix everything immediately
• Assuming previous volunteers did things “wrong”
• Overcommitting early
• Not asking questions

If You Feel Overwhelmed

That’s normal.

Focus on:

• One task at a time
• Asking for help
• Keeping things simple

Next Step

Once you feel oriented, move to:

• Membership Officer - Next Steps

Related

• Local Group Toolkit
• Membership Officer