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I dislike both the term, "New Member" and the shortened "New Member Period". LXA calls them Associate Members, which imo is better than New Members.
They aren't members until they are initiated. They have pledged to the group, they are associated with the group, they are involved with the group, but they ain't members until they know the meaning of the boney hand, the three stars and the snake and get pinned by the Big Giant Head wearing her Green and White Pearl Encrusted Cat Suit. So there.
The shortened pledge period is a mistake that I suspect the National Councils will never acknowledge. It was all part of the 90's branding and positioning movement. Yea, we all got shiny new updated corporate logos and tag lines, but we are initiating women who can't say the creed, don't know the motto, can't name the founders, don't know basic information about the actives and can't appreciate the history because in 6 weeks they haven't yet learned it.
That extra 8-12 weeks that comes from initiating after Christmas Break is huge in terms of familiarity with the chapter and organization, bonding and retention. I believe that the current bubble of never-ending expansion, gigantic chapters and enormous recruitments will eventually burst, or at least deflate, and then we will need to really get to some basics of good recruitment and retention. My own org is expanding so rapidly that most of the Leadership consultants are involved in recruitment and colony support rather than strengthening and supporting existing chapters.
Shakes fist at whippersnappers...
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