Getting leadership started

[Pike4Life]

This is just a few general questions: 1) How do you get members to take an active role in the leadership of the chapter? 2) What do you do when the previous leadership was weak and has made the leadership positions something that are less than disirable for new people to be willing to run for? 3) How do you cut out the trend of having only a handful of men doing the majority of the work? 4) Is it possible to turn apathy around without cutting half your chapter out?
I think these are questions that many groups - fraternities and sororities alike -- have, but many are afraid to ask because they don't want to seem weak to their peers.

[33girl]

Great topic!

1) How do you get members to take an active role in the leadership of the chapter?

This is something our church does, actually...have everyone fill out a "time and talents" form. (Your nationals or IFC probably have something like this) This will tell the nominating committee who is good at what and how much time they have to give. Especially if you have a large chapter, you might not know that Joe has musical ability or that Dave was in Junior Achievement and knows all about running a business.

2) What do you do when the previous leadership was weak and has made the leadership positions something that are less than disirable for new people to be willing to run for?

Make it clear that you are starting with a fresh slate and that things won't be done in offices "because we've always done it that way." Let the new prospective officers know that they will be able to make the positions their own.

3) How do you cut out the trend of having only a handful of men doing the majority of the work?

You should have a nominating committee who nominates a slate of people according to what their capabilities are (see #1), so it is not always the most popular people or the people who are the most hardworking who are always up for offices. I know it is hard to delegate and trust your fraternity in new and untried hands, but it's better to do it when older members are still there to advise, than to have the same dozen people rotate offices for 4 years and have everyone be clueless after they graduate. I've seen this kill more than one organization.

4) Is it possible to turn apathy around without cutting half your chapter out?

Yes. You will be surprised at what people can accomplish, if you give them the chance! The more people you involve, the better. Everyone should feel that the success of the fraternity is up to them as an individual - they should never feel like they are just a number.

[mccoyred]

Originally posted by Pike4Life:
1) How do you get members to take an active role in the leadership of the chapter?

I think the talents survey is a good idea to encourage people to use their talents on behalf of the chapter. You would also be surprised that with a little encouragement (ie praise) people will discover talents that they didn't even know they had! Once discovered, again encourage people to use them. People are more active when they are happy with what they are doing and making a positive contribution.

3) How do you cut out the trend of having only a handful of men doing the majority of the work?

See question number one. The more diverse (theres that word again!) your group, the less likely you have people with duplicate talents which paves the way for involvement of more of the membership.

4) Is it possible to turn apathy around without cutting half your chapter out?

See question three. If members are involved, they won't be apathetic!

Hope this helps!



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MCCOYRED

Dynamic
Salient
Temperate

Mu Psi '86
BaltCo Alumnae

[lifesaver]

We were faced with this same problem 5 years ago and we simply rushed what we wanted. We activly seeked out members who were leaders in other student orgs and rushed them. our first success was when we convinced the student government president elect to sign with us. Many more followed after that. Its a continuing cycle, you have prominent members, people hear about it and buddy up to your org. you then get more prominent people interested in rushing, the cycle continues. Since the SG president we have had 2 more SG presidents since then, 2 presidents of the Campus Programming Council, 1 president of the Student Org. council, 2 student commanders of ROTC, 4 or 5 presidents of honor societies, and have elected 2 presidents of IFC and I cant even count how many VP's of student orgs we have recruited or had as brothers.

It didn't happen for us overninght, but it did happen. We went from a 50 man chapter with 10 percent involvement to a 50 man chapter with 90 percent involvment in chapter activitis and 90% involvement in at least 1 other student org. We are now at the position where we can cut new members if they do not fufill their obligations of time.

Yeah, we had our rocky spots, but it paid off.

As for apathy of older members, a good year of leadership recruitment and the new guys can take over. The latent leaders in the active chapter who care will step up and take respon, once they see what is happening and will want a part again in chapter ops. they will feel like their terretory is being userped, but what the hell, in a situation like tht a certain amount of pragmatism never hurt.

It rocks to be an alum at a chapter event and see everyone there without having to horass/guilt them into showing up.

Also a tip: Have your new pledges (ones with leadership potential) run for the freshman delegate spots in student govm't or student senate, (or other large powerful sudent group) (most schools have these SG special elections in the fall after the freshman arrive to campus, in addition to upperclass spots for those that were elected, but are no longer eligable due to grades, or have moved.) Since they are greek, that is a pretty good voting block there, then let the SG do the leadership training for you.

Good luck!

[This message has been edited by lifesaver (edited December 05, 2000).]