Retreat...business/sisterhood

[PurdueBoiler]

Hey girls, I could really use some help here....

I'm planning a retreat for my chapter and i'm a little unsure since we haven't had a real retreat in years. We're just going to a house shared by a few of the sisters (no chapter house), but I still want to make it enjoyable for everyone. The retreat will be split into two parts, business and sisterhood. By looking over old posts, I think I have a good plan for the sisterhood part. However, I couldnt find anything for the business part. I was wondering if anyone had any activities that work for getting business accomplished....a lot of our girls are very reluctant to give their opinion and as a result, people arent going to things and the entire chapter is split up into cliques. I really want to end this, but I don't know how to get people to open up and tell the officers what they want to see changed. Please help if you have ANY ideas....I really want to improve my house and have a good start to my presidency.

Thanks

[fantASTic]

One way to help may be to have sisters break into small groups with executive board members as group leaders. This way, people get the opportunity to talk more and it's a little more personal. For big issues and motions, talk about that. You could also provide prompts to each small group (e.g. "How do you feel about the current location of our house?" or something like that requiring a direct answer).

What kind of business do you need to get done? Just get stuff changed?

[DreamfulSpirit]

We used to break up in to committees, and each Executive Board member had their own committee to carry out ideas brainstormed by the entire chapter.

Originally Posted by fantASTic

ocation of our house?" or something like that requiring a direct answer).

What kind of business do you need to get done? Just get stuff changed?

To the OP, is it really necessary to do conduct business at this retreat?

When I was a collegian, the chapter sisterhood retreats I attended were very special because we never talked business.

[PurdueBoiler]

Yea, we are required to discuss business. We do that at the beginning of every semester and that's what our "retreat" normally is...however, since we have been having so many sisterhood issues, im trying to bring back the days our chapter had just sisterhood retreats. I wish I could do that now, but we have recruitment the week after, so we have a LOT of business to go over.

Originally Posted by OTW

To the OP, is it really necessary to do conduct business at this retreat?

When I was a collegian, the chapter sisterhood retreats I attended were very special because we never talked business.

Originally Posted by PurdueBoiler

Yea, we are required to discuss business. We do that at the beginning of every semester and that's what our "retreat" normally is...however, since we have been having so many sisterhood issues, im trying to bring back the days our chapter had just sisterhood retreats. I wish I could do that now, but we have recruitment the week after, so we have a LOT of business to go over.

When I was a collegian, we held a Leadership Retreat just for the officers and some of the advisors. It was business boot camp, but we got a lot of stuff done and it wasn't as bad as sitting through a meeting because we got to do it in PJs.

Sorry I wasn't of any help. FantASTic and DreamfulSpirit had great ideas.

[PurdueBoiler]

Yea, there are a few things that really just need to be "fixed"

1. We are an informal house, so our pledge classes are always small...but last semester we recruited less than 5 girls(!!). Half our chapter will graduate in 2010 so we're kind of freaking out right now...so recruitment is a focus.

2. A lot of girls have been complaining about the lack of sisterhood, so I really want to bring us back to being the type of organization that we expected when we went through recruitment.

3. Because sisterhood is so bad, when we have social functions only about half (or less) of our chapter goes and, frankly, it embarassing.

Originally Posted by fantASTic

One way to help may be to have sisters break into small groups with executive board members as group leaders. This way, people get the opportunity to talk more and it's a little more personal. For big issues and motions, talk about that. You could also provide prompts to each small group (e.g. "How do you feel about the current location of our house?" or something like that requiring a direct answer).

What kind of business do you need to get done? Just get stuff changed?

[AKA_Monet]

Originally Posted by PurdueBoiler

Yea, there are a few things that really just need to be "fixed"

1. We are an informal house, so our pledge classes are always small...but last semester we recruited less than 5 girls(!!). Half our chapter will graduate in 2010 so we're kind of freaking out right now...so recruitment is a focus.

2. A lot of girls have been complaining about the lack of sisterhood, so I really want to bring us back to being the type of organization that we expected when we went through recruitment.

3. Because sisterhood is so bad, when we have social functions only about half (or less) of our chapter goes and, frankly, it embarassing.

Welp, let's just say that your situation is not unique nor resigned to those who are still in college... LOL

You say you have some "team building exercises" for sisterhood. But how will anything related to business help that situation?

The reality is "commitment or value added" investment. If some of your membership does not see any benefit to their involvement, they hey, you are seeing the symptoms. You can even have them sign all the contracts you want, doesn't mean they will do it...

So, I am sure you have great benefits of membership and sisterliness. To make it happen collectively, then I would say, you need to learn how to do "strategic planning" efforts. Especially as it relates to recruiting (which is pretty much written in stone) and retention (which it seems like there is little standards revolving around that)...

There are cliques for a reason... Ending the cliques happens by knowing your documentation from your chapter, your school (Greek Life Office), advisors, and National HQ (assuming you are a NPC organization). There are ideas surrounding that concept...

[DreamfulSpirit]

I should also add about mine, with the committees, everyone was broken up randomly so you would get to work with a bunch of sisters who you may or may not know very well. So if you look at it...it kinda ties sisterhood and business together.

[AKA_Monet]

Originally Posted by DreamfulSpirit

I should also add about mine, with the committees, everyone was broken up randomly so you would get to work with a bunch of sisters who you may or may not know very well. So if you look at it...it kinda ties sisterhood and business together.

Also to add, make sure you have a hierarchical structure in place. Who is to ALWAYS represent your chapter?

When you separate committees, the chair is the leader of that committee who report to the E-board and the President of the chapter... That should ALWAYS be done in the form of written reports given to the President, VP and Secretary for minutes addition.

[DGTess]

Originally Posted by PurdueBoiler

A lot of girls have been complaining about the lack of sisterhood, so I really want to bring us back to being the type of organization that we expected when we went through recruitment.

Recommend focusing your "business" on a shared understanding of what "sisterhood" means to your house, and what you expected when you went through recruitment. Then focus on 1-2 things that are a stretch, but which as a house you can accomplish in a semester. A shared sense of purpose toward something that you really want can go a long way.

[AlphaFrog]

Are people reluctant to give their opinion because they are afraid they will be criticized? How about doing an anonymous survey with the questions you need opinions on. That way, people won't be afraid to be criticized about a "dumb answer" or if there is something they need to get out that may not be what people want to hear, they can. These should only be read by the E-board, unless there's something that the whole chapter needs to hear - then it should be read and/or typed to eliminate the chance that someone will find out who wrote it.

[AKA_Monet]

Originally Posted by PurdueBoiler

Hey girls, I could really use some help here....

I'm planning a retreat for my chapter and i'm a little unsure since we haven't had a real retreat in years. We're just going to a house shared by a few of the sisters (no chapter house), but I still want to make it enjoyable for everyone. The retreat will be split into two parts, business and sisterhood. By looking over old posts, I think I have a good plan for the sisterhood part. However, I couldnt find anything for the business part. I was wondering if anyone had any activities that work for getting business accomplished....a lot of our girls are very reluctant to give their opinion and as a result, people arent going to things and the entire chapter is split up into cliques. I really want to end this, but I don't know how to get people to open up and tell the officers what they want to see changed. Please help if you have ANY ideas....I really want to improve my house and have a good start to my presidency.

Thanks

So, either your college or your National HQ should have some basics on leadership and evaluations.

The first for any organization is to have some rules of order or governing. Generally, that is "Robert's Rules of Order"--I prefer the "in plain English" format. The easiest way to convey Robert's rules is to teach folks how to make motions. If they already know how to do that, then the appropriate way to process motions. You would be amazed who follows it and who doesn't.

And, I am sure you have to follow some level of programming or calendar as outlined from your chapter and National HQ. Calendaring should be completed in a timely manner. That could potentially break the cliques up, especially if you pull straws, count 1,2,3,etc., or do group projects toward a goal where everyone has to rely on everyone succeeding.

Lastly, with any process of business, you need standards and evaluations. That can be obtained from your archives, your school or your National HQ. If you cannot find standards for each of your activities, the basic premise is how do you know it works and worth your time to plan? Marketing folks use these kinds of things all the time. As for evaluations, that can be done with poll daddy or survey monkey, etc. Where folks rate their experiences, etc.

These are just my suggestions and opinions. You can take parts or leave parts. Good luck though!

[PGD-GRAD]

When my chapter of Phi Gamma Delta has a retreat, one of the enjoyable things we do is have a euchre tournament, pairing up pledge sons and dads or however they want to do it. If not everyone plays euchre, you could do another game of some sort. We provide nice prizes (dinner coupons, movie passes, etc.) for the winners and runners up and have all kinds of snacks available. It makes a nice break between or at the end of a business session. And--lots of discussion happens during card games which can lead to problem solving, getting to better know brothers, etc.

[33girl]

Are they not coming to socials because they don't like the fraternities they're with or because they dislike each other? Does the whole chapter vote on whether to have a social or are they just presented with a calendar?