No surprise here - I've been on the road all week. I started at a brand new interest group at Minnesota State University, Mankato and have spent the last two days at our colony at University of South Dakota. This colony is doing really well. The men are very smart, fun, down to earth, and they really live the mission and vision of the Fraternity. Being so new, they struggle with what most new colonies struggle with - their identity. This led to many great conversations with their members tonight and I felt inspired to share some thoughts from our discussions in hopes of comments from the brotherhood.
I often ask how you can sell a product if you don't know anything about it. If I were a car salesman but I didn't know how to turn on the headlights of the car, what kind of gas it took, or where the spare tire was - you would think I was an idiot and this was a hidden camera show. This applies to recruiting men for a chapter when you have no idea who you are or what you are looking for. How can you recruit members when you don't know what you are? It's a struggle and sometimes leads to a difficult conversation. Today the conversation centered around something that I have talked with more Phi Kaps about in the last 3 months then I have over my entire life... spirituality. Let me start off by saying that I have never met a Phi Kap that was not welcoming of any and all religions and our organization does not discriminate. However, for marketing and recruitment purposes, how do we sell ourselves? Are we "the Catholic Fraternity" or are we "a Fraternity with high ideals, moral standards, and that fosters spiritual exploration?" It seems that this is something that many of our chapters struggle with as well. What if you walk the walk but don't talk the talk? There are many people out there who live the same values that we expect our members to live but they may not necessarily identify with being Catholic. Do we scare them away with the Catholic label? Should we push our Catholic heritage in recruitment and marketing to fill a niche or void in our communities? How do we create a balance? I know that University of San Diego and Nebraska have successfully sustained themselves as strong groups who are very connected spiritually. How did they do it? How can we take what they have done and help our other chapters and colonies accomplish the same comfort with our heritage and how we fit into our respective Greek communities? How do you create a diverse group while still serving society, Fraternity, and GOD?
Friday, April 17, 2009
Wednesday, April 8, 2009
Fraternity Staff Position Available
Phi Kappa Theta Fraternity is now accepting applications for the Assistant Director of Chapter Development position. Primary responsibilities include managing the expansion and colony development program, as well as assisting with recruitment and operational training and assistance for our collegiate groups and the (iServe) Network. Candidates should have a Bachelor’s Degree, strong written and verbal communication skills, experience with facilitation and presenting, as well as a strong understanding of Greek Life. Applications will be reviewed as they are received with an anticipated start date of June 1, 2009. To review the job description please visit our website. For questions or to apply, submit a resume with salary history, cover letter, and three references to Anita Kerlin, Director of Chapter Development at anita@phikaps.org.
An Evolution in Leadership
In earl April the Fraternity Board met in Indianapolis for their annual spring meeting. This meeting also marked the two year anniversary of me having the honor of serving as the Fraternity's Executive. As I reflect on how the organization has evolved over the past two years, I can't help but get excited about what's to come.
Just two short years ago, I was sitting in my first Board meeting as the Interim Executive, unsure of what my own future would be, let alone the future of the Fraternity. It was at that meeting that the Board made the decision to focus on the future, rather than try and analyze the past. It was that decision, to invest our time and resources into our successful future, that completely changed the culture of those Board meetings and the Fraternity. With a clear Mission and purpose, we have been able to make decisions that serves the best interest of our members.
As we prepare for the August Convention in Columbus, OH, we will be losing one of the key members of the Board, our current President, Robert Stalder, who has been an excellent role model of servant leadership for Phi Kappa Theta. In addition to the loss of Brother Stalder, we will also have two new collegiate members serving on the Board beginning in August. We look forward to having these new faces on the Board and are confident that the hard work done over the past two years will continue to provide us a solid foundation as we build Phi Kappa Theta's future.
Just two short years ago, I was sitting in my first Board meeting as the Interim Executive, unsure of what my own future would be, let alone the future of the Fraternity. It was at that meeting that the Board made the decision to focus on the future, rather than try and analyze the past. It was that decision, to invest our time and resources into our successful future, that completely changed the culture of those Board meetings and the Fraternity. With a clear Mission and purpose, we have been able to make decisions that serves the best interest of our members.
As we prepare for the August Convention in Columbus, OH, we will be losing one of the key members of the Board, our current President, Robert Stalder, who has been an excellent role model of servant leadership for Phi Kappa Theta. In addition to the loss of Brother Stalder, we will also have two new collegiate members serving on the Board beginning in August. We look forward to having these new faces on the Board and are confident that the hard work done over the past two years will continue to provide us a solid foundation as we build Phi Kappa Theta's future.
Saturday, April 4, 2009
Life Lessons - Living in Fear
More often than not I think we all live in fear. Sadly, I think too often we make decisions out of fear instead of out of the desire to make said decisions. I find I'm struggling with fear in my non-work life and it makes an interesting transition into being a member of a Greek organization. People "Go Greek" because they want to feel like they are a part of a greater something and to feel accepted. That's often the same reason people gravitate towards athletic teams, churches, or any other kind of group. You enjoy the topic, it's relevant to you, and you enjoy feeling like you are a part of something bigger.
If we think about recruitment we often forget to ask people to join our organizations because we are afraid to get the "no." We take "no" so personally, even though they are not refusing us, just membership into our organizations. We are all afraid of rejection because we think it will make us look stupid so we would then, feel stupid. Think of all the other things in every day life that we don't do because of fear. We don't take risks. We don't enjoy life to it's fullest. We don't stop and live in the moment because we think too much about the repercussions of our actions. I'm not saying you should make irrational decisions by any means, but I think we could all benefit from a little less fear and a little more confidence.
Sean Stevenson is a brilliant man, and if you have never heard him speak before - you need to. He talked once about this concept of "Crazy Eights." Basically, it's the insane emotional rollercoaster that we send ourselves through over and over and over because we let our feelings run our lives instead of taking control of how we feel. Ask those men to join the Fraternity. Go over and sit at a table with people you don't know and get to know them (Step one of the five step recruitment model). Challenge yourself to do something great. Don't let fear run your life or dictate the decisions you make.
If we think about recruitment we often forget to ask people to join our organizations because we are afraid to get the "no." We take "no" so personally, even though they are not refusing us, just membership into our organizations. We are all afraid of rejection because we think it will make us look stupid so we would then, feel stupid. Think of all the other things in every day life that we don't do because of fear. We don't take risks. We don't enjoy life to it's fullest. We don't stop and live in the moment because we think too much about the repercussions of our actions. I'm not saying you should make irrational decisions by any means, but I think we could all benefit from a little less fear and a little more confidence.
Sean Stevenson is a brilliant man, and if you have never heard him speak before - you need to. He talked once about this concept of "Crazy Eights." Basically, it's the insane emotional rollercoaster that we send ourselves through over and over and over because we let our feelings run our lives instead of taking control of how we feel. Ask those men to join the Fraternity. Go over and sit at a table with people you don't know and get to know them (Step one of the five step recruitment model). Challenge yourself to do something great. Don't let fear run your life or dictate the decisions you make.
Monday, March 23, 2009
Re-Chartering and the "Typical Fraternity"
The continued growth of our organization is thrilling to me. I am so excited to announce that our colony at the University of San Diego will be re-chartered the weekend of May 1, 2009. The colony is comprised of the most impressive young men I have had the pleasure of working with. They are an incredibly well respected group on campus and as individual leaders they are second to none. They are very involved on campus and contribute so much to the university and the community. These men truly uphold the ideals of Phi Kappa Theta. They are fun, intelligent, motivated, respectful, and passionate. I can’t wait for my return visit in May for the Installation.
In other colony news – I have spent the last week and half working with two of our other colonies out east. The dynamic of these two groups could not be more different. The one thing that they have in common is that the members of both colonies are athletic and play(ed) sports. It’s always interesting to watch the dynamic of a group of men or to compare the dynamics of two different groups that are at the same place in their “life” as a colony/chapter. This led me to a very interesting discussion about being the “typical Fraternity.”
You would be surprised how many groups label themselves as “not the typical fraternity.” Sometimes it’s true but normally it’s not. Once in a great while the group is even the textbook definition of “stereotypical Fraternity.” Perception is reality and its fun to see how people perceive themselves and the differences of that versus how other people perceive them. Some may argue that only a couple members of the group are “stereotypical frat guys” but “the rest of the group is not.” I challenge that with the idea that your weakest member still represents your entire chapter. Your chapter can only be as great as your weakest member. Imagine all of your members to be just one egg in a large carton of eggs. If you go to the store to buy eggs what do you do? Open up the carton and look at them all. What do you do if one of the eggs is broken or cracked? You put the entire carton back and look for one without a broken egg. You are judged, just like the eggs, by your weakest member. People do it all the time. Think about another organization on your campus. Maybe you had one bad experience with one or two people but naturally you reflect that on the group as a whole. Remember that when you think about the image of your chapter. Remember that when you decide to not hold each other accountable. Remember that when you have members who misrepresent our organization but you let them stay members because you’re too lazy or afraid to suspend them. You perpetuate the behavior of your chapter. Every member is responsible for the image and behaviors of their chapter and its members. Thank you to the groups who believe in this concept. I know it’s not always the easy choice but it is the better one. PTAU!
In other colony news – I have spent the last week and half working with two of our other colonies out east. The dynamic of these two groups could not be more different. The one thing that they have in common is that the members of both colonies are athletic and play(ed) sports. It’s always interesting to watch the dynamic of a group of men or to compare the dynamics of two different groups that are at the same place in their “life” as a colony/chapter. This led me to a very interesting discussion about being the “typical Fraternity.”
You would be surprised how many groups label themselves as “not the typical fraternity.” Sometimes it’s true but normally it’s not. Once in a great while the group is even the textbook definition of “stereotypical Fraternity.” Perception is reality and its fun to see how people perceive themselves and the differences of that versus how other people perceive them. Some may argue that only a couple members of the group are “stereotypical frat guys” but “the rest of the group is not.” I challenge that with the idea that your weakest member still represents your entire chapter. Your chapter can only be as great as your weakest member. Imagine all of your members to be just one egg in a large carton of eggs. If you go to the store to buy eggs what do you do? Open up the carton and look at them all. What do you do if one of the eggs is broken or cracked? You put the entire carton back and look for one without a broken egg. You are judged, just like the eggs, by your weakest member. People do it all the time. Think about another organization on your campus. Maybe you had one bad experience with one or two people but naturally you reflect that on the group as a whole. Remember that when you think about the image of your chapter. Remember that when you decide to not hold each other accountable. Remember that when you have members who misrepresent our organization but you let them stay members because you’re too lazy or afraid to suspend them. You perpetuate the behavior of your chapter. Every member is responsible for the image and behaviors of their chapter and its members. Thank you to the groups who believe in this concept. I know it’s not always the easy choice but it is the better one. PTAU!
Thursday, March 5, 2009
Kansas Iota
After the Midwest Regional Conference was over I spent a couple days helping out the Kansas Iota chapter. Something that I continued to be impressed by with men versus women is that men are much more accepting of help. When working for a women's group - if I would have asked an award winning chapter if they wanted assistance they would have laughed and sent me on my way. Yet EVERY Phi Kap chapter so far has been accepting and appreciative of help. As small as that seems - it's encouraging and motivating.
I had some really great conversations with this chapter and its leadership. They have some amazing men in that chapter and I see great success on the horizon for them. I believe that much of what they are going through all chapters go through to some extent. Everybody has issues with involvement and commitment. Most chapters are segregated - sometimes 70 of guys doing 100% of the work and the rest are "dead weight." Sadly, at times the number is 50/50. I really enjoy challenging the process and people to think outside the box. Here's what I think - give the best care to your best customers. That's how businesses are successful. Imagine a chapter to be like an upscale restaurant or club. The regular patrons who are there the most and who spend the most money get treated better. They get better tables, VIP access, and overall more time and effort is spent keeping those customers happy. The customers who come on occasion or one-time customers are the ones that the normal amount of effort is used for. Courtesy, respect, friendliness - just as you would expect. The customers who cause issues like damage or liability are tossed out without question because the business risks it's reputation by keeping lousy customers. OUR ORGANIZATIONS SHOULD BE RUN WITH THIS CONCEPT IN MIND! It's the same thing! We're providing an experience to our members. It baffles me that chapters allow the complacent members to hold them back. I'm not saying kick them all out but you also shouldn't cater to them when they are not the best members. Simple, real life example.
With that said - I challenge all of you to not allow you complacent or uncommitted members to hold you back. Keep moving forward and if they hang on then great. If they fall off just know that you will pick up better guys along the way that can keep up.
Thank you so much to Kansas Iota for being so gracious, friendly, and open with me. I think it was a mutually beneficial experience and I look forward to the next time I see them again.
I had some really great conversations with this chapter and its leadership. They have some amazing men in that chapter and I see great success on the horizon for them. I believe that much of what they are going through all chapters go through to some extent. Everybody has issues with involvement and commitment. Most chapters are segregated - sometimes 70 of guys doing 100% of the work and the rest are "dead weight." Sadly, at times the number is 50/50. I really enjoy challenging the process and people to think outside the box. Here's what I think - give the best care to your best customers. That's how businesses are successful. Imagine a chapter to be like an upscale restaurant or club. The regular patrons who are there the most and who spend the most money get treated better. They get better tables, VIP access, and overall more time and effort is spent keeping those customers happy. The customers who come on occasion or one-time customers are the ones that the normal amount of effort is used for. Courtesy, respect, friendliness - just as you would expect. The customers who cause issues like damage or liability are tossed out without question because the business risks it's reputation by keeping lousy customers. OUR ORGANIZATIONS SHOULD BE RUN WITH THIS CONCEPT IN MIND! It's the same thing! We're providing an experience to our members. It baffles me that chapters allow the complacent members to hold them back. I'm not saying kick them all out but you also shouldn't cater to them when they are not the best members. Simple, real life example.
With that said - I challenge all of you to not allow you complacent or uncommitted members to hold you back. Keep moving forward and if they hang on then great. If they fall off just know that you will pick up better guys along the way that can keep up.
Thank you so much to Kansas Iota for being so gracious, friendly, and open with me. I think it was a mutually beneficial experience and I look forward to the next time I see them again.
Tuesday, March 3, 2009
Foundation Board Meeting Inspires
This past weekend the Foundation Board of Trustees held their spring Board Meeting. This was the second face to face meeting of the fiscal year, but only the third meeting of this Board since their first meeting in the spring of 2007.
During the meeting the Board addressed several key issues facing Phi Kappa Theta. Those issues included the establishment of a policy regarding chapter designated endowments, the Collegiate Housing and Infrastructure Act, and the effects of the economy on the Foundation's ability raise money to support Phi Kappa Theta. To me the most important issue was the effects of the economy.
As the Foundation readjusted their revenue projections for the 2009 development year, they of course needed to identify areas to cut their expenses, the Fraternity's educational grants were one of the areas up for discussion. I was of course very nervous because the two entities have had differences in the past, which played a major role in the split between the two groups several years ago.
However, my confidence was restored when the Board collectively recognized that enhancing the educational programs of the Fraternity was at the very core of their Mission. They voted in favor to support the educational programs of the Fraternity! Their commitment to the Mission even during these economic times is inspiring.
As I prepare for the upcoming sprig Fraternity Board meeting, my own personal commitment has been recharged by the recent actions taken by our Foundation Board. My actions will reflect my commitment by increasing my financial investment in the Foundation.
During the meeting the Board addressed several key issues facing Phi Kappa Theta. Those issues included the establishment of a policy regarding chapter designated endowments, the Collegiate Housing and Infrastructure Act, and the effects of the economy on the Foundation's ability raise money to support Phi Kappa Theta. To me the most important issue was the effects of the economy.
As the Foundation readjusted their revenue projections for the 2009 development year, they of course needed to identify areas to cut their expenses, the Fraternity's educational grants were one of the areas up for discussion. I was of course very nervous because the two entities have had differences in the past, which played a major role in the split between the two groups several years ago.
However, my confidence was restored when the Board collectively recognized that enhancing the educational programs of the Fraternity was at the very core of their Mission. They voted in favor to support the educational programs of the Fraternity! Their commitment to the Mission even during these economic times is inspiring.
As I prepare for the upcoming sprig Fraternity Board meeting, my own personal commitment has been recharged by the recent actions taken by our Foundation Board. My actions will reflect my commitment by increasing my financial investment in the Foundation.
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