One Heart. One Way. One Vision #SKRLCD5

Yes Greek Leadership weekends are a lot of work, yes you come back tired and Monday grinding back in the office is a challenge. However, it is one of the most inspirational things you can do… to see pure untapped potential, giddy excitement and thoughtful reflection all happen with a group of 200 students is very powerful. Its that type of power that can make this world a better place, and getting the change to be a part of that is awesome.

I had two major assignments this weekend… One was to chapter mentor the women from Bradley University and the second was to do small group trainings for all their Vice President’s of Communication. Both assignments were very fulfilling and those women kept me on my toes. I also of course got to work with a great national office staff, regional volunteers and a great facilitator team. Saw some old friends, made some new ones, and had lots of conversations about some critical issues impacting our future as Greeks.

So my Bradley women… what can I say, they were rowdy, they laughed, we got off track, but when it was time to put it down, they got straight laced and went to town on the task and had serious and honest conversations about what is holding their chapter back. It is good that I have been on that campus several times, interviewed for a job there once, gave a keynote on that campus and visited Peoria a couple times for NACA. Their exec has formed a good bond, and the ability to lean on each other during a difficult year is important. They have some challenges to face, but more importantly they have lots of potential to make SK proud of them. The weekend ending with them writing a vision of what they want to be, and am proud to have been there to watch them write their future. I am confident they will have an amazing year and I commit to supporting them all year.

Well now my VPCs… its a hard role, and usually no one understands that role in the chapter. Interestingly, for one year I took minutes for my chapter. I know that it’s hard. I also did some of their jobs, and I know there is nothing sexy about the nuts and bolts role they play. However, I believe that communication is mission critical to having a strong board and keeping everyone engaged. I also think there is a lot of room for them to have fun with the role, to be more than an administrator but to truly impact the chapters accountability and engagement levels. Looking forward to all their good work!

What I also enjoyed this weekend was remembering where it all started.. here at the Hyatt Regency is where I got the bug to go into higher education. It was here for MGCA in 2001 that I first saw the industry, where I first saw the flaws, where I first saw that at 99% of the schools where my chapters were no one knew who we were. I started a path to try and change that, and I realized this weekend with so many SK Chapters having heard about SLB brought a smile to my face. Or when I would ask how many chapters on campus, members wouldn’t just list IFC/Pan groups. We aren’t where we want to be yet, we have a long way to go, but this weekend reminded me that small steps can equal big changes, and smiles can change a heart and handshakes can change minds.

So this weekend we also had more powerful conversations about problems to which I need to commitment myself… and here goes, it was 15 years ago that I went to my first MGCA, and now I have another 15 years to join the wave of more change. Thanks SK for inspiring me again to keep on trucking.