The First of Many: Reflections on Social Change

It has been seven weeks since I first took over as High Alpha of Lambda Chi Alpha, Gamma-Tau Zeta; but the initial fears, doubts, and uncertainty that I initially had have suddenly subsided and disappeared.  I am not sure if it was the retreats, the new officer core, or the long talks over coffee and tea with other Chapter leaders and Sorority-Fraternity Community leaders, but I actually see the light for once.  The last few weeks were tough, and without any reservation of doubt, I know that I will have to work just as hard for the forty-nine coming weeks.  But alas, I am truly ready.

I never saw myself as 'president-material' until the Outgoing-President approached me when accepting his executive position in the Inter-Fraternity Council, my fraternity's governing board.  I was the Scholastics Chair at that point; to say that I had any mass of influence or a formalized lead role within the chapter would be a poor hyperbole.  I did have some leadership experience, mostly potential, but that potential quickly manifested itself into concrete ideas and theories as to guide my chapter towards success and progress.

When first taking over the chapter, I was more 'flailing turkey' than 'soaring eagle' --to be expected of course in such a important role.  But I say 'turkey' not for it being one of the most awkward birds next to the penguin or Kevin (the bird from Up: see image), but due to its sheer lack of aptitude and inability to sustain flight for long durations of time.  I transitioned into the presidency young, fresh, naive, and uninformed: problems existed within the chapter that hadn't been dealt with for years, low accountability on my part, and a genuine underestimation of the position's complexities.  To put it best, my leadership style was more bipolar than Charlie Sheen during an interview: saying one thing, and doing the other.  Though I had high standards overall, they let down on some people and then not on others.  I wanted change and more accountability within the chapter, but I didn't have the confidence nor the personality to "care-front" (confront) people.  I was the awkward turkey that gets spooked and flies into incoming traffic.  Ultimately, I was just causing more noise than productive change, causing more stress for myself and fresh roadkill on the the chapter's road to the future.

Change is hard.  Like dirt settled on the bottom of a pond, no body likes to be upset and sent drifting to a new place.  The leaves and stones around you may not land with you in the end, but sometimes that new place is better...a lot better.  I learned a lot from the former President, from my father, from my Executive Board, from my Big, and from my brothers.  It is collaboration that is needed in order to make change successfully.  When writing the above section, I used the word 'I' five times when talking about chapter operations.  Yes, I am the President, but more importantly I am also a Brother.  I know that I always do the best for my Brothers, but if I am not working with them on change, doing what I think is best, and  only focused on the negatives, then I am not doing my job as a leader.  Social Change is collaboration.  Social change is togetherness.  Together is how we make change.



~Quote of the Week~

"It is not the critic who counts, not the man who points out how the strong man stumbled, or where the doer of deeds could have done better. The credit belongs to the man who is actually in the arena, whose face is marred by dust and sweat and blood, who strives valiantly, who errs and comes short again and again, who knows the great enthusiasms, the great devotions, and spends himself in a worthy cause, who at best knows achievement and who at the worst if he fails at least fails while daring greatly so that his place shall never be with those cold and timid souls who know neither victory nor defeat."

-Theodore Roosevelt