It's Transition Time!
Most people in fraternity and sorority leadership know that success in transitions can feel unattainable. We know that transitions may not be our strength, most of us even have horror stories as we “learned the ropes” in our new roles. Each group of officers has a similar experience, yet we tend to allow similar trends to occur when we exit their roles.
As a Chapter Support Specialist for Lambda Chi Alpha Fraternity, I have seen numerous transitions that don’t set new officers up for success. When I think back to my transition into being a chapter president a couple years ago, I remember the feelings that bottled up: angst, frustration, confusion, excitement, and more. With each day, I felt a little bit better and by the time my term was wrapping up, I was confident and ready to share my knowledge and experience. Needless to say, when I look back on my transition out of my role, I reflect knowing I could have done more to set up the new officers to have a better start.
Retrospectively, one of the things I desired most was insight from some of my peers. To this end, I reached out to one of my favorite chapter presidents for his lessons learned during his transition into leadership in his chapter. Cooper is the president of the Lambda Chi Alpha chapter at Texas Christian University. Cooper has stood out to me as a chapter president because of his servant leadership. He leads because he wants to help others grow and build their foundation for success. This type of thinking is exactly what can elevate chapter leadership transitions.
Be proactive, not reactive!
As a president leading a growing chapter, I learned that being proactive is critical. In transitions especially, there is a lot to learn in a short amount of time. Create a transition plan that can be used in your chapter each year that outlines the steps for officers to execute. Some key things to think about include:
One-on-one meetings with incoming/outgoing officers
Officer/operation guide review - check out if your headquarters has a guide for your role!
Alumni advisor meetings
Chapter coach/consultant meetings
Campus resources - see what resources your campus has for you to utilize!
Being proactive won’t prevent surprises from occurring, but having a plan gives you the ability to define success and have a strategy in place to measure success. Utilizing this plan each year and making changes means the chapter can get a little bit better each year!
Gather feedback from others!
Communication in your transition is also important. Make sure you open the door for officers to share their thoughts on what could make the plan created more efficient. The power of creating buy-in through enabling others to get involved in the process can’t be understated.
I wish I had started off with a more proactive mindset by asking all officers and members for feedback throughout the year. Almost halfway through my term, I now realize the importance of regular check-ins to help me improve on my weaknesses as a leader. While it can be hard to receive criticism, constructive feedback is a gift. Taking in others' perspectives will help each of us grow as leaders.
Embrace challenges as opportunities!
As a leader in any situation, challenges are imminent. How you approach challenges is a large part of your leadership style. When challenges arise, we have a tendency to view them as obstacles instead of opportunities. I would encourage you to view challenges as a chance to grow as a leader and as an officer team.
Challenges are an opportunity for reflection too. If you note something to be a barrier during a plan, be sure to make adjustments so future leaders don’t encounter the same problem.
Don’t be afraid to ask for help!
When our first challenge inevitably arose, I kept it to myself rather than notifying my coaches. As mentors, they are there to support us. They could have provided valuable perspective during the time of the incident. I missed out on their insights by not updating them on the issue right away.
I often tried to take on too many tasks myself instead of delegating more to others. I should have been more willing to assign projects and responsibilities instead of thinking I had to do everything alone. There were times when I didn't ask for help simply because I didn't want to admit I didn't understand something. Asking questions is how we grow, and I know my coaches and brothers would have gladly assisted me. There is institutional knowledge that surrounds us on campus, at our headquarters, and in our chapter. Don’t try to navigate barriers on your own; utilize the people you have around you!
Remember the power of purpose! Inspire your team.
In The Seven Habits of Highly Effective People, Steven Covey points out that “you have to water the flowers you want to grow.” Our teams are full of people with potential and I encourage you to invest in each of them. The biggest lesson I learned from my transition into the role of the President was effective leadership requires motivating your officers and instilling confidence in them. As the leader, it is your responsibility to ensure every member of your team feels valued, empowered, and engaged in the organization's mission.
There are many ways to motivate officers and boost their sense of purpose. One approach is to have regular one-on-one conversations where you check in on how they are feeling about their role, provide feedback and encouragement, and discuss opportunities for growth or new challenges to take on. Make sure they understand how their specific contributions help advance the goals of the group.
When officers feel confident in themselves and excited about the direction of the organization, they will be more devoted to doing excellent work. As president, I set the tone because the engagement always starts from the top down. By taking the time to connect with each leader in the chapter and empower them, you demonstrate that their role truly matters and you care about them as individuals. This type of motivated, dedicated team is critical for overall success.
Recognize achievements, both big and small. Motivation can be built through team-building activities like retreats, workshops, dinners, and social events that allow officers to build strong working relationships and get to know each other on a more personal level. Shared experiences and camaraderie strengthen the team dynamic.
I couldn’t agree more with Cooper. Transitions are one of our greatest opportunities and threats as chapters. Very few organizations operate on the model of annual leadership transitions because it can create instability and abrupt swings in internal dynamics. We have the ability to create strategy and structure within our chapters to create long term success.
As you approach transition time in your chapter, whether you’re incoming or outgoing, I encourage you to dream big about how you can optimize the opportunity. Your chapter will be better because of it!
Cooper krudwig
Cooper Krudwig is the president of Iota-Pi Zeta of Lambda Chi Alpha at Texas Christian University. As a leader, Cooper has seen the good, bad, and ugly in transitions. Reaching the halfway mark in his term, Cooper has taken time to reflect on the strengths and weaknesses of his transition into his role.
keith stubblebine
Keith Stubblebine is a Chapter Support Specialist for Lambda Chi Alpha Fraternity. As a former chapter president at the University of Tennessee, Knoxville, Keith knows that transitions are equally opportunities and threats to chapter success and wants to see every chapter improve in this essential aspect of operations.