[16334] in APO-L
Question about Post-chartering -Liston's words
daemon@ATHENA.MIT.EDU (Tom Brown)
Mon Mar 3 13:20:12 1997
Date: Mon, 3 Mar 1997 12:09:24 -0600
Reply-To: Tom Brown <tebrown@lonestar.jpl.utsa.edu>
From: Tom Brown <tebrown@lonestar.jpl.utsa.edu>
To: Multiple recipients of list APO-L <APO-L@VM.CC.PURDUE.EDU>
In-Reply-To: <199703031617.KAA29482@lonestar.lonestar.utsa.edu>
On Mon, 3 Mar 1997, Jeremy Gagliardi wrote:
> My stint as pres caused me to grow up real fast and it
> humbled me a great deal, half because it is a thankless job and half
> because I wasn't very good at it.
Good thread here for discussion. I was also a petitioning president.
The first three semester actually. Our situation had both 'problems' I
stayed very active after we were charted in our fourth semester. Mostly
I held Service VP a few times, Membership VP a time or two, Pledge
trainer, and a few other positions. In my mind, each area needed some
special devotion to get it going how "I thought" it should be going. I
did try to establish a lot of the running procedures while making it
flexible enough for those that follow to make the position their own.
Now our 'chartering president' was almost run out of office. There are a
variety of viewpoints about that, but mostly, it was because he did not
do anything. IMHO he just wanted the prestige from being the
'chartering' president. (He earned Vigil Honor in large part because he
was the 'chartering president'). Now this is not to say that he was not
good, because he did do some great stuff before he became president. But
he left the chapter immediately after his term was over, and has not been
seen in an APO circle since. So we had both.
> > chapter operate and, as we all know, chapters vary greatly. When you
> > start adding the variability of new members those ideals may fall to the
> > majority who feels differently. This can be very frustrating.
Big time. I think the influx of new members actually helped us in the
long term. I was hoping that we would have a transfer member to pick his
brains but no luck.
> The best way to avoid a fight in any start-up chapter is to delegate
> authority as much as possible. Loosen the reins, and let others make
> policy. Encourage those "new members" to participate as well.
Even with what was said above, I delegated as much as I felt comfortable,
and a big incentive to delegate was I wanted the chapter to survive long
after I left. April 3, 1997 will be out four year anniversary and the
chapter is very strong. Two years ago we hosted one of the best
bi-sectional conferences. And are considering bidding on another. The
chapter is going strong and is working on documenting the history for the
future.
Just keep trying, there will always be those that can not survive seeing
their work change beyond them or loosing control. And you have to be
willing to let the chapter stumble with out you, but not let it totally
fail. They also need to learn the hard lessons. The chapter still asks
my advice a lot, and I give it. Mostly on a one to one basis, so that
it does not appear to be me running the chapter behind the scenes.
In Leadership, Friendship & Service
Thomas E. Brown Jr. tebrown@lonestar.jpl.utsa.edu
Staff Assistant W (210) 458-4160
University of Texas at San Antonio F (210) 458-4734
University Center
6900 N Loop 1604 W
San Antonio, TX 78249
