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DEVOTION LEADERSHIP INTEGRITY PATIENCE HUMOR TECHNOLOGY |
LeadershipIt isn't how far I've come, it's my dream of how far I can go. You are a leader or you follow. At any given moment these are your exact choices. I've found through Alpha Rho Chi, the best leaders are those who know when to follow. I've been to many leadership conferences, but the best qualities of a leader are those that are at the essence of leadership. It's not about the individual skills, but a reflection of personality. I've compiled a few notes here for your benefit. Ten Qualities of Leaders
The discipline which makes the soliders of a free country reliable in battle is not to be gained by harsh or tyranical treatment. On the countrary, such treatment is far more likely to destroy than to make an army. It is possible to impart instruction and to give the solider no feeling but an intense desire to obey, while the opposite manner and tone of voice cannot fail to excite strong resentment and desire to disobey. The one mode or the other of dealing with subordinates springs from the corresponding spirit in the breast of the commander. He who feels the respect which is due to others cannot fail to inspire in them regard for himself, while he who feels, and hence mainfests, disrespect toward others, especially his inferiors, cannot fail to inspire hatred against himself. Wherever We Will Go-A Leader Considers 2002.2702 So lately, been wonderin' who will be there to take my place when I'm gone? It dawned on me the moment the graduating members of Andronicus in 1997 began their last speeches. It was quite remarkable to me as they were leaving without a second thought in their dedication or duties to the fraternity. I wondered if I would ever have the respect that they garnered through their years sitting at the table making choices that would affect the chapter for at least the next five years. Who would remember the ones who left the area? Who would remember what they did for the chapter? Would they remain a name on a plaque somewhere? And most important of all, were they happy with how things turned out after this time watching the house grow and change? I questioned my legacy, and probably will always do so. Without a second thought, I look forward to the next generation of brothers who may gaze upon my path and make the choices that will change the way Alpha Rho Chi is perceived forever. It�s with a heavy heart that I wonder about them removing choices that were made by myself and those who came before me because we are not there to defend why the decision came about. Granted, in the off chance that it is no longer pertinent, they have every right to get rid of it. I know I probably turned a few hundred graves as I asked the chapter to vote in directions that I believed were the best. I pride myself on my ability to know when to lead, when to follow, and when to shut up and get out of the way. I�m used to making split second decisions and spending long thoughtful moments that may result in no choice at all. But I can't help wondering if my choices were the best? Could I have done better? Probably but I can�t change time in the past; my marks stand as they are. Will someone who feels my example is exemplarily ever retrace my footsteps? I did my best. I tried to rally the chapter in every direction possible. I tried to bolster the strength of our numbers as I stared low numbers in the face. I sweated over the fiscal balances; I stop in my tracks whenever a brother would slander another within my hearing. I lost sleep over what I believed was inappropriate behavior; loved the moments of triumph we were blessed in sharing. I gave the chapter my all; today I gladly give the fraternity all I can. When it comes down to it, I�ll hate to hear the changes that go on at Andronicus more than any other chapter. I�ll hate the one line lip service of why rush didn�t go so well that term or year. I know without a second glance that those were the same �excuses� I gave my alumni chapter when I was an active, and the same worries they shot me will be my own. I have to take comfort in the simple fact that the legacy I left is unique and solely my own, that no other would be able to ever trace it themselves. And in the case that someone is able to follow it, may they be given the divine virtues of patience, reciprocity, generosity, and above all brotherly love. Before I left the chapter I pulled my strength to keep me from taking sides. I did the best I could to transcend the cliques even though I had a close circle of brothers who I leaned on for support. I did my best to uphold the standards that were passed on to me as my duty to carry when I entered the fraternity. For better or for worse, I have to live with the choices that were made because of me; and I endevour to live with the decisions that were made without me. I cannot help but question what I encouraged, discouraged or brought up; it has not diminish my intent(s). I would have been derilict in my obligations as a brother and as a person had I not tried. My contributions may be forgotten in the next two years, my words of wisdom will fall on deaf ears. Nevertheless, my claim remains: I am a member of Alpha Rho Chi and with it I will carry the past, present, and the future. The Importance of Being Emailed 2003.0708Whenever I write anything, I am often reminded of a passage written to Laura Ingles Wilder by her mother, Caroline Ingles: �If wisdom�s ways you truly seek, five things observe with care, To whom you speak, of whom you speak, And how, and when, and where. It was a hard lesson to remember, but I have found that it makes quite a difference. Companies warning employees of what is perceived email etiquette print millions of pamphlets yearly. Such is the danger of the brave new world we live in. But as email has become an addition to the way in which the world communicates, it has become imperative to watch the language one uses in an email. My first major foray into accident-prone email mainly involved severely misspelled words. The reply email from a fraternity brother not only served as a wake up call but was so scathing I was catching myself from sending any email for nearly a week. This provided two lessons. Firstly, it got me to recognize my life long struggle with spelling and was nearly immediately corrected by having a dictionary chained to my wrist for the next four years of my life. Secondly, it made me reconsider the tone and merit every email I sent out carried. In a fit of passion, it is difficult to control, but not everything in this world needs an immediate response. Unless it involves someone�s life, it can wait, regardless of what you believe. I know that there is quite a difference from firing off an email to a friend than that of your professional peers. In the former, your personality can come through with little consequences; the latter has a deep reflection on the individual, not only as a professional but as a representative of the company(ies) that one is employed by. Though email is easily removed and forgotten, the written word is an indelible persuader. Carelessly written, it can harm more than it can help. My best advice, is if the email, or any written communication, is not urgent, nor in need of an immediate �yes� or �no� answer, put the reply in the �draft� folder for a few minutes and read it later. Or pass it to someone you trust to read, you will find that a fresh set of eyes may catch something you did not see originally. In one-way or another, whenever we write we are representing someone or something to someone else be it ourselves, the organizations we belong to, or an associate. As it might ever be so tempting to let our personalities shine through, perhaps it is not always be prudent. Be patient with yourself and with your messages, you will find that one day it will provide much more desirable results. |