It can be really fun to plan! Getting excited about an event or a calendar typically energizes a chapter, an officer team or an individual. This is particularly true when it is the beginning of the year. Remember when you were in elementary school? Each year on the first day of school everyone was excited to be there, new Trapper Keepers and lunchboxes, all the pencils had erasers. The possibilities were endless! But how do you sustain that momentum? How can you keep sisters, officers and the community as engaged throughout the entire year?
One acronym to keep in mind is: D.W.Y.S.Y.W.D. This is a term learned from our ZTA National President at National Leadership Convention in 2011. D.W.Y.S.Y.W.D. stands for "Do What You Say You Will Do". It has been a great guide and constant reminder to strive to complete goals. As you plan activities and meetings for your chapter, think about all the pieces of the planning process. How will you complete this goal? For example, are you having a general membership meeting then think about who will present at the meeting, who will print the minutes, who will make the nametags, who is bringing the food? Each event has many parts and the team of officers in each chapter should participate in each of those event planning moments in a significant way. As a leader, you want to keep in mind that you should never ask someone to do something you wouldn't do yourself. A surefire way to lose members, potential new members and officers is by not allowing them to have any ownership or connection to the group. It would be the same for most of us, if we had nothing to do then why would we spend our time, energy and talents on that activity?
Emotional Connections are the single most important reason that people stay active in the alumnae world. Are you providing a way for them to be engaged? Here are some easy ways to connect with members:
- Offer to carpool or take public transportation together.
- Nametags! Knowing other people's names allows them to engage more easily.
- Follow up within 48 hours with a phone call, email or other message with everyone who attends an event. (Even those who have been members for years, it is nice to feel included)
- Encourage everyone to take on a leadership position. This can be as small as collecting Yoplait lids for their neighborhood or as much as Zeta Day chair!
- Continuously survey your members about what they want to do.
Remember, D.W.Y.S.Y.W.D. and reap the benefits of a stronger sisterhood!
