by Laura Nelson
(Zeta Xi, University of North Carolina-Greensboro)
We all have the capability to serve as leaders for our organization. Over my travels, I have seen leadership in presidents and I have seen leadership in those members who volunteer to give up a Friday night to pick up a car-less consultant and take her out to dinner. It is the heart of those leaders that makes me step back and realize how lucky I am to be a part of this phenomenal organization. This side of leadership comes from a joy of giving back and finding what really makes you happy. We sometimes get lost in the false idea of what it means to be a leader. You do not have to have a position in the chapter in order to be considered an influential leader. It is someone who has the ability to serve as a positive example for those around her while bringing a passion and life to her work. So, just step back and evaluate what you really enjoy. Then translate that into a function of the chapter. I had the opportunity to meet an amazing young woman with an unmatched talent for art who just wanted to get involved in her chapter. The very next semester she took the position of banner chair and exponentially increased her chapter’s marketing. No, she was not a member of the executive board, but she did make an impact on her chapter and she did it with heart.
As almost any member of a Greek organization will agree, we are constantly developing our organization and ourselves. So, remember to let what you love be your inspiration. In turn, inspire others to develop in a way that makes them happy. I’d like to propose that it is through those women who possess that “Alpha Chi sparkle” that we find a way to shine as well. I cannot express the amount of pride I feel when I meet with a chapter officer, general chapter member or chapter advisor that lives and breathes that sparkle. My time as a chapter consultant has given me exponential opportunity to meet those women, an experience that I will never forget but will always be thankful for.
“Go confidently in the direction of your dreams. Live the life you have imagined.” ~Henry David Thoreau