National Leadership Conference
Event Recap
September 27-29, 2002
Tallahassee, Florida
What type of leader are you?
- Authoritarian: "Dictatorial," believe others will not work unless supervised.
- Democratic: Believe others can think for themselves and want to work.
- Laissez-Faire: Guided freedom. Competent followers needed.
Many might overlook Tallahassee on a map. But the leaders of Alpha Rho Chi were on target as they explored leadership in this seemingly sleepy town. The city, which is home to the Seshait Chapter, served as the backdrop for the 2002 Alpha Rho Chi Leadership Conference.
"If Alpha Rho Chi is to be relevant in the future, it must focus on training designers to be leaders not only within the fraternity but also in the professional world," said Gregory Pelley, the Worthy Grand Architect.
Thirty-one brothers representing all levels of leadership within the fraternity attended the conference, held September 27-29. The primary focus was to communicate the goals and vision of the Grand Council for Alpha Rho Chi and share how each chapter is a vital element in the equation of success.
Ken Murdock, a lecturer at the University of Texas at Arlington, spoke about effective leadership styles, the art of negotiating, and characteristics of successful people. Murdock interwove wit and personal experiences into a series of informative sessions.
Characteristics of successful people
- Don't worry about things they can't control
- Look at pay-off more than risk
- Know you become what you think about
- Understand how much impact the little details have
- Realize they must be passionate about what they do
- Know they have to plant the seed before they can reap the harvest
- Have thick skin
"If you haven't been a leader or negotiator in the past, you can be one in the future," said Murdock. "These are skills that can be developed." In class he explained that leaders should communicate early and often, be great listeners, and understand the expectations of the group.
Murdock suggested that leaders always share the desired course of action because group members will eagerly follow when they know where they are headed. "One thing that helped the most was the concept of sharing the vision," commented Duke Walker, president of the Imhotep Colony. "Until [the colony members] realized the vision they weren't as excited."
Murdock taught that good leaders are easily approachable, open to suggestions, and impartial. He also stated leaders must establish clear and concise goals. While working to achieve goals, the leader sometimes has to take a little more than their share of the blame and a little less than their share of the credit.
"Everyone should learn from his or her experiences because there is no better substitute," stated Murdock. "But if you don't learn anything, then there was no point. Leaders should work to improve and not merely maintain." To become a better leader Murdock believes investing time and learning from the past are a necessity.
"I truly hope that every participant walked away recognizing the leaders within and that they realize that leadership in the fraternity would translate into leadership in their daily lives," stated Gregory Pelley. "They should understand that this is not only relevant today but also tomorrow."
Thanks to Shawn Vann, (Seshait) Associate Archi Editor for Chapter News for contributing this story.
