Time to be thankful

At your next meeting, start off with something different. Go around the room, and ask each member to share something for which they are thankful. Whether it's a friendship in the room, something your group has achieved this year, something in their personal life, the approach of basketball season, whatever.

Have your officers go first to set the tone. Sure, there will be a couple of sarcastic, maybe even inappropriate answers as you go around the room, but that's OK. The idea is to focus on the good stuff your members get from being a part of your organization.

If people don't know what to say, they can simply be thankful for being a member, or being alive, or for the opportunity to attend college, or for our men and women serving overseas. Let people know that they can be as personal as they want to be, or not personal at all.

Want to make it even better? After going around the room, have everyone write the thing they are thankful for on an index card, and then post those cards somewhere visible. If your group is a housed fraternity or sorority, post them by the front door. If you're a student government, post them in the student activities office. Athletic teams might post them in the locker room, or perhaps post their own card on the outside of their locker. If you're a student life staff member, post them in your break area or on your office doors. Keep that positive energy of thanks and appreciation going.

Today, our intern, Ryan, took a bulletin board and cut out a bunch of turkeys, putting the name of a staff member on each one. He then distributed five paper "feathers" to each staff member and asked them to write something they were thankful for on each feather. Staff members are busy right now putting their feathers on their birds. It was a really nice way to end our week here.

Sometimes, we get so bogged down by the challenges in our organization or in our workplace that we forget to note the simple things that make being in college and being a student leader wonderful. Give your members the opportunity to express what your organization means to them, and how the relationships they make there affect them.

Time to deliver

Someone emailed me a question this week: "What is the best advice you can give to student organizations and student life people during this time of recession, slashed budgets, and depressing economics." My first reaction was to advise that people should keep their chins up and be optimistic. But, after more thought, here's my answer.

"It's time to deliver."

No one cares about what you meant to do. No one wants to hear excuses. No one has any patience for people who whine, and under-perform.

Shut up, put in the work, and deliver something. In a current economic climate where people are three months behind on house payments, no one cares about tiny, whiny problems.

I heard this morning on the news that satisfaction with Congress is at a 12-year low in the polls right now. I'm of the opinion (and you may disagree, that's fine) that Congress is actually getting quite a bit done this session. But, I understand why the poll is showing dissatisfaction among regular Americans. When the public is pissed, worried and impatient for progress, the regular machinations of debate and deal-making annoy the public more.

When the environment is worrisome, it's also impatient and demanding. It's time to deliver.

Same thing when it comes to your organization. People (your members and your constituents) are looking for results. They don't want politics, posturing, excuses or lengthy explanations of why you can't get something done. They don't care if it's hard, or if your budget is slashed, or if you're having to work more hours. They don't want big, flashy impressive events. They want you to do your job and produce something of value.

My best advice to student organizations right now? Buckle down, and produce. Don't aim to impress. Don't take on wild new projects. Fix what's broken, focus on getting the job done. Get rid of leaders who aren't stepping up and doing their jobs. Make sure your finances are in order, and make sure you have a plan in case your dollars decline. Find economies, and say goodbye to the partnerships, the events, and the processes that drain away resources.

To student life people: appreciate the fact that you have a job, make yourself invaluable to everyone counting on you, and guide people to the other side of this mess. You need to deliver, also. Make sure your time is spent on efforts that yield visible results.

Right now, three strong achievements beat the hell out of wild plans and promises.

When you can't get anyone to run

If you hold an election, and no one runs for anything, does it make a noise?

It's not uncommon for student organizations to struggle getting qualified candidates to run for offices. Perhaps your group's morale is low. Perhaps you don't have enough members to fill the positions. Maybe this year's officers alienated everyone. Or, maybe the position is perceived by your members as a thankless one.

Here are a couple of steps for coping with the "empty chair" situation. First, the option I like the least...
• Coerce someone into taking the position. This is my least favorite solution, because someone who you beg to do a position is unlikely to take a strong personal interest in the position. If you go this route, you're better off going to someone who was an officer a year ago and is still around.

All of the following options are better, in my opinion...

• Remove all prerequisites. If your organization has counter-productive requirements – such as "all officers must have been a member of the organization for two years" – drop them. Recruit in a young, eager leader looking for a way to prove himself.

• Recruit a new member for the specific purpose of assuming the role. It's kind of fun to become a member and an officer the same day. Go out and find someone who has the skills and motivation and who is looking for a place to use them.

• Consider making it a jointly held position. Why can't you have two people serving as secretary and alternating tasks? Not ideal, but if you have members who worry about the time commitment, this might be an option.

• Eliminate the position. Divide the tasks among other officers and committee chairs.

• Let the position sit empty for a while. Maybe someone will step up a little later, and you can fill the position by appointment.

• Beef up the position. Maybe no one wants the position because it's seen as lame. Un-lame it by adding some additional responsibilities and powers.

If you're having trouble filling offices, you have options. Don't be afraid to try something new and unexpected. It could liven things up.

"Approaches to Creating a Veteran-Friendly Campus"

Following up on my posting last week about programs for veterans on your campus...

Here is a webinar called "Approaches to Creating a Veteran-Friendly Campus."

http://www.naspa.org/programs/veterans.cfm

In my mind, this is a critical issue for student affairs professionals. I know no one involved in the webinar. It's $79 for students and $179 for professionals who are members of NASPA, ASCA, or ACUHO-I.