Q&A with T.J. Sullivan about his book "Motivating the Middle"

T.J. Sullivan, cofounder and CEO of CAMPUSPEAK, an agency which provides educational speakers and workshops for colleges and universities, has written his first book Motivating the Middle: Fighting Apathy in College Student Organizations. The book is a practical guide for college student leaders, as well as those who work with college students, about engaging with the “middle third members” – those who care for your organization but may choose not to take formal leadership positions. T.J. recently sat down with us here at Delta Zeta to share some insight behind the book with our members.

DZ: You start the book with a quote from Ian Fleming: “A horse is dangerous at both ends and uncomfortable in the middle.” Sounds like a great metaphor for student organizations. Why does this quote speak to you?

T.J.: I just loved that quote. When people think of a horse, they think of the head, or maybe of the danger of the back end. No one thinks about the middle, yet any horse trainer will tell you that what ends up there affects the race. The same goes with a student organization. People think about the out-front leaders (the "top third") and perhaps those that cause drama and problems (the "bottom third"), and ignore the middle folks who are solid members, but not leaders. My book suggests that if you want to truly energize your chapter or your organization, you have to pay attention to what goes in the middle. A well-fed and healthy middle is the secret to a successful student organization.


DZ: In Chapter Two, you discuss how the middle third are jugglers, weighing and making decisions based upon their multiple priorities. This is often a quality we think of in student leaders, or top third. Can you share why you believe this is more of a middle third characteristic?

T.J.: Everyone assumes that the best jugglers are the top-third student leaders. They seem so busy, they must be juggling! And, many top-third student leaders do an awesome job finding balance. But I would suggest that the majority of top-third leaders are not in balance. Their leadership role (or roles) suck up most of their energy. We demand a lot from our top-third student leaders. Many sorority chapter presidents have unhealthy stress levels, a lack of sleep, an inability to maintain romantic relationships, and a tendency to overcommit. Just because someone is highly productive, doesn't mean they are a healthy juggler. This is why so many top-third leaders complete their leadership role and then go through a huge decompression period after. Middle-third members are more conservative when it comes to piling on extra commitments and responsibilities that can throw them off balance. They see the top-third members stressing out. Whether they do a good job of juggling or not, middle third members are more aware (or afraid) of the demands of being a top-third student leader, and therefore choose a less stressful supportive role.

DZ: You share multiple motivational examples in this book. Do you have a favorite? If so, why?

T.J.: I've long been on record opposing the madness of mandatory events. I believe making dozens of events mandatory is lazy leadership. Instead of making events meaningful and interesting, we just make them mandatory. I honestly believe that sorority chapters would foster better sisterhood, mental health and happiness if they eliminated almost all of their mandatory events, pared down their calendars by at least 50-percent, and made sorority membership less grueling for the average member. But, events are made mandatory by top-third members who would likely be at most things anyway. They figure if they have to be there, everyone has to. That's destructive. The average middle-third member would love to spend 2-3 nights a week doing sorority, and the rest of the week doing other things, like studying, spending time with their special person, being involved in other campus organizations, or just relaxing. When did being a sorority member become a full-time job?

DZ: We were really struck by the quote, “The idea that every member of an organization will be equally committed and engaged is a fantasy.” How has this idea affected your work with college students?

T.J.: Every participant comes to a situation with a different level of buy-in. Yet, we tend to only value those who are excited, ever-present, and fully bought-in – the ones who make us feel good with their commitment and energy toward our shared goal. Yes, sometimes something magical happens, and most everyone is highly committed. You see that in new chapters working toward a charter or in start up companies flush with cash and new employees, for example. But, in most chapters, you have members at different levels of engagement. I just don't think it's productive for a chapter officer to assume that every member's engagement can be demanded or expected. That sister who loves intramurals might really dislike ritual. The sister who truly enjoys the social events might hate the meetings. They aren't bad members for having preferences. These women can contribute in highly meaningful ways. But, to expect a sister to get completely pumped about everything your chapter does is unrealistic, and to berate and fine her for not loving every single activity is harmful to morale. Meet people where they are, encourage them to participate in as many things as possible, but give them some freedom to choose their own adventure.


DZ: You have now been a professional speaker within the college market for 20 years. What would be your biggest piece of advice to today’s college student?

T.J.: When I was in college, there was so much pressure to begin your adult life on graduation day. That has changed a lot. So many college students feel like "real life" doesn't begin until sometime after age 30. I'm sort of jealous of that. I was in a big hurry to change the world before my 25th birthday, and I didn't take enough time to explore all the possibilities in front of me. I feel that being a member of a fraternity or sorority needs to be a large, wonderful commitment – full of reward and enjoyment. But, for heaven's sake... don't miss out on the travel abroad experience, or signing up for that other campus organization, or participating in that service activity because your chapter sucks all your energy. Life is a buffet. Don't fill up on the first item. Taste everything. Have fun.


Motivating the Middle: Fighting Apathy in College Student Organizations is available at: http://www.amazon.com/Motivating-Middle-Fighting-College-Organizations/dp/1604946903.

For more information on T.J. Sullivan or CAMPUSPEAK, please visit:

www.tjsullivan.com
www.twitter.com/TJatCAMPUSPEAK
www.facebook.com/tjsullivanblog
www.campuspeak.com

GML and FHM Awards Submission Deadline Jan 10

Delta Zeta's two highest collegiate awards, the Grace Mason Lundy and Florence Hood Miner Awards, submission deadline is fast approaching on January 10, 2012.

The Grace Mason Lundy Award is given to members of Delta Zeta who are in their senior year and demonstrate outstanding loyalty and service to Delta Zeta. They uphold the high standards of Delta Zeta with enthusiasm and pride. They have made a significant difference in their chapters’ success and may or may not be campus leaders, but internal leaders. Service to Delta Zeta is an important factor. GML Award winners are ones who will continue their involvement with Delta Zeta as alumnae and they set the standard for all Delta Zeta collegians. Jamie Hammill, Beta Delta ‘80 (South Carolina) and Past National Officer says, "I was truly honored to be nominated for the GML award by my Beta Delta sisters. My collegiate years in Delta Zeta taught and inspired me to be a leader, and I proudly gave back and served my chapter in as many ways as possible. Even now, these valuable lessons and experiences carry over into my personal and professional life – and I still feel that close sense of connection to Delta Zeta."

The Florence Hood Miner Award is given to members of Delta Zeta who are in their junior year and have made contributions to their college, chapter and Delta Zeta through outstanding leadership on the campus while maintaining high academic standards. Ellen Lassiter, Xi Upsilon '02 (Northeastern) was a recipient of both the FHM and GML awards. She says, "As a recipient of the Florence Hood Miner and Grace Mason Lundy awards, it is an honor to be a part of that very special group. I can only hope that my service to the sorority would make these two women proud. Their example of lifetime commitment should be the aim of every Delta Zeta."

 Do you know a Delta Zeta in your chapter that is worthy of nomination? Download the applications and nomination forms below and let us know-
Florence Hood Miner Application
Florence Hood Miner Recommendation
Grace Mason Lundy Application
Grace Mason Lundy Recommendation

Winter Tips from MJ Insurance

Delta Zeta’s insurance company, MJ Insurance’s Sorority Division, provides today’s blog post on winter house reminders and other safety tips. You can view their original newsletter here and always contact them at www.mjsorority.com or follow them on Twitter at @mjsorority.

Cold Weather Safety Reminders

Essential measures to minimize the risk of a freeze or water damage loss

• Make sure all hoses are removed from exterior water spigots/faucets
• Keep furnace on and thermostat set at or above 68 degrees
• Drain water lines in lawn sprinkler system where appropriate
• Inspect windows and repair all broken glass
• Place additional insulation on exterior walls and windows
• Insulate exterior doors appropriately, and assure all close and latch completely
• Attach and secure downspouts with extension from foundation, not draining onto the driveway, sidewalks, or patios and fully displace water from walking areas

During periods of extreme colder temperatures

• Leave the doors to cabinets that contain water lines open, this will allow heat to enter the area and help prevent freeze
• Open the indoor faucets slightly to allow water to trickle as moving water does not freeze as easily

Additional safety measures during colder months
Clear all necessary snow and ice from sidewalks, fire escapes, and walkways which may result in a slip and fall hazard.

Winter Safety Tips
The most common types of injuries sustained by workers during the winter months are slips, trips and falls due to snowy or icy conditions in and around the workplace. Here are some ways to protect yourself:
• Wear slip-resistant, insulated footwear and mittens instead of gloves.
• If you can't avoid walking on snow or ice, walk like a penguin. Take short, shuffling steps and walk as flatfooted as possible.
• Avoid walking too fast, running, quickly changing direction or coming to a sudden stop on slippery surfaces.
• Avoid horseplay or other distractions.
• Avoid carrying materials that obstruct vision.
• Keep hands out of pockets while walking to protect yourself if you fall.
• Be extra careful on ladders, maintenance stands and stairways.
• Do not wear sunglasses in low-light areas.
• Use handrails at all times.

Excerpted from Pinnacol Assurance (www.pinnacol.com)

Behind the Scenes with The LAMP of Delta Zeta

In today’s online world, the death of print is often lamented, but has yet to come to fruition.

A recent article in UMagazinology, a blog published by the staffs of Johns Hopkins Magazine and the Alumni Magazine Consortium which has news and observations about the university magazine, says, “A magazine on a computer, electronic reader, or smartphone is little more than text. As much regard as I have for text, I think a magazine done right is a magazine crafted by people who understand that a good periodical is an arresting object that people want as an object because it has the capacity to offer so much more than mere ‘content.’ That most of us toss a magazine when we're done reading it doesn't diminish its power while we have it in our hands. That, I believe, is why magazines continue to thrive.”

The LAMP of Delta Zeta, begun in 1910, is just such an example. With an initial subscriber base of 200 readers, the magazine is sent to more than 100,000 subscribers today. Another 2,600 subscribers receive the magazine online. While some Greek organizations have done away with their print magazine and offer only an online version (in light of today’s economy), Delta Zeta gives our readers a choice. If you would like to read The LAMP online to help the Sorority to go green, just email us at GreenLAMP@dzshq.com. You receive an email alert when the next issue is online. If you want to continue to receive The LAMP in its hard copy format, mailed to you three times a year, you need not do anything.

Behind the scenes, a strategic plan for each biennium’s issues is done in advance and approved by The LAMP Committee (an editorial committee appointed by the National President and made up of present and past National Officers, one Alumnae Chapter LAMP Editor and one College Chapter LAMP Editor) and by National Council. Because of our publication schedule, we work three months in advance of each issue. In the meantime, chapter news and member news is also posted to the national website and to the LAMP Twitter and Facebook pages, which helps publicize more news in a more timely manner prior to when it will be published in The LAMP.

Because all alumnae receive a lifetime subscription to The LAMP at no additional cost to them, budget is always an important matter in the publication of the magazine. The best way to contain the costs involved in printing and mailing the magazine is to limit the number of pages, but we know that it is important to provide an outlet for alumnae and collegiate news and information, and the national website and social media serve that purpose while reserving space in The LAMP for news of national scope.

The magazine is also sent to other Greek organizations and to the college or university president and the Director of Greek/Student Affairs on each campus where Delta Zeta has a chapter. We encourage alumnae to share personal news of local interest with your Alumnae Public Relations Chairman on your Alumnae Area Team or your local alumnae chapter (this includes engagement, marriages and births) which we do not have space to publish in The LAMP.

We welcome your submissions at any time, whether you are a collegiate or alumnae chapter, chapter association or a member-at-large. Submissions to The LAMP can be made via email to LAMP@dzshq.com, online using the Submit News form or snail mail to LAMP Editor, 202 E. Church St., Oxford, OH 45056. And don't forget to send your photos to LAMP@dzshq.com. See the photo criteria here. We encourage everyone to submit news to us as it happens. Here are some general deadlines for the LAMP publication schedule:

Issue 1............................................ Send submissions by February 10

Issue 2 .......................................... Send submissions by June 10

Issue 3.................................. ........ Send submissions by October 10

We will look forward to receiving your news and hope you continue to look forward to receiving The LAMP!

Updating Your Chapter’s Roster

Each semester/quarter, the Chapter Secretary or Treasurer is required to update the chapter’s roster in Chapter Inc. with those members who will be or have graduated that term or those that have left school. These actions are the only way that members are removed from your roster in Billhighway, which also removes them from the Delta Zeta billing cycle. If you do not update your roster, your chapter will continue to be billed for the members. All graduating seniors and members who are leaving school should be removed from your roster by December 30, 2011.

To update your Chapter Inc. roster, access the site via the pink container on your Metro page. Once in Chapter Inc., select the Membership menu > Actions > Manage Members. The first page provides you the instructions you need to be aware of while completing the action. Please click continue to move to the second step. The second page of the action provides a list of your chapter members. Select the members who you are removing from your roster by clicking the box next to their name. Then click continue to move to the additional information page. On the additional information page, you will select “member graduates” or “left school” from the drop-down menu, and put the effective date of the membership change for each member. The date defaults to the day you are entering the action. Click continue to move to the validation page where you will review your changes and electronically sign the action form. The last step is the receipt page which confirms the change has been sent to National Headquarters. All membership changes take up to an hour to appear on Chapter Inc.

To review the action itself, you can download the Membership Actions Guide on DZ Metro here or you can view a video that will walk you through the steps here. If you have questions on the Manage Members Action on Chapter Inc., please contact technical support at ChapterInc@dzshq.com.

Understanding and Appreciating Religious Diversity During the Holiday Season and Beyond

As each day in December brings us closer to Christmas and Hannukah, religious celebrations for the two of the largest religions in North America, Christianity and Judiasm, many individuals take the opportunity to reflect upon their faith. It also gives Delta Zeta chapter leaders the opportunity to reflect on how religion may impact their work as a leader.   

  

To first begin to understand how religion can affect your role as a Delta Zeta leader, it is important to be aware of some of the world’s major religious beliefs, including non-belief. Below is a brief overview of some of the world’s major religions. This is by no means an exhaustive list or explanation. 

  

• Athiesm – Athiesm is characterized by the absence of belief in a God or other spiritual being. Athiests believe that humans can define their own morality without a God or religious text. Athiesm has a strong tie to several other beliefs including Humanism, Rationalism, and Secularism.
• Buddhism – Buddhism originated from Siddhartha Gautama's journey for Enlightenment and has evolved into a spiritual tradition that emphasizes personal spiritual development. The interconnectivity of all life and necessity for compassion is stressed.
• Christianity – Christianity is the world’s largest religion and includes such faiths as Catholicism, Methodist, Pentacostalism, and Quakerism. Christians believe that there is only one God and that Jesus Christ is the son of God. Christians believe that God sent Jesus to earth to save humanity. The Bible is the central religious book.
• Hinduism – Hinduism is the religion of the majority of the people of India and Nepal. Contrary to most other religions, Hinduism does not have a single common set of teachings nor a single founder. For that reason Hinduism is often thought of as a way of life or combination of religions. Hindus believe in a life cycle governed by Karma.
• Islam – Islam is the second largest religion in the world and its followers are called Muslims. Muslims believe in one God and that God sent several prophets to teach how to live his law including Jesus, Moses, Abraham, and the final prophet, Mohammad. The Arabic word for God is Allah. The Qur’an is the central religious book.
• Judaism – Judaism was founded by Moses and is one of the oldest monotheistic religions. Jews believe in one God with whom they share a covenant. Judaism believes that Jews are God’s chosen people and that in appreciation for all the good that God has done in their lives, they should live at all times as an example of his holiness. The Torah is the central religious book.

Information gathered from http://www.bbc.co.uk/religion/

How does this impact me as a Delta Zeta leader?

• Chapter calendar – When planning your chapter calendar for the semester, are you considering religious holidays? When planning events, are you considering if the theme is appropriate for your chapter members? If you are partnering with a different fraternity/sorority or other student organization, are you aware of religious holidays which may impact their calendar? While you may not be able to accommodate all chapter members, an awareness of and sensitivity to all religious holidays/seasons is appreciated. Keep in mind that religious holidays occur year round and not just during the winter season.
• Suite/House Management – If your chapter has a suite or chapter structure (house), do you consider the religions of your members in its management? Items to consider dietary restrictions and decorations during the holiday season.

Need more information? Consider one of the following:

• Reach out to the various student organizations on your campus.
• Visit your college/university’s religious life office.
• The British Broadcasting Corporation (BBC) has several resources on different religions available on their website http://www.bbc.co.uk/religion/. These include interfaith calendars and overviews of many religions containing history, beliefs, symbols, texts, etc.
• Explore BBC’s television program “Around the World in 80 Faiths,” available on You Tube. http://www.youtube.com/results?search_query=around+the+world+in+80+faiths&aq=f
• Explore how religion is being discussed in the news. Examples include: http://religion.blogs.cnn.com/, http://www.npr.org/sections/religion/, http://www.foxnews.com/us/religion/index.html.
• Finally, talk to your sisters and fellow students. While religious belief, or the lack of, may be a difficult subject for some to approach, seeking understanding is always appreciated.