Handling Leadership in Your Soroity

“I didn’t choose my leadership position; it chose me.” That’s how many sisters in my sorority explain their role to me. This goes to show that even if you may not see yourself in a certain position, your sisters may think you’re a perfect fit. Whether you were called to lead by your sisters, or selected for an applied position, leadership is very important within Greek communities.

This semester I was tasked with two chair positions with the potential of a third. I am honored that my President found that I was a good representative of our letters. Though I am terrified of speaking in front of groups of people, I have found the strength to be a good communicator whenever it is my turn to speak.

Here’s three tips that I think will help someone who is struggling to mentally cope with the expectations of a leadership role like I was.

1. Realize who you’re talking to. These are your sisters! Whenever you have to speak in chapter meetings, remember that these are women who you share amazing bonds with. These girls might laugh, but they will never abandon you or really make fun of you.
2. Have a script. I understand that for ritual things writing a script probably isn’t possible. I’m sorry. That stuff you’ll have to work out ways to remember. However, for reports, type them up and print them out! If you have issues improvising, this really helps make sure you look and sound organized.
3. Practice! It may sound stupid to practice reading your sorority reports in front of a mirror or with your best friend in the chapter, but I think that running your report by someone else really helps to make sure that you’re communicating everything that’s necessary.

With these tips it’ll be easy to talk during chapter meetings, but does that really mean you have “handled” your leadership role? No!

In order to really handle this role you need to be available for sisters! As Public Relations chair I’m always open to e-mails or having people stop by my room to ask me about flyers and other things. As a leader, there will be questions coming your way. Accept it now. You should also accept that you might not have all of the answers. That’s okay. Just try your best to be helpful or find the answers necessary!

Finally, the last thing you need to think about, especially if you’re on exec, is the fact that you will be in the know. To properly handle this situation you need to be aware that what is said among exec members stays with the exec board. Going around telling sisters about that one girl who is terminating really is not necessary until it’s announced at a meeting. Because let’s be real, we all know there’s really no such thing as secrets between members. If you tell one girl something, she’s probably going to go tell someone else. It’s just best to not start drama if you’re trying to lead your chapter in your organization’s values.

How do you handle leadership positions within your sorority?