Team Building

Sometimes it is better to have multiple perspectives than just one or two. A team should share values and should be able to trust each other.

Positive teams come from establishing interpersonal relationships, member satisfaction, and a strong group identity. In order for a team to be effective, it has to have a common goal.

Good team leaders should be able to recognize the skills and resources they need to carry out their goals and responsibilities. Being the best team leader you can be requires you to foster a positive environment where members will want to participate and feel comfortable.

You must also be able to delegate and give each member a role to play in the team. As the leader, you will need to devote time specifically to making sure everything gets done, but that it is not just by you.

Before you can have a great team, know and admit your strengths and weaknesses. Use the people and personalities in your group to complement one another. Team building activities are a good way to feel out your team.

The executive board I serve on for my sorority after some team building exercises!

A List for an Effective Leader

Leadership isn't just an end result- it's a process that can be learned, practiced, and improved. This process is marked by the relationship between the group leader and his or her group. Success is achieved when a team or organization has a shared vision that all the members helped to create, plan, and complete.

I think an effective leader must do all of these things:
1. Be willing to take risks.
2. Be able to inspire and guide your group.
3. Be able to get others to want to participate.
4. Make sure all members are collaborating.
5. Be a role model.
6. Be encouraging and recognize accomplishments.
7. Be a listener, not just a speaker.
8. Focus on problems and tasks, not on personalities or personal biases.
9. Be fair at all times.
10. Do not dominate others.

It's not always easy to keep all of these things in mind, but with time and practice it does get easier!

Lists on Leadership

My blog has taken a different direction...I will now be forming lists all about different aspects of leadership. I have been involved in many different organizations over the years. Currently I am a member of PRSSA, Vice President of Membership for my sorority Zeta Tau Alpha, and President of the Panhellenic Council. I  hope that these lists help you with your interests in leadership or give you an interest in stepping into a new role you hadn't considered before. If you are already an experienced leader, look for the lists that give tips to expand your skills.

Me with our ZTA traveling leadership consultant.

Why Go Greek?

My Little sister in ZTA and I in Spring 2010.

It's the time of year for recruitment for sororities and fraternities at SU. Every spring semester brings back memories of my rush week freshman year. There are a lot of people who don't see the point of going Greek, others who don't respect it as a legitimate activity to be involved in, and more who think about it but wonder if it's for them. The list in this post includes positive reasons about becoming Greek on our campus.

1. You meet people. I know that Susquehanna is a small school already, but simply rushing a sorority or fraternity provides the chance to gain countless friends and acquaintances.

2. You become a leader. I know there are tons of personalities out there and that some people are simply ready to lead confidently while others aren't, but Greek life offers so much growth in this area.

3. You become active in a philanthropy. All chapters have a cause that they specifically support. Doing service is fun in Greek life and never feels like a chore.

4. You gain irreplaceable friendship and memories. I know I can't even remember a quarter of the moments I've spent with my sisters laughing. I also know they would be there for me in a heartbeat and that I would always do the same.

5. You become more you. This may sound strange but I firmly believe going Greek is not something you become. It's about something you always have been. I have only become more successful and more myself through Greek life. I can't imagine my college experience without it and am grateful I joined an organization that I will be a part of forever.

First post!

This is a blog I primarily created for a class called New Media. I am a junior at Susquehanna University, majoring in Public Relations with a minor in Political Science.

I chose to write my blog in the form of lists. Mostly me making lists of things I find enjoyable, humorous, or interesting. Ever since I can remember I have always used list-making as a way of keeping my thoughts organized, so I figured why not bring that into my blog.

That's about all I have for now, but I hope to create some lists you'll find enjoyable to read, interesting, and maybe even helpful too.