THE EXPONENT: Volume 96, Number 6

News and Commentary for Triangle Leaders Brought to you by the Fraternity Strengthening Committee of National Council

"With regard to excellence, it is not enough to know, but we must try to have and use it." - Aristotle

It's been said before, but it bears repeating that Triangle is a place that should and does breed excellence in its Brothers. That happens especially well when it doesn't happen by chance but by choice. Are all of our chapters as strong as they should be? Obviously, the answer is "no." That's evident from the results of the survey that were published in a recent issue of The Triangle Review, where a strong majority of respondents indicated that one of Triangle's top priorities should be helping our chapters become stronger, if from nowhere else. That begs the question: "How do we make that happen?" Like charity, this begins at home! If you are an active, even an active at a strong chapter, how will you improve the chapter in the next year? If you are an alumnus, how do you intend to improve your chapter, a chapter near where you now live, or Triangle in general? We urge you all to make a commitment to yourselves, to your Fraternity, and to your Brothers...find a way to help and make the choice to do it and stick to it! Triangle doesn't mean anything without its Brothers and none of you was found wanting of the criteria that we judge our Brothers by...

One other item that we want to mention is the announcement of a contest. The details are included in a later section, so read on to find out more!

TRIANGLE FRATERNITY

Is Serious about Scholarship

Sets and Demonstrates High Standards

Celebrates Achievement

• Brotherhood
  • The Seven Step Plan for Confrontation
• Chapter Management
  • To Everything There Is A Season
  • Leading Change: Why Transformation Efforts Fail
  • Rush Fundamentals: Success Starts Here
  • Rush Do's and Don'ts
• Spotlight on Triangle Chapters
• Spotlight on Triangle
• Spotlight on Prominent Triangles
  • Meet Triangle Fraternity Education Foundation President Bob Rosenberg ar55

The Seven Step Plan For Confrontation

excerpt from NIC Campus Commentary (Oct. 92)

This information is also available on videotape in the Confrontation 101 video from NIC (available from the National Office if you don't already have a copy). Contact the Director of Chapter Services for more information.

Step One: Initiate Contact
Who is the best person to do the confrontation? Is more than one person required? Where would be the best place to meet? How will you "schedule" time with this person to do the confrontation? Understandably, first you must make contact with the person to be confronted in an appropriate setting. It is best to pick a private place where both individuals do not feel threatened. Also, it is advisable to not "gang-up" on the individual during an initial confrontation. A confrontation team of two or more should only be used for a reconfrontation or for individuals who are perceived to be very resistant to change and only responsive to group opinion or pressure.

Step Two: Establish Rapport
Do you care about this person? What might you say to him/her to establish a positive rapport-a sense of mutual trust? Are you believable? Your second step is to establish a positive rapport with the person. This means the creation of a sense of mutual trust-a sense that both people present really care about each other. Attempts to create an artificial rapport will fail as people are usually more sensitive than we believe.

Step Three: Identify Issue/Problem (Don't ask "why.")
Clearly define the issue to yourself before exploring it with the person. Can you state the problems succinctly in non-threatening terms? What are some the "what" questions you might ask? If he responds as if answering a "why" question, how do you plan to avoid that becoming an excuse for condoning the behavior? How might you describe the consequence of the behavior on others and the chapter?

Working with the person, identify the issue or problem that prompted you to seek him out. He must agree that there is a problem. If not, you must return to step two. During the problem identification process, it is important that you not ask the question "why?" If you do, you will be told why-and that becomes the reason or excuse for the behavior-the justification, at least in the eyes of the other individual. You may ask "What?" but don't let the person's excuses trap you.

Step Four: Agree Upon the Problem
How can you get someone to agree that a problem exists? Would you let them know of the importance of their actions and impact on others' health? How would you respond if the person doesn't think there is a problem? The individual being confronted must agree that a problem does in fact exist. Otherwise, the person will not buy in to the following steps-they will lack the necessary motivation. If they do not agree that a problem exists, you must return to either Step Two or Step Three.

Step Five: Obtain Attainable Commitment
Under what circumstances would you "draw the line in the sand" and not seek step-by-step behavioral improvement, but rather demand decisive steps? How would you elicit a person's commitment to change? After the person agrees that a problem exists, you must mutually agree upon an attainable commitment on his part. It must be a commitment which the person has the potential to fulfill. You must provide the person with an opportunity to win, to succeed.

Step Six: Keep Commitment?
Are you personally committed to helping this person? How are you supporting the individual's attempts to change? On a mutually predetermined date and time, get together again with the individual to determine whether or not he has been able to keep the commitment. If so, move to Step Seven. If not, return to Step Five and redefine what is an attainable commitment from the person.

Step Seven: Praise Success (And Extend Commitment)
How would you praise someone without sounding false? When success is realized, offer praise and positive feedback. Then obtain a commitment for further changes by returning to the fifth step and extending what was an attainable commitment. If the individual has not been successful, without being negative, again return to the fifth step and reassess what might be an attainable commitment.

Product

To Everything There Is A Season...Hey Isn't That A Song Or Something?

Al Evon ar88
Triangle Director of Chapter Services

Rush
What is the current chapter size? Are we in violation of National Chapter Size Standards? Does the active organization have a plan for summer rush? fall rush? What type of individuals are we trying to attract? How will we attract them? How will we determine if they have the characteristics we are looking for? What is the role of the alumni board or alumni in general in the rush effort?

Finances
How much money does the active chapter have in the bank presently? How much is owed to them? Do they have signed promissory notes? If not why not and how do they plan to collect the money? To whom do they owe money and how much? Who is in charge of the chapter's accounts over the summer?

Physical Plant
Will there be anyone living in the chapter house over the summer? If so, whom and how will the house be maintained/cleaned regularly? If not, have all of the appliance been turned off so that the utility bills are not outrageous? Are there any plans for physical plant improvements? Are these major or minor plans? How are they being funded? Do they meet code? Are they for the benefit of the entire chapters, or a few individuals? How can alumni be involved in them?

Strategic Planning and Goal Setting
Does the active organization have a plan with clear and defined goals which can be put into place when school is back in session? Are there specific tasks given to members to complete this plan? How does the alumni board fit into this plan? Is the active's plan in concert with efforts by the alumni board? Does their plan follow the precepts of Triangle and adhere to the code of ethics? What are the objectives and how will they benefit the chapter?

Communication
Who is the summer contact and how do you reach him? Do the actives have all of their forms turned in to National and the university? Do the alumni have all their information in? Will representatives from the active chapter or alumni organization be attending the 1996 Leadership School? If so whom? What about the volunteer training program? Has the chapter applied for any of the National Awards?

I could certainly list more issues and questions, but this is enough to get everyone started. For those of you who have answers to some or all of these questions, I would appreciate a reply. Those who don't have answers should try to get hold of their active counterparts.

Leadership

Leading Change: Why Transformation Efforts Fail

Tim Eiler minn87

"The most general lesson to be learned from the more successful cases is that the change process goes through a series of phases that, in total, usually require a considerable length of time. Skipping steps creates only the illusion of speed and never produces a satisfying result. A second general lesson is that critical mistakes in any of the phases can have a devastating impact, slowing momentum and negating hard-won gains."

"Eight Steps in Transforming Your Organization"

1. Establishing a sense of urgency: Examining market and competitive realities. Identifying and discussing crises, potential crises, or major opportunities.
2. Forming a powerful guiding coalition: Assembling a group with enough power to lead the change effort. Encouraging the group to work together as a team.
3. Creating a vision: Creating a vision to help direct the change effort. Developing strategies for achieving that vision.
4. Communicating the vision: Using every vehicle possible to communicate the new vision and strategies. Teaching new behaviors by the example of the guiding coalition.
5. Empowering others to act on the vision: Getting rid of obstacles to change. Changing systems or structures that seriously undermine the vision. Encouraging risk taking and nontraditional ideas, activities, and actions.
6. Planning for and creating short-term wins: Planning for visible performance improvements. Creating those improvements. Recognizing and rewarding employees involved in the improvements.
7. Consolidating improvements and producing still more change: Using increased credibility to change systems, structures, and policies that don't fit the vision. Hiring, promoting, and developing employees who can implement the vision. Reinvigorating the process with new projects, themes, and change agents.
8. Institutionalizing new approaches: Articulating the connections between the new behaviors and corporate success. Developing the means to ensure leadership development and succession."

1. Not establishing a great enough sense of urgency: Without a large buy-in and a strong buy-in, the effort will fade and die before it ever really gets moving.
2. Not creating a powerful enough guiding coalition: Without the strongest driving force available, there will not be enough 'oomph' to get the organization's inertia overcome let alone keep it moving in a positive direction.
3. Lacking a vision: Develop a picture of the future that is relatively easy to communicate and appeals to customers and employees. A vision always goes beyond the numbers. It says something that helps clarify the direction in which an organization needs to move. Without a sensible, enthusiastic vision, a transformation effort can easily dissolve into a list of confusing and incompatible projects that can take the organization in the wrong direction or nowhere at all.
4. Undercommunicating the vision by a factor of ten: Tell it to everybody EVERY chance you get. In your newsletters, in your talks, every day. Don't stop EVER. People find it easy to drop back into the ease of organizational inertia...you have to keep them wrapped up in the vision and get them to want to be a part of it.
5. Not removing obstacles to the new vision: Make the structure of the organization fit in with what you are trying to accomplish. Reward those who comply and educate and correct those who don't. If there is anything, your processes, your value system, anything at all that is incompatible with the vision, consider adapting it...as long as you don't ruin the underlying premise of the organization in doing so.
6. Not systematically planning for and creating short-term wins: You've got to plan to get momentum started and then continually feed the feeling of success with real, tangible victories over time in order to keep that momentum going.
7. Declaring victory too soon: Instead of declaring overall victory (it's OK to acknowledge short-term wins), leaders of successful efforts use the credibility afforded by short-term wins to tackle even bigger problems.
8. Not anchoring changes in the corporation's culture: In the final analysis, change sticks when it becomes 'the way to do things around here,' when it seeps into the bloodstream of the corporate body. Until the new behaviors are rooted in social norms and shared values, they are subject to degradation as soon as the pressure for change is removed. First, make a conscious effort to show people how the new approaches, behaviors, and attitudes (Do as I do AND as I say) have helped improve performance. Second, take sufficient time to make sure that the next generation of top management really does personify the new approach. One bad succession decision at the top of an organization can undermine a decade of hard work."

Management

Rush Fundamentals: Success Starts Here

excerpt from NIC Campus Commentary (Feb. 1993)

Chapter Planning Session: Before the Rush chair finalizes the chapter Rush plans by himself, a chapter planning session with the chapter Rush committee and/or executive committee should take place. Ideally, such a session should be held twice a year at least. Other interested chapter members, especially those who recently went through Rush themselves, should be invited to participate. Younger members will be able to provide critical feedback on their perceptions of the chapter's recent efforts.

The Rush chair should come to the planning session with the following information:

• targeted dates for concentrated Rush efforts (realizing that Rush is a 365-day-a-year process)
• school calendar
• copy of last year's Rush plan and budget
• break down of chapter members by anticipated graduation date (recruiting a number of new members equal to or greater than the number of members graduating is a great aid to planning)

Chapter Rush Events: The purpose of any Rush activity which brings together a member and a prospective member is to develop a relationship and friendship. Chapters in the 1990s are finding that a chapter Rush calendar with variety appeals to both Rushees and Brothers. The goal of the chapter planning session should be the formulation of a diversified plan for interacting with Rushees. Inexpensive, but proven, ideas may include:

• study breaks during the week with simple activity (45-60 minutes in length)
• pick-up sports near residence halls where potential Rushees live or in rec center
• service projects in which a residence hall floor is invited to participate (50% of students on campus have indicated that helping others is important to them)
• lunches or dinners where several Rushees are invited and one or more members spends time with the Rushees

In general, all chapter Rush activity should include a participatory activity, something to get the Rushee involved with chapter members. The saying, "Tell me and I'll forget, show me and I probably won't remember, but involve me and it will become part of me," holds true in the type of interaction used at chapter Rush events. Involve the Rushee in the activity and let a friendship happen naturally.

Follow-Up After Rush Events: Every Rushee should be called after the Rush event and invited to do another specific event with the chapter or individual members. The Rushee should always be picked up at his place of residence and escorted to the Rush event. The personal telephone call and escort will make the difference in developing a friendship with those men who are unsure whether or not Greek life is for them. Persistence is the key in making friends with these men. Don't give up; continue to show genuine interest. Oftentimes in going to a Rushee's room, chapter members can learn more about the Rushee's potential interests and meet his friends who are excellent Rush candidates also. One good contact can normally produce two or three additional contacts if follow-up is made.

Chapter Rush Clinic: A chapter Rush clinic should be scheduled early in the term to reacquaint all members with proper Rushing skills, i.e. how to make introductions, how to initiate conversations, how to make a positive impression, how to show interest, how to make friends, how to follow-up, how to extend a bid, etc.

The Rush clinic should not become a lecture by the Rush chair, but should be a time for chapter members to test their skills, learn from each other, and gain confidence in individual abilities to approach Rushees, form friendships, and eventually sell fraternity.

Rush Calendar: The development of a Rush calendar highlighting all of your recruitment events for both Rushees and Brothers will prove invaluable. Calendars will give Rushees a schedule they can use. In fact, these calendars will end up on bulletin boards in Rushee's rooms - only promoting your chapter events and the Greek system even more.

The process to make a calendar is simple. Grid out a calendar using a ruler on an 8.5" x 11" sheet of paper. Coordinate the proper days and dates to the correct blocks, and you instantly have a Rush calendar. Start plugging in functions and times, add your chapter's logo, address, telephone number, a few contact names, and a description of what your chapter and your fraternity stand for. Make copies and make sure members have copies to share with non-affiliated men they meet on campus. If you choose to post your calendar on school bulletin boards, make sure you have the calendar approved for posting by your school if it has rules that this is required. NEVER post a Rush calendar in a place that makes it look like grafitti (i.e. telephone poles, walls of business buildings, etc.).

Rush Do's and Don'ts

excerpt from NIC Campus Commentary (Nov. 92)

DO dress comfortably.
DON'T dress alike and then tell Rushees that you're all individuals.

DO involve all members in Rushing - they are your greatest asset.
DON'T involve alcohol in ANY Rush function...even if your school doesn't prohibit it in the rules.

DO educate members on financial obligations of new members and the scholarship program and the X program, etc.
DON'T assume the treasurer or scholarship chair are the only ones who know.

DO talk to the Rushees directly about your programs.
DON'T spend significant money producing a chapter Rush publication; they're rarely read. No one ever joined a chapter based on the Rush publication. People are what count most.

DO evaluate your chapter Rush program and set Rush goals.
DON'T assume last year's ideas will work this year. They may work again, or they may fail miserably. Take time to talk about what will work this year.

DO Rush students of diverse races and backgrounds.
DON'T stereotype the Rushees upon meeting them. They're individuals too.

DO use Rush teams or a committee.
DON'T let the Rush chair do all the work by himself. Rush is a chapter effort and one person cannot do it alone.

DO Rush sophomores and transfer students.
DON'T assume all Rushees are freshmen. They're not and you've significantly reduced the Rushee pool if you do. EDITOR'S NOTE: I was a sophomore transfer student that became a three year chapter officer and now am on National Council (of course some would say that I should have been passed up, though :-)

DO Rush year around.
DON'T confine your thinking of Rush to one week out of the year. Rush is more of an attitude than a process.

Okay, the contest stuff isn't too far off. Keep reading, there's a fantastic prize at stake!

Wisconsin Rides High
Brother Dave Kreuser wis92 reports that the chapter is doing well, with "attitudes and Brotherhood being at a relatively all-time high, lasting friendships are being formed, the house is in great shape, and the officers are all doing super jobs." He also says that the chapter realizes that current successes are no reason to grow complacent. "It seems like we are on the crest of a wave, but like all waves, it means that we may soon be in the trough. That thought is unbearable, and that outcome is unacceptable. Many of us in Triangle are now trying to prevent what seems to happen to every chapter, the eventual hardships and difficulties. Our goal is never to be complacent, never set a limit on goals, never be satisfied. If possible, we want to skyrocket off of this wave and promote a level of excellence not attained in recent years...These goals can only be accomplished by the hard work it takes to change the status quo, to accomplish things that were never done before, and to educate new members in these new ways so that what they see is a minimum standard for the way things ought to be." We at the EXPONENT wish the Brothers of the Wisconsin chapter continued and improved success! They've obviously got the right attitude...With the huge house improvements they are planning, they can and will get even better!!! The only bad event in this chapter's future is when Minnesota kicks their respective butts on November 9 in football...

The Phoenix Rises
The TAMU chapter recently published an active to alumni newsletter! This is the first in recent memory and if the content of it really happens, and we have no reason to believe it won't...these are super guys and great Brothers...we'll have a strong TAMU chapter again in the relatively near future! Some of the improvements planned for the chapter include more philanthropy events, a transitional house, membership increases, more interaction with Texas A&M University and the other Greek organizations on campus, improvements to how the chapter operates itself, and a better relationship with the TAMU alumni, HAFTA, and Triangle National Organization. We wish the TAMU actives and alumni (remember that a chapter consists of both) the best success possible. You've certainly got the heart for it!

Programs

At Long Last, The Contest!

Okay, here's the scoop. By September 1, 1996, anyone who wants to compete must submit an essay about improving his fraternity. Some areas that we can suggest for this would be: Brotherhood building, chapter operations/efficiency, communications, leadership, Rush/Recruitment, improving the "National" feeling throughout Triangle, member education and development, and volunteerism. Don't limit yourselves to these topics, though. The sky is really the limit.

The judges (Tim Eiler, Elizabeth Eiler, and Mark Snyder) will be looking specifically for innovative and creative ideas first and foremost. We want you to flesh your idea out as much as possible, so don't limit yourselves to a number of words or pages. Do stick to only one idea per entry, though. You can enter as many ideas as you wish. Grammar does count, but we realize that you aren't English majors, so we won't hold it too terribly much against you as long as you remember that your boss someday will! Actives and alumni are encouraged to submit entries, we'll even be happy to receive entries from pledges. That's about it for the rules. Please also understand that any entry may be used in future issues of The EXPONENT or for any other Triangle-related use...we've got smart folks as Brothers and we want to share their ideas with all parts of the Fraternity!

Now for the part that will really entice people to take part in this contest...

The prize for the winning essay is a 22 by 28 inch acrylic painting of the Triangle Coat of Arms. Elizabeth did this herself (that's why she's a judge) as a gift to the fraternity and the winner of the contest will receive it in a nice frame. You could display it in your room, your apartment, donate it to your chapter (It will have a brass plate with your name and why you won it, so that your name will live on!), or whatever... You will be able see the painting at the Herb Scobie Leadership School and if things work out, you may even be able to meet the artist!

Please encourage those who don't have email and those who have taken a break from school (and don't have email over the summer), to join in. We look forward to many entries!!

[Contest now closed]

People

Congratulations to the new Council-elect Brothers. They are:

Other Councilmen returning this year are Kurt Over pitt83, Matt Czyzewski tol89, and now immediate past president Steve Heitert mom81. Thanks for the service of the outgoing guys Omar Hernandez nu75 and Jim Sands os80! You've helped with the beginning of the Triangle Renaissance and you deserve a big round of applause and a huge pat on the back. We understand that you want to stay involved, but we hope that others will follow in your dedicated footsteps so you can take a well-deserved break! Who else is up for volunteering????

Reminders
National Council will be holding it's semi-annual meetings at Herb Scobie Leadership School in early August. If you can make it to HSLS (contact the National Office for more information on registration/participation), please stop by to one of the many Council meeting sessions. We welcome your input and participation. You'll get a chance not only to express yourself, but you'll see how the fraternity is governed first-hand. If you can't make it, but have something you'd like Council to discuss (shoot, you can actually do this one any time during the year), don't hesitate to let one of your Councilmen or National Office Staff know what the issue is. We are there to SERVE you, not the other way around!

With summer coming to a close soon, please get your Recruitment planning in place if you haven't already started. If you need help, contact your chapter consultant (remember, consultations last all year...they aren't just a once per year event), the National Office staff, or one of the fraternity's other volunteers. Like Jeff Scott says, "Rush is like sex. Procreate more!"

Meet Triangle Fraternity Education Foundation President Bob Rosenberg ar55

Greetings to my Triangle Brothers. I'm Bob Rosenberg, ar55 and President of the Triangle Fraternity Education Foundation. I'm writing this article on an airplane flying from Frankfurt, Germany to Boston. The flight was supposed to be from Frankfurt to Chicago, but that's another story. I will get home eventually.

At Tim Eiler's request, I'm about to tell you a little about what I do and why I do it, both inside and outside of Triangle. If you've surmised that I travel a lot, you're right. Last year I was a United 1K (100,000 mile) member plus a number of trips on other airlines. My best recent business trip was to Cape Town, South Africa where I had a chance to go on a photo safari. It was great.

My job is Vice President, International and Industry Relations for the Gas Research Institute (GRI), in Chicago. GRI is the R&D arm of the U.S. natural gas industry. I help create most of our international alliances. And yes, Triangle played an important role in my being where I am. That's why I'm still involved in Triangle.

Imagine, Armour Chapter selecting its least social member as Social Chairman. Well, it did back in 1956. The result. A great social season (at least by my accounting) at very little cost and the personal development of a number of Brothers. I still can't claim to be the most sociable person in the world but I now have the social and communications skills, and importantly, the confidence to do better than just hold my own in all sorts of situations. I believe that I owe this development to Triangle, and I want to see Triangle be able to afford similar opportunities to other Brothers, both for their personal development and for the benefit of the U.S. in international competition.

The Triangle Education Foundation is a way to help make that happen. The Foundation raises funds to support National Council's educational efforts, and it also initiates new educational initiatives for our undergraduate brothers. Importantly, our definition of education is very broad, including academics, social development, moral and ethical evaluations, community service, etc.

In short, Triangle was important to me. I believe that its newly stated but long standing vision of a relentless pursuit of excellence is critical to our Brother's personal and professional benefit. You can help Triangle help others by striving to excel both today and tomorrow, and by giving something back to the next generation of Triangles, either in your time or financial support. Yes, we accept checks and credit card contributions.

TRIANGLE FRATERNITY

Is Serious about Scholarship

Sets and Demonstrates High Standards

Celebrates Achievement