How a Sorority President Can Lead Her Chapter to Greatness

A sorority president must earn greatness. It is never given.

There’s no simple formula by which the president becomes great. She must rise to each new challenge and face hardship with resilience. She must inure herself to failure, and continuously learn and grow.

Greatness comes to her in many forms, though there’s no single quality her sisters can point to and say, That’s why she’s a leader.

The sorority president exudes greatness through tough love, persistence, openmindedness, clear vision and a willingness to listen. She admits when she’s wrong and avoids repeating mistakes. She brings out the best in her sisters. Still, some part of her inner strength remains intangible, indefinable. She’s drawn to leadership. She’s driven to make those around her better than themselves.

While these intangibles can’t be taught, there are qualities and practices a president can learn to improve. These rudiments of sorority chapter management will help lay the groundwork for a successful presidency. Coupled with the inner qualities of a strong leader, these techniques can allow a sorority chapter and to truly thrive and grow, cementing the president’s legacy as a leader.

Let’s take a closer look at how A Sorority President Can Lead Her Chapter to Greatness.

A Great Sorority President Takes a Risk on Her Vision

A sorority president must take calculated risks to lift her chapter above the status quo. Some presidents are content to stay safely within the bounds of typical chapter management, never venturing from their duties as printed in the chapter bylaws. Yet it’s entirely possible to never take a risk and still fail.

In fact, if a sorority chapter follows a milquetoast, formulaic approach to sisterhood, sisters will have done nothing to distinguish themselves and their vision from other chapters on campus. Potential New Members who want to take part in building greatness won’t be attracted by meek sisters who don’t put themselves out there.

The president must take the lead in defining a chapter’s vision and future goals.

She doesn’t do this by veering wildly from her sorority’s values and the precepts set forth by her founding sisters and national organization. She doesn’t demolish what her alumnae built to make way for her own point of view.

She must carefully curate her vision by building on the ideas and accomplishments of the women who bravely cut the path before her. When a sorority president wants to implement a bold new idea, she should:

• Discuss chapter initiatives with alumnae and national advisors, ensuring her ideas keep with the sorority’s overall vision for its members.
• Discuss big changes or ideas that might impact other officers’ duties with these sisters.
• Parse out details of her initiatives in executive meetings, but keep sisters informed of updates during general chapter meetings.
• Be ready to answer questions on the specifics and adjust her plan when sisters raise legitimate concerns and potential solutions.
• Approach those she thinks might play key roles in executing her ideas early, and touch base with them often.
• Make sure they’re on board and can handle the extra work. Most sisters can’t clear their schedules at the drop of a hat, and some are more motivated than others to help.

When elevating her chapter through new ideas, it’s crucial for the sorority president to lead by example. This means she needs to strike the right balance between putting in the hard work herself and delegating. Beyond big initiatives, she should have a handle on basic management tasks such as chairing executive meetings and filing chapter paperwork on time, handling disciplinary matters and communicating regularly with advisors.

When it comes to her own big ideas, it’s up to her to take those first steps toward greatness. She must show her sisters what she expects not only of them, but also of herself.

A Great Sorority President Works Closely with Her Treasurer

In a broader sense, a great sorority president works closely with all officers, though her VP  handles much of the detail work between the executive and other chairs. Perhaps more importantly than all other officer relationships, the sorority president and treasurer must forge an unbreakable bond.

While the president takes on a more generalized managerial role, the treasurer budgets for both typical chapter functions and presidential initiatives. The president and treasurer must work closely together to budget for expenses and grow the chapter in a way that is financially sound.

It’s also impossible for the chapter to succeed without collecting membership dues. The president’s ideas will get nowhere if the money isn’t there to execute them. The treasurer may have a hard time convincing sisters to pay in full and early, rather than relying on payment plans. She may struggle to convince some sisters to live in the chapter house as well.

The president must encourage sisters to pay their membership dues and remind them of their roles in their chapter’s success. A president can be great when she backs up her treasurer and, conversely, knows when to rely on her chief financial officer.

A Great Sorority President Strives to Be Greater

A great sorority president knows she’s worked hard and achieved much, but also that she must always strive to improve.

She grows as a leader when she listens to her sisters’ concerns and ideas. She knows mistakes can only define her if she gives up and makes no effort to correct them.

She constantly educates herself, in and outside the classroom. She attends leadership conferences so she can learn to guide her chapter to true greatness. When she truly cares, a great sorority president can only become greater.

Through strong financial management, sorority presidents, treasurers and other executives can build a better future for their chapters. OmegaFi has seen many sisters achieve their goals with the help of our financial experts and software tools. Get in touch with OmegaFi today to discuss how we can help your sorority chapter along its path to greatness, too.