
Does anyone know what the hell I’m supposed to be doing? The majority of advisors do not have a written job description, or they have a job description that is outdated. Some national fraternities do have a description but unless this is revisited yearly and talked through, its lost in the minutia. If you don’t know what you are responsible for, then it’s easy to lose focus in the chaos. It’s like throwing darts without a dart board. Yes, there is time, effort, and sincerity spent throwing the darts, but it has zero influence, it’s a waste and it becomes frustrating because you never hit the target! My greatest desire is to influence these young men. I want my life to make a difference. I believe that is the desire of every chapter advisor. Every semester I go to my favorite coffee shop and spend a few hours reviewing active chapters plans and goals and identify how I can keep them accountable and how to help them succeed. Next I think through what my goals are for the active chapter and what I need to do to fulfill them. For example, I may need to put together a program on Emotional and Mental Wellness or collaborate with active chapter to have someone from the University come and have dinner and do a program with the men. When I bring in an outside speaker, after the speaker leaves, I always have a discussion on current issues within the chapter on this topic, what we learned from the presenter, and what we need to implement. As advisors we must know what we are going to be held accountable for and why. It is imperative. We must have a map. Without one we are continually lost. Others have unspoken expectations that may or may not be realistic, we burn out, and we continually feel we are failing. I don’t know about you, but I hate being in a failure cycle. Its draining and discouraging and causes me to be angry, bitter, and pessimistic. This is not a good place to lead from. The Top Ten Basic job description Reflection: If you don’t have a Job Description write one. What are your semester goals for the chapter? How do you help active chapter bring in key speakers?