I have always been drawn to a left-brain way of thinking. I have leaned toward a model of making decisions based on logical, rational, and objective decision-making. A long time fan of the ESTJ way of doing things, being creative has not always come easy to me. In fact, while I have always appreciated brainstorming and big thinkers (and sometimes tried to be one), I consistently demonstrated a tendency toward the “tell me what I need to know and what I need to do” mentality. At the 2002 Association of Fraternity Advisors (AFA) Annual Meeting in Columbus, Ohio, I attended a session conducted by Jeffrey Cufaude of Idea Architects called “The Architecture of Great Ideas…and the Individuals and Organizations Producing Them.” That was when I began to think big thinkers were actually really fun, not annoying and I wanted to be one.

Now, do not get me wrong, I am still a proud ESTJ left-brainer but have identified how to use my creative side to impact people. One way I have been able to practice right brain thinking is through serving AFA. Over the years I have had the opportunity to work with phenomenal people who examined the possibilities and worked to realize the goals of AFA. This association has helped me to think big picture as a professional. It has been particularly important for me to think differently and creatively as the president. This truly is a forward thinking association. AFA appreciates tradition but is also committed to trying new things. How does AFA accomplish this? Let me share what we have done or are currently doing with some of the lessons I learned in Columbus.

Great ideas are created by collaborative efforts of individuals engaged in a common vision. Cufaude (2002) states, “Good ideas surround us. Openness to such ideas does not. What’s at a premium is receptivity to innovative suggestions and the vision to pursue them, even if it means reconceiving altogether what we’re up to.”

If this is true in AFA, how do we ensure that creative thinking is both facilitated and appreciated? How does an association create forums for the exchange of ideas? How do we learn from each other? How do the values of our association connect to the generation of creative programs, resources, and services? Cufaude identifies “ten practical pointers” for the architecture of great ideas. AFA’s ability to use these pointers to advance our mission will determine the success of our future.

First, we must encourage, reward, and sustain experimentation. Thinking differently is never easy. Sometimes volunteers enter into positions asking, “What has the person before me done?” The more appropriate question is, “What has been done before me that I can build on or change?” Association Update and Essentials were created because we asked the latter. The listserv was an active arena for the dissemination of Member Services Committee reports, updates on the work of liaisons, and many other happenings within the Association. We used the listserv to advance the knowledge of our membership and provide resources. With only about half of our membership on the listserv, it was imperative that we find ways to share information with all members.  In summer of 2003, we made the decision to move to a monthly e-newsletter, the Association Update, highlighting resources and spotlighting services. In addition, the recent development of Essentials reflects a shift in how information is provided to our members. Defining what is and is not “essential” is difficult, but we recognized that the information included could be vital to your professional development.

According to Cufaude (2002), creating great ideas also includes seeking out connections in seemingly unrelated things. One area of our strategic plan is purposeful partnerships, which has led to the cultivation of several relationships. We have connected with associations such as ASJA on hazing initiatives. We have become a co-sponsor of ACPA’s Mid-Level Management Institute (MMI). We have reached out to our interfraternal colleagues as we approach a time when our Annual Meeting will no longer be a joint meeting with the NIC. We have been very intentional in our collaborations and tried to connect with organizations that strengthen our services and programs.

Searching for inspiration in unlikely places or from unlikely sources is another key to unlocking great ideas. This is an area where AFA can continue to improve. We have examined our current relationships and are committed to strengthening each of them. We now need to search for new opportunities to be involved with people and organizations that will inspire AFA to greatness. Will our inspiration be the challenge of hosting our own annual meeting in 2006? Will it be the role that we can play in introducing common standards in the fraternal world? Will it be the ability to pull together people committed to research to generate a compilation of scholarly work on the fraternity experience? Will we have new partners in five years and what will be the catalyst for our collaboration? These unknowns can inspire creating and innovating if we remain open to them.

The fostering of a culture of collaboration and conversation is something we have prided ourselves on as an association. This fourth point is vital in the advancement of the fraternal movement. We have done this with associations such as NASPA and the Inter-Association Task Force on Alcohol and Other Substance Abuse (IATF). We have done this through efforts at the Annual Meeting such as hosting a hazing think tank and then soliciting the input and direction of our membership at the business meeting. Greg Mason, Vice President for Membership, has done this by conducting monthly phone calls with the regional directors. We have created systems for feedback and conversation, such as the Online Bulletin Board. We are seeking partners for future collaboration and working hard to nurture our existing relationships.

The fifth pointer asks us to slow down and reflect in order to appreciate our accomplishments. Our volunteers worked exceptionally hard last year to produce several resources. Blackface on Campus, the development of the Core Competencies, and the inaugural graduate training track are some of our 2003 accomplishments. They all provide value for AFA members. As the year came to a close, it became time to examine the work we had done. What should our future priorities be? Should 2004 focus more on fine-tuning what we have rather than creating new? We had to look at our capabilities as an association and determine what priorities should come next. As we progress through the last year of our current strategic plan, this will become more important. Reflecting on our accomplishments, our failures and our “to be determined” tasks will be vital for planning the future.

Are you a big picture person? Are you a dreamer? For pointer number six, Cufaude (2002) writes, “think in ideals first, followed by realities.” Creative companies, according to Cufaude, “create compelling opportunities.” Last summer, the Executive Board created a plan based on the results of our membership satisfaction survey. We started off with lots of ideas and then evaluated the reality of AFA. We are an association with over 1200 members and a volunteer base of less than 200. Each volunteer prioritizes AFA in a different way. We know that we cannot change the world of fraternity and sorority professionals and volunteers with the current resources we have. With this in mind, we made decisions that reflect our capacity as an association. This process allowed us to think about the “what ifs” and to envision a future for AFA that is greater and more dynamic than today. While we may not be able to achieve the ideal today, we hope to someday accomplish the things on our wish list of projects.

Breaking boundaries, challenging conventions, and questioning norms are things we need to do as an association to sustain progress. AFA has a broad spectrum of experience represented in our membership. This will likely lead to a variety of views for advancing the profession. AFA needs to continue legitimizing the profession and strengthening our role in the fraternity/sorority movement. How AFA facilitates the principles within its driving documents (i.e. the strategic plan, the Code of Ethics, the Core Competencies, etc.) will permit us to challenge the conventions of our members and constituents. How we accept the transitional nature of the fraternity and sorority profession and promote “Greek Advising” as something you can do for more than two years will assist us in bringing to life great ideas. How can an association thrive and do well when some of our members view us as a two or three year obligation rather than a professional association? This question is on the minds of the Executive Board as we work on your behalf.

Connecting activity to purpose is something that we continually ask our students to do. The eighth of Cufaudes pointers challenges us to always question the purpose of our actions. What drives AFA’s agenda? Which of our resources have outlived their purpose? Do we hold onto practices that could put AFA out of business? Aligning our volunteers’ work with the strategic plan is one way we have connected activity to purpose. A constant reminder that each and every action of our volunteers should be guided by the vision of AFA is vital. Since the development of the Core Competencies, we have refocused to educate members on these areas. Perspectives now has a regular column to address this. The Annual Meeting will host sessions on developing these competencies. All of our services and resources should promote the development of these competencies, as they are a reflection of AFA’s true purpose.

Big thinkers have mastered the art of generating a lot of ideas and then sorting through them for quality. In the three years that I have served on the Executive Board, I have been able to sit in day-long sessions with visionary and creative people imagining the possibilities: What resources do our members need? How can we maximize the potential of our volunteers? How do we promote research in our profession? What will our Annual Meeting look like in 2006 and beyond? What privileges should our members enjoy? We have engaged members in this process of idea generation and implementation frequently through the annual business meeting, the listserv, surveys coordinated by our central office, and many other ways. We are committed to the exchange of ideas.

Finally, Cufaude (2002) offers that great ideas are created through knowing a little about a lot rather than a lot about a little. Associations such as AFA specialize in one area of student affairs. Our mission states that AFA is the essential association for those invested in the fraternity and sorority movement. We know that some members do not see AFA as essentialOne reason why is that we have historically failed to offer recurring opportunities for people who are not front line professionals or volunteers to develop skills outside of fraternity and sorority advising. With this in mind, we have sought to expand our knowledge of general student affairs. We have provided speakers such as university presidents at the Annual Meeting. We have partnered with Jon Hockman of Dream Dare Do to host a Professionals Path at the Mid-American Greek Council Association Conference (MGCA). Our conference committee is planning opportunities for “seasoned professionals” to gain meaning from the Annual Meeting. We are seeking the advisement and support of our more tenured members in many ways. AFA must be an essential association for anyone invested in fraternities and sororities while also providing opportunities to learn important skills that apply to a wider range of student affairs competencies.

I am not convinced we are transforming the way people do their jobs. I am also not convinced that is our role. I am confident that there are people within AFA who will contribute to future creative and innovative resources and services. I am sure that our board and many of our volunteers are committed to creating great ideas and integrating them into the culture of our association. I feel certain that good ideas are all around us and that AFA is open to exploring those possibilities. While we have work to do, I am confident that there is enough creative energy within AFA to transform our profession and in turn create opportunities for our members to have a positive and engaged experience. I commit to continuing to think differently while balancing our obligations to our profession throughout my time on the board. If you are interested in creating that future of great ideas then let me know. We appreciate the time you give to your positions and hope that you have felt empowered to be creative and generate your own great ideas! 

Reference:

Cufaude, J. (2002). The architecture of great ideas…and the individuals and organizations producing them. Handouts from session at the Association of Fraternity Advisors Annual Meeting. Columbus, OH.