Successful teams are ones that treat their off-season with just as much commitment and vigor as the game. Chapters that have awesome development programs think in much the same way. 

As we prepare for winter break, I reached out to some of our best chapters to gather what they think are the essential things to do to prepare their development program for the spring semester.

Make the Sigma challenge to Phi challenge transition smooth

Most likely, the chapter’s Sigma challenge has just wrapped up at the end of the previous semester. Those brothers in the Sigma challenge may have already transitioned to the Phi challenge, but we can still set ourselves up for success in the spring. 

– Provide all those members transitioning with an overview of the Phi challenge and the expectations.
– Schedule a Phi Rite of Passage at the beginning of the spring semester if you haven’t done one already.

Put member development on the calendar

First, we need to make a calendar for challenge meetings and activities for the challenges for the spring semester, but once we do that we need to ensure it’s part of the chapter calendar.

– Give a calendar of events and meetings to each member of the challenge at the beginning of the semester (or have it available online).
– Send out the dates of the first challenge meetings or member development events before the start of the semester so brothers have advanced notice.

Write. Everything. Down.  

As you prepare for spring you are also probably transitioning to/from the role of vice president of member development or challenge coordinator. To set yourself or your successor up for success, write down your plan and what you need accomplish.

– Make a list of tasks to tackle over break or early in the semester.
– Document each of your challenges using the Challenge Overview.
– Write down your big lessons learned or “things I wish I knew before entering this role” to assist with officer transitions.

Taking an hour or two over your break to accomplish these tasks will make the spring semester go that much smoother. For more information about the Balanced Man Program and how you can set yourself up for success check out the Balanced Man Program Implementation page at www.sigep.org.