This document discusses how to build successful student organizations through empowering members. It emphasizes cultivating a sense of belonging and shared purpose among members. Successful organizations encourage individual growth, reward contributions, and avoid blaming or unreasonable demands. They also ensure effective leadership transition and recruit future leaders who match the organization's needs. The goal is for organizations to leave a legacy and positively impact future members.

1. Empowering Others:
The Key to a Sustainable
Organization
Kim Blank
Assistant Director
of Student Activities

2. INTRODUCTIONS
Name
Leadership position(s) you hold
Organization(s) you represent
Why are you here today?

3. STRONG ORGANIZATIONS
What does a successful student organization
look like?
How does an organization become successful?
How does your organization build people?
What legacy does your organization leave for
future members?

4. GROWING ORGANIZATIONS

5. ORGANIZATIONAL ASSESSMENT
NEW BEGINNINGS
Mission or purpose of your organization
Strengths of your organization.
Areas of development (weaknesses)
Why did you join and why did you stay?
Do you see future leaders emerging in your
organization?
In what ways have you been rewarded,
recognized or valued by the organization
and/or its members?
Where is this organization going in the future?

6. EVALUATING
THE ORGANIZATIONAL ASSESSMENT
Which questions were easy to answer?
Which questions made you stop and think
about how to answer them?
What does this tell you about the organization
overall?

7. COMMON FACTORS
AMONG SUCCESSFUL ORGANIZATIONS
Administrative Duties: on time, correct forms, exceed performance standards
Advisors: advisor(s) and officers work as a team; advisor(s) aware of
organization’s activities
Programming: a variety of educational programs are provided to develop
members
Committees: team approach to organization responsibilities
Activities: focus activities that support the mission and development of the
“team”
Leaders: members are leaders on campus
Networks: members and officers interact with other organizations for support
and idea exchange
Community: organization is involved in community service
Education: opportunities for education and membership development are
regularly offered
Recruitment: market your organization’s benefits through its programs, not its
social activities
Marketing: positive public relations

8. MEMBERS NEED…
CULTIVATING AND HARVESTING
A sense of belonging
A sense of sharing in planning the organization’s
objectives
To feel that goals and objectives are reasonable
and achievable
To feel that what they are doing has real purpose
To share in making the ground rules
To know what is expected of them
To have responsibilities that challenge
To see that progress is being made toward goals
To be kept informed
To have confidence in the organization’s leadership

9. MATTERING & MARGINALITY
Mattering
Others are interested in what happens to you,
empathize with you, and/or appreciates you.
Marginality
Not belonging to the group: characterized by feeling
unnoticed, ignored, unrecognized, and
disconnected from others.
- Scholssberg

10. BECOME A BUILDER OF PEOPLE
Encourage individual growth
Reward work well done
Mediate disputes address issues quickly &
fairly
Communicate clearly & listen actively
Accepting input and ideas from everyone
Use guidelines rather than regulations
Train and coach for excellence
Settle differences rather than stifle
opposition
Lead by example and foster mutual respect
Avoid leading by intimidation and
punishment

11. BECOME A BUILDER OF PEOPLE: AVOID…
Blaming
Passing the buck
Tantrums
Chewing people out in public
Unreasonable demands
Encroaching on personal time when not
absolutely necessary
Asking others to do a job you wouldn’t be
willing to do yourself

12. YOUR ORGANIZATION’S LEGACY
REFLECTING
What goals did the organization accomplish?
Which goals and priorities will the organization
have for the following year?
Whose talents/skills/abilities match the needs
of the organization?
Is the organization’s transition of leadership
effective?
Who will the organization recruit this coming
year?

13. REFERENCES
Astin, A. W. (1984). Student involvement: A
developmental theory for higher education.
Journal of College Student Personnel, 25, 297-
308.
Chickering, A. W., & Schlossberg, N. K. (1995). How
to get the most out of college. Boston: Allyn &
Bacon.
Dunkel, N.W., & Shuh, J.H. (1998). Advising student
groups and organizations. San Francisco, CA:
Jossey-Bass.
Schlossberg, N. K. (1989). Marginality and
mattering: Key issues in building community. In
D.R. Roberts (Ed.), Designing campus activities to
foster a sense of community (New Directions for
Student Services, No. 48, pp. 5-15). San
Francisco: Jossey-Bass.