It takes a long time to turn a cruise ship. Although, I do not have the ability to pilot a cruise ship. I am not even particularly confident in my ability to drive a pontoon boat, and a couple of friends and I have a longstanding dispute over my competency in a canoe. I still contend Mark tipped us over. Regardless, someone at some point said cruise ships are hard to turn, and it seems plausible to me.
My boat steering skills may be lacking, but I think I can do an ok job at guiding AFA. Sometimes, I feel like AFA must be the cruise ship of professional associations. I will let the boat bit go at this point before the analogies get out of hand. The point is, sometimes AFA moves really slow. This is not necessarily a bad thing, we have a rich history and a proud tradition. We are also an amalgamation of individuals coming from myriad experiences, with unique needs, and nuanced expectations for the organization.
Of course, we cannot be a stagnant organization. We must evolve and respond to our changing environment while finding new opportunities to make an impact. It just does not happen in a day. This is why you will hear us talk a great deal about intentionality, why we have a strategic plan, and why you hear us talk a lot about our strategic plan. Each Board member reports out on their Strategic Plan Champion assignment at every meeting. I expect they will all have made important progress to report out at the Annual Meeting this year.
This repetition, along with defined targets, helps to create focus and persistence. As I start to wind down my tenure as AFA President, I am noticing two things that are pulling at my focus. First, things keep happening. It is amazing how quickly I find myself plunging down some rabbit hole of the issue of the day. Now, I do not mean to say that we should not be responsive in the moment, but we also cannot sacrifice our long term objectives for today’s hot topic.
Figuring out how to balance the tensions of long-term focus with short-term responsiveness is perhaps more art than science. I do not know that the last two years have given me a formula that provides the correct answer. The best I can figure is we need to remain anchored to a clear and concise understanding of who we are. We are here to help people be successful in their work within fraternities and sororities. We can maximize our impact when we are helping our members learn knowledge, develop skills, and obtain tools that foster success in their work. That is it, every day. We are responsive to the day’s challenges, but only in a manner that allows us to stay the course on that simple path.
As the staff and volunteers of AFA have remained diligent and consistent, there has been a great deal of effort put into what I would call “capacity building” for the organization. As I think about the new initiatives our staff are working on tirelessly, and the priorities our Board members are championing, there is not a lot of flashy stuff. No fancy names, or big launches with bright lights. This work is about building a strong organization based on sound fundamentals. This involves things like talented staffing, accessible resources, stable finances, sound investments, removing pain points, improving systems, developing volunteers, clear communications, affirming relationships, and ultimately creating a better member experience in all the little ways. This type of organizational capacity and stability can only be achieved through steady and consistent progress.
Although, as the President, it would be cool to have some flashy things. Maybe something with a cool name and a video; something to point at and say “Hey, look at that.” This is the second challenge to my focus: the pull of the bright, shiny object is real, especially when it is tied up with a hot topic getting attention. I have found it is important to remember the type of long term, sustainable, impact we aspire to in AFA is unlikely to be achieved in a single cool project. Rather, it must come from everyone in the organization stacking good days.
The foundation building does not last forever. I do sense a turning point is coming. Tara, Kate, John, Bailey, Josh, and Hailey are doing excellent work on the strategic plan. When we come together in Indianapolis, I expect we will hear about some compelling opportunities, and innovative solutions related to professional development, advancing research, connecting with VPSAs, developing community, and expanding our network of influence. This will be an excellent springboard as the new leadership of the association steps in. I expect this new energy, coupled with our increased capacity and clear vision, will deliver exciting results.
