Preparing Young Members to Lead With the assistance of Foundation-sponsored leadership training programs, our chapter at the University of Minnesota is working hard to prepare its members for future success. Last year, when a few of the officers were planning their trip to attend Sigma Nu's College of Chapters, they identified Matt German as a future leader and invited him to come along. German is glad they did. At the time he was serving the chapter as Recorder. Today he holds the position of Scholarship Chairman. At the close of College of Chapters, German commented on what he learned from the program: "The sessions taught us to think

(L to R) Matt German (Scholarship) and Matt Atkinson (Advisor)

critically about how we do things. The entire experience taught me to look inside myself and come up with new ideas that no one in our chapter has tried before," said German.

He was particularly intrigued by the session on situational leadership. This workshop is designed to help participants select the most appropriate leadership behavior for any given situation. Students are introduced to Hersey and Blanchard's Situational Leadership Model which is based on the assumption that there is not a single perfect way of leading that is effective for all situations.

The model helps participants assess the needs of their followers in order to select the most appropriate leadership style. The four styles include: directing, coaching, supporting and delegating. At College of Chapters, participants learned to apply the model to a variety of situations, and they completed a personalized improvement plan to help them apply their learning to future real-life leadership situations. German says that the Riley University simulation held later in the week provided an opportunity to apply his learning on the spot while making decisions under pressure.

Overall, says German, College of Chapters helped him become a better leader. "I got to know guys from other chapters and together we came up with great ideas to take back to our chapters. We went home with the ability to guide our members and teach them to how to be men of honor and effective business leaders in their future profession."

Upon their return to campus, German explained, his whole chapter went on a camping trip together so that those who attended College of Chapters could pass on what they had learned. One noteworthy outcome of the program, says German, is increased personal responsibility. "We've been reinforcing the concept of accountability ever since we returned, and now our members are starting to take responsibility for their actions," he says.

Commander Jake Rudolph was one of the officers who invited German to College of Chapters. "I wanted some of our younger guys to attend. I believe Matt has a lot to offer. He has a good head on his shoulders and will be a great chapter leader," said Rudolph.

According to Rudolph, College of Chapters was a positive experience for all of their members who attended. "The opportunity to visit headquarters and see Sigma Nu from a historical perspective gave us all a renewed sense of inspiration of what Sigma Nu is all about," he said.

German says he hopes to run for leadership positions with greater responsibility when his current term is finished. Rudolph claims that he'll encourage German to "go as high as he can" in the leadership ranks. And, as a result of his College of Chapters experience, he should be ready. Today, German says he's better able to lead by example and delegate to his committee members. He's also learning more about situational leadership by watching it in action through the other officers. The opportunity to learn from others, both in the chapter setting and through programs like College of Chapters, helps prepare members like German for future leadership positions in Sigma Nu and beyond.

Thanks to loyal support from alumni like you the Foundation can continue to offer important leadership training opportunities like College of Chapters. With many of our chapters electing younger members to key leadership roles, the training we can provide today will certainly pay off in the future. Thank you for helping us make a difference in the lives of our collegiate brothers!