This article was written by Chapter Support Coach Trevor Holland (Iota-Alpha, ’15).
The Lambda Chi Alpha Office of Administration is thrilled to announce the launch of our new Chapter Support Model. This model is specifically designed to provide more support to each High Zeta officer for every chapter/colony by providing a consistent thread of communication with the team at the Office of Administration. By holding frequent virtual meetings, webinars and on-site visits, the undergraduate men of Lambda Chi Alpha will be receiving around the clock support.
The new Chapter Support Model centers around Goal Setting and Review, or GS&R. The GS&R acts as a method of setting and tracking SMART (Specific, Measurable, Attainable, Relevant, Timely) goals. Each High Alpha, or a delegate from each chapter, received training and practice during January’s High Alpha Summit in Indianapolis. The new skills were immediately put into place as the spring term began and the Support Coaches transitioned to their home base in Carmel, IN.
Formerly known as Educational Leadership Consultants (ELC), the Support Coaches are now Chapter Support Coaches, Health & Wellness Coaches, and Expansion Development Specialists. Each of these roles will be completing the same mission as the ELC position: building and encouraging undergraduate members to improve their chapter/colony operations. Coaches have been assigned to chapters/colonies based on size, campus style, and specific needs. While one Support Coach will manage chapters that have 100+ active members, another will be supporting colonies that are working to receive their charter. This allows our coaches to focus on specific needs and share best practices with chapters/colonies in similar situations. Some of the coaches hold periodic webinars to provide updates on Lambda Chi Alpha educational tools and partnerships that aid toward the development of the membership as a whole.
High Alphas are expected to complete a weekly 30-minute GS&R meeting with their Support Coach during the school year. Each High Alpha is expected to prepare annual, monthly, and weekly goals before each meeting. During these virtual meetings, Coaches and High Alphas will discuss the goals and the action plan to achieve them. The Support Coaches follow up by offering advice and support to ensure that the individuals and chapter/colony can achieve their goals. Alumni advisors and campus professionals will also receive support from the Support Coaches to ensure the people that advise our men understand the action plan that has been created, along with the resources available to our men.
The new coaching model is met with a new visitation model, one that has been developed to increase chapter/colony performance in 2020. Each Support Coach will visit one to two chapter/colonies each month based on the individual needs of the chapter/colony. One that is struggling with recruitment practices, for example, can request a visit from their Support Coach during the beginning of the semester to cultivate their communication skills. These week-long visits are outcome-driven with a centralized theme, such as ritualism or member development.
This new model allows the team at the Office of Administration to build stronger relationships with undergraduate members in a more effective way. It gives the Fraternity an opportunity to better understand the needs of undergraduate members and work in tandem with the men that represent the Fraternity. Combined with webinars, on-site visitations and weekly phone calls, the undergraduate men of Lambda Chi Alpha will be receiving support unlike anything that’s been offered in the past.
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