Question of the Day: Leadership Selection

Following is in response to a series of questions posed by Bro. Dameon Proctor (OLA):
QOTD: For candidates for RVP, what are you looking for? What is important? Do you want the same ole same ole that we have [been] getting for decades? A brother that has a good speaking voice, says the same line that everybody likes and is endorsed by some influential brother? Or do you want a brother that has a record of corporate and/or non-profit governance, leadership inside and outside the frat and has the highest of integrity who will do all he can on the board to ensure that we never have another HSM moment? Or do you just want the brothers brother who may not really have much in the way of real leadership but makes you feel good about being and Alpha?

Do brothers REALLY want change? Do we REALLY want fiscal accountability and governance? What are the questions you are asking the candidates? Come with it!

Good day Brothers. Nice thought provoking question from our good Bro. @Dameon Proctor. The concerns, questions and innuendos mentioned in this thread have been tossed about since the campaign’s “official” start this past fall. Within a fraternity a leader is to model organizational and personal responsibility; he is to represent the essence for which others aspire. In our case, he is to represent the quintessential Alpha.

Having read through the responding posts here’s what Brothers want / need:

• Quote some Alpha poems
• Speak well
• Has some nice suits and bowties
• Plenty of pictures with Alpha bigwigs
• Knows how to shmooze
• Proven leadership
• Governance experience
• Some experience outside the Fraternity
• Make me feel good about the Fraternity
• Listen to the will of the Brotherhood
• Truth
• Honesty
• Integrity
• Servant to and for Alpha
• (Ferrett out charlatans)
• Stand up and say something many Bros. don’t want to hear
• A clearly above average Brother
• Put together a project with milestones and [concrete] deliverables
• Proven track record
• Experience
• A serving spirit
• Elected based on ability to serve Brotherhood
• A good mix of the above
• Elect candidates willing to address issues at their core with a collective plan to impede the ignoble elements that affect us all, or at least present a portion of an effective solution that can rally the brotherhood
• Has a strong command of fraternity protocol
• Has the ability to make critical decisions in the times of controversy

Given the above characteristics it would appear Brothers simply want a well-rounded leader; a leader who has the ability and experience to balance Brothers’ requests to be authoritative, but thoughtful…firm, but empathetic.

Let’s say Alpha represents the best our community has to offer. If so, the question becomes, should we presume all candidates for Board-related positions should be vetted (through a committee) to show evidence of possessing the minimum qualifications? If so, once each has successfully graduated through this process, how do we then distinguish the “above average” from the “average?” Should it be the fact that his programmatic-focus is the best? Or that he has or will share(d) a beverage of choice with “my chapter Brothers and I?

While working for the Democratic National Committee during the Kerry election cycle I had an opportunity to meet and work for one of the best leaders the party has to offer, Terry McAuliffe (now a candidate for Governor of the State of Virginia). If Terry were an Alpha he would represent “a Brother’s Brother” and the “quintessential leader.” He could sit with Kings (literally) one day and share a beverage (or many) of choice with you the next. While the media and many others give President Obama’s team credit for creating a massively influential internet or web-based campaign. Those of us who were there know it was under Terry’s leadership the party better organized its electronic records and began testing a number of the methods eventually perfected within the President’s first campaign…all while walking with kings and not losing the common touch.

I submit to you the list of desired characteristics is good; all leaders should be accountable for and to those whom they represent. However, as a candidate for Eastern Region Vice President the contents of this post suggest that I should again offer Brothers an opportunity to not only read my platform, but also encourage them to contact me directly to ask the “difficult” questions, or any question for that matter, to ensure you receive answers regarding how we can move Alpha Forward.