The RussCo Idea Buffet

Use a rank/degree system to guide development of members for life

The Idea:  Most fraternities, including my own, Sigma Nu proclaim that membership is for life.  However after graduation there is very little to do as a member, unless you work with a local undergraduate chapter.  To organize and guide the alumni's development process after college, we could develop a degree/rank system similar to what the Freemason's use.  I believe there are 32 different degrees or levels of Freemasonry that can literally take a lifetime to achieve them all.  We could create a similar setup based on volunteer/mentorship with undergraduates, further study of the history/ritual of the organization, donations made (time & money), positions within the different alumni organizations, etc. 

The Possibilities:  Some of the different martial arts systems use coloured belts to signify levels of accomplishment.  The colours are not random but symbolic of where the student is in their development.  For example the 2nd belt is the orange belt.  The color orange       signifies the changes of Autumn, as the student's mind and body begin to       develop and grow as a result of their training.  Then the progression of belts leads to the black belt.  The black often signifying that they now are entering the unknown world of the art and it is now their job to advance and explore new parts of the system.  The point is that after a certain level with any degree system a fraternity may use, it could signify that they are no longer just accomplishing goals but also responsible for advancing the fraternity overall. 

Also when electing the alumni leaders of the whole fraternity on a national level, a certain degree level could be a possible prerequisite. 

Basketball & Football Coaches wear uniforms

The Idea:  I would love to see a high school, college, or even professional basketball/football coach wearing a team uniform.  Baseball coaches already do it and even though they obviously are never as in shape as they athletes I think that looks better then wearing a business suit and sweating through it. 

Board Meetings - Give the Good, the Bad, & the Ugly

I have found that it is often best to not only highlight all the great things when presenting to a board, group of stock holders, or consituents.  As opposed to just painting the rosy picture that everyone knows has flaws somewhere you might as well go ahead and give them all the info you can.  I personally would like to give an annual update to a board giving them the following:

The GOOD:  The highlights of the past year, major accomplishments, big wins, etc.

The BAD:  The sobering realities we faced when we made some really big mistakes.

The UGLY:  The worst case scenarios that we possibly could see coming out of the blue or because of growing threats we see on the horizon.

By doing this, especially out of habit at annual, quarterly, or monthly meetings could easily take the anxiety over talking candidly about mistakes and worst case scenarios and make them easier for all around the table to grapple with and really be prepared for.