Who Cares? Transforming Apathy Into Action Andrew F. Ortiz, J.D., M.P.A. President and CEO Ortiz Leadership Systems, LLC.

What is Apathy? ap·a·thy Pronunciation[ap-uh-thee] –noun, plural -thies. 1.absence or suppression of passion, emotion, or excitement. 2.lack of interest in or concern for things that others find moving or exciting. 3.Also, ap·a·thei·a, ap·a·thi·a   Stoicism. freedom from emotion of any kind. [Origin: 1595–1605; (< F) < L apathīa < Gk apátheia insensibility to suffering, equiv. to apathe- (s. of apath s) unfeeling (a- a-6 + pathe-, var. s. of páthos pathos) + -ia -ia ] —Synonyms 1. coolness. 2. See indifference. —Antonyms 1. ardor, fervor. Dictionary.com Unabridged (v 1.1) Based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2006.

Ignorance or Apathy? How well are you informing the student body about what you do? How do you inform your public(s)? Is your marketing strategic? Do you know your customer(s)? How do you rate the effectiveness of your outreach efforts? Do the students care about their SG? If not, why not?

Apathy Facts & Questions There is no college on the planet with 100% student involvement. What level of involvement would mean that you don’t have “apathy” at your school? How many students are REALLY involved in campus clubs and organizations, service, and faith groups?

Creating A Shared Vision Host an SG Open House for students to learn more about what you do, and to share their ideas with you. Involvement begins with knowledge, comfort and trust. It is relationship building. Does your SG have an annual strategic plan? Do students have a say in that process.

Quotable … “A leader is a dealer in hope.” -Napoleon Bonaparte

Know Your Constituents From where do you get your biggest number of participants in SG? Who’s not at the table? Don’t just go for the low-hanging fruit. Host Coffees, Town Hall Meetings, BBQs and other social and informational events.

How Can Folks Get Involved? Program Volunteers Candidates for SG Office Public Relations Government Relations Student Outreach Activities, Concerts, Lectures Club Funding Leadership Development Creating Signature Programs

Cure “Apathy” Try these remedies designed to help you terminate apathy and motivate members The Symptom: Students don't seem Concerned about important issues or problems The Cause: Students today support more focused causes than do previous generations The Cure: Find common ground The Symptom: Lack of involvement is keeping campus life from flourishing The Cause: Students need a personal invitation to get involved The Cure: Talk to 10-20 students every week and invite them to join The Symptom: Students aren't showing up The Cause: They don't have time to do everything The Cure: Target specific subgroups

Cure “Apathy” Try these remedies designed to help you terminate apathy and motivate members The Symptom: Active members are quitting The Cause: They're getting burned out The Cure: Train them to pass along some of their work. The Symptom: Attendance at events is terrible The Cause: Students weren’t surveyed about what they really want The Cure: Get help from marketing classes to help you survey your students

Cure “Apathy” Try these remedies designed to help you terminate apathy and motivate members The Symptom: Members won't volunteer for leadership roles The Cause: They don't see opportunities The Cure: Give members enough to do The Symptom: Attendance at meetings is dwindling The Cause: Members are losing interest The Cure: Show how your group is addressing students' needs The Symptom: Your group's credibility rating is the pits The Cause: Key officers don't view themselves as role models The Cure: Agree on an overall mission and image, and hold visible leaders accountable

Cure “Apathy” Try these remedies designed to help you terminate apathy and motivate members The Symptom: Group members aren't completing projects The Cause: They feel overwhelmed The Cure: Give them more manageable tasks The Symptom: Members have stopped paying attention or offering suggestions in meetings The Cause: The president isn't taking his or her job seriously The Cure: Get rid of hidden agendas

Diversity Do you have a diverse student body? In what ways is it diverse, or not? Do you offer events and programs that would appeal to broad, diverse groups? Who do you have on the bus? (Jim Collins’ book “Good To Great”) Volunteer Involvement Ladder

Commitment Tell contribution vs. Commitment story.

Market Research… Know what your customers want and give it to them. Market Research is not just for Microsoft or McDonald’s. Total Quality Management Continuous Improvement Surveys, Polls, Suggestion Boxes

Know Your History It’s difficult to truly know where you’re going if you have no appreciation for where you have been. What triumphs have you had as an SG? What failures have you experienced? You should learn tons from both.

Quotable… “Those who do not learn from the past are condemned to repeat it.” - George Santayana

Who are Your Messengers? It’s about the message, but also the messenger. Not everyone will want to be a part of SG … and that’s o.k. Do you have an “elevator speech” about your SG? What do your collateral pieces look like (brochures, flyers, etc.) How are you using your website? Do your messengers reflect your student body?

Try New Things! Tomorrow’s signature program is today’s first time event. The only unchangeable certainty is that nothing is certain or unchangeable. Balance the novel with the tried and true. Think outside the box. Build Foundations while Building Bridges.

Create a brand for your SG What do you do that no other organization does? What is your value proposition? What resources do you have at your disposal? Human and financial? How do you utilize these resources? Plan your work and work your plan. Clarify your mission, vision and values.

My Message To You… “Don’t wish that things were easier. Wish that you were better, and make it so.” - Andy Ortiz

Closing Words… “To accomplish great things one must not only act, but also dream. Not only plan, but also believe.” - Anatole France

Contact Info for Andy Ortiz Andrew F. Ortiz. J.D., M.P.A. President and CEO Ortiz Leadership Systems, LLC. 1203 West 9th Street Tempe, AZ 85281 (480) 688-9292 andrewortiz@ortizleadership.com www.ortizleadership.com