Examine Your ProblemsYour Fraternity

In the previous session, we established the fact that life is not as it should be. We all feel the unpredictability and volatility of life as individuals, but our organizations also reflect this concerning reality.

Particularly for our Fraternity, we have a membership of 1600 college men who might struggle with maintaining a positive attitude; who are tempted to keep secrets and hide struggles from one another; who have few role models in constructively handling criticism and resolving interpersonal conflict; who are often preoccupied with the pursuit of pleasure; who frequently lack discipline, drive, and determination; who lack the willpower to delay immediate gratification, and who struggle to articulate a compelling vision for their lives.

The problems of each member infects the community. The perspective of each brother shapes the ethos of each chapter. Moreover, the culmination of the practices (both positive and negative) of each Phi Kap will ripple throughout the culture of our Fraternity at the local, regional, and national levels.

Which phrase(s) from the Insight section strikes a chord with you as you think of your brothers back home and the challenges/problems you face in your chapter?

Four Kinds of PKT Brothers

Four Kinds of Phi Kappa Theta Brothers

• Cop-outs (no dreams or initiative)
• Hold-outs (no initiative)
• Drop-outs (brief initiative)
• All-outs (big dreams and lasting initiative)

The Root Issues For Quitting

• Cop-Outs: Lack Vision
• Hold-Outs: Fear of Failure
• Drop-Outs: Selfish & Bored

Special thanks to Dr. John Maxwell for first conceptualizing the categories of cop-outs, hold-outs, drop-outs, and all-outs.

As you think about your local chapter, what would you guesstimate is the percentage of brothers in each category (cop-outs, hold-outs, drop-outs, and all-outs)?

____% Cop-outs
____% Hold-outs
____% Drop-outs
____% All-outs

We have established that the fourth symptom of a problematic life is that of passivity.

Dr. Michael Brown defines passivity as “a visionless and passionless posture in one or more arenas of life that promotes inactivity and/or irresponsibility.”

In his opinion, this is the most prominent and problematic issue for every social fraternity on every college campus in America. It is the primary barrier between a fraternity’s membership agreeing with their mission and acting out their mission.

5 CHARACTERISTICS OF PASSIVITY

Procrastination instead of intentionality
Idleness instead of determination
Reactivity instead of proactivity
Excuse-making instead of engagement
Cowardice instead of courage

5 CATEGORIES OF PASSIVITY

Roles
Routines
Responsibilities
Resolutions
Relationships

5 CIRCUMSTANCES OF PASSIVE PEOPLE

Stagnant
Stationary
Self-Absorbed
Scared
Stuck

5 CAUSES OF PASSIVITY

Confusion about Identity
Uncertainty about Core Values
Fear of Failure
Sense of Powerlessness to Change
Family Patterns and Close Friendships

5 CONSEQUENCES OF PASSIVITY

Disorganized Life
Inability to Make Decisions
Unrealized Goals
Shallow Relationships
Restlessness and Frustration

In the previous section, take a moment to identify one characteristic, one category, one circumstance, one cause, and one consequence of passivity that are most challenging for your chapter.

Which of the Five C’s of Passivity (Characteristics, Categories, Circumstances, Causes, Consequences, or Cure) are most pressing and urgent for you as you consider the realities that you face as a leader in your chapter?

The 5-Step Cure for Passivity

1. Dream
2. Decide
3. Do
4. Disclose
5. Discipline

No doubt, this has been a very tricky session, as you were prompted to think about the difficulties and challenges within your own chapter.

Here is the good news: your chapter’s problems are not unique. You are not alone.

Here is the tough news: change must begin with you. While you cannot impose change on your brothers, you can choose to change yourself.

So we end this session with a reminder that while passivity is easy to point out in others, it is most difficult to detect in our own lives.

WALK THE LINE EXERCISE

What was your experience of the exercise?

What did you feel and/or think as you participated?

Wake Up

...to the reality that while people can and often do change, people will not change people. Positive change in your fraternity must begin with you personally choosing your way into change, and not attempting to guilt, manipulate, or coerce others.

Rise Up

...and commit to the lifelong process of purging your personal life of passivity by doing the hard work of regularly reflecting on any causes or consequences of passivity in your life or leadership style.

Step Up

...and choose to be an All-Out in life and in your servant leadership role within the Fraternity… while kindly inviting others to join with you in exhibiting both the attitude and actions required to fulfill goals, finish tasks, follow through on commitments, and fight for what is right and noble!