Collaboration

       Collaboration can often be difficult for leaders, because they may begin to make their own agendas. Collaboration is all about having a shared vision. In terms of a sorority or fraternity, I believe our mission statements or constitutions outline what the shared vision should be. However, each class should have liberty to construct their own specific goals to achieve the shared vision. Every group of people is a bit different than the group that came before them, so living out the ideals set forth by the fraternity could look quite different. Although I don’t necessarily care for the idea of forcing ideas onto other people, when you join a sorority or fraternity, you are joining the ideals and values of that organization. While accomplishing these ideals and living through these values, unique ways of collaboration should definitely be used. Each person is diverse and has a variety of ideas, skills, etc., which should be combined to further the cause of the fraternity or sorority, without sacrificing the mission.

        This idea of having a pre-set mission or vision for an organization that is passed down through the generations can be a bit confusing for people. Some women join the sorority and then question why they must adhere to these ideals. Although this is a valid question, no one forces the women to commit to these values, because they never had to join the first place. The real collaboration comes in when the current group of collegiate women unites in their individual talents and efforts to effectively work towards the goals that they interpret from the overarching vision set forth by the fraternity.