In a recent blog, I discussed Alpha Delta Pi’s Foundation and even went into some of the history of a Greek organization’s Foundation. Since publishing that blog, it’s been brought to my attention that so many of our Greek and non-Greek members don’t know what goes on behind the scenes of the Greek community. Well, today, I’m going to give you a little peek behind the curtain.

Having never been Greek myself, I had no idea what a Foundation was or even that the houses on my campus were chapters of a much larger organization. Well let me tell you, there is much to discover behind each Greek letter.  Our relationship with this community has opened our eyes to the amazing business infrastructure that has been built to manage and sustain the individual houses. Take for example, our year-long partnership with Alpha Sigma Alpha Sorority, the National Headquarters is responsible for overseeing the day-to-day business of running a nationwide organization, as well as each of the 150 collegiate and alumnae chapters. The staff of eight has their hands in a variety of activities at once from financial planning to educational development. Each staff member has a distinct position, however it is not unusual for plans to formulate through teamwork and combined efforts.

The national headquarters is not only running a business, they are aiding in the development of future leaders and are the guiding force behind chapter-wide rules, regulations and protocol. Beyond the seriousness of a regulatory body, the team also encourages the fun-side of membership through regional and national events. In fact, if you were a fan of ASA on Facebook, you would have seen the preparation that went into the biannual leadership development institute. These men and women were hard at work creating activities to demonstrate effective leadership and communication skills and believe me, with the cool ideas they came up with, I was tempted to ask if I could tag along to learn a thing or two.

To be honest, a Greek organization’s national headquarters could certainly rival many of the large corporations of the world. Built from the ground up by dedicated and passionate leaders, each Greek house has a strong foundation that has proven to withstand the test of time. Not only that, but even through leadership changes, the mission and vision of each organization remains intact. Plus, those leading the way do so in a manner that positively leads them forward, while still heralding the past. With all this said, it might not be a bad idea to learn a little bit more about Greek organizations and their national headquarters as a means to better the business world as a whole.