Questions, comments, information? Contact: The Oracle

 

Leadership by Example William Phillips, who we affectionately know as 'Uncle Billy," did not start out at Richmond College to become the epitome of the Fraternity Man. Brother Phillips answered the call with the original six Founding Fathers to form and lay the ground work for perpetuating the organization you know today. Brother Phillips devoted his entire life to Sigma Phi Epsilon. In his book, The Ascent of Man, Jacob Bronowski, speaking of the history of humankind, said, "The personal Commitment of a man to his skill, the intellectual commitment and emotional commitment working together as one, has made the ascent of man." A good way to think about commitment is as dedication to the work a person has chosen to do.  Not as dedication to a job.  The difference is not frivolous, because it goes to the heart of an employee's attitude about what he or she does. What we set ourselves to do is not the same as holding a job.  When an employee (or a manager) says, "I do my job," chances are he is not very emotionally involved in the substance of what he does. We all have met meet people who claim to love their jobs but mean they love the style of it, not the substance.  "I love being a sales rep" is not the same as, "I love selling." "I love being a magazine writer" is not the same as "I love writing.” I love being a manager (or a vice president or a department head)" is a far cry from "I love being able to get people to accomplish goals together." Often the focus is on the trappings and not the work.  These attitudes are understandable given the emphasis we place - in our society as well as in business - on the symbols of status and achievement It often seems quite compelling as well as entirely reasonable to put a lot of time and effort into maintaining the rewards to the detriment of the reason we get the rewards.   Are you a Fraternity man or an officer or a committee chairman or , committee member because of the "perks" or the prestige, or is it because you love the responsibility and the "work" of "Fraternity?" Influencing lives is our business - are you doing your part?  What have you done for Sigma Phi Epsilon today?   Be an Agent of Change