Setting Chapter Goals

Allison JohnsonRegional Officer

• Are you clear about what your main objective as a Phi Theta Kappa officer is at the moment?… Do you know what you want to have achieved by the end of today? the week? the month? the semester?

Rule #1: Set Goals that Motivate

• When you set goals for yourself, your Phi Theta Kappa chapter, or your region, they need to be goals that are important to you, to the chapter, or to the region, and everyone must realize the value in achieving them. 

• People must be interested and vested in the outcome and the goals need to be relevant or no one will want to put in the work to reach the goals.  

What are goals?

• The process of setting goals helps you choose where you want your chapter to go.

• By knowing precisely what you want to achieve, you know where you have to concentrate your efforts.

• You'll also quickly spot the distractions that would otherwise lure you from your course.

Why Set Goals?• Setting goals allows your chapter to know

what you are working towardso What level of the Five Star Development Program

do you want to reach?o What projects are you going to complete to reach

that goal?o Will you be completing in the Hallmark Awards

Program?o Has your chapter planned adequate programs to

compose a well written entry?

Rule #3: Write Down the Goals

• Writing down a goal is a very simple way to make it tangible. 

• Be firm when you write goals; use the word “will” instead of “would like to” or “we hope to.” 

• Be positive when you write goals.  o For example, “This semester, we will induct 90%

of the students earning invitations to become members of Phi Theta Kappa”  is more motivating than “This semester, we will reduce the number of students who choose not to accept the invitations to become members,”

Rule #4: Define Action Items

• Use the Honors In Action Planning Model to plan your goals into smaller steps.

• Smaller tasks allows work to be spread to other members.

• Follow up with volunteerso Hold members accountable for their portiono Allows your chapter to stay on track

Rule #5: Monitor and Assess

• Set reminders, check with others, go over the goals and their importance in meetings .

• Assess whether the goals are still relevant • Keeps members on track

Rule #2: Set SMART Goals

• Specific, simple (clearly understood) • Measurable (you will know exactly when it is

attained)• Attainable, accountable (can be done, and

people to do it)• Relevant, realistic (important, valuable, and

the resources exist to get it done)• Timely and Time Bound (it’s the right time,

and there is enough time, and we have a time in mind or there is a deadline for completing the goal)

Goal Examples• Scholarship Goal

o Explore Honors Study Topic Issue 3: Access to Power by participating in a Case Study Challenge focused on 2008 presidential election, & sharing the Case Study w/ Political Science & Sociology classes on campus

• Leadership Goalo Provide Regional leadership to the Society by hosting or

co-hosting 1 regional event or other activity involving at least five other chapters

• Service Goalo Use Keep America Beautiful resources in order to

educate members, college faculty/staff, & other students about the need for wireless phone recycling & start a cell phone recycling program on campus

Set Goals~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

• 5 Star Chapter Dev. Program• Each Hallmark• Honors in Action issue

Develop Calendar~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

• Chapter meetings, inductions, activities• Deadlines: 5-star, Hallmark Awards, Scholarships• College Academic Calendar• Regional Meetings• International Events