T.J. is most often booked for college organization leadership events, organizational officer training, and conference keynotes. A standard visit is 5-hours, from stepping on campus until completion of duties. Customized visits are possible. For a quote or date inquiry, please email Casey Cornelius at the ForCollegeForLife agency, call (989) 280-7998, or use the CONTACT FORM.
“MOTIVATING THE MIDDLE”
Your student organization has thirds. Top-third leaders wrap their personal identity in your group, exert the most influence on its actions, and make your group their top priority. Middle-third members care about your organization and the relationships they have there, but it’s one of several competing priorities. Bottom-third members are disengaged, potentially causing drama, or checked out. Unfortunately, most top-third leaders spend the majority of their time fighting the bottom-third – trying to make them attend events, care more deeply, and contribute more.
“Motivating the Middle: Fighting Apathy in College Student Organizations” is one of the top selling books on student leadership. In his book and his campus keynote, T.J. urges student leaders to start motivating and leading their members based on those members’ chosen level of engagement. You can’t make a bottom-third member care as much as a top-third leader! But, you can motivate and lead everyone if you adopt appropriate strategies specific to your members’ level of engagement. And, T.J. says, student leaders need to focus less energy on the disengaged bottom-third and start spending more time “Motivating the Middle.”
Leadership classes, fraternities and sororities, student governments, residence life and housing staff and more are using this quick, practical leadership model inspiration to reshape their approach to motivating and engaging their shareholders. T.J.‘s keynote has been extremely popular for campus leadership conferences. It’s an easily digested leadership model with immense practical application value. Your student leaders and staff will emerge with a whole new perspective about how to get things done in their organizations and on your campus.
LEARNING OUTCOMES: Help leaders understand different levels of “engagement” in their members or constituents • Identify motivating factors for those at different levels of engagement • Discuss how certain events, practices or habits negatively impact motivation and engagement • Change expectation of student leaders that they can force members to a certain level of engagement • Change student leader strategy toward one of engaging members “where they are” • Reduce student leader burnout through establishment of more realistic expectations of member involvement
Books may be purchased in bulk at a discount in association with booking this keynote.
“BEING A GREAT EXECUTIVE COMMITTEE MEMBER”
When a college student leader is elected to a top leadership position in their organization, they typically have a specific set of duties to perform – the duties of their elected position. But they are also often suddenly a member of an executive committee, charged with providing leadership to the entire organization. For most college leaders, this is the first time they’ve ever served in a “board of directors” capacity.
These students need training not only in how to fulfill their individual position duties, but also on how to be part of an effective and cohesive GROUP of officers. Many organizations are sidetracked by conflict among their elected leaders that prevents their group from achieving their purpose and potential.
In this program intended for new officer training, T.J. talks about the job of being part of an “exec.” He discusses expectations that leaders should have of each other, the mechanics of collaboration, and the importance of seeking help and buy-in on decisions that influence the direction of the greater group. This is not about team building, it’s about being an impactful, valued member of a leadership team.
LEARNING OUTCOMES: Define the characteristics of an effective, respected member of a leadership team • Holding leadership team members accountable within the group • Knowing when to collaborate, when to seek help, and when to support others • Dealing with team dysfunctions before they negatively impact the greater organization.
This program is meant for officer training events and can be either a workshop or an add-on breakout to the Motivating the Middle keynote.