I can guarantee you that I would literally scream if I had to work in a really quiet office environment. I would go insane. I wouldn’t fit in and I would be unhappy. Why? Because I thrive in loud and active environments. Too much quiet and I feel stifled. Culture is everything.
In thinking about what type of office I might be able to work at, my mind wandered to how student organizations on college campuses can build a culture that fits their needs and the members they hope to attract. I promise you a quiet office does not want me joining the work space. But one interested in building friendships and having a not-so-serious culture would welcome me. It’s the same with student organizations. A club wants to attract people who are invested and care about the focus of the group.
When thinking about running organizations, you always want to do things that further encourage the dynamic you are trying to foster. Certain actions will filter out certain people, and attract others. It is very important that your mission and actions as an organization line up, instead of contradict each other.
Here are some questions to think about as you make decisions throughout the year for your organization:
- How do you arrange the spaces that you meet in or hold events? Does the set-up encourage mingling and talking to your neighbor, or focus on the front of the room? What do you want it to encourage?
- What’s the group dynamic? What kinds of interactions do you as a leader have with members? Is a clear hierarchy needed, or does everyone have equal say? Do you mind smaller groups forming inside the club, or do you want everyone to know everyone?
- What kinds of events do you hold? What sort of activities do your members engage in together? The hiking club probably wouldn’t plan a shopping day or a trip to the water park. A service oriented organization probably wouldn’t plan a trip to see the next Disney movie as a club sponsored activity.
- Overall, why is your organization in existence, and what does it hope to accomplish? This should guide all your answers to the above questions.
A good example of clear culture building comes from some cultural clubs I was a member of in college. Cultural clubs have a purpose to celebrate their particular culture and share it with others. There is often also a goal of creating a “family” on campus for the members. The cultural club I was active in always went to the cafeteria together in a huge group after our weekly meetings. The underclassmen would swipe in the upperclassmen who didn’t have a meal plan anymore, as well the commuter students. Everyone sat around a huge table and the tradition of eating together post-meeting played a huge role in making everyone feel like they were with their family, not just a club.
What kinds of things really build the right culture for your organizations on campus? Share below!
