How to Get the Most Out of the PRSSA 2014 Leadership Rally

Photo courtesy of Arielle Schraeder
Photo courtesy of Arielle Schraeder

Leadership Rally is a weekend dedicated to helping you learn how to have a successful term as Chapter president and serve your members to the best of your ability. I attended the PRSSA 2013 Leadership Rally and in just three days, I formed relationships, discovered ideas and developed leadership skills that helped serve as the foundation of my term as Belmont PRSSA president.

If you are attending the Leadership Rally this year you have decided to spend a weekend of your summer to prepare for your term and the future of your Chapter. Here’s how you can prepare to get the most out of #PRSSALR:

Know your Chapter’s weaknesses. Leadership Rally provides you with an opportunity to discuss your Chapter’s challenges and learn from other Chapters’ successes. You will benefit most from these sessions if you attend with an understanding of your Chapter’s weaknesses.

Know your Chapter’s strengths. Not only will you have the chance to learn from other Chapter presidents, but they will have the chance learn from you. Help your fellow Chapter presidents by sharing your Chapter’s best practices. This can range from meetings, events, recruitment strategies, social media and more.

Bring your term goals. What would you like to accomplish during your term? Maybe you want to grow membership or create a newsletter. Whatever your goals are, take the time to set them before you attend Leadership Rally. During sessions, you will learn strategies and tactics that you can directly apply to these goals.

Bring questions.  Now that you have an understanding of your weaknesses, strengths and goals, what questions do you have? Narrow your list to questions directly related to the goals you made for your term and your biggest challenges. There may be a Chapter president who has a solution for your challenge or knows a tactic to help you reach a goal.

Stay in contact. Throughout the weekend, you will meet numerous fellow members who share the passion you have for PRSSA. Keep the stack of business cards you accumulate in a safe place and add the information to your mobile device as soon as you have returned home. Also consider how you can stay in contact with the Chapter presidents in your region.

Make memories. This weekend is dedicated to leadership training, but you will also have some free time. The hotel is located in sunny Scottsdale, Ariz., so get a group together and explore the great spots nearby. Don’t forget to bring your swimsuit and sunscreen, so you can hang by the pool with the other attendees. This weekend just may become one of your favorite memories of the year.

What advice do you have for the 2014 Leadership Rally attendees?

Arielle Schrader is a senior public relations major and design communications minor at Belmont University. Arielle is the president of Belmont PRSSA and attended the PRSSA 2013 Leadership Rally at the start of her presidency. Follow her @RELschrader or add her on LinkedIn

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