The first role of a president is to be a figurehead for the fraternity. Not only will the brotherhood look at their president as the leader of the group; nationals and the university will as well. This is a very serious role, but is also a lot of fun. The president should enjoy this role, and make it a point to do it well.
How the president performs in his role as the figurehead of the fraternity will have a huge impact on the success of the fraternity. If the president is always upbeat and excited about what the fraternity is doing, the brotherhood will follow his lead. If he is worried and frustrated, the brotherhood will be also. It is imperative that the president portray the image that he wants the brotherhood to reflect – because they will.
Nationals and the university will be looking at the president for leadership as well. The president will become the point man for dealing with all issues with those entities. I cannot stress enough how important it is that this task isn’t delegated. The president owes it to the fraternity to make it a point to make sure the chapter is represented well to these organizations. Regular conversations should be held giving updates on the chapter to certain officials. In addition, if the president is smart, he will reach out to these organizations for advice. That is the main purpose for their existence. The people who assume those roles do so because they want to help fraternities succeed. Reach out to them and figure out what help than can offer.
To learn more, check out our most in-depth article on being a fraternity president: How To Be a Great Fraternity President