Keeping meetings fresh and engaging for members is a common difficulty for just about any chapter. No matter the quality of your leadership/activities, the most successful chapters are those that innovate new ideas, develop fun activities, and provide a different experience at every meeting.
This month, try refining your meetings by bringing a guest speaker! Listening to the same few voices speak, no matter how skilled of a speaker they are, is tiring. If you want members excited to learn new information or skills, bring in an outside voice to garner interest.
Hearing a new voice can disrupt the repetitiveness of meetings. It also presents an opportunity to listen to an expert speak about his/her area of expertise, which will always result in a captivating experience. (You know it’s working when people start jotting down notes!) To make this happen, have the officer team reach out to professionals in the area to ask if they’d like to speak to the rising generation of business leaders!
Having trouble finding a professional guest speaker? Don’t worry! There are plenty of more accessible options to bring a new voice to your meetings. For one, graduated members/alumni are often happy to come back and speak. They can also provide an important perspective on how FBLA changed their lives in the long-term.
When it comes to changing up your chapter meetings, the options are endless! Remember: always keep your finger on the pulse of student engagement, and never be afraid to change things up!
