NAME OF CAMPUS AROUND SECTION
LEADERSHIP IN PRACTICE
Leadership in Practice BY JOHN TAN
There are more than 400 undergraduate organizations on Harvard's campus, hosting thousands of events each semester. Four leaders from some of Harvard's most successful student groups share their best tips on preparing the organization to support massive projects. INTERVIEWED: Amy Chen (AC) Class of 2011 Co-President, Harvard Undergraduate Women in Business (HUWIB) Ricky Hanzich (RH) Class of 2011 Secretary-General, Harvard National Model United Nations (HNMUN) Tessa Lyons (TL) Class of 2011 Co-President, Harvard Undergraduate Women in Business (HUWIB) Annie Ye (AY) Class of 2011, Chairwoman, Harvard Association for US-China Relations (HAUSCR)
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A STRONG ORGANIZATIONAL CULTURE was ranked by all of our leaders as the reason why their organizations are able to succeed. However, what exactly does a “strong” culture entail? How do you put those elements in place? RH: We relentlessly try to create a family culture in HNMUN. We hold office hours every week so people can get to know each other on a personal level. It is so vital that people know and can trust each other. We also try to make participation in HNMUN as fun as possible and not stressful at all. We have a number of higher-class special events (such as toasts) and try to make people feel special. Having a family culture in the back of people’s minds makes them realize that they are invested in the organization and have people who rely on them. AY: Veterans tell war stories of HAUSCR.
HARVARD UNDERGRADUATE LEADERSHIP MAGAZINE FALL 2011
They exude the fun, hard work, passion and inspiration that this program has come out of. Not only do they have this repository of knowledge, they communicate it in an empathetic and emotional way. They come to love the people and the program, and that’s why they keep in touch. It’s the experience we have created for them; it’s opening their eyes and broadening their horizons. That motivates them to make the program even better. A key problem that student organizations face is building credibility with corporate sponsors, school administrators and potential speakers. Maintaining a consistent professional image could spell the difference between a significant donation and a constant struggle for funding. How do you build external credibility? AC: We always keep our promises; that is HarvardLeadership.org