Title Slide - The Keys To Leadership in SAI
This project involved the design and facilitation of an interactive leadership development session delivered during a regional Province Day event at California State University, Fullerton, for Sigma Alpha Iota International Music Fraternity (SAI) in March 2026.
The session was attended by 15 participants, including collegiate and alumnae chapter members in various leadership roles, as well as two province officers. This diverse audience required a learning experience that could resonate across different levels of leadership experience and organizational involvement.
Leadership within student and volunteer organizations is often perceived as positional - tied to holding an office or title - rather than influencing group success. This can limit members’ ability to recognize their role in shaping group dynamics and outcomes. The goal was to design a learning experience that reframed leadership as a shared responsibility, provided practical strategies applicable across roles and experience levels, and created space for reflection and discussion among participants with diverse perspectives.
Framework 1 - The Pillars of Alignment
Framework 2 - The Leadership "Keys"
Framework 3 - The IMEA Cycle
Attendees spanned a wide range of experience levels and life stages, from younger members in their early 20s to members with decades of leadership experience, including individuals aged 80+. The group included both collegiate and alumnae members, requiring content to be relevant and applicable across different chapter contexts.
The topic needed to balance accessibility for newer members with meaningful depth for experienced leaders. The resulting session was structured around three core leadership frameworks, using a music-based metaphor to create conceptual cohesion:
Push = advocacy
Pull = inquiry and collaboration
Move Away = strategic pause
The session was intentionally designed to move beyond the traditional lecture and incorporate active learning strategies. The following strategies were employed to create active engagement:
Guided Reflection
Participants responded to prompts such as: “Do I know what it’s like to work with me?”
Scenario-Based Learning
Realistic interpersonal situations were used to analyze gaps between intention and impact
Experiential Activity (“Push Hands”)
A physical activity demonstrated how different leadership approaches affect group dynamics in real time
Facilitated Discussion
Participants engaged in dialogue to reflect on their experiences and connect concepts to their own chapters
Presenting the Workshop at Cal State Fullerton
To support learning transfer, the following supplemental materials were developed and made accessible to participants via QR code:
Slide deck (instructional content)
Leadership reflection journal
Framework guides (e.g., IMEA Cycle, Leadership Keys)
Visual job aids for quick reference
These resources were designed to extend the learning experience beyond the session and encourage ongoing reflection and application.
Digital download of The Keys to Leadership toolkit provided to session attendees
The session generated strong engagement, with participants actively contributing to discussions and reflecting on their own leadership practices. By combining conceptual frameworks with practical tools, the workshop supported participants in reframing leadership as a shared responsibility, recognizing the impact of their behavior on group dynamics, and applying structured approaches to improve collaboration within their chapters.