Page 220 - Leadership Lessons of the White House Fellows

LEADERS ARE TRANSFORMATIONAL CHANGE AGENTS

fraternities can live up to what we think would be responsible behavior for
members of our community. We worked for about nine months to develop
a set of fraternity guidelines. They were approved by all of the chapters
as well by the board of trustees and the alumni chapters, so everybody
was onboard.” After a reasonable amount of time, only a fraction of the
fraternities were able to meet the standards, and so Cotter pressed forward,
shepherding the stakeholders toward a resolution.
Cotter knew he had his work cut out for him in trying to resolve such
an ingrained and controversial problem, but he remembered the lessons he
had learned at the Commerce Department. He kept the lines of commu-
nication open. He listened to all sides and remembered to get information
from everyone concerned, not just the high-level players. He asked the
students to make recommendations to the trustees and gave everyone an
opportunity to hear about all the alternatives. Finally the day came for the
trustees to cast their votes for the best option for dealing with fraternities
and sororities on campus, and the result was a testament to Cotter’s
leadership skill. When the secret ballots were counted, Colby College had
voted unanimously to abolish fraternities and sororities at the school and
create an entirely new residential life system. The aftermath was peaceful,
and the institution moved forward with a renewed spirit of unity. Other
colleges, including Amherst, Bowdoin, and Hamilton, soon followed Colby
in abolishing fraternities and sororities from their campuses.

“Throughout this process, honest discussion—without turf protection—and
complete communication with stakeholders was essential,” Cotter said. “I
would tell anyone facing the same challenge to be sure that when you start
a new position—particularly if you are the CEO—you consult broadly
with staff and constituents before making any sweeping changes. And once
you have decided on a new initiative, be sure to spend enough time com-
municating the reasons for these changes. Use one-on-one meetings to the
maximum extent possible so that those who disagree at least know they
were listened to and have heard your side of the argument.”
Whereas Cotter recommends one-on-one meetings to promote
dialogue and foster an atmosphere of cooperation, George Heilmeier
(WHF 70–71) believes in the power of town hall meetings. Heilmeier had
been a special assistant to the secretary of defense during his year as a
White House Fellow. He remained in government for several more years

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