MATT HAMPTON | Reporter

Assistant Director of Greek Life Christopher Miofsky gave advice about dealing with challenges facing an organization during Tuesday’s installment of the Spring Leadership Series. 

 “Leading Through a Hurricane: Leadership in Tough Times” was held at 4 p.m. in Harmon 131. 

• Miofsky began the talk with a fable about a tree and grass. The moral was “better to yield when it is folly to resist than to resist stubbornly and be destroyed,” meaning weigh the pros and cons of your pride and choose your battles. 
• Lead first and manage second. “Rather than saying, ‘Go do it,’ I say, ‘Let’s go,'” Miofsky said. He said when things are going well, coach other leaders and focus on getting people on your side before telling them what direction to go in.  
• When things turn south, don’t be afraid of confronation, but don’t be confrontational.  
• Play favorites when you need to prioritize members who are the most loyal.  
• Recognize that you can’t have productive conversations with angry people. Miofsky quoted his Kentuckian grandmother as saying “Don’t let someone drag you down to their level; they’ll beat you with experience.”
• The difference between ego and confidence is that ego is selfish, while confidence is selfless. Miofsky said a confident leader doesn’t seek worth from external validation.  
• After surviving a disaster, focus on being stormproof and adaptive to change while maintaining a profound commitment to success.  

The next installment of the leadership series, “Effective Decision Making: How to Make Better Decisions,” will be led by Marilyn Patterson, a psychology professor on Feb. 13.  

This is the third story in a series covering the leadership sessions offered on campus; check back each week for updates.