Phi Kappa Theta is Creating Life-Changing Experiences at BBLA

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Brothers from the 2019 BBLA in Seattle, WA.

At the start of 2019 we have already seen several gatherings of the Boysie Bollinger Leadership Academy held across the country!

Brothers from various chapters gathered in Omaha, NE, Seattle, WA and Bowling Green, OH to hear from our DMB Coaching team.

The Boysie Bollinger Leadership Academy is a bold new spin on Phi Kappa Theta’s Regional Leadership Conferences. Now in it’s second year as the “BBLA’s”, brothers from across the country are gathering around life's biggest questions and coming away with new insights and real solutions!

What else can brothers expect at our BBLA’s this year?

Life-changing Ideas:
Unique content drawing on decades of experience helping young men become the best version of themselves.

Honest Conversations:
No one-way lectures. No fluff. Deep, meaningful dialogue designed to help each brother identify their unique contribution.

Ongoing Relationships:
The most important thing brothers leave BBLA events with is connection. Connection to brothers, to other chapters, and to life coaches.

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If you or your chapter are interested in attending of of our remaining BBLA’s, please select one below!

Making Our Move

Phi Kappa Theta Teams Up With DMB Coaching To Strengthen Fraternity Curriculum

by Shawn Cramer
Western Theological Seminary, ‘A

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Brothers working together at the Austin, TX BBLA this past November.

Phi Kappa Theta runs at the front of the pack in terms of personal development and servant leadership. A large piece of this engine driving that forward is the partnership between Phi Kappa Theta and DMB coaching.

At the core of this partnership lies a story of two men who started as strangers, then moved to acquaintances, then colleagues, now business partners and good friends.

We conducted an interview between Dr. Michael S. Brown of DMB coaching and Robert Riggs, CAE (RPI, ‘02), Executive Vice President of Phi Kappa Theta Fraternity.

Rob, how and when did you meet Michael? What were your first impressions?

Michael and I met at a conference called Connect Marketplace in 2015. Connect Marketplace is a meeting space for those who hold and host conferences. Initially, my first impressions were, “Whoa, this guy has a ton of energy.”

Michael, what were your first impressions of Rob?

My first impression of Rob was he was incredibly thoughtful and inquisitive. He asked some really good questions not only about our campus, but about my personal interests and passions as well.

How and when did the Phi Kappa Theta/DMB Coaching partnership actually transpire and become official?

Rob: We continued to meet at Connect Marketplace over the next few years. I mentioned how much anxiety I would get having to think about writing curriculum and workshops. He told me about DMB Coaching and his specialty in designing curriculum and educational conferences for college-aged men. I was like, “Tell me more!”

Michael: We began talking more about our common interests in the development of college men and began to realize quite quickly that these passions were very similar. Rob asked to view some of my past developmental content and create unique content for Phi Kappa Theta. The rest is history!

Michael, why did you decide to accept Rob’s invitation to partner with Phi Kappa Theta?

Dr. Michael Brown of DMB Coaching speaking at a BBLA.

My personal mission statement is clear in that my work and the investment of my life is primarily about helping young men discover a positive and progressive masculinity that will shape every area of their life. It was immediately clear that Rob’s invitation to partner was exactly in line with my passions.

Rob, what has been the most enjoyable aspect of working with DMB Coaching?

For me I really enjoy the collaboration and the full trust that we have in each other with regards to our roles. Michael and I are able to discuss what we’re envisioning for the organization, then collaborate about it, and he comes back with some excellent curriculum that really resonates with our target audience, and that’s the most important thing.

Michael, what has been the most enjoyable aspect of working with Phi Kappa Theta?

Honestly, the question should be, “What has not been enjoyable?”

Every individual I meet - every volunteer, every board member, every alumnus, every collegiate member of Phi Kappa Theta, they are just extraordinary human beings. I absolutely love being immersed in the culture of this fraternity.

Rob & Michael, what do you envision for this partnership and relationship in the years ahead?

Rob: I’m very excited for what the future may hold between us. I am envisioning that we create a situation in which our fraternity brothers are able to work seamlessly with DMB Coaching and Phi Kappa Theta to strengthen themselves as individual men.

Michael: It is my hope that my organization and my coaching team and the fraternity would be connected, quite honestly, for decades to come. We have a common mission, common core values and a common commitment that we share in helping young fraternity leaders become the best version of themselves both now and after graduation.

Rob & Michael, are there additional opportunities for individual chapters, collegiates, alumni, volunteers and/or board members in regards to working with DMB Coaching?

Rob: I would highly encourage other chapters to utilize their chapter endowments to bring in a member of the DMB coaching team to work directly with their chapter.

Michael: The sky’s the limit! Our team is prepared to visit every individual chapter across the country! I would personally prioritize any work that would come through the Phi Kappa Theta brotherhood because of the powerful friendship we have established.

The best days of Phi Kappa Theta are still yet to come. For more information on how you can personally or as a chapter tap into these opportunities, please contact executiveoffices@phikaps.org

Main Image: Dr. Michael S. Brown of DMB Coaching speaks with brothers at IMPACT18 in Orlando, FL this past August where he and his team facilitated.

How Our Chapter Grew

Dr. Brown formed a personalized program for our house. This program hit home with all the brothers, talking about individuals and their struggles and putting those things into perspective as a brotherhood.

Neil Patel
RPI, ‘20
Chapter President

On October 8th, 2018 the New York Sigma Chapter at RPI was extremely honored to hold its first brotherhood retreat with Dr. Michael Brown of DMB Coaching.

Over the course of the last year many brothers have gotten to meet Dr. Michael Brown at the Boysie Bollinger Leadership Academy and IMPACT18.

After each of those events, many non-attending brothers were excited by the ideas and impact Dr. Brown had on their fellow brothers. With all this excitement, it was only right to have Dr. Brown come visit the chapter.

Over the past year the chapter struggled with passivity and ideals, Dr. Brown formed a personalized program for our house. This program hit home with all the brothers, talking about individuals and their struggles and putting those things into perspective as a brotherhood.

The key moment for us was when Dr. Brown had us write down something we are currently struggling with personally. After reading each of those anonymous struggles, many were taken back about how the Fraternity serves as that support system that each of us as individuals need.

Using the strategies taught by Dr. Brown, the Chapter formulated their personal values which allowed us to establish our first recruitment guidelines. These guidelines specifically show who were are as a chapter and why we do the things we do.

The executive board had a meeting with Dr. Brown the following morning. Despite leading a discussion from 10AM to 6PM and hanging out with the brothers from 6PM to 10PM, Dr. Brown was still lively.

He allowed us to ask questions about what we struggle with and how to implement what we talked about as a chapter.

Overall, our Chapter went into the retreat knowing about what it means to be good leaders and an even better brotherhood but being able to still be critical about these things allowed us to be even more efficient in these areas.

Also, being able to talk about tasks we struggle with made everyone more cognizant of where we look to improve!

Neil Patel
RPI, ‘20
Chapter President