Help Me

You might know few of these already...

1. 1st step would be demonstrate as "Doing Leader"
2. Assign small achievalble, low stake responsibility.
3. Discuss the approach, how it would be executed...
4. Debrief the activity...
5. Appreciate the achievements and correct the errors.

All these, after understanding the individual interests...

Without knowing the exact makeup of your group, it is hard to be specific, but all groups have their innovators and followers, so you might look at the idea of the adoption curve:

 Identify your innovators and early adopters, motivate them

 Attach them to the late adopters somehow (pairings are a good idea)

You might have different tactics for the laggards and late majority

 Of course, you cannot tell them any of this!

... There can only be a conspiracy of one!

 Best regards

 Peter Cook

 Author Best Practice Creativity and Sex, Leadership and Rock'n'Roll

 p.s. Does your council only do things when there is a 'burning platform' or are they more motivated by possibilities

There's a series of books by Patrick Lencioni  that contains valuable points beyond the topics of the books and you may want to review them. They are based on business interactions but you should be able to apply it to any situration. Try looking at "The five Dysfunctions of a Team" to look for pointers to help focus the Student Council.

Does your community and the members jnow what is expected from them?

What is the goal of that group? And do they really understand and support it?

You might want to remind them, what they are there for and make sure they understand. If the goal is too big to be acheived at once, set steps or milestones to acheive, but always link them to the major objective.

To make them a bit more responsible, show them that, whatever they are there for is their responsibility and that they are the ones to make difference by being responsible and taking ownership.

Jan

"Dear Jay,
some excellent advice has already been offered and my desire is not to negate that advice, rather to add value to it.
Be wary of what internal attitudes manifest themselves in the behaviour of your student leaders.
When you see anything that goes against the common good, seek to have counsel with any individual concerned to bring 'internal' matters 'into the light'; do not allow bad attitudes to fester and infect the good you hope to see develop as time rolls on...Cheers :)"