When Steve Heidenreich and I started the University of Washington-Seattle YAL chapter back in 2008, we, in full disclosure, had no idea what we were doing.

There was no national network of YAL chapters, there was no leadership team, and there were only two of us on our campus. We relied heavily on the guidance of our Leadership Institute Field Rep, Jeffrey, who held our hands through the process of becoming a student group, initial recruiting and our first event. In the following years, after our group continued to grow, we turned to subsequent field reps for help and ideas. 

This fall, there are a number of organizations sending out field representatives and campus liaisons. Whether you are a fledgling chapter or an established campus organization, networking with these individuals is a beneficial way to grow your network. 

Young Americans for Liberty

This should be a no-brainer, but if you haven't yet done so, get in touch with your local state chair and Regional Director. For a full list, click here. 

Leadership Institute

Every year, LI sends out field representatives across the country to help start new conservative/libertarian student groups. They can help you with recruitment, provide a fresh perspective and get you tapped into the organization's training programs. The Field Reps travel during the Autumn semester/quarter, but LI also has Regional Field Coordinators who work year-round to help you. To find the contact for your area, click here. LI's Tony Listi explains how these resources can help you and your YAL chapter. 

If you didn't know, "libations" is Southern for booze. College and alcohol can never fully be separated -- and perhaps shouldn't be. In your time as a student and as a member of YAL you will likely encounter drinking and probably partake in it as well.

Please do. But bear in mind also that as a leader of your group, of your campus, and of the Liberty Movement, you bear certain responsibilities.

There is not a complete list of these responsibilities, but not becoming embarrassingly inebriated is one of them. What you do on your own time in a controlled setting is one thing, but what you do in a social setting will have consequences for you and your chapter.

I offer no moralisms here, only the simple truth that you can not be an effective leader and drink so much that other people have to keep you from getting hurt or arrested.

Many of you have probably encountered someone who questioned your motives for fighting for liberty. You've probably been called a slew of insults ranging from selfish and greedy to inhumane and insensitive. I know I have. I know how hard it can be to explain your true motives to someone who thinks their motives are so much holier-than-thou's. 

I was actually frustrated about this very concept when I happened to stumble upon this article about Motives vs. Results. It reminded me why I should continue to fight for liberty, even when the rest of the world doesn’t understand. But more importantly, it helped me cope with others who don’t understand my motives. Here’s what I took from it.

The first step to making others understand your motives is to understand this concept: 

"Both sides want to make the world a better place. We just disagree on how to get there."

This may not always seem true, especially when you know that government bailouts, subsidies, and the individual mandate are inherently evil. However, I encourage you to take a step back and realize that not everyone knows what you know, and not everyone’s intentions are evil. The sooner you begin to understand your opponent’s motives, the sooner they will begin to understand yours.

The next step is explain that your motives are the same. For example, the author of the article makes an excellent case for limited government based on a respect for his fellow human beings, rather than selfishness:

My opposition to a minimum wage or government schools or agricultural price supports or bank bailouts or mandatory health insurance or mandatory retirement contributions or mandatory eating habits doesn’t come from my selfishness or greed. Rather it comes from respect for my fellow human beings and a belief (not a faith) that leaving people free to choose what is best for themselves usually works out better than strangers making decisions for them.

Although you may believe that being self-interested is not a bad thing, it is much easier for your opponent to understand a selfless motive than it is to explain why self-interest can be good. Your opponent will be much likelier to accept your means when they understand that your ends are the same.

To read more on how to get others to understand your motives, read the full article here.

How to Win Friends and Influence People is a book which was originally published in 1936. Even after eight decades, the lessons taught by Dale Carnegie are still as invaluable and relevant today as they were during the Great Depression. As the pioneer of personal skills development, Carnegie's advice has stood the test of time as the go-to reference for human relations. You would be hard-pressed to find a business convention that doesn't mention Mr. Carnegie's principles and the word "success" in the same sentence. 

But this book is not just for business owners and entrepreneurs, anyone looking to improve their human relation skills will leave this reading with a greater sense of confidence. Not many other books evoke so many “aha!” moments from start to finish.  Along with being packed with useful information, Carnegie’s conversational writing style welcomes a wide audience, and with over 15 million copies sold in almost every known written language, you might be one of the few people who haven’t used Carnegie’s advice to improve your work, relationship, and personal lives.  Don’t be left behind.

Human relation skills are especially important for libertarian and conservative students who often find themselves having a difficult time communicating about the important issues, from health care to fiscal and foreign policy. If you have experience in activism, you understand this dilemma. This is why the libertarian and conservative movement must reevaluate the way they communicate and look for ways to more effectively influence people to their way of thinking, e.g., liberty and freedom. America’s future depends on it.  If we are serious about changing minds and winning hearts, we need to look at Carnegie's principles of human relations as a cornerstone of our communication techniques.