Team Development &

Management
Students Team
Handbook 2022-23

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Contents

Team Team
Getting Started Recruitment
Organization Succession

Institutional Budgeting &

Team Audits Media
Support Fund Raising

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Getting Started

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Developing a Mission Statement

• Developing a mission statement is a first step in establishing your team identity and should be the
primary means by which you communicate your team’s purpose and inspire commitments from internal
and external constituents.

• Given the unique nature of each college or university, work to develop your team’s mission statement in
a manner consistent with the values reflected in your own institution’s mission.

• There are few rules governing individual team activities. This flexibility allows each team to structure
itself and design projects that best fit the needs of its members, its institution’s faculty and
administrators, and the community that it serves. Individual teams have complete discretion to adopt
policies or procedures for their operation beyond those outlined in the Team Handbook.

• Given each university’s flexibility to implement Enactus, developing a mission statement is an important
step new teams should consider. For veteran teams, this exercise will energize and refocus efforts.

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More on the Team Mission

Sample Team Mission Statements Key Ideas

To engage the students of [insert team name] to • Look at mission statement examples from
use entrepreneurship and innovation to improve successful organizations around the world.
the world. We emphasize experiential learning,
which catalyzes the personal growth and • Work within the broad framework of
professional development of our members Enactus and your college/university.
through the creation of real-world projects that
improve our communities and the world. • Keep the language simple.
• Write a mission statement that clearly
To improve the lives of people in our community defines why your team exists.
by partnering with them on innovative initiatives
to create a better, more sustainable impact on • Reflect on your mission statement as you
people, planet and prosperity. make project decisions.
• Allow mission statement to guide your goals
and objectives.

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 Living Your Team Values

Enactus Values

Integrity Passion Innovation Collaboration

• Communicating team values is an opportunity to engage and unite all of your team members.
• Team values not only help unite your team and guide your actions, but they also align you with Enactus teams around
the world who share your same values.
• In addition to the above values, you may choose to add more values that are unique to your team and aligned with
your mission.

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Goals, Objectives and Strategy

Once your team organizes and aligns on mission and values, you will establish your goals, objectives and strategy for
your team.

GOAL OBJECTIVE STRATEGY

Goals are the end result that you An objective is a specific action step A strategy is a plan of action that
want to achieve. It is typically a that you plan to take to achieve your outlines HOW each individual or
general and overarching idea goals. Objectives help understand team will work toward the clearly
expressed clearly and concisely. WHAT needs to be done to achieve defined goals and objectives.
the goals. Objectives help team Strategies are dynamic and can
members maintain a focus and keep change over time.
the momentum towards the goals.

All members should have a clear understanding of the team’s mission, values, goals, objectives, and strategy.
Discussing these key items is a great opportunity to work together, collaborate and help each team member feel
included and contribute to the mission!

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Creating SMART Objectives

S Specific

M Measurable
Consider creating SMART objectives for your
team and projects. A Achievable

R Realistic

T Time-bound
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Student Recruitment

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Recruiting Students for your Enactus Team

• Enactus is a community of NextGen Leaders and today’s business leaders

who have committed to making a positive impact on people, the planet, and
prosperity.

• The driving force behind many of the most successful Enactus teams are
the students who work tirelessly and passionately to keep the spirit of
Enactus alive on their individual campuses. We understand that university
campuses are dynamic environments. Every year, students graduate and
embark upon a new path in life while another batch makes the entrance to
the threshold of university life.

• Any student in your college or university can join Enactus. There are no
limitations based on the area of study, year in college, etc.

• A common misconception is that very large student membership is required

to operate a successful Enactus team. While we would certainly encourage
you to involve as many students as possible on your team, keep in mind,
Enactus team membership numbers tend to grow gradually, and you should
always aim for quality over quantity and active students over ones simply
registered.

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Recruitment Strategies - I

• Some institutions allow student organizations to participate in campus clubs/associations or recruitment fairs at the
beginning of the academic year. If this applies in your case, make a commitment to set up a booth at this event.

• Ask members of the teaching staff to make an announcement in their classes about Enactus or offer to make a short
presentation at the beginning/end of their classes.

• Create personal invitations to join Enactus and have current team members distribute them to their friends or other
student leaders on campus.

• Advertise in the student center or other general public areas on campus.

• Hold an orientation meeting (make it informal and possibly serve snacks to attract students) at the beginning of each
semester.

• Identify other student organizations on campus that would make good partners for a particular project and invite them
to conduct a joint project with your team.

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Recruitment Strategies - II

• Consider approaching a professor on campus with expertise in specific

areas of your project for consultation and guidance.
Things to Remember!
• Inquire with your team’s Faculty Advisor about the possibility of offering
• Recruit a diverse group of
class credit for participation in Enactus.
members from all departments,
majors, and classifications.
• Use a variety of recruiting • Create an Enactus bulletin board to include a sign-up sheet, listing of
techniques. current projects, latest media coverage, exciting pictures, announcements,
• Remember that recruiting is an and note of your team’s meeting times and location.
on-going process! Get started on
projects as soon as possible and • Place signs announcing team meetings in highly-traveled areas so non-
recruit new members as you Enactus members may be attracted.
progress throughout the year!
• Purchase fun giveaways such as pens/pencils, mugs, frisbees or magnets.

• Wear your Enactus team’s t-shirt on meeting days to bring attention to your
group.

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Team Organization

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Typical Enactus Team Roles

Business
Faculty Advisor
Advisory Board

Alumni Students

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Faculty Advisors

• Much more than a teacher, the Faculty Advisor carries the titles
of coach, mentor, career advisor, and friend. They play a critical
role in the success of the team.

• The responsibilities of a Faculty Advisor include but are not

limited to:
– Providing mentorship to Enactus members,
– Regularly attending meetings, and supporting recruitment,
fundraising, and outreach programs,
– Supporting the creation and management of the team’s
Business Advisory Board,
– Providing guidance to the team in creating and
implementing projects, and overall team management,
– Preparing Enactus students for competitions,
– Serving as an advocate for Enactus on and off campus,
and
– Serving as the primary representative of the team with the
Enactus office.

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Business Advisory Board (BAB)

• The BAB is designed to advise the team on issues of strategic

importance and provide support and guidance for the achievement
of the team’s mission statement.
• The BAB meets to discuss key issues and makes
recommendations to the team.
• Note that this is different from a Board of Directors, which usually
makes decisions on behalf of an organization. The BAB is for
advice, not governance.

• Each team can decide whom to invite to serve on their Business

Advisory Board. Here are a few suggestions:
– Team alumni
– Employees of Enactus partner companies with a presence in
your community
– Members of the college/university administration
– Local business, educational, and civic group members
– Members of media organizations

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Managing the Business Advisory Board

Role of the BAB Managing a BAB

• Provide strategic guidance in determining the team’s • Keep the BAB engaged throughout the year.
mission statement and objectives.
• Meet at least twice a year with your BAB.
• Assist the team in identifying and addressing areas of • Limit membership to a maximum of 10-12 people.
opportunity, potential risks and challenges.
• Make BAB meetings meaningful for the members.
• Support the creation of partnerships, sponsorships,
• Have a BAB coordinator on your leadership team.
and other strategic linkages between the team and
other organizations. • Put out an annual survey to your BAB to rate your
overall performance as a team.
• Support competition readiness by reviewing and
• Show your appreciation for their support and guidance
offering critical feedback on student presentations. through thank you notes at the end of the year.
Consider presenting them with certificates of
• Overall team mentorship and guidance. participation!

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Alumni

• As you develop your team, involving alumni is an area with

significant opportunity to succeed and learn from past failures
and challenges. Enactus Alumni are a tremendous asset to any
team.
You will be an Enactus
student for a short time
• Consider inviting alumni to team training as trainers or guest
in your life, but you can
speakers, recruiting them to serve on your Business Advisory
always be an Enactus
Board, or inviting them to participate in your outreach projects.
Alumni and connect
Alumni can also provide valuable feedback on your plans for
with other alumni and
the year and your team’s presentation for the competition.
students throughout the
world to build strong
• Alumni who have been out of school for several years are also
friendships and better
potential mentors or business advisors for current team
business communities.
members, so be sure to keep them informed and engaged.

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Students – The New Student

Welcome to Enactus! You are about to start what will likely be an awesome new chapter of your
student life.

Starting Off
• Familiarize yourself with the basic concepts of Enactus, especially the mission and values.
• Be curious. Ask questions. Get to know your teammates. Learn about their passions and
purpose in life, as well as for Enactus projects.
• Find out what your role in the team will be. How can you best contribute?
• You may choose to find a mentor/experienced student in your team who can help you get
acquainted with the basics of running a project and the overall team dynamics.

Taking on an Existing Project?

• Make sure to work with your predecessor(s) on a smooth succession.
• Review how your project will meet the judging criterion.
• Get to know your project beneficiaries and project partners—send out an introduction email.
• Set clear goals for what you aim to achieve with the project this year.
• Create an action plan.

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Students – The Experienced Student

As experienced Enactus students, you make up the vital majority of the Enactus student community and play a crucial role, both as
mentors and role models for new Enactus students and future potential team leaders.

Your Role:
• Assist in recruiting and orienting new students. Having been part of Enactus in your university for a year or more, lessons from your
personal experiences will serve as valuable examples for new students.
• With sufficient knowledge of the judging criterion, your projects, and your competition, your inputs help strengthen the program in your
university.

Some Considerations:
• Motivate your team, especially the new students, and assist the team leaders in engaging all members. Remember Enactus is also
about having fun!
• Keep a keen eye for opportunities to display your special skills—remember, you are a future potential team leader/project manager.
• Build on your leadership skills by efficiently assisting your leadership team and strengthening your Enactus knowledge.
• Think about sharing your past experiences of competition with your presentation team members. As experienced students, actively
engage in designing the annual report and presentation script and/or video. Use this opportunity to build your network and participate
in professional forums.

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Students – The Team Leader
As a team leader, you will be responsible for the overall success of your
team, including leading different project groups as well as ensuring that
your team is properly structured and is functioning smoothly.

Some Considerations
• Find a Mentor! Make sure you look out for a mentor who can help you
in your leadership role. A mentor is someone who serves as an advisor,
sharing experience and helping you develop your leadership skills.
• Share best practices and maximize the network in your country and
beyond. Connect with other Team Leaders locally, nationally, and
internationally to share ideas and successes. Frequently check Enactus
social media to connect with fellow team leaders around the world.
• Learn how to delegate! The year will be busy, and you will have a lot on
your plate. Build trust with your teammates by giving them
responsibilities for the success of the team.
• Develop an action plan for yourself and for your team as a whole.
• Make sure you think about your own succession planning a few months
before the end of your academic year to ensure a smooth transition to
your successor.

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“Successful leaders see the opportunity in every difficulty rather than
the difficulty in every opportunity.” – Reed Markham

GUIDE MOTIVATE

ENGAGE
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Student Team Organization

• Teams have the freedom to organize how they want.

– We recommend adopting a structure based on the overall team size, number of projects, and the required
number of leadership positions within the team.

• All teams should have a Team Leader/President. Other roles include but are not limited to:
– Head of Operations,
– Head of Marketing and Media,
– Head of Fundraising, and
– Project leads for each project.

• Make sure the organizational chart is clear to everyone in the team.

• Keep it simple.

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Team Succession &
Sustainability

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Building a Sustainable Enactus University Program

• Each year team membership numbers tend to

fluctuate because of member graduation and
recruitment efforts.

• To ensure a quick and efficient start to the

academic year, teams should create a team
succession plan.

• The purpose of the plan is to ensure that the

students who will be returning next year
understand the team’s mission, values, goals,
objectives, and strategies well enough to continue
the team’s momentum.

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Tips for a Succession Plan
• Start early with transition. Elect new officers prior to the date
their terms begin so that they can learn from the outgoing
officers.

• Work closely with your Faculty Advisor. Engage the Business

Advisory Board as needed.

• Organize a selection process for the leadership team. Create

detailed job descriptions for each role and conduct interviews
with candidates.

• Offer leadership roles for those students who have been part of
the team for at least one year.

• Create a shadowing/mentorship program for members who

would like to be in a leadership role.

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Yearly Transition Documentation

• One of the most important tools your team can create for sustainability is the yearly transition notebook. Think of this
document as a blueprint for your team. If someone who knew nothing about your team picked up this document, they
should be able to immediately understand your team.

• This could be a physical notebook or an online folder that everyone on the team has access to, and ideally updated
at the end of each academic year.

• Below are some of the items this document or folder should contain:
– Team organizational chart
– Team mission, goals and objectives
– Tentative calendar of events
– Full summaries of ongoing projects
– Copy of most recent annual report and competition presentation
– Tentative dates and deadlines for items due to your Enactus Country Office
– Contact information for the entire team and all groups associated with the team
– All team financial documents
– Team guidelines and bylaws, if applicable
– All other relevant information relating to the team and projects

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Strategic Planning

• Think about organizing a team-building activity at

beginning of the academic year.

• Hold at least one strategic planning session a year to

discuss:
• Projects you will continue,
• Projects you will discontinue,
• Team growth goals and objectives,
• Team organization, meetings, socials, etc., and,
• Fundraising and budget needs.

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Team Audits

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Conducting an Internal Audit

• Everything that an individual team member or a team reports about a project must be true and verifiable. While Enactus
offices tend to audit the National Champion team at the least, we encourage all teams to engage in an internal audit process.

• Self-auditing is an ongoing process! As an Enactus team, this should be a natural phase of all your programmatic and
operational activities. Take proactive measures in documenting your processes, systems, outcomes, etc. on a periodic basis.
Organize all your information in online or offline documents and folders.

• We recommend conducting a formal audit of your team and projects at least once a year. Start by drafting an audit strategy.
You may reference the audit materials that Enactus uses to conduct the National Champion audit to create your strategy and
process.

• Consider appointing a member of your team with the task of managing all auditing procedures or request that a faculty
person at your institution (preferably with an auditing/accounting background) review your processes and lend advice on how
to best prepare. You may also reach out to an external source in advance and ask for their expertise on how to best manage
your self-audit.

• Team audits should include meetings between your auditor(s) and select project beneficiaries. Make sure to inform your
project beneficiaries well in advance that they may be subject to an interview by the audit committee. This will avoid any
challenges later when the audit is being implemented.

Note: The audit information provided here is to help teams evaluate the integrity and outcomes of their work internally. 30
It is different from the National Champion Audit or other audits conducted by your Country Office.
Institutional Support

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Institutional Support

• Having the support of your institution and administration is crucial

Obtaining Institutional Support to the success of your team.

• Determine how your team can • There are many opportunities for your institution and
benefit your institution and administration to support your team by allocating resources such
administration. as:
– Access to university resources such as office space for the
• Create an elevator pitch that
team, printing and other equipment, etc.,
clearly explains what’s in it for
– Access to university and community networks,
them.
– Funding for the team’s projects, travel, and other activities,
• Keep administrators informed – Support in securing a faculty advisor to guide the team, and
about what’s important to them. – To serve on your Business Advisory Board.

• Engage administrators in team • Keep in mind resources are limited for every university. Never
meetings, projects, and events. assume resources are available. The only way to truly know is to
ask.

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Budgeting & Funding

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Understanding Your Financial Needs - I

• Understanding the role of funding is fundamental to learning, team building, progress with projects, and
entrepreneurial drive. It is very likely that your team will need to seek funding sources throughout the year to
accomplish your goals and objectives.

• To help you set your fundraising goals, objectives, and strategies, start by understanding your financial needs. In
other words, “How much money will you need to fulfill your mission?”

• Then create an itemized budget specifying every single activity and the costs associated with it. Some considerations
include the cost of research, conducting needs & strengths assessments, marketing, costs related to fundraising,
program implementation, travel, overheads, etc.

• Ask yourself for each item—“Do I need to spend these funds?" Then, consider if there are any free or in-kind
alternatives.

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Understanding Your Financial Needs - II

• A member of the team should be responsible for the expenditures, making sure that your project stays within
budget, and securing any donated items. If you are obtaining quotes in advance, make sure you have
documented the details from the vendor.

• Have a plan for each year that you expect the project to be active. Compare your planned costs with actual
costs annually. This will allow you to adjust the planned amount for future years. In addition, spend some time
thinking about what could have gone better. This way, you do not budget inefficient costs for future years.

• Finally, make sure that there is an expenditure approval process when the actual disbursements must be
made. You do not want to be blindsided by projects going over budget. The university finance office is likely
to have an existing approval process that you may be able to leverage.

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Funding for Teams
• Teams typically draw from a number of funding
sources, such as corporate donations, school support
and team fundraisers.

• Some sources of funding that are outlined in the next

few slides include
– Your educational institution,
– Entrepreneurial activities and operations,
– Grants from companies/civic
organizations/foundations, and
– Partnerships.

• It is important to diversify and identify multiple sources

of funding to ensure good financial health and long-
term sustainability.

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Sources of Funds - I

Your Educational Institution Entrepreneurial Operations

• Your learning institution/college/university is a great resource • Your institution may provide an immediate customer base for
for available funds. small entrepreneurial operations, such as leasing vending
machines, setting up a small coffee stand/shop, or selling
• There is likely a process for this, and it can take a long time, concessions at athletic or other social events.
so it is better to have these requests filed early in the
academic year as funds are limited. • Make sure you gain approval from your institutional
administration before setting up such a business.
• Share your mission, goals, and strategies with senior
members of the academic and administrative departments at • You can also organize fundraiser campaigns in your institution
your institutions to secure their buy-in and financial support. or crowdsource funds through online sources. Make sure you
secure adequate permissions within your University before
organizing such fundraisers.

• Set your team’s online business! You can sell your products
. and create your own revenue stream!

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Sources of Funds - II

Companies/Civic Organizations/Foundations Partnerships

• To access these groups, you might start by networking in your • For some projects, there is likely to be a business in your
institution to understand where staff members, professors, community willing to offset the cost of the project. Identify
and/or administrators are invested in civic groups.
companies in your community that would be natural partners
• While it may be difficult to secure funding from a large for your project.
corporation, consider companies or organizations within your
own community, such as a local bank, as they may be realistic • Develop an elevator pitch to help you convince identified
sources for securing grants.
organizations.
• If you pursue grants from civic organizations or foundations, it
is most effective for your team to develop a project concept • Remember that you are asking organizations for money for
with specific measurable outcomes that you plan to present for which they have invested a lot of resources, time and effort.
the grant. Being respectful of their business mindset through thoughtful
• Keep in mind that foundation basic funding is often sporadic planning, tracking and execution can result in long-standing
and may not renew annually. The grant process is typically relationships and recurrent revenue for your team.
slow, so you should be diligent in your approach.

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Show Your Appreciation

Helpful Tips!

Whether someone has fully committed to • Send thank you notes in a timely manner.
Be prompt, but remember it is never too
support your team’s efforts or has only late to show your appreciation.
considered it, it is important to send a thank • Keep it simple!
you note to express your appreciation for the • Always mention the specific support
potential’s funder time and consideration for provided or the reason for the meeting
and your hope to accomplish in the
your team and project. meeting.

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Media

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Sharing Your Story

• Every year, Enactus teams make headlines in hundreds of local, regional, and national media outlets. Working with
your local media is an excellent way to receive recognition, increase support for your team’s activities, and gain the
attention of the business community.

• Earned, traditional, and social media are your key outlets to tell your story around the world. Earned media is
achieved when someone picks up your story and shares it with their media outlet of choice — whether broadcast,
print, or digital.

• Make sure you have great storytellers on your team, and team members that know social media outlets. Identify the
influencers on the team, on your campus, and in your community.

• Social media stories can focus on your team members’ passion, project pitch, and purpose. You can also share
the impact the Enactus experience has on you personally. People are moved by personal stories of passion and
purpose — you are that story.

• An effective story, in video, audio, print, or digital format, will grab your attention in the first sentence or the first seven
seconds. This can be in the form of a powerful question, an intriguing statement, or an emotional moment to grab
focus of the audience. Brevity is key in media; you can always lead interested audiences to learn more.

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Tips for Publicizing Your Efforts on Media
• Consider focusing on media outlets that serve business • Solicit advice and assistance with your media efforts from
communities that are key to funding and building support. your college or university’s public relations office.
Business outlets like LinkedIn should be a priority in sharing
your stories. • Before sending a press release to your local media, contact
the assignment manager at each outlet to determine how they
• Study your local media market. Identify what specific stations, prefer to receive the information, e.g., e-mail, form
papers, etc., serve your local community. Pay particular submission, etc.
attention to the reporters most likely to cover stories about
your team’s activity. • Check with the specific media outlet to determine the lead
time required. It might need to be several weeks.
• It is important to use an up-to-date contact list. Take the time
to contact your local media outlets, introduce your team, and • Most newspapers and radio stations have calendar
collect their contact information. For each outlet, make sure information sections. Send a brief paragraph about an
you collect the contact information for any specific reporters upcoming event to be included in these sections.
you identified in the previous step as well as the assignment
manager. • Post videos of your projects online for use in web-based
reporting.
• As in any other industry, working with the media has a lot to
do with relationships. Personally introduce yourself to local • Provide the media with links to your team’s website and social
reporters and contact them throughout the year with story media pages for more information.
ideas.

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Submit Your Media to Enactus

Nothing tells the story of Enactus better than seeing the entrepreneurial spirit in action! Share your project photos with
Enactus Global Marketing teams at trowett@enactus.org, and you may see your photo on the cover of the next Team
Handbook, on enactus.org, or in a video at an Enactus World Cup!!

Here’s the type of photo that works best:

• Show action! Rather than posed photographs, capture the essence of your project through the action it creates.
• Include team members and beneficiaries. It’s powerful to see Enactus students interacting with the communities we
serve.
• The higher the resolution the better. Today’s smartphones are capable of 8-megapixel photos or more. If you have
access to a digital SLR camera, these will yield the best project photos.

If you have a video, send it our way as well!

• Ideally, provide videos in 16:9 format with a resolution of 720p or higher
• Be sure to include a brief description of the project as well as a contact name and email address in the event we have
questions.

To get even better project photos and videos, consider partnering with your University’s media department. Have a
media student accompany your team on your next project outing.

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Media Disclaimer

By submitting your photo or video, you are granting permission to Enactus and its agents, employees, and
affiliated organizations to use the media in Enactus publications such as recruiting brochures, newsletters,
and magazines, and to use electronic versions on websites or other electronic form or media, and to offer
them for use or distribution in other non-Enactus publications, electronic or otherwise, without notifying
you. You waive any right to inspect or approve the finished photos, videos or printed or electronic matter
that may be used in conjunction with them now or in the future, whether that use is known or unknown,
and you waive any right to royalties or other compensation arising from or related to the use of the photo
or video provided.

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For more information,
contact your Country
Office or
globalprograms@enactus.org

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