Rotary is a unique and complex organization.  We change our leadership every year, we are located in 166 countries, we represent every culture, race, creed, political affiliation, and every gender.  We have survived and thrived for nearly 100 years, through war, famine, upheaval, and holocaust.  And yet, each year, we change our leadership and expect great results.

 

If you think that your Rotary Club is in trouble and could use some help in achieving its potential, try looking at some of these indicators that have stood the test of time.

 

1. Does your President lead?  The President of a Rotary Club is the elected leader.  He or she is expected to lead, and the members expect to follow.  The President must lead!  As Rotarians, we are all business-people, capable of leadership, and were selected to be Rotarians because we were successful in business.  So, Mr. or Ms. President, be the leader you are expected to be - lead!
    

2. How do you rate your programs and your Club's attendance?  Interestingly, these two features, programs and attendance, go hand in hand.  I recently studied the attendance reports of a District and compared attendance to the gain or loss of membership.  When the attendance of a Club fell below 75%, the Club lost or has not gained members this year.
   
   Quality programs are available in abundance - but you have to go after them.  High quality speakers with interesting subjects do not, generally, call up the local Rotary Club and say "Here I am and I want to speak at Rotary".  But, business, government, and professional leaders recognize Rotary for what it is and the important role we play in the world community. 
   
   You need to use this 'power' of recognition wisely and go after the best speaker with the most interesting subject to attend your meeting.  We fail our membership if we wait until the evening before to invite a speaker.  Look up the roster of your local Chamber of Commerce, your local Bar Association, your local Medical Association, your nearest Military base, and your local Council of Governments - there you will find speakers of high quality, eager to speak, and enthusiastic about their subject.  And don't forget that other Rotarians in other Clubs can be a resource too.
    

3. Does your Club DO anything?  Yes, ask yourself, what does my Club do?  Are there projects in each of the Avenues of Service?  Are you participating in an international project?  Are you supporting, in some way, the youth of your community?  What fund raisers do you have AND are they fun?  If you can't answer YES to each of these questions and give some examples to support your yes answer, then your Club needs to take a hard look at why it exists as a Rotary Club.  We are Service Above Self, we are the leading service organization in the world, we are about to eradicate Polio.  What are you waiting for?
    

4. Do you and your fellow Club members give to The Rotary Foundation?  TRF (The Rotary Foundation) is the largest global charitable organization known to man.  We do more through the Foundation to assist the needy, relieve hunger, develop clean water, maintain a green environment, prevent malnourishment, save infants from early deaths, prevent disease, and promote education than most other foundations combined.To the world, The Rotary Foundation is Rotary. 
   
   To me, if your Club has its own foundation to support local good works, then you should equally support The Rotary Foundation.  If you do not have a 100% sustaining member program, then you need to rethink how you can achieve your Service Above Self goal on a worldwide basis.
    

5. How much do you and your membership really know about Rotary?  When were we founded, by whom, why, and why the name Rotary?  What countries are we in, what countries have we been forced to leave, what is the latest country to add Rotary, and how many Rotarians are there in the world?  Ask these same questions about your State or Regional area.  The more you and your members know about Rotary, the stronger, more positive, more responsive will be your membership.
    

6. Is there a Rotary Club in your town?  Does the population of the town know this?  We have traveled to all 50 US states, and 42 other countries, we have visited well over 100 Rotary Clubs, and so we look for signs that a Rotary Club exists in each town we visit.  Sadly, too many towns in the United States show no sign of a Rotary Club, yet we are there to do a makeup at the Club in that town.  There are so many opportunities to quietly, with dignity, let people know that Rotary is there to serve and to help lead in your town.  Make it a point to let people know that - YES, Rotary does exist, and actively so, in your town.
    

7. Do you and the leaders of your Club attend the leadership training events put on for you by your District?  If not, why not?  As stated before, we change leadership each and every year.  We must train new leadership each and every year.  Your District Governor and his or her leadership team spend huge amounts of time, energy and money to put on these events.  If you attend, you will be better prepared to lead when it is your turn to be the Club President.
   
   A Club President is THE MOST IMPORTANT JOB IN ROTARY.  I say this, Past Presidents of Rotary International say this, and you will say this when you experience the opportunity to lead.  Take advantage of all the training opportunities put on each and every year in all 529 Districts worldwide.
    

8. How do you induct new members?  Is it "Hi Joe, welcome to Rotary, your new badge will be $5.00."  Or is it an event that that new member will not forget?  I have watched a couple of hundred inductions of new members - the best are summarized in the attachment to this article.  Please read and use it.
    

9. Finally, have you asked yourself this - why am I in Rotary?  When you do this, write down the reasons, share those reasons with fellow members, and with potential members.  You will find a common bond with real Rotarians - because they too share your reasons and may help remind you of other reasons to belong to Rotary.  It is a good idea to educate Rotarians about Rotary.  But, please, do not forget that the way to a Rotarians pocketbook is through his or her heart.
   
   I recently read an article from a District Newsletter about a Rotarian I know very well.  He served as a Club President during the year I was privileged to be Governor.  He speaks about delivering wheelchairs (550) to Monterrey, Mexico, in conjunction with The Wheelchair Foundation:
    

   • "Never does it feel so good to be a Rotarian than when you can experience first-hand the end results of the hard work of so many.  You have only to look into the faces of these men, women and children unable to transport their own fragile bodies, to know that every effort we made was well spent.  Although many of the recipients were elderly and infirm, it was a surprise for me to see that at least one-third of those receiving chairs were under the age of fifteen.  I was also gratified to see that we were able to spontaneously qualify and register the many who were not on the (qualification) lists, but who came in high hopes of receiving a wheelchair for themselves or a loved one.
     
     But, nothing quite prepared me for a little elderly lady sitting quietly in the courtyard of a local church, where we distributed 50 chairs.  I walked over and reached out my hand to congratulate here and wish her luck with her new wheelchair.  Out of the blue and with tears in her eyes she spoke a stream of words I could not understand as she grasped my hand.  I waved over a local Rotarian who explained her situation telling me she had been bedridden for over three years and this was her chance to be mobile.  The local Rotarian translated as the elderly lady whispered to me, 'You are an angel.  God has plans for you and you will have a special place in heaven."

 

It was the voice of gratitude that I now share with ALL who had a part in this most extraordinary and rewarding endeavor."

 

KNOW ROTARY, SHARE ROTARY, LIVE ROTARY, AND ENJOY ROTARY.

 

Past Governor Gerry Roberts
(District 5230, 2000-2001)
Member, Rotary eClub One, District 5450.