Rotary's Diversity Grande Addiction

Proposition: Rotary's addiction to the elixir served up in Rotary's Diversity Grande has actually hindered diverse representation and contributed to our overall membership stabilization.

Click here to read more from Jim Henry. 

Click here to visit Retention Central.

The Silent Rotary Killer

This Silent Rotary Killer dictates more club and Rotarian actions than many are aware.

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From Jim Henry at Retention Central! 

Is Your Rotary Club Interconnected to It's Star?

A Rotary Club should be interconnected with the gravitational pull of its STAR like our Earth is interconnected with the gravitational pull of its STAR.

Read the latest Jim Henry Rotatorial at Retention Central.

Hope is Not a Strategy

Article by PDG Noel Trevaskis, Rotary Coordinator, Chairman Australian Rotary Health in Rotary on the Move Newsletter. 

It is always interesting when I visit clubs and ask them about their membership and club strategy along with other things. Would you be surprised that a lot of clubs tell me that they hope to increase their membership? They hope to increase their fundraising, etc. Clubs are preparing to get ready to elect their leaders of the future; they will be hoping that they elect the right people for the leadership roles in their club. 

Hope is not a strategy.

For clubs to be successful they need to have good strategies in place. Successful Clubs know what they are trying to achieve and how they are going to achieve it, they have plans. They know what the problems are and how they are going to solve them. They concentrate on solutions, they don’t focus on problems.

What does a club have to do to be successful? Value their members, fulfil their need. Put members into roles where they will be satisfied making them feel worthwhile and that they are a big part of the club. People need to know that what they are doing in a club is appreciated, they should be acknowledged for their efforts. Successful clubs always want to achieve success; in fact they expect to be successful. They always want to do more and are always improving and wanting to improve they are not satisfied with where they are now. They are focussed on the future. They talk about progress not change!

A club that is a successful club is a progressive club not a hopeful club, they develop their members. They have all their members involved in the club. They look forward to the future; they don’t hope to have a good future, they have solutions and plans they don’t just hope. Successful clubs know that hope is not a strategy.

RI President Kalyan Banerjee speaks on membership

In a video message sent to 2011-12 club presidents, RI President Kalyan Banerjee says it’s time for clubs to take an honest look at who they are and how they need to change in order to achieve a sustainable Rotary. He urges clubs to highlight Rotary’s relevance to young professionals and to take active measures to engage both new and existing members.

"...as we begin the tasks we have set for ourselves, I remind you all that part of our goal is also to leave Rotary better at the end of the year than it was at the beginning, which means bringing in new members and working to keep the ones we have. For that reason, I have asked the RI Membership Development & Retention Committee, chaired by Past RI Vice-President Monty Audenart, to develop a three-year membership plan that includes the following elements:

• Recognition of varying regional opportunities and challenges

• A focus on diversity to bring in more young professionals and women and expand the range of professional backgrounds in our clubs

• Improved retention efforts in all regions

• More appealing, inviting, and flexible clubs"

Please click here to view the personal message from RI President Kalyan Banerjee.

Questioning MD-PETS (Multi-District President Elect Training Seminars)

Have PETS slowed our North American Membership Decline?

Have PETS contributed to our North American Membership Decline?

Are PETS Focused on Presidents-Elect?

To read more, please visit Retention Central or click here to go directly to the article.

The next generation of Rotarians

Rotary’s New Generations programs are a great resource for attracting young professionals and helping them to develop personally and professionally. Clubs are encouraged to increase diversity in Rotary by recruiting young men and women. Getting them involved in a Rotaract club or Rotary Youth Exchange can be the first step to a lifelong connection to Rotary.

Learn about these and other Rotary programs for New Generations, and find out how your club can benefit from involving youth and young adults in Rotary.

Read more. From Membership Minute, Oct 2011.  

Climbing Out of the Ruts of Declining Membership

Rotarians! Stop Digging!

For eighteen years, Rotary in North America has been mired in the captivating ruts of declining membership. Other regions of the world should be wary and steer clear or they, too, could become bogged down in similar ruts.

Consider reading Jim Henry’s Rotatorial on thoughts about getting out and/or staying out of these ruts in his most recent post on Retention Central.