With heart and mind
To adapt, as laid out in Rotary’s Action Plan, we must occasionally step out of our comfort zone and try something new. Here are two examples of clubs that adapted — one with heart and one through critical thinking and strategy.
The Rotary Club of Chandigarh Mid Town, India, led with heart earlier this year. To engage members and grow membership, club president Nitin Kapur personally called every former member of the club and invited them to a gathering billed as an alumni meet.
Eight former members attended, and the results were stupendous. The visitors had a chance to connect once more — not only with current members but with the sense of camaraderie and belonging that membership gave them. By the end of the evening, the club welcomed six of the former members back into the Rotary family.
Kapur showed courage when he reached out to the alumni. Not only did he adapt and try something new but he had the strength of character to show the club’s alumni how much they still meant to the family of Rotary. That bravery paid off.
People want to feel needed and appreciated. People want to feel that they belong. And they might never feel that way if we don’t have the courage to tell them.
Meanwhile, the Rotary Club of Seoul-Hansoo, Korea, has been experimenting with different club models to great effect. Over the past four years, Seoul-Hansoo has created and maintained four satellite clubs — a service club, an interest-based club for musicians, a cause-based club that mentors professionals, and a club for college students.
These satellite clubs are part of a five-year plan the Seoul-Hansoo club implemented to increase membership through innovation.
What’s the secret to founding and maintaining so many satellite clubs? Membership between Seoul-Hansoo and its satellite clubs is fluid and synergistic. Many members of the satellite clubs attend the sponsor club’s meetings. And many of the sponsor club’s members participate in the satellite clubs.
Additionally, the focus of each satellite club is no accident. Each one appeals to different interests of people in the sponsor club and in the community, attracting existing and potential members. This is an excellent strategy to both retain and attract members because it offers flexibility. If someone is interested in joining but they can’t make it to the sponsor club’s meetings, they have plenty of options to choose from.
These are just two examples of how we can adapt with our hearts and minds. Every club is different, so I encourage you to reach out to members of your club and of the community around you. Ask them about the club experience and what you can do to improve.
Talk to people and you might find ways that you can adapt and spark The Magic of Rotary in your club.
Stephanie A Urchick
President, Rotary International
