Table of Contents

For all Rotarians

Your Voice, Your Solution Best Practices

E ach month on the RI Web site, Rotarians share their ideas and strategies for addressing challenges. To read best practices written by Rotarians, click on one of the topics below:

Club programs

Today's speaker can't make it to the meeting

You’re a club president. It’s five minutes before your weekly meeting, and you get a call that today’s speaker can’t make it. What do you do to fill that part of your agenda?

Improvise. Invite visiting Rotarians to share about their clubs and some of the major projects they have been doing recently. Through such sharing, our community becomes much richer, as we can "borrow" some of the experiences visiting members have had without reinventing the wheel. Also, encourage your club’s Rotarians to share recent experiences or details about the projects that they are working on. – Ban Seng Chew
As a past program chair, I always had "pocket programs" that could be presented at a moment's notice. Perhaps it's a club member who would be willing to share images of a fabulous trip or a member with an unusual occupation. Other really good resources are the presentations available for download on the RI Web site about Rotary's many programs. Or how about showing some of the speeches from the RI Convention? – Hyla Lipson
District officers in the club – past and present – can stand in any time as speakers. The absence of a speaker is a great opportunity to get to know the members better. If it is Literacy Month, for instance, ask members to talk about their favorite teacher. If it is Membership and Extension Month, ask all members to recall their induction day. Spontaneity adds vitality to the club. – Marge Lamberte
We are all talented individuals in Rotary. Make the best use of the absence of a scheduled speaker by creating a “Know This Rotarian's Hobby” program, in which a Rotarian is invited to speak about a hobby and related activities but not his or her profession. – Gaurish Padukone
Have a senior member give a "reclassification" talk. New members never get to hear from older members about their careers. – Ken Scheffel
Have an experienced club member or the club trainer relay the latest Rotary information in the form of a question-and-answer game, like trivia or charades. Make sure it is lively. With this activity, members will gain more knowledge and at the same time enjoy themselves, promoting camaraderie and fellowship. – Grace Vinarao
We have used the time for a club assembly to update the club about what the board has been doing and to discuss issues regarding strategic planning. Another time, we took the opportunity to get updates from members who were active in district-level activities. – Elizabeth Rhoads
Keep stock of DVD or PowerPoint presentations available from the RI Web site, and use the most appropriate one. – Umaprasad Datta
Invite a Rotarian a day in advance to act as a backup speaker. Many Rotarians are experts on the subject planned for the speaker. Invite three or four Rotarians to moderate a panel discussion or organize a "conference" in which every member at the meeting can be given two minutes to speak on the subject that the speaker was to speak on. Or you can assign any other subject on the spot. This can also be moderated by one person. – Charanjit Singh

Responses may have been edited for style and length. Read all of the responses on this topic.

Weekly meetings are uninspiring

You've been appointed the weekly program chair for the coming year. Last year many members complained the weekly meetings were a waste of time. How will you keep weekly programs for the coming year interesting?

Visit other clubs -- you'll get a lot of inspiration there. Invite Rotarians from other clubs to present their projects, companies, or professions. Change the place of your meeting. – Raimond Gatter
Look in the government section of the phone book. There, you will find listings for all the county and municipal agencies in your area. Just start calling. Many of them have outreach and information programs for veterans, local commerce, education, travel and tourism, and all kinds of other agency business. Many are just looking for an audience and have lots of handouts to share. Local businesses are another source. Invite a speaker; perhaps he or she will become a club member. – Elizabeth Johnson
Know your audience well and what they like to listen to every week. Use interactive activities instead of just listening. We play games sometimes, and it’s fun. Try some themes or color motifs, or bring in items. Try to change the seating arrangement to encourage fellowship. Also, assign a group each month to prepare the bulletin or program and a list of speakers to invite. And don't forget to acknowledge their efforts. – Zony Reyes
I find that the more community events I attend, the more potential speakers I meet. I recently attended a “green expo” and picked up three speakers in an hour's time. When I meet people who might be of interest to the club, I get their business cards and e-mail addresses and call within the week to set up a date. – Betty Burke
I find it helps to have a cycle: one week a month to focus on meeting with no speakers and one week to focus on Rotary-related issues, which leaves two weeks to fill. We have started a leadership development program at the Rotary Club of Stockholm International, Sweden, where once a month, one of our more experienced members gives a presentation on the theme of leadership. We use Rotary's Leadership Development: Your Guide to Starting a Program (250) as a guide for topics and structure. The aim is to promote intergenerational dialogue and mentorship on these issues so that the younger members can learn from the experience and thoughts of the older ones. – Anthony Pearce
Every week in my club, a member or friend of the club comes to talk about an agreed-upon topic, not necessarily about Rotary matters. These are topics like stress management, the embattled economy, family issues, etc. This year, the club introduced a raffle in which a percentage of the proceeds is given to the winner. At the last meeting of every month, we celebrate birthdays of members for that particular month, and the celebrants must dance and raise funds for the club. There's also a “From the President’s Desk” page in the weekly bulletin, where club activities, news from the RI Web site, and jokes or words of wisdom are all highlighted. – Wunmi Oyewole

Responses may have been edited for style and length. Read all of the responses on this topic.

Membership involvement

A new member feels isolated

You’ve noticed that the new member in your club is never sure where to sit and often ends up sitting at an empty table. What can you do to help this member get to know other club members?

As the service director for the Rotary Club of Gainesville-Haymarket, Virginia, USA, I make a point of getting our new members involved in a service project as soon as possible. This makes them feel like part of a group. We also have a fellowship event at least once a quarter. We get together at someone's house or do things like go to a baseball game. As part of the event, we usually do what we call a "done in a day" project. This might be everyone bringing school supplies that we donate to a local school. – Marilyn Karp
This year, our club introduced a "passport" program, whereby new members attend a different committee meeting each month. They are invited by the committee chair, have the opportunity to meet members in a more relaxed environment, and learn about the work of each committee. Their passport is “stamped” at the meeting. New members are also assigned a mentor. The mentors are provided with guidelines and a worksheet to ensure that both mentor and mentee are actively engaged. – George Todd
I am the service director of the Rotary Club of The Glass House Mountains, Queensland, Australia. I believe it is vital to have one of your members at the door each night greeting everyone coming in. If it is a new member or a visitor, they will be greeted warmly and introduced, or passed on to another member to take them to the bar, shoot them a drink, and make sure that person is not left alone, has interested people around him or her, and is made welcome at a table. They also need to be involved in one of the committees so they are immediately doing something worthwhile in the club. – Trevor Taylor
Our club has a system whereby every member has a Rotary "buddy." It's your job to know your buddy's whereabouts if he or she is not at a meeting. One of the first steps with new members is to assign them a buddy. Also, at each meeting our club takes three to five minutes for family of Rotary announcements. This conveys to new members that they have joined a true family organization. – Richard Kreps
Even though we are a small club, a one-hour lunch meeting does not give us much time to get to know one another. As president, I asked each member to write down four to five things about themselves that the rest of us might not know. I then made up a matching quiz that everyone took at the next meeting. We learned that we did not know one another very well and that we have some very interesting members. Who knew that we had a former member of the French Foreign Legion? Or someone who once hitchhiked to Marrakech? Or someone whose nickname is "Duck"? – Betty Burke
Set aside time during a meeting for new members to talk about their professions, what motivated them to join Rotary, and how they can promote Rotary’s philosophy through their professions among their friends and others. – Emilce Jacqueline Medina Méndez

Responses may have been edited for style and length. Read all of the responses to this topic.

Membership recruitment

Lack of young members

You are president-elect, and you realize your club is aging. How do you recruit younger members?

We ask the young members to bring in their acquaintances and friends who are doing well in their vocations. These young people are invited to meetings, fellowship events, and projects, and once they get involved and motivated, they join the club. Since 1 July 2008, we've added 8 members to our existing 77, of which 5 are young members. – Mukesh Mehta
Build the bridge between the old and new! Get members to spend quality time with younger potential members (maybe Rotaractors). Hold fundraising events, such as happy hours, bowling nights, and hikes, that will attract young people. Provide a space for sharing information about Rotary in a modern, informal setting. More young people will learn how amazing Rotary is if someone reaches out to show them. I also think young people today like to be challenged. Give Rotaractors a project or goal, and challenge them. I think many clubs will be surprised by how capable young people can be. – Kelly Tiller
I have just [helped charter] my second Rotary club. It is [nicknamed] "The New Face of Rotary." It takes a back-to-basics approach by looking at why Paul Harris began meeting with professionals in Chicago. We chartered with 22 members in February and now have 28 members, and continue to grow. At every meeting, all members introduce themselves and what they do, along with making guest introductions. We only have happy bucks -- we do not fine for missed meetings. We order off the menu so members can control food costs. We do not sing; it is hokey, as the club is composed mostly of Generation Xers. It is key to answer the question, what's in it for me? when inviting new members. The best sales tool is listing 10 benefits of Rotary. – Jay McCall
The club should get involved in activities that build public image: community programs for poverty alleviation, health, and literacy. "Do more and talk less" is the phrase that attracts young members. – Syed Azmatullah
Our club, the Rotary Club of Comox, British Columbia, Canada, is currently embarking on an attempt to bring in a group of young members in one cohort. I have seen this work in the past. I joined Rotary at the age of 23. The average member in that club at the time was in their 60s. Those members had the foresight to bring in about 10 new members who were in their 20s and 30s, all within a short period of time. It allowed us to feel comfortable, since we had other people who shared our age group, our interests, and our concerns. Be warned: It will change your club. We did get rid of the songbooks. We did change from writing checks to getting our hands dirty. – Dale Roberts
At the Rotary Club of Topeka, Kansas, USA, we have begun live-streaming our meetings to our Web site. Members who cannot make the meetings in person can watch our meetings live or watch them later. While not aimed specifically at young people, it is the young people in many cases who use the Internet to connect with Rotary. – Greg Hill
Many of the younger professionals are working for companies that do not cover their dues and that expect them to be on the job throughout the day. Forming or converting to a breakfast club can help overcome both of those problems. The breakfast meal generally costs less than lunch or dinner, and members can get to a meeting before the workday begins. – Betsy Demaray
Before we can recruit young members, we must have a club that is attractive to them. Programs should be innovative and fun without violating any of the tenets of Rotary. Young people should be able to identify themselves with the club and be allowed to participate in all the programs. Their suggestions should be given due consideration, and older Rotarians should learn the art of listening. Our club, the Rotary Club of Baguio Sunrise, Benguet, Philippines, [is] about 50 percent young members, and they are all very active. – Rey Abellada
Create programs that young people can identify with. Create a blog on which comments can be posted about Rotary activities carried out by young people, such as Rotaractors, Interactors, and RYLArians. Invite a young person from the community to develop the blog, because the language they use will be more attractive to young people. – Marselino Garrido
I am 30 years old and a Rotarian. I created a Facebook page called “This Is Rotary” to teach people what Rotary is. Rotarians can collaborate by providing information and inviting younger people to join. – Natalia Villarroell

Responses may have been edited for style and length. Read all of the responses on this topic.

Membership retention

A member wants to leave

A Rotarian comes to you to say he is resigning his membership as his family life and work commitments are too demanding. How do you convince him to remain a member?

If the member wants to resign, it may be worth asking if the person might like to be a “friend of Rotary." My club in Australia provides this option and asks for a nominal amount to cover the subscription to our regional magazine, Rotary Down Under, plus a small amount to cover mailing newsletters from our club if they don't have e-mail. We say that friends of Rotary are welcome to attend meetings anytime and to help out on projects when available. This keeps them involved with Rotary and the club, and many times when their circumstances change, they ask if they can rejoin the club as a full member. We ensure they know that they are no longer a Rotarian and may not wear the emblem but are still part of our Rotary family, much like Rotary Foundation alumni. – Merv Richens
The decision to remain in or leave a Rotary club may be based on the shared values of its members. Membership is composed of four generational cohorts: traditionalists (born 1900-45), baby boomers (born 1946-64), Generation X (born 1965-80), and millennials (born 1981-99). Clubs experiencing retention problems may find that the largest cohort to withdraw their membership is Generation X, followed by the baby boomers. Generation X may be difficult to retain if alternative approaches to meetings and activities are not provided. [Millennials] are a diverse and civic-minded group, bombarded with compelling messages daily. They are an untapped resource and want balance in their lives. Balanced initiatives are one of the most strategic approaches for companies to attract and retain workers and to reduce the stress and distraction in their lives. But balance means something different to each of the generations, so understanding different perceptions of balance is the key to retention. For clubs to succeed in retaining members, a clear understanding of age demographics will need to be included in the strategic planning process for the club. – Curt Devan
Members come and go. This is true of almost all community-based NGOs [nongovernmental organizations]. One important factor that can lessen this issue is building your club's public image. If your club implements a huge project and the public image of your club greatly improves, no member would want to resign his or her membership. In fact, it could draw in new members to the club. – Ashish Ajmera
Before inviting new members, we give them a clear illustration of the financial obligations and the programs of Rotary International and our club. Next, we involve new members with families in club programs and family events. If it comes to the point when a member wants to resign, before approaching him, we find out the reason why he is leaving. Then we meet with him and convince him to stay. – S.B. Sukumar
I fear this question comes too late. By the time someone decides to resign and tells the club about it, he is already mentally gone. Did members of the club notice his attendance suddenly falling off? Did anyone call him up and ask if everything was OK? Ask if the club could do anything to help? Did someone assure the member that we all have times when life requires more of us than there are hours in a day, but that the club would be there for him to work something out? Being proactive like this might have changed the situation from a resignation to a creative problem-solving session that would have either helped the member stay in the club or left the door open to his returning. And if he does leave on good terms, keep in touch so that he might return when the stresses calm down (as they usually do). – Scott M. Sherman
I'd have lunch with the person and tell him or her the story of Rotary. A member who knows the history will more likely remain and contribute. Make history a priority in your club, and you'll have better retention and Foundation contributions. – Jack Selway
I would talk to the member about feeling ownership of the club: It is your club, and its members are your family. Your absence will be missed -- a void which cannot be replaced. Just as you need to give attention to your family and work, you also need to give back to the community that has given you so much. We all have a responsibility to future generations, and we must leave behind a better world for them. Rotary gives us ordinary people extraordinary opportunities to reach out to those in need. – Debasish Mitra
If the member has a genuine problem, then it’s difficult to convince him or her to stay. He or she has to be aware of what he or she is getting from Rotary: fellowship, friendship, and the opportunity to serve the needy. They have to be informed that if it’s a temporary problem, they can get a short reprieve from the club and that Rotary does not need 100 percent attendance. Also, in difficult times, they may make up attendance at an e-club. Lastly, they have to be advised to involve their family as well in Rotary, so that their family is always with them. – S.N. Agrawal
There are so many ways of maintaining minimal attendance requirements. Involvement in service is the key, and the club board should condone minimum hours of genuine service. Alternatively, e-club make-ups are an option. If members are not committed and involved in service, maybe we should let them go. – Chris Molam

Responses may have been edited for style and length. Read all of the responses on this topic.

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