In Gear | Rotary in Southern New Zealand Issue 2 | Page 53
projects? To Rotary events? Have you thought about
your club experience holistically?
Have you wondered where your clubmates are
at? Sometimes, it’s easy to spot who’s not content;
other times, you need hard data. So, does your club
regularly try and collect that information – do you
actually ask members where they’re at in a structured
way? Most clubs don’t.
Yet, there are a wealth of resources and tools available
to help keep your finger on the pulse of your club’s
health and strength:
Knowledge, they say, is power. Your club’s best shot
of succeeding with new initiatives is by take informed
action – and there’s research and tools aplenty to steer
you in the right direction.
Is it time you and your clubmates faced facts and had
‘the chat’? Here are some conservation starters:
Location and timing of your meeting
If you don’t want to change your meeting location
on a permanent basis, what about doing some
off-site stuff? Maybe, meet for a service project, or
in Rotarians’ homes or places of work. If you’re a
breakfast or lunch club, what about changing it up and
having an evening meeting on a regular basis?
Conversely, if you’re an evening club, why not catch
up for breakfast once and a while? If you live in a city,
could you hold a combined Rotary meeting every
couple of months? Some clubs meet fortnightly,
but, on the other week, they have a social function
like going to an event, sharing drinks and nibbles or
holding a committee meeting.
I’m a bit scared to bring it up, but … food.
Do you really need it, every meeting? And, if you do,
are you happy with the quality of it? Is it always the
same and tasting a bit same-old same-old?
Programme
Is the weekly schedule getting tired … same routine
week-in, week-out. Do you always have a speaker? Do
you always need to have a speaker? Are your speakers
interesting?
Have you ever wondered the
top reasons why Rotarians
leave? Wonder no more:
1. Personality conflict
2. Conflict with club leadership
3. Feeling unwanted, neglected and
disengaged
4. Personal and work priorities
5. Club resistant to change and
innovation