Peace Through Service Rotary International President Sakuji Tanka

Transcription

1 NEWSLETTER FOR ROTARY DISTRICTS & CLUBS July 2012 Peace Through Service Rotary International President Sakuji Tanka Zone 28 Rotary Coordinator Mary Beth Growney Selene Assistant Rotary Coordinators Rich Rowland Districts Deb Severson Districts Tamie Koop Districts HELPING Districts to HELP Clubs to HELP Build a Stronger ROTARY Rotary has been at the center of my life for many years. I did not know it at the time, but the day I joined Rotary in 1975 was the day I set my first step on the path to a different future. Before I joined Rotary, my view of the world was narrow. I was the fourth of eight children. We were poor, and so was nearly everyone we knew. I had never met anyone who was not Japanese. Every week, I walked with my mother 20 kilometers to the market, to sell vegetables. This was as far as I went, and as much as I saw of the world beyond my village. I dreamed of travel. I dreamed of seeing other cities and countries. I wondered what they were like. Since then, I have traveled a great deal. I have seen more of the world than I ever imagined. But nothing has broadened my vision as much as the perspective I have gained through Rotary. Before I was a Rotarian, I saw only what was in front of me. I saw my business, my family, my customers, and my competitors. When I traveled, I saw only what I wanted to see. But I did not see beyond that. I did not look for context. I did not look past what I believed was important to me. One day, I was asked to join the Rotary Club of Yashio. And it was two years later that someone came and spoke to us about the idea of vocational service. From that day, slowly, I began to change. I realized that the purpose of my life was not just to earn more, to sell more, to make my business better than anyone else s. I realized that I wanted to have higher goals both person- ally and professionally. I realized that for me, the most important thing in life was being useful to other people. And I realized that by helping others, even in the simplest of ways, I could help to build peace. We hear the word peace every day. We hear it in the news, we use it in conversation, and we talk about it a great deal in Rotary. But most of us spend very little time thinking about what peace is, and what that word means. On its simplest level, peace can be defined by what it is not. It is a state of no war, no violence, and no fear. It means that you are not in danger of hunger or persecution or suffering or poverty. But we can also define peace by what it is, and by what it can be. Peace can mean freedom of thought and of speech, freedom of opinion and of choice, and the ability for self-determination. It can mean security, confidence in the future: a life and home in a stable society. On a more abstract level, peace can mean a sense of happiness, of inner serenity, of calm. The truth is that peace means different things to different people. No definition is right, and no definition is wrong. However we use the word, this is what peace means for us. No matter how we use or understand the word peace, Rotary can help us to achieve it. Rotary helps us to meet the basic needs of others: to provide health care, sanitation, food, and education when and where it is most needed. It helps to meet the inner needs as well, for friendship, connection, and caring. And Rotary helps us to build peace in its most traditional sense, by reducing the causes of conflict. It builds bridges of friendship and tolerance among people and nations. It helps us to understand one another. 1

2 Sakuji Tanaka (continued from Page 1) Through our service, we learn that the problems that may seem large to us are really very small. We learn empathy for others. We come closer to people who seem very different from us. And we begin to understand how alike we really are. Through our Rotary service, we know that cooperation is more productive than conflict. We learn to value each other, as human beings with human strengths and weaknesses. We know that every one of us has something to give, and every one has something to teach. To me, Service Above Self is more than just a motto. It is a way of life one that will make any life richer and more meaningful. Putting Service Above Self allows us to focus our energies on what is truly important. We put the common good above our own. We value the needs of others over our own desires. We think less about ourselves and more about what is best for everyone. And in this way, we help to build the foundation for a more peaceful world. This is why, in , our Rotary theme will be Peace Through Service. Because however we define peace, whatever peace means to us, we can bring it closer through service. Service Above Self reminds us that none of us can live for ourselves alone. A life lived in isolation is empty and without joy. But when we live for others when we focus on our role within our family, our community, and all humanity then we begin to realize our own place in the world. I am part of the first generation to grow up in Japan after a terrible war. I think it is natural that we now place a great priority on peace. We saw where militarism brought our country. And we also saw the great economic growth that came when our nation made the choice to change our way of thinking, and to embrace peace. This was the decision that allowed Japan to prosper and thrive. It allowed new generations of children to grow up in safety, to become educated, to improve their lives. It fundamentally changed the Japanese attitude toward other countries and cultures. It caused us to open our minds, to become more tolerant, to seek greater understanding. And it allowed us to focus our energies toward positive goals. In Japan, it is traditional to value the needs of our citizens over the needs of the individual. This has always been part of our culture. In the weeks and months following the great earthquake and disaster of last March, this was what helped us to survive and rebuild. This is a lesson that I think the whole world can learn from, in a positive way. When we see the needs of others as more important than our own needs when we focus our energies on a shared goal that is for the good of all this changes everything. It changes our perceptions. It changes how we relate to the world. It changes our priorities in a fundamental way. And it changes how we understand the idea of peace. For me, the idea of Peace Through Service does not involve any complicated philosophy. I am not a philosopher. I am a businessman. And over many years of business, I have seen that in the end, the only way to a successful business is happy customers. When my customers are happy, my business grows. And this makes me happy also not only because my business is doing well, but because I am glad to see that I have made others happy. In business and in life, in order to get where you want, you have to know where you are going. In Rotary, we have made the decision to adopt the goals and priorities of the RI Strategic Plan as the roadmap for our organization. In , I will ask you to focus the energies of your clubs on the three priorities of the RI Strategic Plan: to support and strengthen clubs, to focus and increase humanitarian service, and to enhance public image and awareness. In Rotary, our business is not profit. Our business is peace. Our reward is not money, but the happiness and satisfaction of seeing a better, more peaceful world one that we have achieved through our own efforts. In this Rotary year, I ask you to put Peace Through Service at the forefront of your Rotary work. And I ask you to understand that peace, in all of the ways that we can understand it, is a real goal and a realistic goal for Rotary. Peace is not something that can only be achieved through treaties, by governments, or through heroic struggles. It is something that we can find and that we can achieve, every day and in many simple ways. And so I ask you all to commit to a Rotary year of Peace Through Service and a Rotary goal of a more peaceful world. Thank you. (Editors Note: Above are major excerpts from RI President Sakuji s presentation at the 2012 International Assembly, the training seminar for our District Governors. These comments give us an insight of the man who will lead our extraordinary organization for the next year. We can learn much from the humility of Sakuji.) 2

3 As YOU begin to LEAD Your DISTRICT or CLUB, take PRIDE in all you do Be STRONG LEAD and SET HIGH EXPECTATIONS Be INCLUSIVE DARE to CHANGE those things that need changing ENGAGE your entire membership AGRESSIVELY recruit new and qualified members Be a RELEVANT part of your community Be the SERVICE ORGANIZATION OF CHOICE in your community Create PARTNERSHIPS with those you serve Have FUN and encourage GREAT FELLOWSHIP & MENTORING Deliver on the PROMISES made to our Members Seven Traits of GREAT Leaders by Ken Wysocky, Write Words of Communication Organizations in general are over-managed and under-led, says Ben Rosen, A Hanes professor of management at the University of North Carolina s Kenan-Flagler Business School in Chapel Hill, N.C. They need people who can look to the future and position their organizations so they can be successful. Leadership is much more than managing day-to-day, he adds. It requires a big-picture focus. So many managers are consumed with the present that they don t look to the future. In addition, good leaders need to be agents of change-people who can spot trends and see how they affect their organization, then develop ways to deal with those changes. Leaders also need to set high expectations for excellence, and then hold employees (members) responsible for meeting those expectations, as well as bring new ideas into organizations. The following are Mr. Wysocky s suggested Core Leadership Traits, based on Mr. Rosen s research SPEAK THE RIGHT LANGUAGE Leaders need to be able to articulate their vision in a way that people can understand it, Rosen says. They need to be able to create a sense of urgency; to light a fire under people and get them excited about change. SHAPE ORGANIZATIONAL CULTURE Leaders decide what value employees (members) should abide by, then empower them to make decisions based on those values. On an given day, people are faced with decisions, Rosen notes. Do you want them to decide based on speed, or by quality? REACH OUT TO OTHERS Working in a vacuum hampers people s ability to lead. So it s important to actively participate in professional organizations, stay well read, network with peers and keep abreast of new technology. ARE POLITICALLY SAVVY The ability to understand where people are coming from, both externally and internally, is another key attribute. The goal is to find overlapping interests where parties can agree and collaborate, rather than adversarial positions, Rosen says. 3

4 Seven Traits of Great Leaders (continued from Page 3) DEVELOP A GAME PLAN Expecting the unexpected-and having a plan to deal with it-also is important. This also means dropping the if-it-ain tbroke-don t-fix-it philosophy in favor of proactively addressing problems. DELEGATE RESPONSIBILITY Assigning tasks to others not only empowers them and teaches them new skills, it frees up time for managers to do big-picture thinking. This requires managers to trust the employees to which they delegate tasks, Rosen says. SET AND ACT ON HIGH PRIORITIES Good leaders don t put off plans that could make their organizations more innovative. If they invest time in things that aren t deadline oriented, they ll have the luxury of looking back years down the road, happy they made the time. Overall, Rosen can t emphasize enough how good leaders must be able to look to the future, analyze a variety of trends to see how they could affect organizations, then develop solutions to those challenges. In tough times, you need innovative solutions to problems, he concludes. And while that you re doing may have got you where you are today, it may not get you where you want to be tomorrow. In other words, it s all about the vision thing-so watch for those crystal-ball-toting employees (members). INDUCTING NEW MEMBERS Courtesy of the RI Website at Although there is no prescribed ceremony for inducting new members, it is very important that becoming a Rotarian be marked with some formality. It is suggested that family attends (please consider a personal invitation), as it is important for a Rotarian to have family support. Is the BEST search engine to use to find ANYTHING on the RI Website Simply get to Google search engine, then in the search box type in Rotary International and then, the type of information you are looking for. In this case, Google search, Rotary International-New Member Induction. And, here is what you get. Sample 1 Fellow Rotarians, it is my privilege and pleasure today to welcome into membership in our Club, whose name was proposed by. The proposal has been reviewed in accordance with our Club constitution and bylaws. I now ask (sponsor) to come up here with (proposed new member)., we now proceed to admit you into membership in the Rotary Club of and to the friendship of Rotary throughout the world. It has already been explained to you that the ideal of Rotary is service. Our principal motto is Service Above Self and the object of this Club and all Rotary Clubs is to encourage and foster this ideal as a basis of worthy enterprise. You are to share in this effort. You have been approved for membership in this Club because we believe you to be a worthy representative of your vocation, interested in the ideals of Rotary, and willing to do your share in translating these ideals into action. You have agreed to accept the obligations of membership in this Club and to obey this Club s constitution and bylaws. Now I have the pleasure of asking your proposer to pin on the Rotary emblem, which we hope you will wear with pride. Welcome to the Rotary Club of, our newest member.. Fellow Rotarians, I am happy to present to you Rotarian 4

5 New Member Induction Samples (continued from Page 4) SAMPLE 2 (contributed by PDG Ed Paparella) A New Member Orientation gives the Club an opportunity to review brief Rotary history or some highlights of the Club, District or The Rotary Foundation/Rotary International. Using the current information in the monthly Rotary Magazine outlining - Rotary at a Glance, is always a good time to share the size & breath of Rotary Worldwide. The information shared can be tailored to a Club s particular circumstances. The New Member sponsor has a role in the induction ceremony of introducing the New Member to the assembly sharing some personal / professional background. It is wise to obtain permission from the New Member to share this information. Following the review of the Rotary highlights and introduction it is suggested the following Pledge be administered by the person(s) performing the induction: The Rotary Pledge With the acceptance of my role as a Rotarian, I pledge to, Open Doors To Peace, Goodwill & Equality For All People. I Pledge: ~ Not to be just a passive member, but to be part of Rotary s driving force. ~ To make Rotary participation and attendance a joy and openly encourage the same of all members. ~ To serve my Club in any capacity in which I am asked to serve. ~ To recognize my community as my particular plot of ground given to me to till, not only for my security, but for all people. ~ To be an ambassador from my vocation, to my Club, my community and society, in support of my affiliation with Rotary. ~ To be proud to associate with people of all cultures, creeds, and races, knowing with deep conviction that International Understanding is the fruit of International Peace. ~ To put Rotary to work where I work. ~ To live Rotary where I live. ~ To make every effort of body, mind and spirit not to be just a member, but to be a Rotarian., do you accept the role of a Rotarian? Please respond - I Do. I present to all gathered here,, the newest member of the Rotary Club. Sample 3 Rotarian, will you please bring forward your nominee for membership in our Club., you have been selected by the members of this Club to hold active member- ship and are hereby loaned the classification of. The principles, responsibilities, and obligations of Rotary have been explained to you, and you have expressed your willingness to become a Rotarian. No one is eligible to become a Rotarian unless, in his or her business or professional life, he or she endeavors to practice the principles of goodwill and service. The members of this Club have invited you to join them because they believe you are already actuating these principles. In electing you to membership, we are doing more than taking you into our fellowship we are making you a trustee with us of Rotary s ideals. Knowing you to be a Rotarian, the world will henceforth judge Rotary by your conduct. Membership in Rotary is an honor and privilege, and every privilege has its corresponding obligations. One of the special obligations of membership is regular attendance at the weekly meetings; it is the basic method of fulfilling the principle of fellowship as well as a way of representing your vocation. Every member is expected to perform his or her share of Club and community service, and the committees of the Club will afford you opportunities to serve. For the rest of this Rotary year, I would be pleased if you would serve on the committee. Last, but by no means least, is our ideal of friendship. As you expect to receive, so give. May you be stimulated by the friendship you find here, and may we in return know you to be an added source of strength to our Club. Will the members please stand. It is my privilege and honor to induct you as a member of the Rotary Club of pinning on the emblem of our worldwide association. Wear it always and with pride.. I also have pleasure in Fellow Rotarians, I present to you Rotarian, and I charge you not to fail in your duty by giving your friendship and helping to make his/her membership useful and happy. 5

6 CHANGE IS GOOD IF It makes sense It is the desire of the majority of Club members It makes a project or program plan more relevant It is time for a change Something new meets a need better It brings vibrancy to your Club It helps to attract and engage new members It brings out the passion of your Club members It re-energizes your veteran members It encourages better education of your members It is relevant change It is not change for the sake of change It makes yours a stronger Rotary Club BIGGER BETTER BOLDER is the result Why Would Anyone WANT to Join YOUR Rotary Club? TO CONSIDER WHAT MAKES YOUR CLUB SPECIAL We welcome guests and visitors with open arms & involve them in the meeting We encourage all of our members to share Rotary with others We ask new members to join the committee of their choosing ASAP We have fun at our weekly meetings We encourage intergenerational networking opportunities We use our vocations as an opportunity for service We incorporate the Four-Way Test in all we do think, say and do We engage our community when we develop programs and projects We have a great New Member Orientation program We evaluate our programs and projects on a regular basis We take the results of our member surveys seriously & implement suggestions 6

7 THE NORTH AMERICAN MEMBERSHIP PLAN The decline in Rotary membership is a problem that cannot be ignored any longer. At the direction of the RI Board of Directors, in recognizing that turning the corner on membership needs to be reviewed, discussed and acted upon at a regional level, regional Membership Committees were established. The Board charged the committees with developing a comprehensive plan of action for review and approval. At their May meeting, the Board did in fact approve the North American Membership Plan. The entire NA Plan is located on the Zones website at Following is a summary of the NA Plan, as created by your Zone 28 Rotary Coordinator Team. We are discussing the plan at our 2012 Regional Success Seminars this summer. All Clubs in Zones 28 are being asked to review the documents and create their personal plan of action to curb the tide of our membership decline. Member Retention will be our primary focus in Your Rotary Coordinator Team is here to help all Districts and Clubs in Zone 28 to achieve and exceed their goals. North American Membership Plan Summary for Zone 28 Goal = 1.3M members by June 30, 2015 Goals & Objectives 220 members per District/per Zone (net) = approximately 2.5% per year with a 7.5% increase, per Club (net) by June 30, 2015 (based on a District with 3,000 members) Encourage a lasting and fundamental change in Rotary Clubs: in their attitude toward their customer the importance of engagement and the value of every Rotarian s membership Strategic Issues Plan s Priority: Fact: Losing 12% of our members annually (forced and unforced) 1. Reverse long-term trends by increasing member retention 2. Re-energize focus, training and action on attracting new members Responsibility: North American RI Directors Leadership Develop strategies, resources and processes with flexible regional variations Key Elements Retention: 1. Defining Members as Customers Build specific programs to treat members like customers Monitor and improve customer satisfaction (satisfaction surveys, etc.) 2. Revised Messaging Continue to engage members in projects and programs. Increase message of value added concepts to membership. What does the member gain from investment of time and money? Strike better balance between customer satisfaction and service. 3. Focus and Training Develop training for all levels of our organization through all currently available mechanisms. RI Directors Zone Leadership Team (RC, RPIC, RRFC) District Leadership -- DG, DGE, DGN, DGNN, and PDG District Membership Chairs/Committee Club Presidents, Presidents-elect Club Membership Chairs/Committee, ALL Rotarians 7

8 North American Membership Plan (continued from Page 7) 4. Establish Club Goals Effective with Rotary year, set separate and realistic goals for new member attraction and retention goals (similar to Every Rotarian Every Year goals for The Rotary Foundation) 5. Revised District Membership Committee Structure New Member Attraction Committee Membership Retention Committee 6. Continue Focus on Strategic Plan and Increasing Club Strength & Vitality Increasing value added is consistent with Strategic Plan New Member Attraction 1. Diversity Focus on increasing diversity of membership among target audience (business, professional, and community leaders). Specific demographic areas will include women, ethnic groups, lowering the average age. 2. Club Extension (New Club Development) Increase rate of new Club development = One New Club/District/Year E-Clubs New (Next) Generation Clubs Weekend or Other Innovative New Clubs High Ethical Standards Networking VALUES AND BENEFITS OF ROTARY MEMBERSHIP Business/Professional & Personal Development Service Opportunities (Local and International) Friendships Fellowship Additional Facts Currently, only 46.7% of North American Districts charter a new Club annually We bring in approximately 44,000 new members each year We are losing approximately 51,000 each year Member attrition was 10.77% in Member attrition was 11.95% in Over the past four years, over 203,000 Rotarians in North America have terminated their membership COMMENTS FROM ROTARY COORDINATOR NICK PHILLIPS, ZONE 20A, SOUTH AFRICA My experience in the field over the past few years is that Districts and Clubs are expending too much energy on membership drives before taking steps to repair the fabric of their organizations. The whole point of the Rotary Strategic Plan is to encourage Districts and Clubs to investigate where they are falling down in terms of leadership, planning, signature projects and public image and take steps to rectify those weaknesses first. It follows that when our Clubs and Districts are healthy, and by healthy I mean properly aligned to RI Strategic priorities, then membership development and retention will follow organically. This thought is further borne out by the current success of new Club development including satellite and corporate Clubs that are providing the bulk of our new members. These units succeed only because they are not tainted by what has gone before, as their members are free to develop their own cultures and programs in the manner most suited to them. I suggest that we should not over complicate the issue and look for excuses for failures when we have the solution right under our noses. Black, white and all shades in between, young professionals share a common desire to get involved in hand on service, belong to high- profile Clubs and network for the benefit of their personal and professional development. So, our task as Coordinators and Rotary leaders is really to cast aside the myths of membership and encourage our Clubs and Districts to take this new approach to doing business. My hats off to the Districts who are actively mobilizing their Clubs and Rotarians. However, until we succeed in this crusade, I fear that, as far as membership is concerned, we shall continue to swim through rough waters! 8

9 Highlights of North American Membership Plan Submitted by Zone 28 Rotary Coordinator Team Goals: 1. Increase North American membership by approximately 30,000 (net) additional Rotarians between July 1, 2012 and June 30, 2015, resulting in more than 400,000 members. 2. Increase membership in each North American Zone by 2,600 members; broken down to an increase of 200 members per District and on average, 4 new members per Club by June 30, Key Elements: 1. Define members as customers Business Customer Work hard to develop a new customer Engage new customer with staff they will be working with. Provide value to new customer: -Quality of product -Available to address concerns -Meet needs -High quality product -High quality service Continue to satisfy needs of customer to retain their business. Meet needs = continue to do business together. Rotary Member as Customer Invite and share Rotary with prospects Introduce prospect/new member to all existing members. Provide value to new member: -Fellowship/Fun -Networking/Personal & Professional Development -Service Opportunities -High Ethical Standards -Quality Meeting Place -Well Structured Meetings Continue to deliver on the promises we have made to the new member when they joined Rotary. Meet needs = long-term Rotarian. 2. Retention of existing members as well as identifying/attracting new member a. Benefits of Rotary membership. b. Value of membership-what is received for investment of time and money. 3. District Membership Committee Structure a. Member Attraction b. Member Retention c. New Club Development 4. Encourage Club Membership Committee a. Member Attraction b. Member Retention c. Mentor Program 5. Diversity (will vary in Clubs, Districts and Zones) a. Does your Rotary Club represent your community? i. Gender ii. Age iii. Ethnicity iv. Religion v. Classification b. Need honest evaluation/survey of community compared to membership, then identify and invite prospective members to join your Club. 9

10 North American Membership Plan Zone 28 Summary (continued from Page 9) 6. VIBRANT ROTARY CLUBS a. All Clubs need to have something to offer their existing and new members. i. Friendly ii. Welcoming iii. Engaged members iv. Encourage new ideas, projects, programs v. Active in all things Rotary b. Clubs need to deliver on promise to all members. i. Start and end on time ii. Active and fun weekly meetings iii. Mentoring program to ensure new members understand opportunities and responsibilities iv. Engage new members in committees, projects and programs v. Active service opportunities vi. Thank you to all participants Responsibilities of Rotary Coordinators - Retention 1. Serve with District leaders and Membership Chairs to help them change course in their Districts. a. Focus on retention issues b. Access and evaluate retention data c. Help Districts to help Clubs establish goals d. Encourage Strategic Planning and/or Vision Planning e. Encourage Club Surveys f. Expression of values and benefits of Rotary membership 2. Share successes a. Encourage District leaders to identify those Clubs who are succeeding b. Share best practices throughout Districts and Zones. c. Encourage mentoring of strong Clubs with weaker Clubs Responsibilities of Rotary Coordinators - Diversity 1. Serve with District leaders and Membership Chairs to help them understand the value of diversity in their Districts. a. Help Districts to help Clubs understand that diversity is an opportunity for membership development. b. Help Districts to help Clubs identify ways they can identify and engage new members in the demographic areas of: i. Gender ii. Ethnicity iii. Age c. Continue to promote benefits exclusive to Rotary membership: i. Networking ii. Personal and Professional development/leadership iii. Service iv. High Ethical Standards v. Fellowship/Fun Zone 28 Regional Success Seminars 2012 The agenda and registration materials for each of our remaining Zone 28 Regional Success Seminars 2012 have been sent to the DGE, DGN and DGNN. We again ask you to please forward the materials to your District Leadership Teams and Club leaders as well as include them on each of your District websites. Thank you. Districts 5650, 5970, 6000 July 14, 2012 Ames, IA Districts 6420, 6440, 6450 August 11, 2012 Elgin, IL Zone 28 Rotary Coordinator. Mary Beth Growney Selene. mbgrowneyselene@ryansigns.net