Thursday, July 23, 2009

LIFE LINE - Membership Development News Letter


My Dear Friends,
How true it is that one has to change with changing times! While we were in Chicago for training, we were thinking why not start a blog and here it is – the first ever blog for Membership Development for our country for India, Sri Lanka and Nepal. I first experimented blog as Bulletin Editor of my club and enjoyed the same. Hopefully you would like the blog and will continue to encourage all RRIMCs with your valuable feedback.
The Membership Team convey our heartfelt compliments to Rtn. Kalyan Banerjee for his selection for the post of RI President (2011-12) by the Nominating Committee. I distinctly remember my discussions with him about Membership concerns. Some of his tips like couple membership, corporate membership were really good. My club – Rotary Club of Baroda Metro has tried out couple membership this time and it has worked wonders. Sharmishtha and myself would like to thank Kalyanbhai for the wonderful idea which has made the club more vibrant.
Friends, his selection as President Nominee for 2011-12 has put greater responsibility on us to see to it that Membership Development as well as our Rotary Foundation performance improves year after year. Last year (2008-09) India became No. 2 in total Membership (country wise) in the world. For Membership Development we contributed a big number of new clubs as well as new members without losing focus on Retention so as to give 44% of the total growth in the world. Kudos to the batch of District Governors of 2008-09!  Now is the time that leaders of 2009-10 have to live up to the challenge.
I want to be brief as this blog contains very important messages from RI Director K. Ravindran's Message, Chairman Mike McGovern’s message alngwith tips and suggestions from my colleagues - RRIMCs Rajesh and Dr. Bharat as well.
Happy Blogging!
Awaiting your feedback.
Dr. Manoj Desai
RRIMC (2007-10)
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MEMBERSHIP GROWTH
A favorite fish of many a hobbyist is the Japanese carp, commonly known as the Koi. The fascinating thing about the Koi is that if you keep it in a small fish bowl, it will only grow to be two or three inches long. Place the Koi in a larger tank or small pond it will reach six to ten inches. Put it in a large pond and it would get to a foot and a half. However put it into a big lake and it has the potential to reach sizes up to three feet.
You’ve probably already figured out the simple point to this illustration. The size of the fish is in direct relation to the size of the pond.
Equally the amount of Rotary service that one can do is in a manner only restricted to the number of hands available. The lack of numbers has another aspect to it, which has a direct bearing on our working, the cost of providing the administrative service, as we know it. If our numbers drop then the cost of running RI has to be shared by less people.
Considering the huge development of our many programs and the benefits it brings to humanity it is an unfortunate fact that our numbers have not shown the increase that one would normally expect.
In fact if not for the entry of women into Rotary the situation would have been much worse. The admission of women in Rotary gave the membership growth of Rotary a much needed fillip. In fact, as was pointed out to me, I shudder to think what would have happened to Rotary without the advent of women into its membership ranks.
Just look at the statistics. We were already 1m. members strong in 1986. In 2009, after 23 years, our growth is nowhere near being called spectacular as we continue to hover around the 1.2m figure or just above. This is after allowing for the advent of women who make up 15% of our ranks world-wide.
The Swiss philosopher Henri Frederic Amiel reminded us that “He who is silent is forgotten; he who does not advance falls back; he who stops is overwhelmed, out distanced, crushed; he who ceases to grow becomes smaller; he who leaves off, gives up; the condition of standing still is the beginning of the end.” Without women coming in could well have been the beginning of the end for our own organization.
To me it seems that the task before us, is to motivate and to educate Rotarians with all the reasons stated, to help them bring in new members. This I can see that out RIMCs are striving to do. They will tell you that there is nothing wrong with the product we sell. It is only a question of marketing. That is the task before them and you the Governors and the Governors Elect, to train the average club Rotarian to market our product effectively so that others can also take advantage of the many benefits that Rotary membership brings with it.
RID K.R. RAVINDRAN
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Dear Rotary Leaders in India, Nepal and Sri Lanka,

When RRIMC Manoj Desai asked me to write a message to the Rotarians for the LIFELINE Membership newsletter, my first thought was to send Manoj a message I was writing for all for the RRIMCs to consider utilizing in their newsletters. On further reflection, a standard letter is not appropriate for your area.


Recently, I received statistics showing the growth in Rotary over the last ten years. At the very top of this list is the growth of Rotary in your region. You have achieved about a 50% growth over this period. This is from growth in new clubs as well as in existing clubs. If the rest of Rotary had grown at the same pace as you, we would have 600,000 more Rotarians than we do now who would be ready to provide service to their community and to the world. Rotary grew by 30,000 Rotarians between December 1998 and December 2008. Without the growth that occurred in India, Nepal and Sri Lanka, Rotary would have declined by about 6,000 members worldwide.


My message therefore is Congratulations on all that you are doing to provide service through the expansion of Rotary. My further message is while this is a time for recognition of your great achievement, it is not a time to rest on your laurels as the potential of Rotary is unlimited for you. And because you seem to know better than most of the world how to grow Rotary, I believe you have a great message to inform the rest of the world on how you are achieving the success that you are. Those of us in Rotary leadership positions need to give worldwide visibility to the success stories that you are certainly able to share. I will work with your Director Ravi, Trustee Ashok, RI Membership Committee member Rupak Jain, your RRIMCs and other regional leaders in reviewing opportunities for the rest of us to learn from your accomplishments.


President John Kenny is encouraging all Rotary clubs to have a plan for growth this year. He has not set any specific goals for each club instead relying on the wisdom of each club to plan for your own future success. He believes that each club should seek out qualified individuals to be Rotarians and we should operate our clubs in a manner that befits our local culture and which therefore encourages Rotarians to stay in Rotary. If your club is to grow this year, and in the years beyond, now is the time to assess your club’s potential. Involve your members in discussing how they would like to enhance the Rotary experience in your club through Rotary service and Rotary fellowship. It is in the hands of Rotarians in your clubs to determine the future of Rotary in India, Nepal and Sri Lanka. And the Rotarians in your region will also have a large impact in determining the future of Rotary throughout the world.


Congratulations again and thank you for accepting the challenge of using your hands and hearts to determine the future of Rotary.


Best regards,

Michael McGovern
Member of the Rotary Club of South Portland-Cape Elizabeth, Maine USA
2009-2010 Chairman RI Membership Development and Retention Committee
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“ACT FAIRLY IF YOU WISH TO BE TREATED FAIRLY”


It is a well known secret that a few clubs in some districts are not reporting their actual membership to Rotary International.To quote an instance –A Rotary Club chartered in 1984 shows having 13 members officially and may have almost 40 members otherwise. By doing so the money saved is used to meet the meeting and fellowship expenses of the club.
It is difficult to understand why Rotarians should do so? If a Rotary club is involved in such a activity,will that club have the right to continue membership of Rotary International? Is the past, present and future leadership of such rotary clubs have a right to be called Rotarians?


Such clubs and club leaders should be aware that such practices are known, and they should do some soul searching introspection, apply the Four Way Test and immediately take corrective measures. What has happened will be forgotten and buried.However, clubs which do not reform should know that the ‘amnesty scheme’ is going to be over very soon.


How would you feel if,


1)    More than one person traveled on a ticket for your transportation service
2)    More than one student studied by paying for one student?
3)    You received less than full price for your services?
4)    A customer paid for one item and took away two or more?


What would you think of such persons?


Let 20 + 20 not be 20.


Do you know what are the membership dues – the pro-rata dues of Rotary members used for?


They are used to meet the cost of servicing and administrating Rotary club worldwide – servicing your and my club!


Give it a thought-Is it fair to all concerned?


Rajesh Batra
RRIMC 2008-10
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Message from RRIMC Dr. Bharat Pandya


August is Membership and Extension Month, a time when we can all do a little more to keep the Rotary wheel turning. Let’s each think of someone we know who is a Rotarian in deed and action. And let us tell that person about Rotary. With every person we bring in to our club, the good that Rotary can accomplish increases manifold. Richard Evans, Past President of RI aptly said, “A man may have a great truth; he may make a great discovery; he may produce a great product and yet die without anybody being benefited by it, if he doesn’t share it, if he doesn’t find a way to sell it.”


And so it is with Rotary…a great truth…a great discovery for mankind…a great product for all to share in but who will benefit from it if Rotary is not shared?


The 1 billion who go hungry everyday, the 1.2 billion who are illiterate the millions who lack access to proper sanitation & healthcare; they all need what Rotary does. And every new member enables us to do more than before. New members bring a breath of fresh air to our clubs. Past RI President Bob Barth said, “If we want to see another century of Rotary we must make Rotary attractive for young people." So my friends open your hearts, open your doors & bring Qualified, Interested, Young people into Rotary’s fold. Be proactive in your membership development & retention efforts. Rotary Membership is no doubt a privilege but it is a privilege we must share with others. There are three distinct ways for Rotary membership to grow:


1.    Seeking new members for your club –Recruitment
2.    Retaining your current members in your club - Retention
3.    Sponsoring a new club in your community – New Clubs.


As we go along with growth we also need to take care of Retention. One of the basic tenets of Membership Retention is "Involved Members Don't Drop out." The moral is clear & simple - if we can get members involved they won't go away. Involving Rotarians in service projects is one of the most effective ways of motivating & retaining them. It gives them a sense of belonging, a purpose. More important than the purse is the person. The Best time to ACT is now. Time is irreversible & irreplaceable. Grasp your today as you reach out to draw New members into Rotary & retain older members.
Enjoy Rotary Enjoy Yourself


Dr.Bharat Pandya
RRIMC 2008-10
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LOOKING FORWARD TO MEETING YOU ALL AT COCHIN INSTITUTE. 
I AM THANKFUL TO CONVENER & RID K.R. RAVINDRAN WHO HAS GRANTED HALF AN HOUR SLOT ON SUNDAY MORNING FOR AWARDS AND RECOGNITION FOR TOP PERFORMERS AS WELL AS SECOND BEST PERFORMANCE BY DG IN EACH ZONE FOR THE FOLLOWING THREE CATEGORIES DURING 2008-09:
1.    HIGHEST % GROWTH

2.    HIGHEST NET GROWTH
3.    NEW CLUBS FORMED
PLEASE REMEMBER THAT ONLY THE IPDG WHOSE NAME AND DISTRICT  NUMBER IS ANNOUNCED WILL COME TO RECEIVE THE AWARD AND NO ONE ELSE.   THIS IS VERY IMPORTANT IN ORDER TO HAVE SANCTITY AND DECORUM OF THE CEREMONY.
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RI President John Kenny’s 2009-10 Membership Goals & Recognition (Friday, July 17, 2009)

Club recognition requirements:

•  A minimum of one net member increase
• A minimum of 80% retention rate and certification by the district governor of two of the following achievements:
 Increased percentage of qualified women.
 Increased percentage of qualified younger professionals (under age 50).
 Induction of at least one alumna or alumnus of RI or the Rotary Foundation.
 Increased diversity of membership (e.g., classification, gender, age, ethnicity).


All club goals will be certified by the district governor.

District recognition requirements:


• A minimum of one net member increase in each existing club.
• A minimum of 80% retention rate.
• A minimum of one or two new clubs organized.

All district goals will be certified by the district governor.


Clubs should submit their goal results to their district governor by 15 May 2010. Districts should certify the results and submit them to RI, along with their district results, by 22 May 2010. Certification forms will be available on www.rotary.org.

All clubs and districts who reach these membership goals will receive a certificate signed by RI President Kenny. From this pool, RI will determine the top ten clubs and top ten districts (not more than one club or one district per zone) and these 10 clubs and districts will be acknowledged on stage at the 2009-10 convention in Montreal. (Convention recognition is at no cost to Rotary International.)

Followers