If you have been involved in any training or attended a conference hosted by Rotary, in the last several years, you know that Rotary membership is a hot topic!
Rotary membership in North America has declined significantly over the past decade. Recent data shows the birthplace of Rotary representing only thirty percent of the total Rotary International global membership. This worldwide expansion of Rotary has provided incredible opportunities for partnership on a global scale. We have expanded our reach. We have increased our impact. Our ability to create opportunities for peace has grown. But what happens if membership numbers continue to decline? Will we remain relevant globally?
Membership has been identified as the number one internal problem Rotary needs to solve. Rotary leadership has tasked their best and brightest to find a solution. They’ve created graphs and data to simulate outcomes. We can forecast, at the beginning of the year, to determine whether your club will lose or gain members. We can even predict if your club will be in existence in the next 5-10 yrs. Is this helpful? Yes, it’s a way to bring focus to the concern. But how are we going to use this data to grow our clubs? I propose we return to the basics.
When Paul Harris gathered a group of professionals in Chicago on Feb 23, 1905, his original goal was to establish a network for business professionals to exchange ideas and foster professional relationships. Harris believed the power of friendship was the driving force for positive change. He said, “The foundation of Rotary is friendship; the secret of its expansion is the friendship of people in Rotary with those in the community, across the nation, and around the world.”
Building connections, that’s our superpower!
Here’s how that foundational value of friendship can provide a path forward:
1. Re-emphasize the Power of Personal Connection:
- People join Rotary for many reasons, a key element is the opportunity to build genuine relationships. Even though today’s world is more connected than ever, many people feel more isolated and disconnected than before. People are drawn to like-minded individuals who can support them personally and professionally.
- Social events, networking opportunities, and member-focused activities can help rejuvenate clubs by making the personal connection with Rotary a primary draw, rather than just service projects or global efforts alone.
2. Incorporate Flexibility and Relevance for Modern Times:
- Rotary needs to evolve to reflect the way people want to engage today. Younger professionals may not want to commit to a traditional weekly meeting. Consider offering more flexible options and avenues to join and remain in Rotary; a satellite club that meets at a different time, or the ability to Zoom into the regular club meeting allowing people with busy schedules to remain involved.
- Integrate contemporary issues (e.g., climate change, mental health, digital innovation) into service projects or discussions will attract members who want to work on solutions to modern challenges.
3. Focus on Creating Opportunities for Meaningful Impact:
- The original professional networking component that Paul Harris envisioned should not be lost. In addition to service, offer opportunities for personal growth through leadership development, skill-building workshops, or mentoring can help attract individuals.
- Rotary’s global impact is impressive, but creating small, local and actionable projects resonate with people who want to see immediate, tangible change in their communities.
4. Leverage Data for Strategic Growth:
- Using the Membership Success Center (MSC) to predict membership trends and outcomes is crucial, but it’s also important to ensure that this data isn’t just used to track membership loss. It can also be a tool for discovering opportunities for growth. Understand why people stay in Rotary and why they leave can help clubs better tailor their approaches to keep members engaged.
- Focus on member retention strategies, celebrate achievements, recognize contributions, and ensuring that each member feels valued and connected to what the club is doing.
5. Create a Culture of Inclusion:
- Rotary’s membership has become more diverse globally, and this trend should be embraced everywhere. Welcome people from different backgrounds, industries, and life experiences. This helps build a community that reflects the world we live in.
- The message of Rotary as a welcoming, inclusive space for people to grow professionally and personally while making a positive social impact will resonate with the next generation of leaders.
Conclusion:
Rotary’s path forward in North America may very well lie in going back to its roots: building meaningful relationships and focusing on friendship as the true foundation of Rotary. Relevance in today’s world means offering flexibility, diversity, and opportunities for personal and professional growth. Rotary leadership’s efforts to use data and predict outcomes are important, but the focus must also be on leveraging those insights to create authentic, fulfilling experiences that meet the needs of today’s members.
Rotary’s strength lies in its ability to connect people across the globe for a greater purpose. That sense of community and friendship — that’s the real superpower. If we nurture it, we can continue to grow and remain relevant for generations to come.
