This is a story about four brothers named Everybody, Somebody, Anybody and Nobody. There was an important job to be done and Everybody was sure Somebody would do it. Anybody could have done it but Nobody did it. Somebody got angry with that because it was Everybody’s job. Everybody thought Anybody could do it but Nobody realised that Everybody wouldn’t do it. It ended up that Everybody blamed Somebody when Nobody did what Anybody could have done.
You have probably seen, or heard this before, however you may not have thought of it as sound advice about taking personal responsibility for the important job of growing your Club’s membership, and moving your Club from strength to strength.
If you stop to think about it, you may realise that at some point in your journey as a Rotarian you may have met one, or two, or quite a few persons who probably share the view that the Membership Chair/Director, and sometimes the President, is the one solely responsible for the Club’s growth. If you haven’t met anyone like that then GREAT!
But let’s get to the meat of the matter and zoom in on the topic of this blog post. Who is responsible for attracting new members, retaining present members, and by extension growing the Club’s membership? YOU ARE! Yes You! So you’re just a member? That doesn’t matter. Realise that MEMBERSHIP IS YOUR BUSINESS, just as much as it is that of the Membership Director/Chair or President, and take responsibility for the growth of your club.
Take personal responsibility for sharing Rotary with someone. Take personal responsibility for inviting a co-worker, a neighbour, a friend, to your Club’s meeting, project, or fellowship activity. Take personal responsibility for making your Club’s visitors feel welcomed when they attend your meetings. Take personal responsibility for building your club.
The most essential truth concerning the growth of any Rotary Club is that the Club belongs to the members; therefore it requires the work of each member to build it.
The growth of your club depends on several factors:
- Effective club meetings that will make attending worthwhile for visitors and members alike
- Promoting the Clubs events and projects; let people see what your Club is about, let them see that Serving Humanity is FUN
- Retention of current members
- Recognition of Rotarians who truly exemplify Service Above Self
What other factors do you think contribute to the growth of your Club?
Reading an article recently, I was introduced to a fifth “brother”. This brother was called MINE.
Basically, this individual can be any Rotary member who views the growth and progress of the Club as his responsibility. The ‘Mine’ person is willing to devote the time, energy and creativity necessary to ensure that the Club grows from strength to strength, and is not willing to be derailed in his clearly envisioned goal because the other members of his Club will or won’t contribute.
The bottom line is this: EVERY MEMBER IS RESPONSIBLE FOR THE GROWTH OF HIS CLUB’S MEMBERSHIP.
If you want to grow your Club’s membership, you simply cannot be like Everybody, Somebody, Anybody, and Nobody. You just can’t. Be more like the fifth “brother” and realise that the growth of the Club is your responsibility. Let us not allow Everybody’s Responsibility to become Nobody’s Responsibility.
All aboard!!! Choo Choo . . . .
RCP Review 