If we pause a moment and consider that a Rotary Clubs Membership is a family, the internal dynamics are very similar. We often think, “…why is membership dropping…?” The answer is so large that we usually avoid it because it’s easier to ignore issues than confront them.
A member will leave Rotary if they don’t feel needed, don’t feel appreciated, are belittled by others, and as horrible as this sounds, they don’t feel welcome, even if they have been a member for years.
The reaction is, “… we don’t have that problem…” but the truth is, even if an issue isn’t apparent, unseen friction exists in every aspect of life.
It is important to remember that this isn’t a membership growth competition; this is about supporting the membership’s passion and the communities we live in and where we help.
Saying thank you isn’t enough. We need to engage our membership, or “family members,” so they know we are grateful, one-on-one. Too often, false praise is shared in an overall general tone to save time because we all live busy lives. Equally, the members who carry a workload to support its membership are in most cases taken advantage of and overlooked because the assumption remains, “…they will always be here, and we thanked them, they know we care..”
Do they? Honestly, do they know that you care? Do they know that their contributions are critical to the survival of the organization, the club, the project, and the family?
Saying thank you if you keep using the words without feeling; unfortunately, they become meaningless.
Once a member feels that they are truly no longer a part of a “membership” but a part of a family, when their contributions, whether financial, volunteering time, or both, are fundamentally appreciated. They will invite their friends, and Rotary will grow.
