Within the next few months I will celebrate my fortieth anniversary of entering the business of financial services. During that time I have watched many companies emerge, achieve success and then disappear. An economist by the name of Joseph Schumpeter described his process as creative destruction and theorized that it was a necessary part of economic growth. What does all of this have to do with Rotary?
Several recent conversations have dealt with Rotary Clubs that once were very healthy. They were examples for others to emulate and are now in chaos and in a few cases have actually ceased to exist. Joseph Schumpeter would tell us this is a natural process that is good, but that explanation is not very satisfying. Why do good clubs deteriorate into chaos?
I suspect the single word that describes this process is complacency. I often hear the comment that, “our club is the right size, we don’t need to grow.” Or, “We are doing the same projects we do every year and don’t want to take on any new projects.” Those comments could be directly correlated to many of the businesses I have watched emerge, achieve success and disappear. I believe the business quote that fits here is. “If you aren’t growing; you are dying.” In fact that can equally apply to individuals who lose interest in life and wind up losing the essence of life; then losing their life. When an enterprise decides they don’t need to grow in size or capability they are headed for the trash heap of history.
In recent years I have witnessed Rotary clubs in communities that have doubled in population while the Rotary club maintained steady declining membership. These clubs are destined to become museums of past good deeds. Ultimately, the communities they serve are the biggest losers with the people who should be Rotarians in those clubs becoming the second biggest losers. Is your club is one of those described here? I would suggest you take on one new, project, and maybe drop one; reinvigorate the Rotary club you belong to and create the Rotary club your community needs.
Don’t do it because Rotary needs new members; do it because your friends, neighbors and children need a vibrant Rotary club in your community. Do it as a living legacy to your grandchildren.