The time is upon us, or recently passed, when we recruit, nominate and elect the next group of Rotary leaders as chairs, directors, presidents and governors. It is a phenomena throughout the world of Rotary that in many parts of the organization people are lined up to take on these positions and there are places where the current and recent leadership is forced to begging and cajoling members to step up to the plate and take on the challenge. You have to wonder what creates the environment where people want to take on leadership positions while there are still places where we can’t find suitable future leaders.
I think the difference is the product of current and recent leadership who create the environment one way or the other. Making it look easy is a key ingredient of encouraging and fostering the next generation of leaders. Unfortunately too many of our leaders haven’t discovered the easy button made famous by our friends at the Staples stores.
Some people enjoy their term of leadership to the extent that they insist on being involved in everything that happens in their organization. This is especially prevalent with district governors who waited until they retire to take on the leadership of the district and they are to be commended for their dedication and commitment, but their commitment might be counterproductive to the organization in the long term. Their example acts to limit who will be willing to follow their lead.
I was actively involved in my business when I served as a district governor and that was not unusual at the time. That forced me to recruit others to take on responsibilities and empower those people to organize and lead others in completing important task. There were times when I simply was not able to attend every meeting or activity taking place in the district, but those activities and meetings were successful because others did a great job. The old saying about recruiting busy people to do a job because they know how to prioritize and delegate is as true today as it ever was.
Making it look easy and encouraging others to take on responsibilities may be the most important thing current leaders do. Even when you find yourself feeling overwhelmed remember how your response creates or discourages others to step up and follow in your footsteps.