UNDERSTANDING THE FOUR ESSENTIAL ELEMENTS OF CLUB VITALITY

Toddler

Adolescent

Adulthood

Maturity

Old Age

Health

Death

Basic Life Cycle

Time

Infancy

Health

Life Cycle of Rotary Clubsand many other organizations

Time

INCLIN

EDECLINE

Health

Basic ConceptIncline and Decline (Rise and Fall)

Time

RECLINE

INCLIN

E

DECLINE

Health

Change in Orientation

Time

RENEWAL

Health is important Healthy People feel happier, make others

feel happier, handle stress better and accomplish more.

A Rotary Club is really just a group of people. And it may be healthier if its people are healthier, or not. The club is a social SYSTEM with a lot of people characteristics. The system can be healthy or it can be sick.

George Bullard and others… Studied churches and observed that life

cycles of churches are related to 4 characteristics or elements. The mix of these four elements directly affects health and vitality.

Rotary Clubs appear to follow the same patterns

The Four Elements of Club Vitality Vision Relationships Projects Management

VISION Passion Future Goals Leadership Core Values Why are we here? MOTIVATION

Relationships Family of Rotary Character of the club Caring and Sharing Heart Compassion Nurture Mentoring/coaching Inclusiveness, welcoming quality,

hospitality

Projects Engage the club’s vision with

relationships to turn good intentions into acts of service that reflect the values of the club

Management Administrative infrastructure that allows

vision to engage Communication protocols Reporting Organization and Empowerment Financial

V R P M

V R P M

V R P M

V R P M

V R P M

Health

V R P MV R P M

VRPM Concept(Vision / Relationships / Projects / Management)

Time

Motivation: On what side of the hill is your club?

Incline – Visions of what a club can become

Decline – Visions of what once was But a club can’t go back in time A club can positively go forward if it is

willing But can it handle the stress?

Without Vision “…the people perish…” No change No stress No exciting future No raison d'être Things are smooth and predictable The club heads towards death

Without Relational Health Disconnected club No family sense No belonging No appreciation for a job well done No encouragement to aspire No reason to join, and no reason to stay Never missed

Without Projects “old boys club” Lots of talk, no action Begin to believe that a rotary club is one

that knows how but isn’t expected to actually do

Discomfort becomes primary fear, yet the comfort itself becomes distasteful

Without Management Unnecessary mistakes happen

Leading to unhealthy stress Blaming

Distrust of the leadership or of any innovative idea

Even good innovations don’t attain great results, nor great participation

Volunteers are more difficult to get

Healthy Balance Need a balance of ALL 4, ALL healthy Sometimes leaders need to emphasize

one or the other… (see later sessions this afternoon)

V R P M

V R P M

V R P M

V R P M

V R P M

Health

V R P MV R P M

VRPM Concept(Vision / Relationships / Projects / Management)

Time

1.2.

3.

Resistance What causes resistance

V initiatives always lead to some resistance – apathy or non-participation is the last resort of the powerless

The goal for V leadership is to make maximum use of R and M Use R-building techniques to develop the

initiative and to carry it out Use M-tools such as communication and

financials and timeliness

Leadership Every leader has a personal orientation

or preference. (Think about the political leaders right now.) Each person, generally, has a driving preference and a supporting preference.

What is your primary strength? What is your secondary strength?