If You Lead by Example You Don’t Have to Recruit

When District Membership Chair Bruce Allen sat down to write website copy for our “Join Rotary” page he hit a particular kind of writer’s block – perfection paralysis. 

“Membership is the lifeblood of Rotary,” he says with heart. How could he possibly explain all of the benefits of joining Rotary? How could anyone showcase the full impact more than a million Rotarians have in this world? 

“I think in two generations,” he continues. “Mine, and my daughters’.” 

Bruce and his wife Diane have two daughters, each working at a university, each with school-aged children. They are busy working professionals. 

“I know how to talk to old white guys,” Bruce laughs. “But I also want to talk to the rest of the world.”

His older daughter Rachel is the Associate Director of the Journalism School and Communications at the University of Oregon. 

“She has terrible taste in wine,” he laughs again, this time at their inside joke. But he talks about why he wants someone as busy as his daughter to join Rotary. 

Based in Eugene, she would have several clubs to choose from. While he would love for both his daughters to join him in the Greater Albany Rotary Club, he would rather they find a club near them that works for their packed schedules. 

When you believe in the power of service, of generosity, you can’t help but want to share that gift, that community with others. 

“We get to be a part of something bigger than ourselves,” Bruce says. This is why we all pay dues. This is why we make time in our busy lives to volunteer, attend meetings, or join committees.

Whether we’re planting fruits and vegetables at a local school garden, shelving new books at a rural library abroad, or even when we’re attending board meetings and answering emails, we are a part of something bigger than ourselves – we are a part of the greater good. We are part of the solution.

But when we talk to people about joining Rotary it’s hard not to use jargon – red badge member, blue badge ceremony, Paul Harris Society, etc. It’s hard not to use what many call Rotary’s “alphabet soup” – RYE, DDF, IPDG, HOF. Abbreviations certainly help us communicate internally but terms like RYLA and PETS won’t spark curiosity in someone who might actually be looking to give back to their community. 

We want to spark that curiosity. We want people to feel the excitement we do when we find our passion in a particular project or program. 

Some Rotarians love working at a local food bank. Others are committed to working with youth in any capacity. One of the greatest things about Rotary is the sheer breadth of service you can do – local or international, members can make a difference in the environment, education, health, economic development, or conflict resolution. We, quite literally, can change the world. Because what we do together is so much bigger than what we can do individually.

Some people still think Rotary is a secret society. Some people still think it’s only for men. Or that only rich people can join. 

But Rotary is open to everyone. Anyone can join this international family of volunteers.

Without using jargon, talk with people like you’re having a glass of wine together – even if you don’t have the same taste. Have a real conversation over coffee. Share stories and experiences over dinner.

If someone’s interest is international service, talk to them about how we fund projects and programs abroad. Don’t explain the Global Grants application and evaluation process. Share the stories of what Global Grants fund – a fire truck donated to a fire department in Guanajuato, Mexico from a club in their sister city of Ashland, Oregon. Or retro-fitting a community-owned abattoir in Elburgon, Kenya that supports around 200 co-op employees while protecting the local river system.

If they’re already involved in protecting local waterways you don’t have to explain how DDF funding can leverage club funding for even more support. But you can tell them Rotarians raise money and volunteer for environmental protection initiatives. You can tell them they’d never believe how much fun it is to pick up garbage with your friends on a Saturday morning – and they’re more than welcome to join us at Amazon Creek every quarter!

But when you’re talking to anyone, young working professionals or fully retired people, do honor the difference between being welcoming and pressuring. People might be reluctant to join for a variety of reasons. They might even hesitate to ask questions, lest they get caught up in a “sales pitch.” Respect that. Twisting arms or even good-natured ribbing laid on a little too thick can give people a bad impression instead of generating interest. It’s harder to recover from bad press than it is

If someone quotes Groucho Marx and quips, “I refuse to join any club that would have me as a member,” share a laugh with them but recognize that they are diplomatically declining.

Some people will not want to join no matter how passionate we are. That’s ok. But other people might want to join in the future when they have more time, money, bandwidth – or all of the above. Maybe they want to focus on work or their family and joining Rotary would be a better, more lasting fit for them later. We want those folks to know they’re welcome back a year from now or ten years from now – whenever works for them. We don’t want them to remember a guilt trip. We want them to fondly remember a no-obligation open invitation from great people.

We all started as someone who knew nothing about Rotary. Then, we lead by example. 

Your enthusiasm and experience will energize prospective members more than any brochure could. Your stories of real Rotary service will create the kind of curiosity org charts never could. Billboards and t-shirts don’t make new members. Rotarians do. We are living examples, we are People of Action. 

So raise a glass, friends. Share a story. And tell the Rachels in your life how Rotary could change theirs. If Rotary is the right fit for them, they’ll join us when they’re ready.

Photo credit © Bruce Allen, image used with permission

Image description: Bruce Allen at the coast with his daughter Rachel. They are smiling at the camera and standing in front of the ocean on an overcast day.