Where there’s a will, there’s a

After its first year, the Rotary South Pacific Membership Portfolio shows progress in slowing decline, proving that real growth depends on innovation and the will to change.

WORDS: Mark Huddleston. Chair, Club and Cultural Transformation.

The Rotary South Pacific Membership Portfolio team now has 12 months under its belt as the peak membership body in the zone, having assumed responsibility for membership development on 1 July 2024. A brief snapshot of the numbers in and out sees last year’s nett membership loss across the zone falling to 855, 724 fewer than the previous year and the best result in a decade.

By best, what I really mean is least bad! I’m not popping champagne corks. I look at it this way: If my football team had lost by 10 goals for each of the last 10 matches, then in the last match only lost by five goals, it’s still a loss! I wouldn’t be celebrating, but I would be keen to analyse the results and find out why we got five goals closer to a win.

Our records indicate that 31 per cent of the 83 clubs across the zone participating in the Fit for Purpose program increased their membership last year. But 12 per cent have seen no change and 57 per cent have seen a loss. We have asked those clubs to complete a survey with a view to understanding what has caused those results, and at the time of writing we don’t have all responses, but I am very confident that I can convey with a high degree of accuracy the underlying mindsets and attitudes causing those results.

While attended the RI Convention in Calgary, Cananda, I was approached by two Rotarians who were members of clubs participating in the program. The first member was incredibly thankful for the opportunity presented to their club, commenting that they had implemented their Club Fitness Plan in full and were reaping the rewards. The club learned so much from the workshop held last October and had been reinvigorated, witnessing substantial growth. It was “a fun place to be” again. This filled my heart with joy, but that joy soon evaporated when the second Rotarian raised concerns that their club had not implemented any elements of their plan, and nothing had changed.

The bottom line for me is that clubs genuinely willing to innovate can witness remarkable transformation. But if the will is not there, the results just won’t come. Our Membership Portfolio Team can help provide guidance to clubs seeking innovation, but unfortunately, we can’t help with the will.

I am confident when the survey results are in that I will be able to share the best innovation secrets from our most successful club transformers.