A New Feature – Club Corner – will feature articles or missives by members. A few submission rules & regs: must have a positive Rotary message; written by a club member who will be identified; may be edited; submit anytime; but no guarantee of publishing on a certain date -however to get in an issue item must be received by Thursday week prior; subject line – [use ALL CAPS] BULLETIN SUBMISSION; club corner is not a promotional piece; although you may make those kinds of submissions, too.

 

Enjoy...

 

Have you ever wondered how a concept from one area of human endeavor applies to another? 

 

Consider the “Law of Diminishing Returns” which applies to manufacturing processes.  If we try to apply it to our Rotary tasks, it may sound incongruous and even not rational but let us indulge ourselves for a moment. 

 

Let us try to apply at least the bare concept: Adding more of the same eventually reduces output.  Alternatively, doing the same will reduce desired results.

 

We are a service organization.  We joined Rotary to serve others and, for the most part, our clubs help us do this admirably.  However, from time to time we get into a rut.  We continue doing the same things, not realizing that the desired results are eluding us.  We want to increase services to others and increase the number of people we serve.  Yet, we fail, because we lose members.

 

Every member we lose increases the load on the rest of us, reduces the appeal of our club to outsiders, decreases goodwill and our visibility in the community, and may even create a source of negative publicity.  So, how do we avoid these diminishing returns? 

 

It’s not simple.  We need to look at our clubs with a different set of eyes.  We need to see them not from our perspective of dedicated Rotarians that forgive unappealing programs or lack of action because we just enjoy each other’s company. 

 

We need to be brutally honest and say, “If I didn’t know these friends in Rotary would I have joined?”  “Would I have found a welcoming environment for me to grow and gain friends?”  “Would I have found intriguing projects that allow me to express my initiative and serve people that benefit from my talents?” 

 

Finally, “How long would I have waited to get involved in a project?”

 

This is the challenge that faces our clubs today.  And here is my challenge to you today: What are you doing in your club to prevent “Diminishing Returns”?

 

 Submitted by Carlos Früm