Rotary Zones 33 – 34 Membership Survey Results Regional Rotary International Membership Coordinators Bevin Wall Zone 33 Jim Henry Zone 34 Membership Survey Results – Zones 33-34 This survey was not sanctioned by Rotary International. It is the sole responsibility of Regional Rotary International Membership Coordinators Bevin Wall (Zone 33) and Jim Henry (Zone 34). Survey statistics Started survey 5,649 Completed survey 4,819 (86.9%) Confidence level 99% Error level 1.8% Written Comments 21,912 (According to a Random Sample Calculator from the internet, the survey gives us a 99% confidence level that our error level is plus or minus 1.8%. Interpreted, this means that if this survey were presented 100 times, 99 of the surveys would give us an error rate of plus or minus 1.8%.) Index (Index numbers reference the page number on the lower right. The center page number relates to the topic.) Introduction……………………………………………………………………………………………………………… ii Blank Survey ……………………………………………………………………………………………………………. 1 Respondent Profile ……………………………………………………………………………………………………… 12 Why the Respondent is still a Rotarian and Comments ………………………………………………………………... 13 Respondent Vocations and Comments…………………………………………………………………………………. 48 Preferred Prospective Member Profiles………………………………………………………………………………… 57 Why should the preferred prospective member join your club?...................................................................................... 58 Why should a three or more year member stay in your club?......................................................................................... 270 How does your club distinguish itself from all other civic clubs or service organizations?........................................... 469 Is there anything unique about your Rotary club that makes membership a privilege?................................................. 662 The Object of Rotary………………………………………………………………………………………………….. 842 C:\Documents and Settings\User\My Documents\RRIMC\Surveys and Results\Membership Surveys, 2009-10\Zone 33-34\Introduction.doc i Membership Survey Results – Zones 33-34 This survey was not sanctioned by Rotary International. It is the sole responsibility of Regional Rotary International Membership Coordinators Bevin Wall (Zone 33) and Jim Henry (Zone 34). Introduction The survey’s opening paragraph stated: The purpose of this survey is to get individual Rotarians’ opinions on two major items: Why they are a Rotary club member and why membership in a local Rotary club is more meaningful than membership in other local civic clubs or service organizations. The survey had other purposes. We will expose them later. Membership The purpose of the questions about which type member would each respondent like to attract to and join their Rotary club was to: Remind respondents of the type person qualified to be a member of a Rotary club as described in the constitutional documents. Encourage Rotarians to think critically about whether or not the type member they would like to invite and join their club would actually be interested in joining their club. If their invitee did join, did the Rotarians believe the invitee would find it worthwhile after three or more years to remain a member of their Rotary club? Questions asking for comments In membership presentations around Zones 33 & 34, we have found that most Rotarians do not like to claim any sort of self- interest practices, such as joining to meet new friends (networking, building friendships) or to represent their businesses. However, in ensuing conversations, they usually revealed that these were influential considerations. Our hope was that by asking for essay responses, we would gather information similar to what is gathered in general conversation. We thank those who expressed their thoughts and opinions in the survey’s 21,912 comments. They are wonderful sources of information that should help any clubs serious about wanting to improve their effectiveness. Object of Rotary We put the Object of Rotary question last because we: Were aware that many Rotarians do not know that the sole purpose of a Rotary club is to advance the Object of Rotary. Did not want the reason why respondents have remained in Rotary or their comments to be influenced because they had just read, or learned, the Object of Rotary. Wanted to determine if respondents were advancing the Object of Rotary without realizing it. C:\Documents and Settings\User\My Documents\RRIMC\Surveys and Results\Membership Surveys, 2009-10\Zone 33-34\Introduction.doc ii Membership Survey Results – Zones 33-34 This survey was not sanctioned by Rotary International. It is the sole responsibility of Regional Rotary International Membership Coordinators Bevin Wall (Zone 33) and Jim Henry (Zone 34). It is necessary to examine both the charts and comments to come to reasonable conclusions. With this much information, there will no doubt be disagreement, which will be healthy if it stimulates conversation, thoughts, and action that will result in more effective clubs. The Obvious The responses overwhelmingly indicate several key fundamentals that clubs can use to become more effective. Rotarians believe that the main incentives for a potential member to join a local Rotary club are: to have the opportunity to build relationships (network) with local business, professional, and community leaders, to promote ethics in business, to represent their businesses and professions, and to serve their local community. The survey indicates that Rotarians remain in their clubs because the club gives them the opportunity to: Serve their local community and beyond, and Maintain relationships with other like-minded people (many specified local business, professional, and community leaders.) The Not So Obvious Another survey purpose was to determine if local Rotarians considered their club different from other civic clubs or service organizations. Many said that their club was different and gave reasons why. Most differences involved its membership consisting of business, professional, and community leaders performing community service. The cliché ‘movers and shakers’ frequently appeared, indicating that this is the desired club membership profile. Another survey purpose was to determine if the respondents considered their club unique and if they felt it was a privilege to be a club member. Approximately 20% said no or not really. Others expressed many reasons, many of which revolved around the select nature of club membership and the desire to serve locally and internationally. The Downright Sneaky There was a two-fold purpose of the questions regarding how a Rotary club distinguishes itself from other civic clubs and service organizations and whether or not being a member of a Rotary club is a privilege. The responses are intended to (1) help determine the future vision of local Rotary clubs and (2) determine whether or not Rotary clubs have identities or distinctive positions. To sustain long-term, a club must satisfy its existing members’ needs and attract new members. Clubs cannot exist long term by emphasizing attributes that can be mimicked by others or by doing nothing to serve members’ emotional needs. The simple truth is C:\Documents and Settings\User\My Documents\RRIMC\Surveys and Results\Membership Surveys, 2009-10\Zone 33-34\Introduction.doc iii Membership Survey Results – Zones 33-34 This survey was not sanctioned by Rotary International. It is the sole responsibility of Regional Rotary International Membership Coordinators Bevin Wall (Zone 33) and Jim Henry (Zone 34). that if a Rotary club does not adhere to a distinctive position, long-term survival will be difficult, if not impossible. The survey results tell us that many Rotary clubs do not have a distinctive position, identity, or, as known in commercial circles, a brand. Many comments indicate that just being a Rotary club is sufficient identity, suggesting that Rotary is the brand. The Rotary wheel is a recognizable symbol, but what does it symbolize? Service is a common thought, but, in North America, service alone is not a unique or distinctive position. Hundreds, perhaps thousands, of organizations perform local and/or international service – many mimicking Rotary attributes and/or continuing services that Rotary clubs initiated or sponsored. For a Rotary club to succeed over the long haul, it must have a unique identity in its sphere of influence. It is our hope that the survey results will help clubs discover and define their uniqueness, identify and attract the members they wish to attract, and to become more effective in advancing the Object of Rotary. Suggested Areas of Exploration As a reader or researcher studies the survey results, here are some suggested areas of exploration: 1. Should Rotary clubs be different from other civic clubs or service organizations? 2. Should Rotary clubs consider membership to be a privilege? 3. Should Rotarians consider being a club member a privilege? 4. What effect does yes or no to either question have on clubs attracting and/or retaining members? 5. What effect does yes or no to either question have on clubs advancing the Object of Rotary? 6. How should a Rotary club distinguish itself from other civic clubs or service organizations? 7. What long-term changes should clubs make to become more effective at advancing the Object of Rotary? 8. How do we influence clubs to make appropriate changes? 9. What is unique about a Rotary club? 10. What is special about being a Rotary club member? 11. Is there a particular value in being a member