NOTES FOR THE PRESENTER:
Update slides as appropriate for your clubs and districts. Slides 3 and 22 require you to insert local examples. You can use video or audience participation.
Encourage participants to use the #whatisrotary throughout the presentation to share ideas and join the larger conversation.
The worksheet for the interactive activity can be found here: https://www.dropbox.com/s/57qahlavantqecw/What%20is%20Rotary%20handout.pdf
5. #WhatisRotary
OBJECTIVES
• Clarify what Rotary
stands for, how it’s
different and why people
should care
• Elevate awareness and
understanding
• Motivate, engage and
inspire current and
prospective members,
donors, strategic partners
and staff
7. #WhatisRotary
ROTARY’S VALUES - WITH ACTIVE LANGUAGE
Diversity We connect diverse
perspectives.
Vocational expertise,
Service and Leadership
We apply our leadership
and expertise to solve
social issues.
Ethics and integrity We honor our
commitments.
Fellowship and
global understanding
We build lifelong
relationships.
13. #WhatisRotary
ROTARY’S STRENGTHS DIFFERENTIATE US
1. A multidisciplinary perspective
allows us to see challenges in
ways others can’t
2. The ability to apply leadership
and expertise to social issues
3. The passion and perseverance
necessary for lasting change
4. Community impact on
a global scale
See
differently
Think
differently
Act
responsibly
Impact
communities
globally
14. #WhatisRotary
PRIMARY REASONS PEOPLE JOIN ROTARY…
Why did you initially join Rotary?
To positively impact my community
Friendship and fellowship
Professional networking/
business development opportunities
To have a positive impact globally
Potential for personal/
professional recognition
Development and training
opportunities
10%
0%
30%
20%
15. #WhatisRotary
…ARE THE SAME REASONS THEY STAY ROTARIANS
Why do you stay with Rotary?
To positively impact my community
Friendship and fellowship
Professional networking/
business development opportunities
To have a positive impact globally
Potential for personal/
professional recognition
Development and training
opportunities
10%
0%
30%
20%
NOTES FOR THE PRESENTER:
A presentation was given on 2 June 2014 during the Rotary Convention by Jennifer Jones. This PowerPoint is based on that and is intended for use through 2016.
Update slides as appropriate for your clubs and districts. Slides 3 and 22 require you to insert local examples. You can use video or audience participation.
Encourage participants to use the #whatisrotary throughout the presentation to share ideas and join the larger conversation.
The worksheet for the interactive activity can be found here: https://www.dropbox.com/s/57qahlavantqecw/What%20is%20Rotary%20handout.pdf
SAMPLE AGENDA (60 minutes)
Join Leaders
Welcome and Introduction – 5 min
Local examples of “What is Rotary,” before – 3 min
Exchange Ideas
Overview of research and strategy using PowerPoint – 15 min
Local examples of “What is Rotary,” after – 3 min
Take Action
Activity – 15 min
Audience response sharing – 10 min
Next steps – 5 min
Thank you for joining us for today’s presentation, “What is Rotary?”
At the end of the presentation today you will be fully up-to-date on the initiative to Strengthen Rotary.
We’ll begin with a quick update on the initiative’s progress and why our Directors and Trustees decided to strengthen our brand.
Today we’ll provide a quick overview of the research documents. Then we’ll turn to our strategy, our essence…and give you a look at a robust new visual identity toolkit and how it helps clarify the relationships among Rotary’s offerings, programs and affiliations.
Finally, we will spend time working on our answers to “What is Rotary” and sharing with each other and the virtual world.
NOTE: This can be an opportunity to show local examples of answers before the activity. If not relevant to your presentation, delete slide.
Let’s hear some details on why our Directors and Trustees decided to undertake a branding initiative.
As we finish our work with Siegel+Gale, our work is just beginning. Our objectives for the program are clear:
Clarify what Rotary stands for…how we’re different from other nonprofits…and why people should care.
Elevate awareness and understanding of Rotary.
Motivate, engage and inspire current and prospective members…as well as our donors…strategic partners…and staff.
Do you recall our core values?
Fellowship
Integrity
Diversity
Service
Leadership
Here they are…brought to life in a more active voice.
Fellowship becomes We build lifelong relationships.
Ethics becomes We honor our commitments.
Diversity becomes We connect diverse perspectives.
And our vocational expertise, service and leadership become We apply our leadership and expertise to solve social issues.
Next, let’s look at our voice…how we express ourselves…what we say…and how we say it.
The first attribute of our voice is smart. We see challenges from different angles applying our expertise to solve social issues.
The second attribute is compassionate. We have a heightened emotional understanding of the people we’re trying to help.
The third attribute is persevering. No one can doubt our determination and drive.
The fourth voice attribute is inspiring. This reflects our ability to motivate others to act by conveying hope, enthusiasm, and passion.
Our voice gives us a fresh way of talking about our organization—and living the Rotary experience. Incorporating the four voice attributes into our Rotary experience will inspire and motivate Rotarians…and others who want to connect with us.
The world’s top brands maintain balance. Rotary, too, must maintain balance…if our brand—if Rotary—is to be true.
When we all work in harmony…1.2 million members…34,000 clubs…speaking with the one voice…using a consistent look…telling a compelling story…WE SPEAK WITH AUTHENTICITY. The result: we improve the world’s understanding of our organization.
The fact is, Rotary’s own Public Image Surveys* told us that people do not know us.
Four in 10 have never heard of Rotary.
Another four in 10 have heard of our “name only.”
Only two in 10 claim to have “some familiarity” with Rotary…and unfortunately what they know is often colored by misperceptions and half-truths.
*Research: Rotary Public Image Surveys completed 2006 and 2010. Responses received from six nations: Argentina, Australia, Germany, Japan, South Africa, United States. Surveyed approximately 1,000 individuals in each of six nations by phone and online. Survey has a +/- 4% margin of error.
Rotary faces a challenge.
More than two years ago our Directors and Trustees recognized that Rotary is NOT EARNING FULL CREDIT for who we are and for the good works Rotarians are doing. This is important because it makes it harder for us as an organization…and harder for our clubs…to attract volunteers, acquire new members and strengthen our impact.
Our combined boards saw that we need to ASSOCIATE our STRENGTHS and the good works you do WITH ROTARY. In support of the Strategic Plan we launched an initiative to Strengthen the Rotary Brand and hired international branding consultant, Siegel+Gale, as our partner.
We determined that Rotary has four core strengths that truly differentiate us.
First, we see differently. Our multidisciplinary perspective enables us to see challenges in ways others can’t.
Second, we think differently because we apply our leadership and expertise to social issues.
Third, we act responsibly, with the passion and perseverance necessary for lasting change. There is no better example than polio.
Fourth, Rotary is a grass roots organization that impacts communities globally.
One of the most important findings from Siegel+Gale’s research are the top two reasons people join Rotary…
To positively impact their community.
And for the friendships and connections they enjoy.
What makes this so important is that these are also the same two reasons people stay with Rotary year after year.
For “community” and “connection.”
I want to focus on our three key implications…because Rotary’s strategy and future direction begin right here.
Rotarians are responsible leaders, both socially and ethically.
For Rotary we define leadership by mindset, not title.
Some of us hold senior titles, CEO, partner, school principal. Others are leaders because they step forward to tackle some of their community’s toughest challenges.
When people step forward as Rotarians, they ARE leaders.
Connecting always will be a driving force behind Rotary
We are a membership organization.
Connecting celebrates our membership and the friendships and bonds we form.
Rotary is not just about global impact. Rotary creates community impact on a global scale.
Let’s talk about Rotary’s essence statements and how Rotary’s brand strategy offers greater clarity and focus.
Our brand strategy is made up of three components:
Essence—our reason for being: What we stand for, how we’re different, why people should care.
Value—our actions/behaviors/beliefs.
Voice—our expression/personality/tone.
We would not have been able to develop our essence, activate our values or create our voice attributes without our research.
Let’s talk about an essence statement for a moment.
We all know Nike and its famous tag line: “Just Do It.”
Behind that tag line is an essence statement. “Authentic Athletic Performance.” This essence is rarely seen by the public. But it acts as Nike’s compass for communications and strategic decision making.
For example: Nike’s decision not to follow Reebok into profitable fashion market because it does not fit Nike’s essence, “authentic athletic performance.”
The same will be true with Rotary’s essence. It’s meant to be “behind the scenes.” And we will use it to inform our communications…and guide our strategic decisions.
Our Directors and Trustees adopted a new essence statement for Rotary.
Rotary joins leaders from all continents, cultures and occupations to exchange ideas and take action for communities around the world.
Our essence statement distills our strengths and differentiates us from other nonprofits. Our essence:
Clarifies Rotary’s role as connector; reinforces “category of one” status by removing traditional nonprofit descriptors.
Defines leadership by outlook (i.e., diverse perspectives and expertise) versus title; emphasizes Rotary’s greatest point of difference in relevant terms.
Balances friendship and fun with service and impact; is active and inspiring.
Balances community and global impact.
At the center of our essence statement are three thoughts that resonate strongly with Rotarians…and with our prospects. Rotary is so many things to so many people, so our essence statement helps us deliver a consistent message.
Rotary joins leaders…we are a catalyst for improving our communities.
We exchange ideas…bringing our expertise and our diverse perspectives to bear on community problems.
Then…because ideas are only the first part of the solution…Rotarians take action.
And we do this community-by-community around the world.
Since an essence statement operates behind the scenes, let’s see how we might use those three concepts to communicate what Rotary is about.
Let’s take a look at the some of our members who have prepared their responses using our essence, values and voice.
Introduction of activity, explaining what next 15 minutes will look like:
5 minutes drafting your response to “What is Rotary” using the worksheet and examples provided
5 minutes sharing with a friend
5 minutes sharing with a stranger or the virtual world using the hashtags available!
We may even ask you to share your response with everyone here today!
5 minutes sharing with a friend
5 minutes sharing with a stranger or the virtual world using #whatisrotary
Ask 2-3 participants to share their statement with the large group.
A detailed implementation plan has been created. And it’s based on a three-part strategy…to:
Inform
Inspire
And to Empower Rotarians with the tools and resources you need…including an online version of our guidelines that will help bring our brand to life.
What can you do in your role as a club leader?
Be a Rotary Champion.
By attending this session and listening to the presentation, you are already Rotary champions. Now that you’ve taken the time to learn more about this effort, you can use what you learned here today in your district conferences, regional seminars, and team trainings to share this message with the rest of the Rotary world.