1st Impression / Experience of 8th District Assembly - Rotary International District 3310

Fellowship - Magic or Limit

One significant difference experienced, after attending many other types of conference or assembly is the feeling of fellowship. Upon registration till the end of the assembly, I felt totally welcomed by fellow Rotarians who were at first total strangers.

As I explored deeper the reason why, I found the collective commitment and demonstration of the very first objects of Rotary International "The Development of Acquaintance ....", the very first aspiration of the Rotary founder Paul Harris, when he experienced the extreme alienation of urban life - a drastic contrast from rural or community spirit.

Another characteristic of Rotary Clubs, like many non-profit organisations, is that "it is voluntary" with the motto "Service above Self".

Rotary International has grown into a very large organisation - millions of members, thousands of clubs all over the world, like a mini United Nation. On one hand it creates a potential force for networking and synergy generation, on the other hand, the necessary organisation and structures bring with it a monstrous system of hierarchy, bureaucracy, and administration, with thick "Manual of Procedures" so overwhelming that by the time the club office bearers adequately understand the mechanics of things, their office term is over (note: one person can only serve one year in any office bearer position).

There are similar pattern of behaviour of Rotary organisation (club or district) as compared with any other organisations like business, political, association, industry, institution, i.e. as long as it is human being who make up the organisations, There are usual symptoms and problems like : lack of teamwork, leadership, administrative inefficiency and or ineffectiveness, there are feeling of stress, frustration, mis-understanding among members or committee, there are problems of effective training and learning in spite of so much effort invested. etc. etc. One by one the original high ideals of Rotary "Service Above Self" gives ways to dis-illusion. A testimony of failing operative system (with human interaction or intervention) of a voluntary organisation is dwindling membership, whereas bread-and-butter organisation is low morale, low productivity, high stress and potential failure of business.

There is likely less intensity of politics in voluntary organisation like Rotary, as compared that with Business organisations, where bread-and-butter, career and promotion could be life and death matter. After all, it is voluntary, and the choice can be "can't beat the system, one can always quit from the system". Furthermore the behaviour in a voluntary organisation is much under the notion of fellowship.

Indeed the insides of a voluntary organisation is to a large extend the mirror image of any non-voluntary organisation whose members (e.g. professionals) transpose the same organisation practice into the voluntary organisation, albeit the fact that the latter supposed to be guided by high Ideals - To Serve Mankind.

In Rotary, Fellowship is one of the objects. It is believed by many Rotarians that Fellowship is the foundation to the Rotary Goal. However, as one examines deeper, the formula or theory that Fellowship equals Teamwork, is flaw. The type of Relationship for Fellowship is entirely different from the necessary Relationship for Teamwork - to work together towards a Shared Vision. And the type of knowledge, techniques and skills is also entirely different. Two brothers with best of brotherhood, friendship and fellowship can become enemies to "kill" each other in court when they become business partners. The blind pursuit of Fellowship can only widen the gap between Reality and the high Ideals of Rotary, thereby causing all the familiar symptoms and problems of any typical organisation.

In the above context, Fellowship is not a magic, but a limitation.

Rotary Ideals - What does it mean personally to individuals?

Rotary Ideals, or for that matter, any ideal or utopia, is NOT a Personal Vision. Rotarians or potential members get attracted to the ideals (in the form of a statement, or as personally demonstrated by another Rotarian) can only signify the natural tendency of any human being to subscribe to Ideals, to excel, to self-actualise. One can subscribe to a magazine, but he or she may not read the magazine at all. Personal Vision is something that can cause the person to act with creative force to make the vision a reality, day and night, constantly and consistently.. A Vision creates a Tension and a Force that draws a person from his or her currently Reality (whatever maybe the circumstances: obstacles, difficulties, frustration, joy, fellowship, happiness etc.) towards its new Creation.

In this respect, Rotary organisation underlying assumption that a profound cause, or an Ideal alone as a driving force needs to be reviewed. It is the individual Personal Vision that needs to be developed as a creative force, synergized into a Share Vision by the entire organisation. In this way, an individual Rotarian can really explore his or her own full potentials towards any goals, objective or ideals that truly and profoundly means much to him or her. Collective individuals Personal Vision becomes a Shared Vision that can move any mountain or conquer any continent, like Columbus or Gandhi or any great leaders.

What Rotary is Not?

Unconsciously or rather in a subtle way, some Rotarians may treat Rotary as a sanctuary. This can create much more dis-illusion and anxiety and dis-connect of life. Rotary is not a sanctuary for fellowship because one cannot experience fellowship at home, at work place, or in society. Rotary is not a sanctuary that hold high Ideals as one find no place outside Rotary world to create Ideals. Rotary is not a sanctuary to experience genuine teamwork, as the success rate of genuine teamwork seldom happens in a man-system organisation, voluntary or not.

Rotary then should be a source of inspiration, where one can draw positive energy to be further manifested in the non-Rotarian world or the Reality.

There are many heart-felt humanitarian Projects

Indeed they are many heart-felt humanitarian projects. Alleviation of some pockets of poverty, treatment of disease, self-help coaching, student exchange, youth leadership training, donation to disaster areas, etc. etc. Pockets of success stories need not necessarily be self-motivating, otherwise Rotary movement can only be self-generative not only in attracting more members, but the existing Rotarian membership instead of declining, will be self-actualised to create more and influence more others.

In many cases, activities are treated as Projects. Accomplishment of projects needs not necessary be the product of a Visioning creation. Many professionals accomplish many projects in their career, but the professionals need not necessary reach the state of the highest level of Maslow's law of hierarchy of need - Self Actualisation. Although there is no deny that most of the recipients of the projects benefits from the action of the many sincere and dedicated Rotarians who carry out projects.

There are fine examples of individual Rotarians practising "Service above Self" (e.g. Penghulu Chiew, who consistently, every Sunday without fail for 40 years, brings vegetables to home of the ages).

Ideals, Fellowship and worthy Projects cannot complete the jigsaw puzzle picture.

If Ideals, Fellowship and worthy Projects cannot complete the jigsaw puzzle picture of realising the organisation goals, what then and what next?

It can only mean that as Rotarians, we need to be very open minded and keen learners for more Knowledge, Techniques and Skills so as to increase our human intelligence and capacity to think and to act. A conducive environment is somehow created : Ideals, Volunteers, Fellowship and Projects. It is just like an artist having a place, a canvas, painting materials, and the rest is a Creating process to make Rotary Dream come true.

• More observations, learning, insights, facts about Rotary movement will be coded as Object Solutions in Outsights knowledgebase to share with Internet community, particularly Rotarians world-wide and potential Rotarians.
• A new homepage will be created to share the experimentation and exploration of Rotary Club Bintulu Central Creative Process.

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