Big Dreams Force New Ways of Thinking

From the day Kiwanis International embraced the goal of growing to one million members by its 100^th Birthday in 2015, business as usual ended.  This huge goal has impacted the kind of staff we hire, the volunteer leaders we attract, the way we spend our money, the strategies we develop, the creativity we employ, the flexibility we embrace, the trust we extend, the risks we are willing to take, and even the way we view ourselves.  Without this outrageous goal we would still be talking about the past, enjoying the present, and giving only fleeting thought to the future. Big dreams force us to feel deeply, think strategically, change willingly and lead passionately.  I am aware of at least two other parts of our organization that have embraced the kind of audacious goals that requires this kind of change.  Last year our Kiwanis members in Europe embraced a growth goal of 100,000 members by 2015.  This will require the recruiting of 60,000 (net) Kiwanis members in the next eight years for this region.  Equally amazing is California-Nevada-Hawaii who has also embraced a goal of 100,000 members, but as a district.  This region and this district will need to stretch well outside their comfort zones to make this happen, and I am sure they will.  If you have a Region, District, Division or Club that has set an audacious goal that you would like us to know about, please share it here on this blog.