We are working to more fully develop this blog by opening this up for additional senior staff and volunteer leaders to blog.  Having more than one primary voice on here should make for a more dynamic blog.  New voices coming soon!

This morning I had a chance to hear a Lt. Governor in California share her personal story of contracting polio as a child and the life-changing impact of the March of Dimes.  Their investment in her care and treatment as a child allowed her to not only survive, but to thrive.  The point of her story is how important Kiwanis is to so many people in ways we will never truly understand. Your support of important organizations in your local communities really matters.  Thank you to all of you who are leading and making a difference, one child at a time. 

 Rob

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.

I know there are people who go the doctor, get their regular physicals, take their prescribed medications and follow their advice.  If you are one of them, good for you.  For the rest of us, we need a push in the right direction from time to time.  Today I finally took my doctors advice and had a very important cancer screening that he had been recommending. It wasn't that I was fearful or anything, I just did not seem to be able to find the time.  (That's my story and I am sticking to it).  Well, I did the test this afternoon and the results are in.  I have a completely clean bill of health!  It feels great to know that, but it also would have been very important to know if I did have an issue.  So, for those of you who have been procrastinating about something you know you should do, my unsolicited advice is to do what NIKE has been telling us for years:  JUST DO IT!

Anyone who has Caller ID has probably experienced a time when they saw a name come up on their ID and they had an emotional reaction.  Sometimes the reaction is positive,and other times maybe not.  When certain people call, we may smile and be excited to get the call.  There also may be other names that elicit totally different reactions.  If you are leading, my question for you is "How do people react when they see your name on their Caller Identification."  Do they smile because they know they are about to have a pleasant/positive experience, or do they groan and try to decide if they can avoid the call?  Just something to think about... (and maybe take some action if required)

Steven Covey's book "The Speed of Trust" is a must-read for anyone who is in the business of leading others.  Covey makes the strong case for trust as the key foundation on which all relationships are built.  While this may seem obvious, Covey identifies some very practical things that you and I can do as leaders to build trust.  If any of you have read this book and want to comment on it, would love to hear from you. 

Rob

The KI Board was in Indianapolis this week for its April meeting.  International President Dave Curry led the Trustees through some critical discussions about the future of Kiwanis.  A number of amendments from our local clubs were reviewed, along with several that were developed by the KI Board.  Higlights from this meeting will be shared here and in the next issue of the Kiwanis Insider.

 Rob

Over the past 18 months we have made a number of changes at Kiwanis that we believe will position us for growth in the future.  The response to our attempts to make Kiwanis more flexible and responsive to the needs of our members (and future members) has been overwhelmingly positive.  While that is true, I am sure there are people in your clubs, divisions and districts who are reluctant to embrace change.  My encouragement to you as a leader is to recognize that this is a normal response and not something to be feared.  People are naturally drawn to those things that are familiar and comfortable.  Encouraging people to stretch and change is not always easy, and needs to be done with both grace and understanding.  Most of us are not willing to give up what we have in our hands until we are convinced that what is being offered is substantially better.  Our job as leaders, and agents of change, is to make a convincing case for why people should consider a new way of doing things.  We also need to play close attention to the pace of change.  Most people need time to adjust to new thoughts and ideas. While it is important to create a sense of urgency and motivate people to take action, people also need to be given time to process and respond.  As a leader one of our jobs is to listen carefully to those that we are leading to make sure they fully understand where we are headed and why it is important. That listening will help determine if the pace of change is too fast or too slow.  Since this is more of an art than a science, each time we are involved in a change effort we increase our effectiveness as a leader. If you have input or questions about this issue of change or our pace, please post a response.

I was speaking to a large group of Kiwanis members this week and we were discussing what makes a great club meeting.  They had a lot of interesting ideas.  I will share some of them in a future post, but would be very interested in your thoughts about what makes a memorable or interesting meeting. 

Rob

Last night I had a chance to speak to a crowd of just over 200 Kiwanis members and their spouses at a Divisional Council Meeting for Division 15 of the Florida District.  It was a great gathering with lots of energy and enthusiasm.  Florida Governor Mark Taylor inducted 7 new members and there were several Hixons presented.    The highlight of the evening was being interviewed by a 10 year old K-Kids reporter.  This delightful future leader asked some excellent questions and it was so encouraging to see what our K-Kids program is doing with our children.  Kiwanis is alive and well in Florida.

What ideas do you have that would make the International Convention feel more inclusive and welcoming to those from outside the United States. A sampling of current suggestions include:

1. Display the flags of each nation as we have in the past

2. Have a special international welcome area with people who speak every language represented at the convention.  These people would wear name tags that say "I speak Spanish" or German or Chinese etc...

3.  Have speakers from outside the US.

What ideas do you have or what best practices have you experienced?

I know I have asked this question before, but it has been a very important question for me as I have traveled throughout the Kiwanis world.  So, here goes:  "If you could change one thing about your local Kiwanis club, what would it be?"  If there are multiple ideas you want to share, feel free.  Thanks.

Rob

This blog comes to you from a roadside internet cafe deep in the heart of New Zealand.  For the past 10 days I have working with our Kiwanis leaders and members here in Australia, New Zealand and the South Pacific to identify the key strategies that will catapult these districts forward, causing them to grow like never before.  It has been a non-stop tour that has included radio and newspaper interviews, town-hall style meetings, Kiwanis gatherings and one-on-one meetings with Kiwanis members.  The enthusiasm here is very high and I am extremely encouraged.  Although they are facing huge challenges of distance and isolation, they are also doing some amazing things in their communities.  The KIWI's here in NZ and their counterparts in Australia represent huge potential for the Kiwanis family to grow.   

Two weeks ago I had a chance to meet a 96 year old Kiwanis member.  This member joined the Kiwanis family over 70 years ago, and is still an active member.  Not only did he attend and participate in the meeting where I spoke, earlier that morning he had walked 3 miles and gone to the Y to "work-out".  Fred Birchmore was the first to circle the world on a bicycle (in the 1930's), and in 2002, at the age of 90, he climbed Brasstown Bald, the highest mountain in Georgia. He has lived an amazing life, and Kiwanis has been an important part of it.  Fred is truly an inspiration and another reason to be proud to be part of Kiwanis.  I would be interested in hearing about the unique, special or memorable Kiwanis members you have met.  Take a minute and share your story

Rob