Straightforward Thoughts - Antonio Hallage by Planeja Comunicação

Original title in English Straightforward Thoughts

Hallage, Antonio Straightforward Thoughts / Antonio Hallage - Curitiba - Paraná - Brasil: 2016 1. Rotary. 2. The Rotary Foundation. 3. Youth. 4. Strategic Plainning. 5. Leadership. 6. Public Image. 7. Membership Development.

Printed in Brasil

Cover and Interior Design By Lessandro Bonato / planeja.com.br

Antonio Hallage Travessa Major Correia Lima, 10 - CEP 80210-250 Jardim Botânico - Curitiba - Paraná - Brasil e-mail: a.hallage@gmail.com

Foreword We live in a time where information is available to almost everyone. Every day we are flooded with tones of articles, newspapers and books. Many things we should or want to be reading but sometimes it is just too much information. So, why you should choose this book? This book managed to organize some very important information and transformed it into articles that were carefully untangled. More precisely, it is a book that was planned by an engineer, researched by a professor, discussed by a businessman and written by a visionary. I say this book was planned by an engineer not only because Hallage is one. Every article included in this book was carefully chosen such as an engineer does when building a house. Every brick it is important as much as the house as a whole. And as a professor, that he was, he wouldn't write a line without going through an intensive research to support the content of the articles. Every article was discussed considering the life experience of a businessman that he also is. He used his knowledge of micro and macro management to include real facts that will enrich the reader’s experience. Finally, the introduction of this book wouldn't be complete if it wasn't said it was written by a visionary that is also a poet, given us information that is well projected to future actions. All this incorporates 4 decades of an altruistic work as a faithfully engaged Rotarian. Important facts that should be looked over that will change the way you look to the future. I highly recommend you to start Thinking Forward.

Tatiane Hallage Papp Past Rotaract Club President 5

Introduction to the following pages I met Antonio Hallage in 1996, during his term as District Governor for district 4730, when I was able to know him better due to my interest in Rotary and while he was then structuring his District Conference. As a good engineer and businessman together with his large experience in Rotary and professionally, he was a success in organizing the activities in the district and his district conference. He was kind to invite me to be the Aide to the RI President Representative to his conference. I was happy to know that this President’s Rep was a friend from Portugal, the Past Director Marcelino Chaves. Because of my more active participation, I was able to know better Hallage’s ideas and views about Rotary. By the way he left a strong impression as an exemplar Governor in all aspects during that year and that was maybe the reason of his magnificent career in Rotary, occupying during these last twenty years innumerous and various positions, missions and functions in Rotary, culminating as RI Director and lately as Trustee of The Rotary Foundation. During all these years, participating of a great number of international events and in close contact with Rotary leaders from various countries and regions, he had his Rotary’s perception lapidated with self glow, being always an important and interested interlocutor, in treating a great variety of subjects, related to Rotary. It is important to note that he did not lose any opportunity to amplify his knowledge, ideas and vision about themes that were directly related to the development and the progress of Rotary, creating a stock of understanding, living experiences, interpretations of all the 7

points that are related to the daily activity of Rotary around the world. For sure this has brought to him a wide vision, with the examples coming from the most different international origins, of the complexity and at the same time the simplicity that characterize our Organization. I have to myself that Rotarian Hallage is prepared to serve Rotary in many dimensions because, I must repeat, of his very eclectic Rotary’s knowledge. In the following pages the reader will have the opportunity to calibrate ways, roads, structures, challenges confrontations and mainly the dreams that Hallage cares about, with great love to Rotary. In its great internationality and as the greatest Nongovernmental Humanitarian Organization in the face of the Earth, Rotary has in the remarks of the author, opportunities that are sometimes challenges to be faced to fulfill completely its rightful objectives. In a simple way, just mentioning the great number of subjects that are treated in the following pages, we could detach: The Rotary Foundation with its broad spectrum of activities, the use of social media to leverage Rotary and its public image, the Four Way Test as the basis of an harmonic society interwoven with the ethical concepts of happiness. And also the virtues that are expected to have a so called Five Star Rotarian, Rotary’s entrepreneurship, the philanthropic aspects of Rotary’s programs, the fulfillment of objectives and goals by Rotarians and clubs, the spirituality as the basis of all Rotary’s activities, the happiness reached by those that can give and many other correlated activities to the increase of the dignity of the human being, whichever his planetary latitude or longitude. All this subjects and many aspects of the short, medium and long range planning, needed to change paradigms and evolution of thoughts and Rotarian stratification are presented. 8

One necessary distinction must be added here to a constant worry of the author with the future of our organization, based mainly on youth and on its great diversity, having on its core value the Family as its celula mater. Before closing these words I would like to emphasize one of Hallage’s thoughts that express the greatness of his humanizing profile, through the understanding of one of the pillars of our Rotary Foundation: “Solidarity is driven by the understanding and comprehension that levels us and make us learn with our neighbors and pay respect to them, restoring their dignity, a trace of character of all Rotarians.” Congratulations Director Hallage for this magnificent gift. This compendium that is now offered to us, constitutes a certain and true mean to assure that we will have a Rotary each time more active, present in its communities and enriching his members and above all, doing good in the world.

Alceu Antimo Vezozzo Rotary International - Director 2001-03

Thanks

This book summarizes a series of thoughts that during the last eight years I was able to express and debate with several Rotary friends, from which I learned a lot. I thank you all. Some of them were published, some were not. By putting them together at this time, it is my intention to share them with you that is taking some time to read it. My intention also is to receive your comments on some of the points explored. My e-mail is contato@antoniohallage.com.br I am using this space to thank to my wife Rose for her permanent support during the long hours that I had to dedicate to this work. She is also my eyes, my heart and my air. She always is raising me up when I am a little down and pushing me back to Earth when I fly a little higher. Thank you, very very much.

Antonio Hallage

Acknowledgments to my family that aways support me

Table of Contents Introduction to the following pages .................................................... 7 Thanks............................................................................................... 10 Acknowledgments to my family that aways support me .................. 11 The challenges of The Rotary Foundation of Rotary International ...................................................................... 17 The Social Media and Rotary’s universe - Part 1 ............................. 21 The Social Media and Rotary’s universe - Part 2 ............................. 23 Rotarian Five Stars ........................................................................... 27 The Rotary Foundation and Membership Development The transforming volunteership ........................................................ 29 Rotary’s Entrepreneurship ................................................................ 33 Overcoming team’s dysfunctions ..................................................... 37 Attributes of a Good Project ............................................................. 41 The Rotary Foundation The beacon of Rotary ................................. 43 The Endowment Fund Our Legacy of Gratitude .............................. 47 Your legacy and the sustainability of Rotary’s service .................... 49 The story of the permanent themes of Rotary .................................. 51 The tree of Rotary’s service .............................................................. 53 Who makes a promise ... has to accomplish with it .......................... 57 The lessons of the Titanic and of the Chinese bamboo .................... 61 Who do not have hands to give ….................................................... 63 The Spirituality, Rotary and of our Rotary Foundation .................... 67 The Rotary Foundation and the Development of Rotary.................. 71 13

Long range planning in Rotary ......................................................... 77 The evolution of thinking: Shifting Paradigms ............................... 83 Youth and their Future in Rotary ...................................................... 87 The evolution under the concept of Diversity .................................. 93 Service and The Rotary Family ........................................................ 97 The Rotary brand and our image .................................................... 101 Renovation of Evolution ................................................................. 105 ABTRF - The Rotary Foundation in Brazil .................................... 109 Area of Action or Territory............................................................. 113 Leadership in Rotary International and the future .......................... 117 The several facets of Rotary’s Service ........................................... 123 Rotary DNA’s composition and its likely evolution ...................... 127 The 5 senses and the Board member mission ................................. 131 Loyalty in Rotary ............................................................................ 133 Sustainable Leadership ................................................................... 137 The Rotary Club - A center for efficient services........................... 141 The development of Rotary Better, bigger and bolder ................... 145 The future of Rotary in our hands................................................... 149 The flagship of Rotary .................................................................... 155 Fishermen of Human Beings .......................................................... 159 Towards a culture of peace ............................................................. 162 Reconnecting with the community ................................................. 166 Vocational Service The Avenue of Excellence .............................. 170 Transforming information into knowledge and action ................... 174

A New Language ............................................................................ 178 The administration and Leadership development in Rotary ........... 182 How to permanently admit a new member ..................................... 188 Transforming donors into Partners (and Partners into donors) ...... 190 Water: an international perspective ................................................ 192 Managing Nonprofit Organizations (The Third Sector) ................. 198 Characteristics of Leadership ......................................................... 202 And the dream goes on ... ............................................................... 208

The challenges of The Rotary Foundation of Rotary International Currently and towards the future there are a series of challenges that we have to face as an organization. In a very concise manner, I describe bellow some of the most relevant ones, not classified in any order of importance. The challenge of continue to Streamline Procedures - A great step was already given with the establishment of a new grants structure. The initial analysis and the establishment of criteria for them to be elaborated reduced the several types of grants to only two, allowing also the progressive reduction of approval time and their concentration in the six areas of focus. The next step will be to improve and redefine these criteria for them to better satisfy the needs of the community while maintaining the continuity of the services rendered and produce the necessary impact on the community we serve while being relevant. The challenge of definition of metrics in the six areas of focus Metrics that allow the evaluation of projects with respect to their impact on the community, their sustainability better defined in each area of focus and their value and not only their cost. These metrics will allow the comparison of the effectiveness of projects in the areas of focus and the establishment of parameters of good execution and their repeatability.

The challenge of maintaining high the Object of Rotary International and its Foundation - More than an instrument of charity, The Rotary Foundation must continue to achieve tangible improvements in the quality of life of million people in the world and by doing that, show to them the trough value of solidarity. By doing that we will show clearly this object of our organization that crystallizes itself with its contribution to the progress of peace and world understanding. The challenge of development - The seed sowed in 1917 started really to grow after 1947, but from that time and on its growth has been extraordinary. In terms of contribution, function of the generosity of Rotarians and those that we were able to inspire, allowed us to break records of contributions year after year to the Annual Fund and the growth of the Endowment Fund which will surely reach the goal of one billion dollars by 2017- the centennial year of our Foundation- assuring a solid financial support to our actions. Our challenge is to increase the effectiveness of the use of our financial resources that already assures nowadays that 89% of them be used directly in the projects and services rendered. We must also continue to be proudly recognized with maximum scores by renowned international foundation evaluation organizations. The challenge of organizational effectiveness - With a permanent and continued action towards the optimization of corporate management and the equitable distribution of of organization support. The challenge of intelligent partnerships - With the purpose of establishing bridges between good ideas and great projects, we must and are qualifying and determining criteria to the selection of partners that allow the chosen partners to exercise their social responsibility relevant and related to their business. By attracting strong partners we are offering them the reliability of our organiza18

tion, the ubiquity of our clubs, spread out in every corner of the earth and our capacity to complete sustainable projects at a low operational cost and that address community needs. The challenge of financial sustainability - The several modes of contribution and financing of projects and programs must continue to be continuously improved in order to allow low operational costs and still be immune to financial market fluctuations. The challenge of the eradication of Polio - To fulfill difficult promises requires strategy, total attention and great compromise with them to accomplish the changes necessary to be done to finish this effort. We cannot stop to believe in our promise to humanity and complete our journey. This final effort is being rewarded. Who make a promise… must accomplish it. Who takes more time to fulfill a promise are the ones who accomplish them with greater rigor.

The Social Media and Rotary’s universe - Part 1 More than 50 different social networks are identified nowadays between the most used with a great variety of uses and different number of users, reaching some of them like Facebook to more than one billion of active users. The popularization and constant growth of these networks implemented new relationship practices between their users. It is difficult to find in current times, someone who do not have their profile in some of these open networks, who became as a consequence, part of the daily routine of these people. In Rotary these relationships imply a dynamic yet not totally assimilated and that need to be understood to, at the same time use the benefits of this acceleration on the relationships, and also the ethical responsibility of its correct use, with consciousness that this important daily use be executed with maturity and becomes valid in this virtual ambience created by these social networks. In relation to The Rotary Foundation they can become valuable channels of comprehension, learning and networking. Finding partners, maintaining them up to date with the evolution of joint projects and grants, is now enriched, swifter and with amplified content of information exchanged. The broadcasting of completed and successful projects with great impact on the community can and must be inserted in social media to increase the knowledge of our work and the understanding of the meaning of our brand, because it is by showing and telling what we do that we are going to attract more responsible citizens to join us in doing good in the world.

We must also consider that publications on these networks in a in a careless and sometimes in an even irresponsible way can expose the original user or facts and people mentioned on these publications, to uncomfortable and sometimes offensive situation. Information or small notes published in sites of relationship, given their wideness and the speed of the spread of information that they allow, must be inserted with consciousness and understanding of these attributes. The ethical principles expressed on The Four Way Test which we believe in and fight for, must be always in the back of our minds and be communicated in all times with the public we may be in touch with, to exemplify them with adequate attitudes while using the available social media. The reach of virtualized information shall in our case be well understood by each Rotarian and by our organization. Some basic criteria and relationship rules must be followed. And observed. It is inadequate to recommend to anyone not to be part of these efficient channels of communication. They have an immense potential and their relevance in current days also in Rotary are immense. The questions that require our permanent evaluation is to how use them effectively and generate in the future good proactive and not problematic results.

The Social Media and Rotary’s universe - Part 2 After we have completed the first part of the Public Image Reformulating Plan, involving essentially the visual realignment and the unification of institutional logos of Rotary and the Rotary Foundation and their programs, which correspond to almost 10 to 15% of the Plan that derived from a joint work with na external consulting company, we are going to start now the most important part and which dense content includes the public propagation of our brand, programs and projects and to effectively clarify to the public who we are, our purpose, relevance, values and principles. For this new step to be effective, the social media must be wisely used to spread these themes to humanity, particularly to whom they are mostly unknown. These focus groups must throughout the implementation of this process, recognize the Rotarians, as leaders with well defined purposes, available to join available resources and that are engaged in contribute to a positive change in the community to which they serve, producing impact in the local and global scale. For this to be viable, the several communication means must be set in motion in a coordinated way, for not only speak the same language and transmit a coherent message, but also utilize some fundamental aspects, common to all media, through pillars of content, which are: Rotary Headlines - with focus on what is happening because of Rotary and Rotarian’s action, advertisement of important projects

completed and Rotarians involved, using the jargon that applies also to the external public; Global Impact - emphasizing the 6 areas of focus, the global causes that we are involved and acting, the intelligent partnerships we have established and in what is being done and that have multiregional, national or global impact; Community and involvement and impact - Telling current stories on Rotary’s achievements (involving clubs, people, and initiatives in a micro level) that includes community involvement to the continuity of these implemented projects, in particular those which involves the leverage of resources coming from The Rotary Foundation and their value to that community (not only their cost); Enrichment of the audiences - With focus on the personal, individual and professional growth, relevant to the Rotary public but mainly to the Non Rotary public; This content should be developed for the effective use by the media, prepared by professionals of the area of social media, Rotarians or not, as part of a Communication and Marketing Plan. They are needed to promote Rotary’s action with the firm objective of, with the better and amplified knowledge of what we do, who we are, turn it easier the recruitment and engagement of new members, adherence of new intelligent partners, contributions to our causes through our Foundation, the support to the final effort to polio eradication and the development of new and continued projects in the six areas of focus. Besides the systematic and frequent action on the virtual and published social media, metrics must be used to determine the impact in the amplification and propagation of the Rotary brand, its comparison to other brands and the repercussion of the content of these messages. 24

Our communication professionals from the staff and the Rotary’s magazines, acting jointly with this process of the best use of social media has a fundamental and important coordination and professsional role in providing a viable and adequate content in their respective areas of action. Also a main role should be reserved to the Rotary’s districts in this important strategy of communication and marketing with qualified professionals on their team.

Rotarian Five Stars Every time that I try to imagine the profile of a Rotarian that executes with exceptional performance a project granted by The Rotary Foundation, or one that promotes successful fund raising campaigns, or one that personally contributes to one of the existing funds, comes to my mind the attributes of a Rotarian that can be called a Rotarian Five Stars. Which are these attributes? Let us see some of them: Arrives smiling on every week meetings of the club, greets everyone and transmit to them good vibrations; Every member of the club likes to sit on his or her table, because he or she always have a proactive observation to make and always an interesting story to tell; When the club is idealizing a project he or she has always a constructive idea to contribute to this project effectiveness; Never look for positions. Is aspired to occupy them because his or her performance on any position he or she exerted; Acquired the pleasure of giving and also to serve; Articulates well the ideas and relates them easily to rules and procedures of Rotary and its Foundation with great knowledge derived from studies of them; Is always available to help in a friendly way, without trying to impose his or her opinion;

Can easily make a friend from a Rotarian, understanding that it is more difficult to make a Rotarian from a friend; Hears with great interest and can put himself or herself in the position of whom he or she is talking to with great empathy; Try to use his talents to do every time better, even those traditional projects that the club is involved, with the certainty that by doing that, someone’s life will be better; Propagates on his or her circle of influence a positive image of Rotary, describing with a proper speech the completed projects of Rotary; Certainly you know some Rotarian that have some or the majority of these attributes and you may have most of them yourself. Every day more Rotary needs this kind of Rotarian. Look between the professsionals that you are related with who have them and try to convince this person to join Rotary, by participating on a Rotary project and in sequence participating in a Rotary club meetings. Analyze these attributes and see which one of them you need to improve to do a better job together with the other members of your club to change it to become a Five Stars Club confirming how sure was your sponsor to choose you, trying always to be a Five Stars Rotarian.

The Rotary Foundation and Membership Development The transforming volunteership There is a direct relationship between Rotary’s Membership Development and The Rotary Foundation. If Rotary’s business is to transform our world in a better place, to transform human beings into better persons, change the paradigm and revert the growing deterioration of values, fighting to maintain the values for which we fight for, the Rotary Foundation while doing good in the world demonstrates that it is totally identified with the Object of Rotary. And it could not be different. It is worthwhile to remember that it is better to participate of an organization like Rotary that works to transform the world in a better place, than to belong to a crowd that watch all that is happening “over the wall” doing nothing. While developing a project granted by our Foundation, that takes us through the road mentioned above, we are expanding our war shout to insensitivity, to anomy. By doing this and by the visible result of these projects, we create conditions to attract new social responsible members of our community to join us, doing their best to satisfy their anxiety to do good in the world that initially attract them. There is a great difference between doing what is possible and doing the best that is possible. Rotarians must do the best that is possible and not

only what is possible, not only for personal growth but also because an ethical and civic duty. One of the simple changes that are making a great difference and producing its results in the membership development is promoting the admission of new members on a club by letting them to participate in a club project even before joining officially that club. The same effect is occurring in the charting process of new clubs allowing potential Rotarians that will be part of this club to participate on a project dedicated to this club’s community, even before the official charting process to occur. Within this innovative process some changes are happening: Allowing these new potential members to understand what Rotary and its Foundation are allowing them to do, even before they understand what Rotary and the Rotary Foundation are; By being admitted through a project they can wonder since the beginning, which other projects are in their aim to serve, they could suggest to the club and that will certainly use their talents, putting them to act; By introducing this new factor in the admission process we will be solving the retention problem at the admission, because a member admitted in this way will not leave the club easily and will not cease to use Rotary Foundation grants to allow the viability of projects with more ambitious and challenging goals; The amplification of the citizen local view, to a multinational view, by perceiving the effects produced by the introduction of an international partnership with a global grant;

Allows the participation on projects of Rotaractors, opening their vision to a future membership as Rotarians; The understanding the effects of the contributions, allowing the appearance of the sense of ownership to Rotary and its Foundation, from which we are members and owners at the same time; These changes can be seen in some ways innovative, but innovating is the road to transform and transform is better than just help. The concept of Transforming Volunteership involves and compromise citizens with the progress of their community and even of their nation and are essential to development.

Rotary’s Entrepreneurship The ambition to do good in the world must be the main motivation of the Rotarian entrepreneur and without any doubt the only one that really counts. The Rotarian entrepreneur is the one that by his pertinent action makes the difference, dare, although with some risk, to think differrently and innovate. Although the word entrepreneurship is new in the dictionaries this concept started to be analyzed on its most various angles since the XVII century. The humanitarian and educational projects are enterprises that allows the fulfill of these actions, mainly when leveraged by The Rotary Foundation grants, by using not only the knowledge of the needs of the community we serve, but also the ability and capability to organize the necessary human resources, the adequate financial funding from partners and sometimes even to improvise. The medicine of happiness that is put to work by the Rotarian entrepreneur implies that they utilize their abilities, as promoter of new ideas, as builder, manager and developer of these projects in a light, precise, quick, transparent and visible way. These values when connected to the execution of the enterprise have lightness as an essential characteristic. The projects executed by protagonist Rotarians must have a dry and simple execution structure, with the greatest possible use of the talents available within the club or the district.

The deepest tool of information technology and of the social media allows that these projects be known almost at the same time by the organizers and the partners either nationally or internationally. The competition for financial resources dedicated to philanthropic projects is every day tougher, particularly by scarcity of good projects that motivates people or organizations to invest on them. To answer with precision the needs that originated the elaboration of the project, utilizing with sustainability and in an adequate form the financial and material resources collected and personalizing the service rendered, lives the beneficiary pleased. This precision is also related to the transparency of the use of the resources in order that they could be easily audited and traced. Every cent given to the project must be diligently applied on it. The visibility is also needed to allow that we could spread the information of the service we rendered, guarantying the propagation of the true image of what our organization does to the general public. The image derived from well concluded projects. We have to articulate in a simple way what we do with the resources applied and put in service, to allow current and new partners to wish to join their resources to ours, in future projects. The multiplicity of opportunities to serve must motivate the Rotarian’s entrepreneurs to exercise their abilities and talents that were seen on them when they were detected by their sponsors and invited to join Rotary and use them. The business world is full of examples of entrepreneurs. One well known is of Howard Schultz that living in New York and working on a domestic appliances distributor became motivated by a Seattle company that was selling coffee beans. When he tried to expand the business to deal with drinkable coffee he spoke to 242 investors and 34

217 of them told him that the idea will not work. He then persisted with the idea on a small company, bought the control of the original Starbuck and transformed it with his entrepreneurship in a multibillion company. Another example is of a family in the state of Goiás, Brazil, that started their business by bottling smashed garlic with salt. With the entrepreneurship of its founders it became a successful company on the food spices, Arisco. From putting smashed garlic and salt on a bottle!! There are many Rotarian entrepreneurs in our clubs and that we have to give them credit and value. This is a characteristic that we have to look for in prospective Rotarians that could join us with their visionary and operational capabilities, become Rotarians and share their talents with the members of our clubs. Believe in your ideas and become a entrepreneur Rotarian.

Overcoming team’s dysfunctions A team that intend to serve Rotary or through the Rotary Foundation either at the club, district or international levels may be suffering of some of the main dysfunctions that a group may experience while trying to be effective. They are: the absence of mutual trust, the fear of conflict, the lack of committment, avoidance of accountability and inattention to results. Because team work is needed and at the same time difficult to be measured, we can propose some roads to an analysis of how to overcome some of its dysfunctions. Even before we start any analysis, we must ask: “Are we really a team?” A team is generally composed by 3 to 12 persons that have common purposes and goals and that share results and responsibility. From there we can start to analyze the inefficiencies and find ways to overcome them. Developing common trust - For a team to develop an effective relation of common trust, its members must have the courage, beginning with the team leader to risk losing face in front of the team and demonstrate their vulnerabilities first. By sharing their vulnerabilities an empathy is developed between the members of the group, that starts to learn that when someone disagrees of one’s opinion, this may be a result of prior personal experiences and the consensual decisions become smoother to be taken. Administering conflicts - The conflict, looked towards its positive side, is essential to build a strong team. On teams that there is 37

common trust the conflict is less feared. Strong and intense debates, when made in a constructive way, only makes the team stronger. This happens when the goals to be reached are collectives and not personal ones and if the arguments used are not just to win the debate, but to guarantee that all has been said. Obtaining commitment - The well administered conflicts, allows the team to obtain the commitment of its members. Two interrelated and fundamental elements help this to happen: clarity and consensus. The consensus implies that all team members had their arguments understood and understand the arguments of the others, in a way that the team arrives in a majority way to a conclusion of the theme in debate, that from then on starts to be the group although that was not the original opinion of some of the members of the group. They must pay some effort in achieving buy-in and resist the lure of certainty. Clarity in its turn is obtained when the ambiguous premises are removed from a situation or a decision. One of the best tools to ensure commitment is to use clear deadlines. Assuming accountability - It derives from the unwillingness by team members to tolerate a behavior or performance of any peer that will hurt in any moment the level of performance of the group because this can cause interpersonal discomfort. Allowing the team to serve as the first and primary accountability mechanism can be a good attitude of the team leader to install accountability on the team. The group leader must be a role model on accomplishing accountability by fulfilling the assumed responsibilities and permeate with his attitudes the group attitudes, winning the natural human resistance, so that all team members feel comfortable in offer positive feedback to the group. Attention and focus on results - A strong team is that in which its members rely in each other, get involved in healthy debates, is 38

committed with the decisions taken and maintain each member accountable of them. But this team will fail if it loses sight of the fundamental metric of success: RESULTS. They must focus on results, maintain them alive and enhance them in the mind of people through visual references to them. A report that shows results and achievement of goals and also the time remaining to reach some of them are some visual metrics indispensible to maintain the group focused on results. This avoid distractions. Make a quick examination of your team either of Rotary or of the Rotary Foundation on all levels (club, district, zone or internationally), analyze the occurrence of any of these possible dysfunctions and conduct the solution of those who still exist.

Attributes of a Good Project The most important requirements of a good project that are a guarantee of success are: resources, hard work, faith and dream. The resources are both the material resources available to execute the project and also the human resources mobilized for its planning, execution and conclusion. Between these human resources we may include not only the Rotary family but also the community itself that is the beneficiary of these projects. They are more and more being involved in the execution and conclusion of the projects to give value to them, feel jointly responsible and understand that at the end they will be themselves the beneficiary of that project. The material resources are mainly coming from generous contributions, collimated from several sources and from several parts of the globe when coming from the Rotary Foundation. These contributions are needed so that Rotary may accomplish with its purpose which at the end is to do good in the world. These contributions, collected through the Rotary Foundation, make it possible for Rotary to do its job and render service. These contributions that are collectively done by Rotarians and companies that joins us so that we can exert our social responsibility and solidarity. The work diligently executed, involving the great possible number of club members, must allow compliance with objectives and time frame originally expressed by the executive planning and that will meet needs and priority of the community it is addressed. Believe and have faith are other elements absolutely necessary to feed the persistence and the complex execution steps of the projects.

To express the joint relation of these attributes and include the need of having a dream, I can illustrate with a story I read while preparing myself to conduct the first of a series of sessions as Training Leader at the International Assembly, dedicated to Governors Elect. As usual at the side desk of the bed of the Hilton Hotels, there was a small book with the biography of the founder of that chain of hotels, Conrad Hilton. He was telling in the pages of that pocket book that he had very special parents that looked at life with very different perspectives. His father was a worker with capital W. When any person comes to him complaining of any difficulty he tried to find them a job to do something useful. His mother was a person with great faith. Not only oriented the family on the daily prays before meals but also in fulfilling religion’s principles and values. Whenever someone comes to her with a problem to be solved, she asked them to go and pray with faith, putting the problem in God’s hands. Well, Conrad Hilton tried to pass to his children those two principles of life: hard work and faith. One of them came to him one day pondering: “My father, I know many people that work hard and have faith and they do not succeed in life. I believe that there is something missing”. Conrad Hilton did not have the answer for that at that moment. He only found it when waiting at the lobby just before the inauguration of a long time wanted aspiration of including in the Hilton chain of hotels, the famous Waldorf Astoria. He then understood what was missing in that problem proposed by his son for a project to be successful: You need to dream!!! So we must always remember of these attributes for the success of a good project: you need to work hard, have faith and dream, not forgetting that the actions last longer than the facts.

The Rotary Foundation The beacon of Rotary We can say with no fear to be wrong that our Rotary Foundation is the Beacon that enlightens the pathways of Rotary. And the flame that produces the light of this beacon is the solidarity. When we stimulate and make it raise in Rotarians and in the mind of those that we are able to motivate the value of solidarity, we are enlightening in the deepest of their soul the love to their neighbors. This flame that makes the projects that best serve the community we serve to be idealized. These projects through which we are able, like their own name express, to project the through public image of our organization. The projects, leveraged by the Rotary Foundation grants, empower the service we render and exemplify our action. Similarly to the acquired knowledge that guides the civilization, the projects produced through the globalized solidarity allowed by the Rotary Foundation, are the light that guides the Rotary service. Solidarity, differently from charity, is not driven by the idea of those who have more to those that have less. It is driven by the understanding and comprehension that levels and make us learn with our neighbors and pay respect to them, restoring their dignity. Solidarity is a trace of character and Rotarians have it in abundance in their duty of responsible citizenship. While developing it in its plenitude we understand that we cannot expect anything in return. Because in this life we understand that we are always in need of someone and there is always someone needing us. 43

Nowadays and forever there is and will be the need of a protagonist leadership in Rotary, compromised and motivated and capable to motivate others. The most evident attributes of this leadership are and must be: The practice of ethics and the development of mutual trust, execrate corruption, as a conscientious choice towards the common well being; Education and literacy as an aspiration to knowledge, which is already one of our area of focus to projects in the new grants structure; Health as an aspiration, with focus on child and maternal care and mitigation of diseases and with our highest priority which is the eradication of polio; The promotion of peace and conflict resolution through the preparation of hundreds of peace scholars that will join us in helping to promote cultural changes, changing our own attitude in face of the growing violence, developing a culture of peace; The developing of significant projects, in a innovative and enriched way to the communities on the area of responsibility of each of our clubs; The development and growth as the angular stone to the spread of solidarity, because the more citizens we are able to motivate, or to join us, or even to partner with us, greater will be our capacity to serve, make the difference and leave a legacy; The amplification of our capacity to communicate and build trust on what we do, on the values and principles we believe in, interconnecting us with humanity; 44

We must meditate on these points to in a more complete way exert this competent and needed leadership that is expected from us. This leadership that can allow us to affirm through our actions, that they are the beacon that lights the way of Rotary service. The heart of Rotarians is only greater than their competence to serve.

The Endowment Fund Our Legacy of Gratitude It is good to have a community that one can call as his own, as it is also good to be in a community. It gives us a very warm feeling and a sheltered comfort. Rotary Clubs are created to pay attention to a community in its well defined philanthropic area of action. The community in which we live and act is like a roof that protects us from bad weather. The evolution of this concept, allow us to define nowadays a virtual community in which we can have “one million friends” with which we can be connected electronically, but that offer us the risk to seclude us from them and retire our self into an individuality that conduct us to silos that begin to look like the denial of the community. Rotary and its Rotary Foundation offers opportunities to Rotarians that conquered their effective individuality and are capable to solve their problems with independence, including financial independence, to get out of their silos and help to build a community insurance against individual misfortune. They move from a posture of charity by obligation to a posture of brotherhood philanthropy, joining themselves to those who are determined to help those in need. It is the Endowment Fund (old Permanent Fund), that gives us the opportunity to dispose of what we have to do good in the world in a permanent way. This fund is guarantee of perpetuity of our philanthropic action. When we convince ourselves and our family that we 47

must dispose through a legacy, something we bought or built, we will be exerting by anticipation a high level of gratitude. It makes me remember the story of that little girl that had as a purpose to give as a gift to her older sister that after the death of her mother started to take care of her younger brothers and sisters, giving up even the time given to take care of her own. The chosen gift was a very expensive necklace. The jeweler analyzing the situation agreed to receive the few coins and make the transaction that looks like unviable and not lucrative at all. The sister that received the gift, came in the following day to give the necklace back, declaring to the jeweler that she knew that her little sister did not have the money to pay for that necklace. The jeweler took the case that contained the necklace, wrapped it up with a shined golden paper and gave it back to the young lady telling her that the commercial transactions on his store were confidential and declared: “She gave all that she’ve got”. Exerts your opportunity of gratitude that was offered to you in a privileged way and make a donation to the Endowment Fund and be sure to guarantee the sustainability of our actions to do good to the community we serve.

Your legacy and the sustainability of Rotary’s service The organizations that render service like Rotary, foresees that its Rotary Foundation have access to resources, coming from either companies or people in general that maintain it operative through punctual contributions, periodic contributions or legacies. The mobilization of these resources is only possible through social authenticity conquered by our Rotary Foundation. As an entity that collect these resources from our society, it needs to turn them back in the form of services to noble causes and to satisfy the needs of the community in which it is inserted to obtain this authenticity. Legacy is a manner not often used in some countries, like for instance in Brazil, to recognize this process of restitution of investments in services and utilize this model to leave properties or values at the disposal of our organization for them to produce the effects that by granting the economical sustainability of the Rotary Foundation trough its Endowment Fund, allows the lasting of Rotary’s service. By leaving a legacy, having the Rotary Foundation as beneficiary, we are guaranteeing the perennial service of Rotary to exert the philanthropy. Philanthropy must be understood here as meaning “the love to humanity”. It can equally be expressed as the antithesis to selfishness.

On the wise words of Gandhi, in his apostolic thesis of non violence he expressed that “For violence not to exist, it is necessary that selfishness cease to exist”. It is then licit to conclude that in the majority of cases it is selfishness that impedes that by leaving a legacy performs philanthropy in its greatest expression of an act of love. Rotarians pledge in their principles Ethics and through its disseminated practice, helping in the construction of an ethical society. It is trough the example of conscientious unselfishness that we can provoke through the use of our private properties to public social use, that we can motivate others to do the same. This attitude of benefaction so well understood by Rotarians is more and more necessary to provide continuity in the assistance to areas forgotten by Governments in a growing pace throughout the world. For every action of neglecting by a Government in supplying the growing needs of a vulnerable population, occurs a reaction of the society, organizing nongovernmental institutions like Rotary that by its pioneer activity polarizes the society resources and the efforts of conscientious citizens and companies of their social responsibility to minimize or mitigate these detected vulnerabilities. The economic sustainability of actions of rendering services granted by the Rotarians through our Foundation will only be effective, if we could understand that we should give some of our properties and values as a legacy to allow their perennial effects. And Rotary will continue to be seen as an exemplary entity because Rotarians will continue to leave their legacy to the Rotary Foundation and that by doing that will guarantee that the rendering of services that we promote be continuous in doing good in the world.

The story of the permanent themes of Rotary The name of Arthur Frederick Sheldon is directly connected to one of the permanent themes of Rotary: “He profit most who serves best”. In 1911, the second convention of the National Association of Rotary Clubs in the city of Portland, it was approved as a Rotary theme. It was adapted from the speech of Rotarian Arthur F. Sheldon that was delivered on the first convention the year before in Chicago. Sheldon declared then “… only the science of good conduct towards others is what counts. Business is the science of serving humanity. But profits most the one who serves best to his fellow.” In Swedish the word for business is “naringsliv” which translates to “the nourishment of life”, which explain adequately our business as Rotarians. The convention of Portland also inspired another traditional and permanent theme of Rotary. During a boat tour on Columbia river, that occurred during a convention break, Ben Collins who was then the President of the Rotary Club of Minneapolis, Minnesota, during a conversation with Rotarian from Seattle, J.E. Pinkham, about the most adequate manner to organize a club in Rotary, made the comment of a principle that was adopted by his club: “Service, Not Self”. Pinkham was delighted with the conversation and asked Paul Harris who was nearby, to join the conversation. Paul Harris also liked the principle that that phrase contained and asked Collins to present it in the plenary of the convention on the next day. The phrase “Service, Not Self” was received with great enthusiasm by the audience. It was in 1950 at the Detroit Rotary International Conven-

tion, that the original phrase stated by Rotarian Collins was rephrased to take the negative content on it and was stated as “Service Above Self”. This phrase was considered at the 1989 Council on Legislation as the main permanent theme in Rotary, because it was considered as the best form to express the unselfish philosophic posture of the voluntary service. The other permanent theme of Rotary, He Profit Most Who Serves Best, was modified by the 2004 Council of Legislation, to take off the masculine gender content of the phrase and was stated as: “They Profit Most Who Serve Best”. It is translated to all official languages in Rotary.

The tree of Rotary’s service Planting a tree has been since a long time a characteristic act in big Rotary’s events, as a symbol of the good we wish to humanity. In adherence to the tree symbol we could bring into prominence some other symbols that could allow us to understand the beauty and the interconnection of institutional elements that we have developed along our organization’s history. The ROOTS of the tree of Rotary’s service can be identified as our CORE VALUES. Service, fellowship, diversity, integrity and leadership, are as the roots that support a tree, give stability to this tree, and guarantee its permanent nutrition and perpetuity. Our core values are enriched when they are taken as role model of Rotary’s service and feed it back with the diversity of Rotarian’s expertise, with the fellowship derived for the weekly companionship and co-participation in projects, with the integrity of conduct of Rotarians in their public and private life and with proactive leadership, directed to do good to the community we serve, utilizing the individual talents to the collective good. It is attributed to the CAULIS the same importance we give to our AVENUES OF SERVICE, that summarize the philosophy of action of our organization and that provide them with structure as the caulis of the trees, through the Rotarian’s action in their clubs. Through the philosophy of action that we provide to the various Avenues of Service and the robust way that we trace and structure our plans, is how we will be differentiating, like in the trees, a thin structure, flexible as the caulis of a palm tree, or the robust, resistant and millenary caulis of the cedars of Lebanon. It is because e of this that the content of the Avenues establish in the various areas of service: 53

Club Service, in the dimensions of management and governance; Community Service, in the permanent process of identifying the needs of the community we serve, give them priority and provide solutions within our capabilities; International Service, that identifies through international cooperation the viable joint participations even in distance and eliminating it; Vocational Service, with the action through our professions, unique characteristic of Rotary and Youth Service determining the needs to be fulfilled to brig youth into Rotary and become our successors in serving humanity. They all as philosophy of action will perpetuate our ideals. The SAP, vital fluid that is processed based on our core values and is conducted to materialize our ideals, have a high correlation with ROTARIANS, moral and social idealists and are without any doubt the propellers of the ideal of service and transform this ideal in completed sustainable projects, mitigating suffering and needs of those in need. Like the sap of a tree they are those that conduct and give sense and vigor to Rotary through their action in their clubs, which is where everything happens. Without the sap, the tree fades and die. The FRUITS, or the elaborated products and are typical to any fructiferous tree, may be compared to the AREAS OF FOCUS, because they define and give identity to the effort to serve. The types of fruits through which the Rotary tree presents itself are: child and maternal health, literacy and basic education, the economic development of the community, the preservation and supply of water and sanitation, the prevention and mitigation of diseases and the great fruit of the promotion of peace and conflict resolution. We can compare the LEAFS with our LEADERSHIP, because like them, give life, absorbs the oxygen from the ambient in which they act and give sense and volume to the Rotary’s tree of service. The 54

majority of them grow and stays alive in their position for one year and after this period fall to the ground and give space to new leaves that take their places and exercise their function in the new year of life of the tree of Rotary’s service. Like the leaves, after completing their cycle, they do not fall away from the tree and serve as food and fuel to be absorbed and allowing the continuity of the tree, transforming themselves in nutrients to be absorbed and redirected in a continuous and permanent feedback process. Think about these analogies, discover your role and form of action in Rotary’s tree of service and accomplish it with effectiveness, love and dignity. Transform your tree, not in a simple subjective philosophy, but in an objective action, putting theory into practice. Rotary and Rotary have the tools you need to do it.

Who makes a promise ... has to accomplish with it All Rotarians recognize that the eradication of polio was a promise we made to humanity in 1988. We have been fighting to reach this goal for more than two decades with dedication and obstinacy. We also know that the fulfillment of this promise is vital for our image and recognition by the community and that we cannot deviate from this task, characterized as the greatest priority. We also cannot let this promise get old, because we had promise what we can deliver. The fulfillment of difficult promises requires strategy, total attention and great unselfishness for us to be able to put into practice the changes contained on it. Initially we impregnated ourselves with a lot of energy knowing the immensurability of the program while we were going forward. And this advancement only was revealed with the establishment for the first time of the date to reach our goal - 2005, when we would complete 100 years of existence, as a pioneer service organization. To reach this goal plans were developed, that were improved along the journey and that allowed us to form into regiments essential partners like governments, the World Health Organization, the Center for Diseases Control, important Foundations, public and private organizations and without doubts, Rotarians.

Many challenges has been overcome, being the most recent and that for some time thought of to be unreachable based on the dimension of the effort needed. And that was the eradication of polio in India. The numbers of this effort in the last years reach mega proportions. Just to mention some, during one National Immunization Day it was needed to be organized and put to action about 709,000 vaccination stands, mobilize 1.17 million of immunizing teams, provide 225 million doses of vaccine, use of 2 million containers to make the safe transportation of the vaccines, in which 6.3 million bags of ice were used to preserve the recipients of vaccines until they reach their final destiny, 209 million homes visited and more than 172 million children immunized. The resources mobilized were enormous but the result very much rewarding. Worldwide it was possible up to now (2016 - when this article is being revised), the reduction of the cases that occurred in the beginning of our journey in 99.9% and observing that 0.1% of the cases are in its majority occurring in only two endemic countries. The current plan, named Polio Plus End Game estimates that by 2018 we will be seeing zero new cases and we will move in the world to the next step like it is being done in most countries to a contention strategy. Although it is difficult to confirm with much anticipation this date, the specialist from WHO believe it is feasible. To reach it, there are risks, progress and challenges to be faced, all of them related in some way with internal conflicts in the still endemic countries or when burst of cases occur and must be subdued through a concentrated effort. Lives of vaccinators were sacrificed, all of them of anonymous heroes on this battle, who unfold themselves to reach distant points in conflict zones. They will be forever remembered and certainly blessed.

The effort of Rotary to eradicate polio, without any doubt has placed our organization “in the map” for the first time in many generations. We cannot dare to stop to believe in our promise and periodically we need to review our strategy during our way. Accomplishing promises promote changes and they will be perceived, by creating a permanent bond of trust between Rotarians and Rotary. And we will accomplish this one.

The lessons of the Titanic and of the Chinese bamboo Everybody knows the story of the Titanic, the transatlantic ship that was built with an excessive pride under the aura that it would never sink. It took three years to be built and a few minutes to be destroyed. The first lesson we take from this incident is: It is easy to create but it it is easier to destroy, the difficulty is to maintain. This lesson is directly related to the reputation of Rotary and its Foundation in the community. To maintain it requires a lot of dedication and hard work and it is based on accomplishments. The second lesson is related to the sometimes exaggerated pride with success, because without clarity of mind and without humbleness to admire it, success precedes the fall. To reach success in any humanitarian project, four actions are needed and are directly under our control: 1. Put on it the maximum of ourselves to build a strong foundation 2. Use the best instruments and resources, 3. Chose the best place for it to be applied and reach the best results and 4. The persistence and the quantity of effort These four factors are interrelated in the example of the necessary process to obtain the famous Chinese bamboo, from which a flute with refined sound is built. The seeds of the bamboo are sowed, 61

watered and seasoned day after day without missing anyone. Nothing happens on the first year, on the second year and not even on the fifth year. But after five years of absence of any manifestation of growth and a reward for the daily effort, the plant emerge from the ground and in six weeks the Chinese bamboo reaches the height of almost 80 feet. How long did it took for the bamboo to grow? Six weeks? No, it took five years. The success in everything we do requires persistence, preparation and a strong foundation. When we are ready, give the maximum of our effort and the best of our potential to reach the best results without losing our courage. The third lesson comes from the boy that was bitten by a dog and by medical order he and by consequence his family were not able to go aboard of the Titanic. The family expressed her sorrow by blaming all and everyone for his misfortune, after the effort of saving so much money to make this trip on the fantastic ship. Until they knew about the sink of the ship, after which they started to give blessings to the dog that did not allowed them to go on board. This lesson demonstrates that: What is good and what is bad is only on our minds. The fourth lesson comes from the attitude of the passengers of the Titanic that were able to be rescued from the shipwreck. Those who tried to compete with others for a place on the live-saver boats, knowing that there were not enough boats for everybody, did perish trying. This lesson applied to Rotary, tell us that if we want to obtain success on the completion of any project we should avoid competetion but instead the collaboration of all involved. With all these lessons in mind we will see the projects we are involved come to a successful end, proving that happiness and success comes before work only in the dictionary. And that this success depends on our optimistic attitudes and adequate selections. 62

Who do not have hands to give … In many occasions we have been asked to give our support to the Rotary Foundation, either to participate on a project granted by our Foundation, or to make a contribution to one of the available Funds. When doing monetary contributions, we made them with two certainties: that every cent given has the right destination to support a project and to administer it and that its use will be diligently monitored. While participating on an humanitarian project, it will be necessarily directed to a sustainable development of human beings and by that reason there will be continuity on its effects. We may not perceive immediately the totality of the effects of this project in the transformation of our lives or in other’s lives, but certainly we will benefit in some way by the chain reaction that the project will produce. It is what we usually call as “The Boomerang Effect”, which means that all the good that we do will somehow come back to us. We will than giving our time, our effort and our work to soften or mitigate the suffering of those in need. This take us to a short story which try to explain that we must give thought to situations we may fall in with: “An expert construction foreman was in the imminence of retirement after many years of being a role model in what he did. He was then asked by the owner of the construction company to do a last job: build a big and beautiful house in a privileged area of the city.

Interpreting that request of his boss as a punishment, he went on building the house, but with not much care, not paying attention to details, using material of low quality level, almost as an attitude of retaliation in relation to that request that in his view was unfair, considering he was finishing a long period of dedicated service to the company. To his surprise, at the end of the construction of the house the company owner communicated to him: “Dear and dedicated foreman, this house is yours. It is a gift of our company to you and the excellent services you rendered during so many years”. From this story we conclude that we must do all, like for instance while rendering service through Rotary, execute with the best quality the projects in which we participate, because what we are doing can one day come back in our direction. I we give our best during the execution we will be able to receive its effects after the conclusion. We have to give assistance where it still do not exist, give new solutions to old problems and verify that the happiness of a Rotarian is complete when their projects are completed and then be able to proudly show them up. Not to beat on our chest saying that we have done this or that and speak up with distinction of a personal action, but remembering always that no one do something alone and will not receive alone its effects. The effects of a completed project can be seen when we go to the community to which the service was rendered to ask for support and this help comes with pleasure. In the same way when we go to that same community to ask to one of its member to come with us to serve, this person will come with pleasure, because he or she will already know the effects of what we have done.

The support of the Rotary Foundation, will only acquire real value, when it will be possible to evaluate what this support can produce and which is the legacy that will remain. This support should always be considered, having in mind that the service we render is to help people, transform their lives to a better one and be the link between the need and receive. Be an active part of the construction of a better world. Lend your hand to give, because only than you will have courage one day, humbly, to reach on to receive its effects.

The Spirituality, Rotary and of our Rotary Foundation Spirituality is a dimension of the human being that is translated in several religions and religious confessions as the characteristic way of living, of someone who searches to find the plenitude of his relation with the transcendental. It can be seen as the most profound essence and aspiration of any human creature. How can this definition be related to the essence of a Rotarian in action? How can the humanitarian and voluntary rendering of service possibly approaches us of this relation with the transcendental? Human being is, between the living creatures those who has mostly conquered in their evolutionary process, develop these activities in such a subjective way to allow them to reach patterns of conduct that, apart of being conscious and understanding the satisfaction that doing good to others bring to them, also approaches them of their aspiration of relationship with something that transcends their total comprehension. This cognitive process, studied by the spiritual neuroscience, or Bioteology, has been presented in various studies and several books under the most different angles. But let us analyze it under the perspective of Rotary, its values and practices. It usually gives us pleasure and emotion feelings, when we hear a success story of service rendered. 67

When we deliver a low cost shelter to a family that since then has lived under a bridge or dependent of someone else’s favor, when we present to a child glasses and they begin to see what they were not able to, when carrying a child in our arms we become conscious that we have saved her from getting polio with just two little drops of vaccine, when we see a mother writing on a piece of paper her first written words and phrases, written in a still imprecise way, when we restore dignity of a human being, by giving them a wheelchair for them to move along in freedom, all these experiences provide us with a pattern of conscious activity that gladden our spirit. Rotary provide us with these marvelous and valuable experiences, which allow us to motivate and contaminate others to join us and share these great moments of happiness. Our feelings are positively fed when we make a contribution, when we experience the pleasure of giving. Once grasped this life experience, it takes us to another contribution and one more and many other more, every time with greater joy. It is a joy that evolve with time. When we stimulate others to make a contribution remembering the sensation we lived ourselves while doing it, we are giving them the opportunity to live the same experience and feel the same stimulus, being aware that many of us will be vigilant in order to guarantee that every cent donated will be diligently invested to do good and restore dignity of someone else. The rich experiences that Rotary allow us to have, is needed by us and serves to balance our lives, promotes on us the desire to serve as a journey to happiness. It is a gift that we develop and a pledge that we assume towards the community in which we live in and that help us to develop our spirituality. 68

Our Rotary Foundation is the pragmatic formula that we have, to be able in any step of our life, to develop our spirituality and build a legacy that we will leave as our contribution to peace and world understanding. Our thoughts are created in our mind, but their effective realization can only be materialized by our actions. Only through actions is that our thoughts and ideals are shared with others and produce sustainable effects. Our thoughts transformed in actions and emotions connect us with the world we live in. The emotion manifested in such process is one of the expressions of our spirituality. We create our reality and build it through our family, our fellows and our friends. It is our spirituality in action. And Rotary and The Rotary Foundation are the most powerful tools we have to allow us to express our spirituality through our contributions and our voluntary service.

The Rotary Foundation and the Development of Rotary Our Rotary Foundation is intrinsically connected to the development of Rotary by several aspects, either through its membership growth or through the propagation of principles and core values that govern our institution. We can identify some of these aspects: The Rotary Foundation as the propeller lever of project that impact our communities With the help of the Foundation Grants, district or more specifically the Global Grants, we are able to put in practice regional, multidistrict or even national impact and sustainable projects, that keep promoting its effects even after the final use of the financial resources made available. A well elaborated project allows not only the involvement of the majority of the club members, but also the members of the community, that is able then to understand more what Rotary does and from that, motivate some of its members to join us and give their share of contribution to dignify those human beings in need. It is sufficiently proved that it is through the participation in projects that we motivate new members to join existing clubs or even to charter new clubs and stay. Any person exposed to a good project even before becoming a member of a Rotary club, will join it “through the front door”, bring to the club new ideas of similar projects in which he can collaborate with their talents and will not leave our institution. Project leveraged

with TRF grants will then solve the problem of retention at the admission. Another benefit for those involved in a good project, is to be able to appreciate its results and its value and not only its costs. The Rotary Foundation as the promoter of internationality and smart partnerships All the projects granted by TRF supplementary money requires that an international partner be involved. The main reason of this requisite is to develop the consciousness of the internationality of Rotary and also the benefits of collaboration between people of different nationalities. The international partners even being far apart, will understand that they can do good to a community even if they do not know or maybe never will meet those beneficiary community members. That also explains why it is so important to maintain them well informed on the progress of the project and the effects and consequences to those whom the project is intended to promote its objectives. Another possible opportunity is the involvement of local partners, which identify the objects of that project with their own business objectives and utilizes this project to exercise their social responsibility. This is what we can call intelligent partnership. This type of partnership, if well conducted, will allow the start of other projects and even incentivizing the participation on them of the employees or managers of this company and also for them to join Rotary.

The Rotary Foundation as a builder of peace and of conflict’s resolution I have participated in several occasions in the selection of candidates to the Peace scholarships, where man and women from every country in the world register to participate, because of their vocational decision to dedicate their lives to peace and conflict resolution. They are now more than 760 exceptional young adults that graduated in master degree in this area, in the various Rotary Peace Centers and started to act in organizations like the UN or in governments, or even in NGOs, promoting one of fundamental object of Rotary. They do an extraordinary work that all Rotarians should know. This is without any doubt one of the most important programs of Rotary. The Rotary Foundation as the collimator of Rotary’s action through the areas of focus The 6 areas of focus open an enormous list of opportunities to the development of humanitarian actions and projects developments in Rotary. We hear many times the question on which will be the next corporate project after the eradication of polio. Many ideas have been passionately sustained, either in the health care or in the educational areas. The areas of focus were devised to shelter all vocations and regional needs and be an umbrella under which encompass our accomplishments giving them focus, continuity and value. Amplifying the value of projects and qualifying their content, apart from establishing evaluation metrics of their impact, we are trying to obtain more consistent success and replicable effects into other communities.

Our Rotary Foundation and the Boomerang Effect The ownership feeling in relation to our Rotary Foundation creates a very strong link with Rotary and guarantees the propagation of its principles and values, by transforming the lives of the beneficiaries of the projects granted. This notion that we are the owners of TRF is that stimulates us to call it OUR Foundation and creates a kind of obligation to contribute to its development in our effort to complete good projects and to increase our pride when we see independent organisms like Charity Navigator to evaluate it with the maximum grade when compared to the greatest charity world organizations. From the importance we give to do good without selfishness that derives the so called “Boomerang Effect” through which we understand that all the good we do will somehow come back our way. These reasons and many more gives us the certainty to affirm that The Rotary Foundation of Rotary International is, through the participation of every Rotarian, the main motivational chain that propels and leverage the development of Rotary. The Pleasure of giving Every year when we are near Christmas, we are naturaly conducted to reflect in our capability of giving. More than a self motivation, there is a feeling of happiness in the action of giving. They include gifts that we deliver to our family and donations we give to those in need. I want to tell you about a personal experience that I lived during this time of the year. I was in the city of Ponta Grossa where my wife’s family lives and while talking to my father in law, who was on his nineties, he asked me to follow him in an activity. He filled a van with toys and clothes for children from the several stores that he had 74

in town and we went to a very poor neighborhood. There he started to distribute those toys and clothes to very poor children of that area that received them with a wonderful smile in their faces. On our way back, who showed a smile on his face was Mr. Miguel, my father in law. I asked him: “What is the reason of this smile?” and he answered: “I have learned and experienced the pleasure of giving.” He was teaching me lessons of how to untie yourself from material goods and of how happiness is obtained, coming from whom was in my opinion, a Rotarian by heart. I never forgot those moments. I was one morning in a ceremony to give. And between them is Joe Grebmeier and his wife Linda who also demonstrates that they have learned the happiness and pleasure of giving. Growing a family of 3 children (Carmelle, Dan and Heather), 8 grand-children and 2 great-grandchildren, with values and principles that they also profess in Rotary, they can be considered winners in these times. Joe has a great involvement in the community, chairing several organizations that render service and help those in need. His Rotary activities that started back in 1992 (22 years) proves his dedication and loyalty to our organization in his area of action in his clubs and district levels, their programs and projects. Active in social media he helped to implement their use in several clubs. Pam Russell told me that she is Joe’s Face book friend. One day she posted that she was participating on a walk to raise funds for cancer research. Joe went to the site of this campaign and made a 75

contribution. When Pam, surprised by his attitude called to thank him, all he said was: “That is what I like to do.” His continued commitment and contributions to TRF are also done with that greatness and the comprehension of how they are going to be diligently used. Joe and Linda - an example to be followed. It was with great pleasure that I presented to DG Joe Grebmeier and his wife Linda the recognition for his generous gift to TRF and to do good in the world, the crystal and pin of the Arch Klumph Society.

Long range planning in Rotary On the next 5 years more changes will occur than in the last 30. The historic acceleration will show that the events will occur in growing speed, in a way that one century will be expressed in one year. Because of this it becomes explicit the imperative need of a long range planning. Planning nowadays is needed, not anymore as an anticipation of the future, but more than anything as a motivation to reach it. The dazzling and quick evolution of technology and the democratization of the information promoted by the Internet, makes that concepts like authority and power be questioned from the way they were recently seen. Particularly, when this power and authority were exerted by the privileged possession of information and was maintained by restricting this same information to those under one’s command or subordinates. It is growing the need to establish new forms of human relationship. And they are already changing for instance between teachers and students in schools or between managers and subordinates in companies. Our children are doing their college’s exams through the Internet. The teachers are losing their competitive advantage over their students just by possessing more information. They are becoming more and more knowledge orienteer than simply information providers.

What is the parallel that can be found between these subjects in organizations like Rotary, in relation to service rendering, ways that meetings are conducted and their periodic occurrence, the way to transmit information and the absorption of about the principles that move our institution? How to use the information technology to maintain Rotary united as an organization? Organizations that bases their power in their global coverage, in the quantity of of employees in their payroll as part of this so called “propriety” and that because of that feel themselves as members of this company, have the tendency to disappear. In these aspects Rotary takes a great advantage, because: 

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Rotary do not have properties in general (with exception of its headquarters), and because of that cannot be negotiated, sold or rented, its members are investors on the organization, without being owners of assets or property documents. Rotary is an organization beyond properties. Rotarians are not employees, but volunteer members in the fundamental cells of Rotary which are its clubs. Rotary is federalist. A concept that exists for more than 2000 years. Rotary is small and big at the same time. Rotary presents itself as a way to obtain freedom, it finds its own answers without the need of the help of others, but instead by helping others. Rotary has as an institution, mainly through its programs and the programs of the Rotary Foundation, the capacity to develop an international solidarity feeling to those we have never seen or met and may never do.

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Rotary do not depend to render its service of outside knowledge, neither of individuals that by what they know could fell that they are indispensables.

What are we doing then to influence our own destinies in this changing society? What are we doing to influence the destinies of Rotary? Because our history is vast, we may be creating to ourselves a trap, by imagining that our future will also take a long time to arrive. Attention! We may be surprised by the occurrences. We don’t have to wait for the future; we must help to mold it now. It would be very sad and even dangerous, to lose our future by being stuck, just contemplating our past. We need to analyze our past and prepare our future in the most planned way, our journey to the future. The power in Rotary, in the way it can be seen, is obtained in a consented way. The management of Rotary is exerted by consent. It will only survive as in marriage, by trust in common goals and by consent autonomy. It is the management by the subsidiary method, typical on modern organizations over which Rotary have a great advantage for being applying it for a long time. Rotary’s management is exerted by the lower level possible. What would be then the missing link on this administrative chain, which could give at the same time, strength, power, unity, competence, feeling of participation and motivation towards the future?

Without any doubt it is Planning, being it strategic (long range), tactic (medium range) or operational (short range). 79

By its federalist characteristic, like it was mention before, Rotary is big and small at the same time. Rotary must be big, and is, because it has a worldwide coverage through the great number of communities it serves, or by programs like the Polio Eradication. But it is at the same time small, by the size of its representative units - the clubs - which are small in size, sufficiently for its members to know each other well enough to take actions in an organized way to help the needs of the community they serve and also to conquer their respect and commemorate their achievements. The size of the club should be the necessary to reach out with intensity, continuity and precision the locality that is their responsibility to take care of. This means neither decentralization, nor an organizational subdivision. The strength of Rotary is to distribute its capacity and power to serve, its energy, in a consistent way through its many thousands of clubs and their more than million Rotarians. All Rotarians in the world should be maintained united by a single vision from which we are all missionaries. The Headquarter and its branch offices will continue to exist to coordinate, not to control. In Rotary we think globally and act locally. The federalist administrations of Rotary, is the formula found for each club, through each of their Rotarians, feel at the same time independent to decide how to serve their community and compromised with a common cause. This could indicate that in Rotary there is no centralized power, being the clubs autonomous to decide how they should render service to their community. But if we dilute totally the action, without a coordination link, clubs and Rotarians would lose direction, 80

standards of behavior or the elements that guarantee cohesion and that allow it to be great in its globe’s conquests. Would it be possible that clubs could function necessarily better acting by themselves, than with a long range international planning and a medium range district planning? A few of each is needed. But in order that a long range planning be a success it is needed that a tactic planning in the district level and an operational planning in the club level give it its feedback and vice versa. Rotary International is administered by hierarchical processes that have the tendency to be identical. The RI Board is formed by a President and Directors that represent the various zones and coordinate the action of the districts through committees or task forces. With the introduction of the District Leadership Plan, besides training and allowing new leadership to the prepared, the districts start to act in an identical manner through the assistant governors coordinating the action of clubs through district committees and task forces. Maybe the only difference at the district level is the absence of a board. The clubs also have their president, a board and committees that act in a similar way in relation to the community they serve. Rotary International also stays united by being known through the great causes it identifies to work with, like the eradication of polio. Hesitating in its beginning, this program gained strength when it was started to be worldwide planned and with a long range and well defined goal. The international presidential themes launched every year, renew the energies and give focus, emphasis and direction to the long range plan.

The Long Range Planning should be the link that promotes action, giving to it consistency, credibility and continuity. The Long Range Planning, for its interdependence requires: a) Basic standards of conduct (Constitution, By Laws and Procedures) equals to all; b) Common form and quick intercommunication between all levels; c) Identical hierarchical processes; d) International vision and direction for local action through the concept of unrestricted world citizenship; e) Great causes, identified and renewed every year, as the back curtain of a coordinated and planned action; f) Autonomy to every club to manage the open spaces of service needed to help the growth of a better community; Long Range Planning should than promote tuning of Rotary with current times, in which it is needed to give value and pay respect to to differences and diversity, in which idealistic people like Rotarians, want to promote its participation to change the community in which they live to be a better community and be part of something big. The Rotary leaders, in its different levels, will only be effective in the accept this way of action. The wheel does not need to be reinvented, but make the future happen in a planned way is something different. The ten best words with ten letters in English express very well these needs: If it is to be it is up to us.

The evolution of thinking: Shifting Paradigms In the business world, time and again changes require an evolution in the way products are made or services are provided, altering at times the culture of corporations. It’s not different with Rotary, although it happens with certain particularrities which are not always understood. Changes in Rotary require breaking free from paradigms. It requires time, as in Rotary we do not improvise. Such changes come about because of human needs or they are propelled by the use of available technology which can be employed to expand our ability to serve. In the past, we tended to believe that changes came in ready-to-use templates, but nowadays we know very well that one single template for change is a passport to failure. Because Rotary is all over the world, it is exposed to many cultures and idiosyncrasies that require flexibility on the application of methodologies to achieve our Objective. For example, if we are to attract young leaders to our ranks, we have to communicate accordingly, prepare them based on their expectations and act in a modern way. A young adult will only be attracted to a vibrant Rotary, one that offers solutions and the feeling of a job well done; a Rotary which validates the individual efforts put in the work at hand for the improvement of the communities. Let’s analyze some points.

New order of priorities The new order of priorities is clearly shown on the RI Strategic Plan and The Rotary Foundation Future Vision Plan. It’s being implemented with the clubs in mind, since they are the main focus, and that is where everything happens. By not having a standard to follow, each club will find the course of action that best suits it. Another new priority is youth. With the new Avenue of Services dedicated to Youth, the focus on youth is no longer a Structured Program but a philosophy of action for the whole organization. It’s necessary to interconnect this new Avenue with the other Four, so we can have concentrated actions to bring about the changes and to surpass what is expected in the new order of priorities. Redirect values New needs are consequence of this new order, which can be a partial return to what we should be doing, to focus our attention and redirect the application of the values we cherish and believe, not only for internal practices but also to disseminate such values in the community and among business and professional people with whom we have contact. The professional, business and governmental communities, plus our internal and external public expect us to redirect our efforts to better communicate and exemplify the values and practices we want to perpetuate: Integrity, Ethics, Fellowship, Diversity and Transparency.

New points of interest We have to fulfill our promise to mankind made more than 20 years ago: Eradicate Polio from the face of the Earth. Although polio eradication is a top priority, we can’t allow it to blind us or take our attention away from other points of interest. Rotarian Action Groups reinforce our belief on the importance to have other subjects in Rotary which are interesting enough to attract passionate Rotarians. New models for Rotary Clubs, such as the e-clubs, clearly show that not only they offer new opportunities to serve but also that technology can be used to awaken the interest in Rotary, and the service it does, amongst populations not yet familiar with the organization. Different ways to react When there is a need, or when we don’t achieve a goal, or else when we face a complex problem, we realize that a shift in paradigm is the right course to embrace - a different way to react. District governors usually are concerned with training the leaders in their team, for instance the one that their club presidents will receive. From that point on, the window is open for change, development and different ways to react. Events such as Pre-PETS and early leadership training like Rotary Leadership Institute are organized and introduced worldwide as a reaction to the flaw or the excessive manner to train future Rotary leaders. If nothing changes, we will have to train more than 350,000 leaders in the next 10 years to take over the many leadership positions in Rotary.

Rotary intends to contribute to a better world by transforming human beings. The best way to foresee the future is by making the future. If evolution changes the world, let’s all make history and evolve together.

Youth and their Future in Rotary In the several places that I have been and the several Rotary leaders with whom I have been talking to, some constant comments always appears and are constantly mentioned:   

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The average age of the members of our clubs have been growing steadily; We have not had successes in attracting young leaders to our clubs; Rotaractors are not admitted in our Rotary Clubs immediately after they comply with all pre-conditions to aspire such opportunity; America is a continent with an expressive young population and will maintain this profile for more 30 years.

At the same time, youth in Latin America have fought in great extent and with variable intensity from country to country, with problems in the areas of unemployment, school evasion, social exclusion, poverty, precarious quality of their houses and also in the areas of security and health, in particular related to early pregnancy and the increase of AIDS occurrences. There exist also some myths in relation to our Youth that must be better understood, which are, between others: Myth #1 - Young people have no worries. It is a Youth with no motivation - Well, exactly the contrary. If you just stop for a while and talk with them, you will verify that they are in permanent search

of valid causes and have a strong attitude in feeling themselves useful. Myth #2 - They do not put a great effort in what they do - On the other hand they are given few and restricted opportunities of new jobs. Myth #3 - They are always raising conflicts - Those who accept this myth, forget that our youth have enough reasons to be in tension, for the lack of interest that is given to their problems and the tension that exists all around them for them to renounce their dreams. Myths taken apart, other situations contribute unfavorably for them to get stable positions in our society, thanks to the population growth, the economic crises, the not growing per-capita income, the little or inexistence progress in education and in opportunities in participation of the political life and to explore their ideas. Since its first days, Rotary has given priority to Youth. In 1913 it was already established in the Rotary Club of Siracuse, a Committee to deal with handicapped childrens. During the 20’s, under the title “Give each youngster a chance”, the Rotary Club of Chicago invested on Youth to transform each of them in useful and conscious citizens, promoting Camps, Scouts Groups and other similar activities. In 1917 occurred the first Youth Exchange between North American and Danish young boys. The Programs of Interact, Rotaract, RYLA and more recently RotaryKids, came in to increase the rendering of service by the young people that had access to these structured Programs, during which it was transmitted to them the values in which we believe on. 88

I belong, like many Rotarians today, to a generation that lived under a strong ideological tension, polarized between right and left. If in one hand this brought a certain antagonism between people, it generated something that the new Generations do not know: the fact that one has to assume certain risks derived from this choice. This awakens passions. And who is passionate for ideas and as a consequence is passionate for life, do not need any stimulants or drugs. Let us give a look into what are the aspects to which our partners in service are exposed to. They live today with a change in their relation to information and knowledge. The college bar where in my time we were used to go, was substituted by a chat room, where young people try to join other friends that have identical way of thinking. The big difference is the international amplitude that Internet offer them today. The new generation that were born under the influence of video games, are graduating in the Universities to become the leaders of the next decades. Which are their needs today? Which are the ideological beliefs that motivate them? What do they fight for vigorously? What Rotary can offer them? Maybe the way that was idealized in the past for the participation of youth in our movement and in the sequence attract them into Rotary, was valid many years ago, or maybe it was an historical mistake, like someone says. The reality is that, all over the world we are not being successful in attracting Rotaractors to our clubs. The only concrete action lately, was the creation of the so called New Generation Rotary Clubs.

What was the reason of its success? It was the freedom for them to control their own destiny. It is also truth that Rotaractors that had joined Rotary, brought with them their typical passion, and all of them were successful in their dedication to serve in Rotary Clubs. Some have become District Governors and paved a very successful service term. We already had the first woman serving as a RI director, whom by the way was one of the founders of the Rotaract Club of Paris. But let us go back to our initial questions. What motivate young leaders to belong to Rotary? Which kind of clubs do they want to belong to?  

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Clubs with projects - that allow them to exercise their idealistic vision of service; Objective Clubs - because this new generation is used to a new dynamic in life, they reject excess of bureaucracy and static behaviors; Receptive Clubs - that offer them the opportunities for their effort of “want to be”; Challenging and outstanding Clubs - capable of transforming anomy in constructive action, capable of joining together the experience and influence capability of the elder with the voluntarism of the younger. Understanding this principle allowed nations to be rebuilt. Participation on decisions towards the future - For instance by giving them opportunity to participate on their sponsor’s Club Board;

Other aspect we must provide is the integrated planning of the structured programs dedicated to youth. By looking at these programs on an isolated form we may do one or the other well, but we 90

may forget to interconnect them efficiently, allowing continuity and smooth transition from one to the other and finally into Rotary. To do this task better, in an integrated manner we should maintain in the three levels of our organization a interconnected strategic plan that guarantee this action. At the club level, where everything happens it is necessary to create a Permanent Committee dedicated to Youth, which joins some members of the club that will dedicate themselves to think and plan the club activities towards youth. They will coordinate the priorities of actions in a joint action with the others Avenues of Service. By the way, the approval on the last COL of the Fifth Avenue of Service dedicated to Youth, provided that RI’s activities dedicated to youth raised to a higher level, from simple Structured Programs to a philosophy of action that will allow them to have:   

More interaction in Rotary clubs humanitarian projects; More involvement in community actions and projects; Act in helping young members of the community we serve to run away from crime and drugs, rescuing them into a new life with activities dedicated to cultural, sport and semi professional activities;

Another useful activity is to maintain track and contact with those young members that leave our programs because of any reason, either because of their careers of for lack of time in their daily life. A reliable database will take care of that. I am sure that a Rotaractor that momentarily have to stay away from his/her club would love to receive in their mailbox a electronic copy of his sponsor club bulletin or the Governor’s Newsletter. He/she will feel cared about and that

they still are part of the family of Rotary. The first opportunity they have, they will surely come back to Rotary. Young people are the bridge we build towards the future, making them useful assets to their community, in our effort to build a better world to live in. They are a certainty of the perpetuity of the values that we believe that it is worthwhile to fight for. The youth we will be able to inspire are those that will guarantee the future of Rotary. An ethical group of people, resistant through their principles to a society in some degradation. More than showing them the way, it is more important to walk it with them. Youth is an important part of our present, but they are 100% of our future. Let us build it together.

The evolution under the concept of Diversity Trying to build multiple visions is the same as recognizing you as a human being in evolution. There is no doubt that there are many ways to study themes, visions and procedures taking into consideration the diversity of the clubs that compose our organization. All takes us to the same point: build a better world and better conditions to live in it. This takes us to the understanding that the capacity to cohabit of the multiplicity of group of clubs is a very precious wealth A society with various cultures is different from a multicultural society. On the first one separation are established, on the second links of recognition and complementarities are produced. The alleged diversity that exists between Rotary clubs or even in the communities to which these clubs render service, are not an obstacle to the evolution that requires overcoming the challenges that imply in:    

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Develop and implement strategies of evolution with quality Decide in which direction to invest the available resources Build a strong team oriented towards the Object of Rotary and its Strategic Plan Communicate and practice our core values and beliefs, improving the Public Image, starting with ourselves and our family Guarantee smooth transitions between administrations 93

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Face competition

We should never forget the action in Rotary occur in the clubs. For them depends the success of the organization. The Rotary clubs needs for their action of good thinkers and idealists, but maybe in greater extent they need of hard workers. Their talents whichever they are, are necessary for Rotary to fulfill its mission. Rotary and the clubs that represent it are a decisive influence for the acceptance of actions. In this globalized world, Rotary may be considered as one of its best and positive influences. The evolution and future of Rotary may be partially unknown, but not without direction and sense. It is our responsibility to unveil this future and influence its destiny. We may have the audacity to ask more of Rotary in its evolutionary journey, but in response we must have to accomplish more. Rotary like any other organization has its uses and abuses and is our unavoidable obligation to obtain the best of its uses and abjure the abuses. Whenever we hear, even in an unpretentious conversation in a fellowship dinner an abuse or wrong interpretation or even a distortion of the core values of our organization, a repulsive reaction takes power of our senses and the avoidance that these abuses continue, emerges in our minds. In compensation when we hear or see leaders, even very young ones, expressing their views and convictions with passion and idealism we rejuvenate. The challenges that we face in the day to day service in Rotary are presented to us, for us to translate these challenges into non negotiable successes. Sometimes the best opportunity to serve is just in front of us and we do not recognize them. 94

The responsibility of evolution within diversity is one of the values that we practice and it resides in the clubs and the immense variety of its human members ready to serve. The responsibility is of all of us. The sow may be solitary but the harvest will surely be collective. The Rotary clubs fill the needs of belonging and the needs to have a community in which they participate and act, to the persons that live on small cities and migrate to bigger ones. When they are on a Rotary club this persons understand what they are doing and that they belong to a group of people that are doing good. Some questions should always be alive in our minds:  

Where can we make the difference? In what we really believe in?

 In what are we really qualified? Like in a Rotary club we must find the answers to these questions and as Rotarians we must together make the answers come through. We will then evolve even in diversity.

Service and The Rotary Family Rotary will only succeed in the 21st century if it attracts families to its ranks. But who is the Family of Rotary? Who are its members? Obviously the Rotarians’ natural family members include spouse, children, parents and grandparents. However, there are other members in this family. They are the participants of Rotary International’s structured programs, such as: Interact, Rotaract, Youth Exchange and RYLA, along with Rotary Foundation and Rotary International current scholars and alumni. We can also consider as part of this big family the beneficiaries of Rotary’s humanitarian projects, who had their lives changed for the better and are now living with more dignity. As with every family, our Rotary Family needs to be nurtured and have a common objective to preserve its unity. It must promote and guarantee the values for which we stand and want to leave as a legacy, values of Integrity, Diversity, Fellowship, Transparency, and Ethics. It promotes solidarity as a natural human feeling that should be shared with the less fortunate, creating a society where people respect one another and share the responsibility for every person in the community.

Through our Rotary family, for which peace is a way of life, we are building Rotary’s reputation now. Due in great part to its power to form new Rotarians, this same family will sustain Rotary in the future as an active entity. Thus, it is extremely important to combine all the components of service of this Family. Each and every one of these components is equally important, and by putting all of them into action we will achieve our goal of peace and understanding. Rotary should be able to keep active and useful all of these components that are the characteristics of our family, a family which was formed and grew in more than 100 years through dedication, efforts, availability and creativity. Everyone has a function and each one of us is equally important. Therefore Rotarians should be called to action and take on responsibilities so they can be reminded of how important they are for Rotary. And which is the role of each have one of us? According to our field of action and our involvement with programs, each one of us should:   

Create Oportunities to serve Act with Effectiveness, and Fulfill our Responsibilities.

Rotary did not become what it is today by having people with impressive titles; instead, it became what it is because of common people with a passion for making a difference in the world. Paul Harris, Arch Klumph and many others are great examples. Our founder was that kind of person. He wasn’t rich, and was far from being a famous and important attorney from Chicago. Instead he was a young man who had come from a family with problems and was 98

raised by his grandparents with simple and consistent family values. And then, many years ago, he met with three friends at a restaurant called Madam Galli and changed history. The seed they planted germinated and influenced:    

Peace among nations Human rights Ethical standards for all vocations The fight against world poverty, illiteracy, and the terrible disease called polio

This is the responsibility and legacy that we have in our hands. As members of a big family, we must take ownership of this legacy having in mind that ROTARY WILL BE IN THE FUTURE WHAT WE MAKE OF IT TODAY.

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The Rotary brand and our image The first question we have to ask ourselves is: Is Rotary a brand? What comes to mind when we see the Rotary wheel at the entrance of a town, weather it is well or not so well taken care of? A nonRotarian writer once said that every time he drove by a Rotary wheel on a highway, he knew that in that city there were good people who worked to support their community. A brand is identified by a logo, but mainly by its core message, which is a promise promoted and kept by the organization representted by that logo. The Rotary pin is a symbol we display with pride, which makes us unique and carries a message we honor with our behavior. Another element of a brand is that it needs consumers, among whom it will prosper and grow, promoting the strength it represents. The consumers of the Rotary brand are mainly the Rotarians and the community members benefited by our organization through the clubs actions. Rotarians are one of the most powerful factors to enhance the Rotary brand. We are over 1.2 million all over the world, and that is the power of numbers. We must always keep the number of well-qualified members increasing, so our brand and our organization can remain vibrant. We do not simply have members who support the Rotary brand; we have the enthusiasm of these members. They celebrate the great outcomes of projects, they put our core values into practice, they are 101

exemplary citizens in their conduct and they are committed. One of the components of the conduct of Rotarians, and therefore a component of the Rotary brand, is the Four-Way Test. It is a universal code of personal and professional ethics. The Rotary brand has an internal and an external dimension. The internal dimension is perceived by the Rotarians themselves and the external one is the way the general public sees Rotary. Rotary has two organizations operating as one and moving towards the same success: Rotary International and The Rotary Foundation. In order to determine the necessary actions for Rotary to prosper and keep becoming stronger, it is important to identify its value. The value of a brand is defined by the equation between what the brand promises to accomplish and how the resources (funds, time and dedication) are allocated towards achieving such accomplishments. What the results are (the promise) BRAND VALUE = --------------------------------------------------------How much is made available (the resources) How much we make available in terms of resources will allow us to define:      

Our areas of expertise What we can do better The simplicity in how we act The clarity of our purposes The impact of our actions The enthusiasm and dedication of the Rotarians involved

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What our brand allows us to achieve (our results) is directly related to:    

A focused purpose The creation of a positive and attractive image Consistency on the practice of our values An extensive iconography and how it associates with our original brand (all the symbols used in relation to Rotary)

We must ask ourselves if our brand is attractive, for everything it represents to the communities and to our youth. At first, in order to expand the value of our brand, we identify some challenges which must be carefully analyzed and overcome:   

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The operations with all volunteers, those who are Rotarians and those non-Rotarians who are engaged in Rotary service; The need to change the yearly leadership rotation system; The review of the decision making process for grants, i.e. what decisions can be delegated and define levels of decision making; The requirement of having regional and national goals and projects in order to expand the visibility of our Rotary brand. Our capacity to catalyze the participation of donors, partners and membership as one body on our projects and programs. How to intensify resourceful support to the club level, where action takes place.

Our Polio Eradication Campaign is something which is very connected to our Rotary brand and our image. At the risk of having our brand and image stained, we cannot fail in our efforts to end this disease, because this was a promise we made to mankind. We must

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END POLIO NOW and already plan what we are going to do after this goal is achieved. All this depends on each and every one of us. We are the Rotary brand and image.

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Renovation of Evolution In 1930, at the RI Convention in Chicago, Paul Harris said: “If Rotary is to realize its proper destiny, it must be evolutionary at all times, revolutionary on occasion.” Obviously this revolution doesn’t imply the use of weapons, but a REnovation of eVOLUTION, the most appropriate meaning for that word, on Rotary’s view. The ability to renovate is an indicator that evolution and growth can follow. For more than 100 years Rotary has been evolving creatively. As we see the coming of a new world, a constantly changing new world that brings hope to the communities, we recognize the very concept Rotary has been advocating, which is “the unity to do good and promote peace”. Many fear the doom and gloom forecasts for the future. Bad things happen only to those not aligned with hope and peace. The decision to build a harmonious and peaceful world is a component of our choice to renovate evolution. It’s a matter of alignment and choice. Unlike other international organizations, Rotary doesn’t need external consulting to find its path. When we make decisions on how to serve in our clubs, districts, and at the international level, we manage the issues and evolve in the process, gaining enough maturity to better serve. The evolution is interrupted only when there is not enough goodwill to combine resources. The evolution happens day by day. It’s on the goal of the club to become stronger by coming together in a project. It’s on a potential member, who decides to join Rotary after being invited to take part 105

in one of our projects. It’s an evolution in the orientation process, so potential members first see what we do, and then what Rotary is. This evolution is felt when we focus on our responsibility with the future generations, organizing RotaryKids, Interact and Rotaract Clubs. This evolutionary energy is noticed when each and every one of us does what it takes to build a better world. The renovation of evolution has to do with the awareness of ourselves. Although we have many talents, they have not been refined and used enough. This is due to the lack of polarization and opportunities to further enhance these talents and put them into good use. By allowing the awakening and daily growth that comes with cooperative actions, we have a different attitude towards life. A renovated Rotary is part of this change in attitude, necessary to fight the apathy that sometimes permeates in our clubs. To create the new paradigms of a creative evolution in Rotary it’s essential to: 1. Be aware of the need to renovate and put efforts to achieve this renovation; 2. Allow this evolution to occur in synergy with our Object; 3. Accept our limitations and come to terms with the fact that the methods we have used until now no longer work; 4. Contribute to the implementation of new models to bring new vitality into the organization; 5. Pay attention to dissenting opinions, trying to appreciate the value of each one of these opinions and incorporate their positive aspects in our evolutionary process; 6. Practice innovations with a serene and responsible approach. And this includes for example, the possibility to different 106

approaches of new members to join a club or new clubs to be chartered, allowing these new members to participate on a project even before joining Rotary, giving them the opportunity to understand first what Rotary does to later on understand what Rotary is. Evolution can’t bring destruction in its path. It got to be a complement to renovation. Everything changes with time, and as Rotary leaders, we have to be aware of this concept. Each Rotarian should have the opportunity to contribute, to apply his leadership skills and to be duly recognized for doing so. Change your thinking and you’ll change the world. Each one of us should analyze and implement the necessary measures to positively influence the evolutionary process, by serving with solidarity. By acting this way, we honor our past and bring about new ideas for the present, opening the doors to a bright future.

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ABTRF - The Rotary Foundation in Brazil There is no difference between ABTRF (Associação Brasileira da The Rotary Foundation) and The Rotary Foundation because they are the same entity. Amalgamated in the same ideal, providing the same benefits of subsidizing projects, unity is provided. In relation to ABTRF the projects granted by the Rotary Foundation in Brazil are also rendering humanitarian services and reinforcing the studies of young professsionals and promoting peace and understanding. But there is something more that we acquired with the creation of ABTRF. A new window of opportunities was opened to obtain contributions of public and private companies resident in Brazil, giving them recognition and legal fiscal receipts and benefits. These enterprises that have clear view of their social responsibility have at their disposal a reliable and safe form to exercise it, by coupling with Rotary. They can then count on with our reliability, internationality and ubiquity provided by our multitude of clubs. The partnership that we can envision with these companies is not for just one intervention or just one project. It must be planned to last. Need to be planned to render conspicuous enhancement of common values and perspectives of sustainability that guarantee the perpetuity of this relationship. An example is the case of the insurance company Porto Seguro, whose highest level managing board had the initiative to give up part of their revenue to be put to work by Rotary clubs in Brazil.

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What we also have to offer is reliability and added value. Rotary is well known by the community through its completed projects, offers credibility in its determination in putting any invested cent in a project execution and which are deeded with absolute seriousness and probity. The most recent example was the financial contribution of Brazilian Mercedes Benz trough ABTRF (understood also as the Rotary Foundation) to be used to reduce the community suffering of the community of Chile, after the earthquake that stroke that brother country. It was a girl from Rotaract in Brazil that promoted this participation, by recommending Rotary to the Board of Mercedes Benz, as a road and a partner to exercise the reliable use of the available money. This action also shows the positive participation of our partners in service. The joint value allowed by our Foundation to a company that invests in partnership with Rotary is recognized by all of them while providing together a humanitarian and humanizing effort. Something that is important to mention, is the possibility of participation through the ABTRF, of contributions of companies managed or owned in particular by Rotarians or even by non Rotarians that understand Rotary’s work. To these leaders there is no need to explain the exemplar support given, by the correct use of their contributions. The institutional support is also the dynamic capacity to live a legacy acquired by these companies that with their contribution receive the honorific title of Citizens Enterprise. Rotarians through their leadership have access to a great number of companies that could join us and partner with Rotary’s Object. Maybe with a pilot project of acquisition of new members that could be called “Enterprise Partner” or some other similar name, we could open a new field to test a more straight forward participation in Rotary’s action of these enterprises. Clubs involved will validate the

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effectiveness of this idea that could be materialized through initiatives approved by a Council on Legislation. It is absolutely necessary the engagement of all Rotarians and their clubs to the growth of our actions. There is a lot more to do and ABTRF will continue to be a pillar of this effort and a source of synergy to the institutional investor in community services.

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Area of Action or Territory During many years it has prevail the concept of club locality as its territory, to define the limits of action of that club. With the purpose to increase membership or even to promote extension, the clubs were incentivized to share its locality or territory or promote the cession of part of it to charter a new club. Some of these changes have been done without the necessary correction on its Constitution and By Laws. As a consequence important information was lost, particularly the identity of the club with the community it served or should serve. In localities where three or more clubs are chartered, it starts to be undefined in which community these clubs should be concentrating their efforts to render service. This is more evident when governors in their official visit are repeatedly invited to visit the same local authority. I was asked one day while I was a district governor by one of these authorities, when I was visiting him for the fifth time on that year, taken by the club President of that locality: “Governor, if I want to talk to Rotary in this town, whom do I look for?”. A clever question and the answer was only one: “You must talk to the eight club Presidents of the clubs in this town”. In another occasion I was questioned by a club president that acted in an area of the city where on weekends many families like to go to the several gastronomic restaurants that exist over there. These families were approached on their cars by fellow Rotarians of other clubs to sell promotion articles for collecting contributions for their promo-

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tions. He asked if it was not possible to put an end on that “territory invasion”? After those occurrences we had a meeting with the representatives of the 30 clubs on that city and asked every president to inform which was the community to which his club renders service. Some of them have a quick answer, because even by the name of the club they were automatically connected to the community of a neighborhood. Others while trying to identify the limits of their club’s community demonstrated that there was a lot of superposition or an excess of area or even a complete misinformation of which it was. A redefinition of limits was necessary. We then used the concept of Area of Action and defined together with the club presidents the new limits when necessary so they could approve it on their club assemblies. All clubs agreed that they have a common territory that was the limits of the city and although being able to serve in any area of the city they will concentrate and focus their action on the polygonal of streets and avenues that limit their Area of Action. This was a concept that was accepted by all clubs and increased their identity with a community that they could know better and be known as Rotarians by them. With the definition of these Areas of Action, some areas of the city remained uncovered by a club. It helped to identify which was the Area of Action of a new club to be chartered in the future. The city in this case study was Curitiba, in the state of Paraná, Brazil. It was also understood that whenever a project was to be done that affected the whole city, all clubs were going to be involved in a joint effort, like for instance in a polio immunization day, because the city limits was now their common territory.

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The statement of Paul Harris was also remembered: “Rotary was created to care for small communities”. The several Areas of Action represented these small communities in the medium and big size cities. Each club was then able to elaborate a plan to understand the needs of the community within their Area of Action and define the priority projects to fill those needs. An invitation was made to clubs in other cities with the same situation to follow this example allowing a development of Rotary with order and adequate to the community needs and its evolution in time.

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Leadership in Rotary International and the future Twenty years ago anyone who raised the subject of management in Rotary could be seen as committing a sacrilege, trying to compare our organization to a business: “Rotary do not have inferior levels that require to be managed”, some of them would say. During the latest years it has been growing the consciousness of the need of non conventional management levels in Rotary, without an oppressive posture to apply it. It is the consent management, of the convincement and motivation. It is the kind of management that Rotary has applied for a long time and that recently is being used by big corporations. It is called administration by subsidiary responsibility which means that the decisions are taken by the lowest possible level. This non conventional management allows Rotary leaders to concentrate on their mission and not on themselves. There was also on the recent years a concentration of actions in developing leaderships, starting with the District Leadership Plan, followed by the Club Leadership Plan. More than the developing of a sense of multilevel and multiyear planning in an integrated manner, the implicit content of these plans are the structuring and formation of Rotary leadership. Let us take a look on the needs of leadership in Rotary. Even taking into account that some club presidents will become district governors and that some past governors will occupy positions 117

of leadership in Rotary and in the Rotary Foundation, in their various Committees or as Regional Coordinators, Rotary will need to qualify some 350,000 leaders in the next 10 years. And we hope that they pave the way for those who come after them. What can we do in relation to this? It looks to me that we have two main alternatives: The first would be to ask every district governor and every club president to serve for a period of 5 years. Would anyone accept this? The other would be to identify as early as possible between Rotarians those who have potential to take over leadership positions in Rotary and provide to them the best level of competent knowledge for them to be capable to occupy the positions they would be asked to take or been invited to. The emphasis then in leadership development must be faced with objectivity, competence and intensity that the magnitude of the theme requires. Leadership is surely the most studied topic in social sciences and the less understood. What happens in Rotary? There are some obstacles to the continuing Rotary’s leadership development:   

A growing number of NGOs The early “retirement” of older leaders The high rotation of new members

We observe a lack of leadership in the club level, up to a point that Past President Bill Boyd stated to DGEs on an International 118

Assembly that: “New Rotarians leave their clubs because of lack of leadership, cost of affiliation and lack of opportunities to serve.” On this same Assembly PDG Steve Wilcox stated: “On a recent inquiry made by the Membership Development Division of RI it was demonstrated that the lack of leadership was the main reason why members leave the clubs.” What are we doing in Rotary to shape new leaders? We can be sure that we do not shape a club president on a PETS during a weekend. Likewise we do not shape club board members in a District Assembly. We have then to start early. We have to do something more to prepare these leaders as early as possible, so they are prepared when their time comes. Several mechanism are in use to prepare Rotarians in their clubs and districts: “Rotary Schools”, Mentoring Programs, Leadership Seminars, Pre-PETS and a systematic methodology already in use in more than 300 districts, the Rotary Leadership Institute. The success and reach of this methodology is based on a progressive and systematic formation of Rotarians that did not yet occupied positions on their club’s Board and prepare them. They receive instructions and motivation on many current themes (Club Administration, District Administration, Membership Development, Rotary Foundation, Leadership in Rotary, how to conduct service projects, public speaking, Public relations, Public Image and many others) with growing complexity, with presentation to them by expert Rotarians of theirs or other district. Conducted in 3 levels with a span of 6 months between them, during which the trainee has the opportunity to go back to his (her) club and apply what was experienced during the preceding period.

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The emphasis on leadership development constitutes on an adjustment of these leaders vision to higher and challenging postures. This implies also to the leader in formation, that he will be chosen to occupy a position of leadership which will be consented by those who will recognize on him or her, the conditions to contribute, so that those he or she will lead, develop themselves to reach their goals in their voluntary life. After all we are a nation of volunteers. In Rotary we develop people not positions. The positions they occupy are useful to their development, not the contrary. This leadership development consists in adding something better to what these persons already are. We have the tendency to put a great emphasis to goal reaching, but while we are developing people, our objective must be higher than that. We must have in mind the growth of the potential to serve of that leader. To reach goals is important, but only reaching goals may take away the focus from the realization of the personal and organizational potential. The leader in the development process, starts with what he have now as a person and improve himself to transform his or her strong points and qualities into performance skills. In the administration of organizations like Rotary, the various positions of leadership occupied, no matter in which level of complexity or importance, requires that the person who occupies this position assumes a posture of compromise with the organization and attitudes of equivalent responsibility that the position requires. These needed attitudes are: 1. Be in contact wit the reality and define it (in each level) 2. Transmit a vision of the future, developed with the analysis of the reality in your area of action;

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3. Define measurable accomplishments needed to the reach of the Object of Rotary, and their priority; 4. Discover and develop new talents; 5. Collect the necessary funds to fulfill the goals and allocate them properly; 6. Express and practice the core values of Rotary; No Rotary position of leadership is reached by chance neither without dedication. The leader must have with the followers a relationship that allows them to also reach their potential to render service and also their purpose to serve the organization. Rotary exists to make the difference in our society and in the life of individuals. It exists to fulfill a mission. We should never forget this. Rotary was successful all these years through its leaders, because they had the capacity to understand where they were needed, looking to the outside world to recognize the opportunities to serve beyond ourselves and looking inside to shape and transform for the better those that believing in its principles and core values, try to give a useful sense to their lives. Within this context we should not forget youth, the next generation of Rotarians, to which we must give opportunities to reach a steady state of equilibrium between the past to which we belong, lived and represent and the future which do not belong to us but that we wish to see come though. Leadership in Rotary like in our professional or private life, is the way to use with wisdom the position that was consented to us to occupy. It is the leadership that promotes the necessary changes. It is The Transformation Leadership. 121

These Transformation Leaderships must overcome the resistances to changes, creating visions of a viable future that can give answers to the tormentor times that we are living with. It is not by chance that leadership was included between the core values of our organization. Optimizing, developing and utilizing our leadership is also a strategic priority. We foresee and must incentivize and encourage the opening of opportunities to lead to all Rotarians, from the club level and up. We are eager to use the talents and capacities of all Rotarians and find ways to maximize the use of these talents. Rotary do not only choose the capable but capacitate the chosen. Leadership in Rotary represents also the guided development of the principles of the culture of our organization and the non negotiable core values of Service, Fellowship, Diversity, Integrity and Leadership. It is essential to recognize the enormous importance of Leadership Development, impute its priority and ACT. And…by acting with integrity, serving with love and working for peace, the future of Rotary is in our hands.

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The several facets of Rotary’s Service In the Roman mythology the figure of the god Janus had two faces and was compared in the past by Past President Barth as symbolizing the two ways to support our Rotary Foundation: financially contributing to increase its investment capacity and participating of its programs and projects to use effectively these contributions. In the process of providing opportunities to render service, Rotary has many alternatives to serve that can be called as different directions to which we turn our face or attention. We can mention some of them: Facing the community That express the permanent attention to the community in each club area of action, that needs to be known, analyze and define priorities and select the projects that could solve or mitigate them; Facing contributions This facet implies the aspect of incentivizing contributions to the Rotary Foundation and the administrative proficiency of the clubs not to be in arrears with annual contributions to RI or the district. It is important to point out the discipline and administrative responsibility of club’s board that prepare their budgets to guarantee a cash flow that goes beyond their term to have cash to pay their dues early in the beginning of next year’s term;

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Facing the organizational development This strategic vision must take into account the growth of the capacity to serve of clubs and districts through the increase of membership, that by understanding what we do in advance, join us with clear conscience of the need of their involvement, permanent increase in their participation and use of their talents to show that their choose to become Rotarian was correct. There are two aspects in this matter in which we should evolve: the quality of our members and what we ask them to be or do; Facing leadership development This facet of Rotary includes the planning and development of competent and engaged leadership. Oriented since their admission in Rotary, in a systematic growth of their knowledge, they will absorb the beauty that rendering service represents. Rotary will be fulfilling its mission in relation to each of its members by transforming them in better human beings, amplifying their solidarity and the capacity to make the difference. There is a climate season to each leader. This is proven in the steps of the history of nations and organizations, There are leaders needed in times of becalmed seas and those needed in challenging and transformation times. But all our leadership must be available to Rotary and to those that allowed them to lead. Facing the promotion of youth Under this aspect we as Rotarians developed the capacity to influence and promote positively the future, securing the preservation of the values in which we believe in, attracting to service those who will compose the Rotary of the future. Facing towards youth, we will be hearing their claims and anxieties, so that that we offer them the right opportunities to involve their voluntarism in building a better world. It is the face turned forward, to a plan of future to humanity 124

that we dream to become real by adding to it our personal experience. Facing peace and world understanding It is through this facet that we demonstrate the humanitarian and universal way os service that we intend to practice. It goes from the peace in our homes, to the preparation of an army, but an army of generals to promote peace and conflict resolution either in the city or in the international levels. The compromise with peace is more than an ideal that we carry, it is a necessary attitude on this troubled world we live in. Facing the completion of effective humanitarian projects To the development of this aspect, the support and leverage given by grants and funds of our Rotary Foundation are essential. The capacity to join together and distribute the funds coming from all parts of the world where Rotary is present, to fill the needs of communities wherever they are, is a high level of solidarity to dignify the life of those in need. This will certainly promote our image and attract new members. These several facets of Rotary to render service, shows the rich diversity that is put at our disposal for us to use along our Rotarian’s life. It is up to us to evolve in each of them and select from this kaleidoscope the forms that in each moment we are willing to exercise.

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Rotary DNA’s composition and its likely evolution If we could have a micro genetic analysis of the Rotary DNA we would have access to its structure, which is probably formed of: Personal involvement Our classification system offers a rich diversity of professional and personal experiences, which is an unparalleled quality component. It ensures an incredible pool of knowledge gained through years of professional experience. Simple structure and decentralized actions Rotary has a simple and hierarchical structure divided in only three levels: club, district and international. This structure leaves us the accomplishments of our predecessors, which results in the union of past experiences with future possibilities. In our unique and totally different way of operating, compared to other international organizations, we are guided by the same Constitution and Bylaws, which help us to keep unity albeit our vast diversity. Club autonomy to decide how to serve the community When the club meets the needs of the community, Rotary’s public image is promoted in the most efficient manner: through effective projects. One Object and a set of Core Values Both our Object and Core Values are part of our genetic heritage, identical anywhere in the Rotary’s world. These characteristics, and 127

the fact that they have been preserved without any changes during all these years, make our Object and Core Values something every Rotarian seeks. When combined with the beauty of ethics imbedded in the Four Way Test, they motivate us to act in a unified and idealistic way. Culture preserved by leadership Our Rotary’s culture has been preserved through skilled actions and lessons. These lessons must be updated and constantly improved to prevent them from becoming behavioral vices, which is the negative side of a preserved culture. Through the ability of our leaders to adapt to constant changes in society and in our organization, our leadership will continue to be vibrant and will set an example for future generations to follow. Eventual genetic mutations We undergo a genetic mutation every time we serve in a new position or put efforts in a new activity in Rotary. As a result, we will never again be the same Rotarians as before. We become better human beings by achieving excellence in our activities. With all these identifiers totally predictable by the genetic heritage of the Rotarians, one can assume that nothing else needs to be done, and that everything that could be thought of, already has been done. Fortunately, the unforeseeable exists. It can be the light that appears and emerges many times from a small project in a small community; it can come from the action of a Rotarian that knew how to interpret the needs and take action in a different way. Predictability, even when credible and trustworthy, can be disastrous. We have to keep in mind that unpredictability inspires learning and opens the doors for progress. 128

Some topics should be discussed and debated to dissipate the apathy and generate new ideas. We should:   

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Redefine the roles of our leaders in the three levels of our organization; Disseminate and encourage strategic thinking, which is perhaps more important than having a strategic plan; Reassess the areas in which organization resources and investments are concentrated. They are currently employed in the district, regional and international levels, but perhaps they should be redirected to other channels to further strengthen the clubs; Implementation of a new approach to Performance Evaluation in a systematic manner to improve the way Rotarians, clubs and/or districts operate; Finding new opportunities to serve; Reassess the form, content, quantity and frequency of meetings for information and/or training purposes.

The genetic evolution of Rotarians will come about only by constructive innovation, as the changes not always result in improvements, but improvements always need change. The genetic legacy we will leave for future generations will depend on how we evolve using the opportunities at hand to act and develop. It will also depend on our contribution towards creating more awareness to the need to act based on the timeless Rotary principles.

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The 5 senses and the Board member mission I read some time ago, a phrase from which derive this thoughts. It said: “Respect the view of others and you will end up ahead”. This few and wise words tell us a lot about the correlation between our 5 senses, our mission as directors of Rotary International and the preparation steps to fulfill this mission. When it says “respect the view of others”, it tells us to hear with humble spiritual disposition of the respect what any human being we enter in contact with has to say. The sense of vision (of others) is shown connected to the sense of hearing (of ours). In Arabic, for instance we do not call our spouses “my love” but instead, we call them my eyes, my spirit, my soul. The words I read, ask us also to activate the senses of touch and smell which we have and that we use when we want to get in deep contact with someone else. These senses in conjunction represent and remit us to our intuition. And all these information are processed in our brain which in fact is our conscience. So, in order of precedence and height on our body, the two hemispheres of our brain, the two eyes that allow us to see what is around us, the two ears we use to hear, the two entries of our smelling mechanism and all of our skin, allow us to intern the view of others. And when we use the only mouth that God gave us, to express the result of all the views that we experienced, so that our words, ideas 131

and actions be always, just, truthful, friendly and beneficial to all concerned. So, this humble respect to the view of others, no matter who they are, will certainly let us end up ahead and our work will assume vast proportions.

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Loyalty in Rotary What it is to be loyal? Loyal is someone that does not betray someone, one who is loyal to a reference. To be loyal to an organization involves questions of feeling, of respect, of fidelity, essential factors to a permanent relationship. Loyalty requires some sacrifice and in Rotary the sacrifices are of time, resources or priorities without future regrets. Who do not understand this should rethink their condition of members. Loyalty causes a feeling of confidence, accomplishment and of belonging. Confidence (cum fidere = with faith), connected to constancy and perseverance, are factors tied to loyalty in a biunivocal form. Being generated in Rotary by a healthy fellowship it turns out in time in loyalty. This fellowship is the one produced by a sincere relationship that after many weeks of mutual acquaintance, we start to deposit in our fellows. Fellowship is then a fundamental factor to develop mutual trust, by which we will serve together. Loyalty in Rotary is very similar to the loyalty in the family that is expressed by enduring compromise and common objectives. Wish to be loyal is a noble aspiration that enobles. Having conscience and strengthen the value of loyalty is a need. It is necessary that in the many possible opportunities presented to give the just value to the loyalty to the Object of Rotary.

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It is an intimate compromise that we assume of cultivating, protectting and enriching the relationship with whom helps to preserve it, paying respect to his dignity and integrity. It is exactly what we do when we pay homage to a fellow Rotarian that demonstrated his or her loyalty to Rotary for so many decades. As strange as it may seems, loyalty precedes the relationship. So, the relationship of a Rotarian with Rotary and its Object - that should never be forgotten - is destined to fail if when starting it the person searches only to satisfy his vanity, pleasure or even worse an economical interest. Little future will have this relationship and will not be faithful if there is not a disposition to share, understand and collaborate to the enrichment of the group to which we decided to participate and by which we were welcome. Loyalty is also linked to a process of choosing a plan of life. This choice should not be a bandage, gag or arm sling. On the contrary, it is the free expression of our aspirations. To be loyal must fill us with joy and lighten us daily. We can see it on the shining eyes of those fellows that are fairly recognized by what they have done. Loyalty is giving less importance to the mistakes done by our fellows, doing our best to help them to overcome them, with understanding and tenderness. Be loyal is to share victories, sorrows, joys, failures, plans ... everything. Loyalty is expressed also in the service rendered trough our area of influence, which we develop in our profession or activity and was one of the reasons of why we were chosen to participate in Rotary.

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Be faithful and loyal is also to find opportunities for us to be better every day and live a life of happiness. What is to live the loyalty to Rotary? Rotarians learn during some time of active participation to share with joy their lives with fellows, derived from the mutual understanding, with stability and endured reliability and as result a sincere friendship. This is conquered by many times working together on projects, generating the sensation of accomplished duty. The exercise of principles coherent with personal beliefs, also help the development of a faithful bond with Rotary. These principles of life put in practice and for which we believe that worth’s the effort fighting for them, preserve and transmit for future generations, give us through loyalty a sense of utility and maintain lighted an ideal. It is known but is useful to repeat that we are not born young in Rotary, but we acquire youth through an ideal. The Rotarian, a moral idealist, is kept young while maintaining this ideal alive. That is maybe why we have a lot of long lived Rotarians in our clubs. We hope that during our existence in Rotary, we can state, paraphrasing the great Brazilian poet, Vinicius de Moraes, that: “The loyalty that we have should not be immortal because it is fire, but be infinite while it last”.

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Sustainable Leadership Sustainable leadership implies improvement. Represents more than making things last and be maintained during time. It does not mean only numbers. The Sustainable Leader get involved, create motivation and the spread of ideas, promote perpetuity. Develop shared responsibility, which not only conserve and develop resources, but is worried in preventing future damages through present objectives or conquests. In Rotary the Sustainable Leadership is built through an active involvement, educative and evolved in relation to the community, the professional ambient and to the club, district and international Rotarian ambient. Some principles of a Sustainable Leadership in Rotary must always be analyzed by all of us. The sustainable leadership create and preserves what we develop or create When we develop a new project that affects part of a community in our area of action, it is important that we care during its execution, that we must complete it its continuity and auto feedback. Each detail is important and must be treated with care and dedication; The sustainable leadership guarantees the long term success The successive process of leadership, for instance, is a great challenge. Each Rotarian that occupies a position of leadership must be involved in the preparation of a successor. It is of no use to a

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champion in one year and see the effort of predecessors and your own not propagating trough your successors. Although the successive process can be loaded with emotional aspects, related to plans or expectations realized or frustrated, this process must start the first day the successor name is revealed, and particularly on the day you take office. On this moment in time, when a transition of leadership takes place, like the leafs of a tree that every year fall to the birth of new ones, it is important to have in mind this aspect of promotion of future leaderships. The sustainable leadership develops the leadership of others One way for a leader to leave a legacy, is by guaranteeing that it is developed and shared with others. We cannot then have the intention to be superficial nor to leave indelible marks. Many times when we start our job, we may face with difficulties and contradicting situations. It is by understanding the reasons of those who insists in contradicting us and bringing them to understand the reasons that moved us, is that we will leave a trough legacy and promote at the same time the leadership of these that did not understand initially our reasons or were convinced to accept them, start to adopt our positions by their reasons and not only ours. The sustainable leadership has a developmental characteristic When promoting the recognition of shared conquests, these recognitions must have the objective of the development of others and of other conquests, motivating the emerging of new talents. Rotary must change gastronomic journeys into journeys of action and continue to recognize yes, but recognize the talents put to service and that work for useful and progressive causes. The sustainable leaders are those who take care of their leaders or followers and support 138

them, for them to develop sufficiently to take care of themselves and render the best service that they are capable of. In summary, leaders compromised with the sustainability of their action, develop them in a way to compromise, motivate and develop those with which they are in contact with. The development of sustainable leadership consists in supplying the needs of current generation, without affecting the following generations to supply their own. This development also implies in the natural acceptance of the responsibility that comes with the leadership position that they assume. And exert these responsibilities in an exemplar way. Because we are not talking only about numbers, statistics and terms of office, many results of a sustainable leadership may come through in the medium or long term. The search of an ideal equilibrium between your objectives in exercising a sustainable leadership and what is expected from you, is what must be taken into account. From this stable equilibrium will result the growth with success, the adaptation to new times, to a new community, to new challenges. Face the facts and make critical choices. Never all that one does and the decisions that one takes in a position of leadership are obvious to all in the organization. Those new leaders in Rotary that want to exert, through a responsible action a sustainable leadership, will certainly conduct our organization to new and lasting success.

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The Rotary Club - A center for efficient services When the Club Leadership Plan was being developed, the main idea was to provide Rotary Clubs with an administrative structure that could maximize efficiency. Therefore, an optional tentative organizational chart was created to provide clubs with ideas of administrative roles and tasks performed at the club level. With the Avenues of Service as the basis for club actions, the tasks were defined and distributed among committees, allowing the clubs to be efficiently managed with their help. With the new Avenue of Service dedicated to Youth, it is time to redistribute the tasks and appoint a steering committee to take care of all subjects related to our Youth. Besides the planned activities focusing on the younger generations within RI’s structured programs, concrete actions in regards to youth can generate effective projects to decrease the needs of this community group. The chair of this steering committee will have a place on the club’s Board, and along with the other board members will help plan the club’s future. This reengineering process is focused on efficiency, and therefore, requires clubs to include two equally important permanent activities: medium-term planning and new leadership development. To ensure that these two activities are as efficient as possible, the club must conduct club performance and membership assessment.

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The truth of the matter is that currently all three organization levels need to be evaluated: international, district, and club levels. The club’s performance should not be evaluated without first analyzing recent actions, to comply with the plans for the current Rotary year as approved by the club’s assembly. The evaluation can include a detailed analysis of each committee’s work and the Board’s performance. Assessing club members is a more complex subject. Currently, members are evaluated based only on two factors: payment of dues and attendance to meetings. If we are to transform each club into a center of efficient services, we need to evaluate our members to determine their participation in the achievement of club goals and their desire to serve humanity. Selfevaluation is very important because it allows the Board to understand the members’ perception of tasks they have been delegated. During a special club meeting, each member should ponder on the following question: “What have I done during this Rotary year that gives me the right to have my member ID card next year?” How would you answer this question? Some might consider this personal evaluation to be a little extreme, especially because it has never been done before. However, this voluntary self-analysis is not only an honest look within, but also gives club officers valuable information on some hidden talents. Another very important question: “Based on my club’s actions, where would I feel more comfortable to work and apply my professional and personal talents?” In any club, the sum of the talents of all members is a valuable asset and more often than we think, it’s unknown or even neglected.

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If we are to see each club turn into a center of efficient services, we have to work hard to extensively use our most important resource – each and every Rotarian. When a new member joins a club, the most important point that frequently is not evaluated is the potential this new Rotarian has to serve and contribute to achieve the club’s objectives. This can be done, as I have mentioned several times, by giving the new member an opportunity to serve on a club project. The new member will benefit and will understand, through personal experience the club’s operational characteristics, perhaps even suggesting other similar and useful projects for the future. There is no doubt that when a new member joins a club it expands its capability to serve; however, it is when the club uses the talents of that new member that it becomes a center of efficient services. When we give members an opportunity to serve, they experience the joy of using their talents and feel the pride of belonging to Rotary, the fulfillment of their social responsibility, and the enthusiasm of opening new frontiers in Rotary service.

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The development of Rotary Better, bigger and bolder The development of Rotary Clubs in the new vision of strengthening these clubs, besides the concentration of efforts on mobilizing resources in this direction, we must realize that Rotary, its programs and those of our Rotary Foundation will only be successful if they are performed well at the Club level. Now we must add the concepts that they should become Better clubs, Bigger and Bolder, so that we have as a result membership development in its real meaning. From this sustainable development will depend the success of our Organization in accomplishing its mission and goals. The Zonal structure passes from now, not only to be composed of the team of Foundation Coordinators and their Assistants, focused on providing support to the Foundation through participation of clubs and districts in programs and with contributions, but also with Rotary Coordinators and their Assistants who will help the development of Rotary Clubs. Together, these two teams of skilled leaders will act pro-actively to assist clubs and districts in these two areas of action. But what are clubs Better, Bigger and Bolder? To become even BETTER, the effort that clubs must develop include among others, the following actions: BETTER QUALIFICATION of NEW MEMBERS and ADMISSION PROCESS - In the process of admission of new members, in addition to following the steps recommended in this Manual of Procedures, a subtle but effective change, both for new members to be admitted to the new clubs composing the Rotary constellation 145

implies in giving knowledge, even before joining them in Rotary, through participation in typical projects, first to understand what Rotary does then understand what Rotary is. SYSTEMATIC CONTACT of Rotarians and clubs with the community they serve, to create identity with this community. Clubs may recognize more clearly and define their community needs and in which they will focus their efforts. By doing this, they will be able to count with this community in the implementation of projects and promotions and will turn easier the selection from among its members those who could strengthen the membership of the Club by joining Rotary. BETTER PROJECT RESULTS with GREATER PARTICIPATION of the MEMBERS of the club is desirable, so that most members participating with their talents on projects carried out by the club, will engage themselves, meet their desires to provide services and acquire the feeling of usefulness of their association with Rotary. BEST LEADERSHIP TRAINING - Using the various existing mechanisms and methodologies, it is in training new leaders that the Clubs are perpetuated in their mission. New Rotary leaders will always be needed in the club level. They must be prepared and motivated as soon as possible, for when they are asked to take a position in the club leadership team, they feel themselves ready and available to take and complete the job. PERIODIC ASSESSMENT of the PERFORMANCE not only the assessment of the actions of the Club should be evaluated annually, but also of individual Rotarians, which should be in the Assembly of the club standing up and saying what they did that year, which will allow the renewal of their membership in that Club for the following year. 146

LARGER or BIGGER clubs must be purposive in some broader and identifiable characteristics that only the number of members of the Club, such as the following: GREATER PARTICIPATION in SOLVING the PROBLEMS of COMMUNITY in THEIR AREA of EXPERTISE to be recognized by the community, to be desired and even requested through their action; DEVELOP a THREE-YEAR STRATEGIC PLAN based on the strategic plan of Rotary International and guidelines of the multiannual District Strategic Plan. It is essential that each club has a plan pointing to its area of action and within the activities planned in the Club Leadership Plan. Extend the power of SERVING with QUALITY when bringing new members to fulfill its mission to provide services, quality shall take precedence over quantity. Clubs must always bear in mind the values of our Organization. EXPAND participation in PROGRAMS and FUNDRAISING - To meet and support the Rotary Foundation's programs and through its associate in Brazil, the ABTRF-Brazilian Association of The Rotary Foundation, clubs must grow every year, because we can always do more than has already been done. GREATER PARTICIPATION IN THE PROGRAMMES DEDICATED TO YOUTH - With the creation of the Fifth Avenue of Service, our action dedicated to youth climbs to a higher level. Rather than just carrying out activities dedicated to structured programs (Interact, Rotaract, RYLA, and Youth Exchange) it must become a Philosophy of action. It covers also the youth of the community we serve and who is in great need of attention.

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To be BOLDER and more DARING clubs must also increment The PROMOTION of PUBLIC IMAGE as this will make them even more and better known by realized and completed projects effectively, rather than by gastronomic journeys. START PROJECTS in AREAS NOT YET EXPLOITED - Demonstrating our capacity to innovate in the provision of services adapted to the evolution of the times. HAVE GOALS MORE AUDACIOUS annually by creating a multiannual strategic plan and a strategic thinking. With these new postures we will be seeking new adventures in Rotary world of service, not accepting never the impossible as certainty and deferrable as premise.

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The future of Rotary in our hands Let’s start with a quick analysis of what is considered service in the 21st century. Service is a unique combination of philosophy and actions and in this century will continue to have an ethical, responsible and humble role. It will continue to be the antithesis of the impersonal low-level and narcissistic conduct of a part of our society that has deteriorated over time. As a result of globalization, the 21st century will see the development of more multiracial and multicultural communities. This will generate opposed interests and consequently, the need for an entity capable of mediating these disputes and with emphasis in solidarity, peace and world understanding. Rotary will become the catalyst of the forces generated by this new global community, for which service has been defined by providing financial or physical help, but that now needs to change. Rotary will have to find possible solutions for the new requirements of service, and leverage their promotion. The 21st century will surely be based on technology. Our mission will also be to serve as a bridge between these technological developments and people in need. For Rotarians around the world to be successful in the future, they have to focus on three major missions of service: 149

  

Create conditions for everyone to have access to comfort and progress; Promote peace and assist in conflict resolution, even for those conflicts we still don’t know about today, and Promote the supremacy of spiritual over material things, love over war or hatred and enhancement of loyalty that generates respect and leads to peace.

Clearly we have to keep focusing on projects to provide services to combat and mitigate hunger, ignorance, disease and lack of water and sanitation. Thinking about how to solve a problem is free, it does not cost us anything. But we have to care enough to take action. Rotary must continue to promote the FRIENDSHIP that unites us, the RESPECT TO THE FAMILY that propagates values and the SOLIDARITY that ensures justice and coexistence. Rotary will only have a future if we promote its ideals and values to new generations. Rotary must continue to build its reputation as an organization that provides services under these new concepts - not just by the delivery of awards and medals of recognition, but through projects that are completed. Our success will be measured by our ability to develop Rotarians capable of performing these new forms of service. The training of new leaders will be essential to achieve these goals.

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Governments, withdrawing from certain areas of service, will demand that we increase our actions on this sector. As a result, the need for volunteer work from socio-cultural and basic education entities will grow. Urbanization will also grow, which will take us to restore, as an institution, the Paul Harris’s idea that Rotary was created to operate in small communities, helping to rebuild them in a self-regulated manner. Voluntarism will also increase among people with new paradigms of work, in need to feel more useful in this discretionary time. But on parts of the community where basic survival is more important, voluntarism will decrease. It's up to Rotary and Rotarians to balance these forces. In this new scenario we will have to adopt a new approach, which will require that we have more clubs and Rotarians. The new Rotarians will have to solve problems like:         

The need for a new way to express themselves and be understood; An integrated and multilevel investment in the youth; The evolution of operations and management in the three levels of the organization; The implementation of a multiyear and multilevel planning; The growing detachment between clubs and the community they serve; The inadequate admission process we have today; The lack of Rotary knowledge among the members; The urgent need to develop new Rotary leaders; The family involvement in service activities. 151

All this will require a revolution, or better, an evolution renewal. The future of Rotary is based on a combination of resources and time provided by volunteers, and on our capacity to attract new members. Voluntarism is widely accepted among the younger and by the elders that have the ability to influence others. Together they are a combination so strong that are capable of changing nations. The Vocational Services are another major challenge for the future since this is the characteristic that distinguishes Rotary among the others humanitarian entities. The world needs more than ever the type of service Rotary provides through professionals. The moral obligation to be part of a professional group that defends the same values and high ethical standards is indispensable. Those who fail in their duty to adequately represent their profession or business are blocking an artery through which flows the blood of Rotary. And what about the youth? What are we exposed to these days? Mainly to a rapid change in information and knowledge, the media in general, including telecommunication and advertising companies, and most businesses and industries have already realized this revolution and are trying to motivate the new generations to purchase products and services offered by them. Rotary can offer them a more modern and attractive way to meet their expectations and at the same time perpetuate their values. Rather than showing the youngsters the path to follow, it is much more rewarding to walk it with them.

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Therefore the keyword is planning, aiming to have a multiyear, multilevel and integrated planning. Are we creating organizational and emotional conditions for this? Rotary administrative enhancements have been taking place for some years, with changes like the District and Club Leadership Plan, causing an organizational transformation aimed to adopt the same structure in its three levels. This should result in an integrated global implementation of the plans. So we have to strive to follow these unified rules and take advantage of the financial independence, since we are both members and owners of the organization, and we don’t have these advantages in multinational companies. To build the future ahead, we must take actions in the present because the future is now. It is also our turn to prove that we have the vision to start planning it now. For The Future of Rotary is in Our Hands.

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The flagship of Rotary Throughout times the human being has always been fascinated in relation to the sea. Some love to sail, others are afraid and maybe for some reason. Only in the sea we can feel the mix of the human senses, that can be observed, because the oceans are like our own life. Sometimes they are easy and calm, sometimes difficult and turbulent and some-times frightening. But one of the great feelings that the oceans develop on any human being is that of eternal permanence. In which way can we observe these wonders that the ocean of life presents to us? Not others than to discover new worlds of service, give a sense of permanence and important values that we achieve when boarding on a ship, the flagship of Rotary. The ship of Rotary has the adequate shape to navigate in any ocean, face any storm and always arrive on a safe port. She has the most modern equipment and ideas, have a well chosen captain in tune with the crew and that is launched every year on first of July. She is replete with a precious load - the innumerous projects developed by thousand of clubs around the world - that when delivered is capable of promoting the improvement of the destination community. We have our compass no navigate in the right bearing, represented by the constellation of dreams of the humanity for peace and understanding and given by the Object of Rotary, its values and the Four Way Test. She is a ship of well structured masts that support the sails which will make good use of the winds, which like the humanity are always changing direction. They are now five masts, represented by the five 155

Avenues of Service. The most recently incorporated is the dedicated to service to Youth that increases our ship’s navigation power to conduct us more effectively to the future. The best orientation given to the sail of each mast will depend on the optimal use of the wind that will keep blowing. These are not placid times. On the contrary, the winds are blowing with all their strength. What we are revising is a new bearing and a new plan for the trip the Strategic Plan - that is capable of conducting this ship in a more audacious and better way. The flagship of Rotary is the ship of Good Will. She is not new, being useful for more than one hundred and ten years. She has been tested and becoming stronger and more reliable. On a Norwegian book, “The mirror of the king”, between the advices from a father to his son, he says: “Take good care of your ship, leaving it nice to be seen and then competent and skilled people will like to navigate on and be part of her crew and she will be well conducted”. The discipline and the crew’s activities involve a variety of services, like the constant waterproofing of the hull, lubricate and maintain the machines and pumps, painting, cleaning, all of them necessary during the trip, not forgetting the watching shifts, pilot, board log and daily food provision. The rust is a constant problem and must be taken care of, repaired and in some cases promoting the substitution of the damaged part. Where is the Rotary’s ship going? What does she plans to reach? Where a ship is going depends on how talented and effective way the rudder is controlled from the command cabin. 156

How this is done in the flagship of Rotary? With an heritage of palpable conquests, with directives and policies established by Boards and Councils of Legislation and put in practice by clubs and districts, by projects completed that satisfy local and regional needs, then the ship will be navigating safely and with no hesitation. Our conquests will continue to be enormous, because this is the best rendering service ship that we know of. Our crew, always being renewed, needs constant empowerment and motivation, because new sailors will always be starting their participation in great crew. Although there is a great contribution of the head office team, their practical value is not on the building itself, because Rotary is not measured by its fixed assets, but by the organizational help for the flagship to be well loaded, financed, supplied with information, make good contracts of service to be rendered and financially safe and sound. The flagship of Rotary is a long range model. With faith in the future and the capacity of the crew, united through the same Object, we will leave an indelible heritage in human history, building better communities and bridging continents.

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Fishermen of Human Beings Rotarians receive the nontransferable task of becoming FISHERMEN OF HUMAN BEINGS when they join Rotary. This means that as soon as we understand the meaning and true nature of our organization, we are transformed into fishermen and fisherwomen of human beings, a noble task for all Rotarians alike. Which human beings are we interested in? Adult men and women, who are honest, have good character and stainless reputation in both their professional and private life. What should we do to attract them? A well developed service project is the best way to attract these honorable citizens to Rotary. By implementing self-sustaining projects that respond to the needs of the community, we will attract and fascinate a multitude of top professionals. When invited to participate in this project before being invited to join the club, the prospect member not only learns all that the club does, but also starts to think about similar projects that would fit with Rotary’s commitment to serve the community. Our projects (or our bait) are held by several fishhooks in the shape of an “S,” symbolizing the 5 Ss of Rotary, which stand for qualities that Rotarians must have when working for our organization: SIMPLICITY, SERIOUSNESS, SAGENESS, SOLIDARITY and SERVICE. Even though our search for human beings may take us to deep waters, we can easily identify prospect members by observing their conduct in life and their willingness to help other fellow human beings to find a solution for their problems. The fishing line we are going to use will depend on the person’s qualities. In the case of those tougher candidates who at first may resist our 159

invitation, we may need to use a stronger fishing line. However, if the person already knows our organization and has demonstrated interest in joining us in our mission, then a regular fishing line will be enough. Similar to when we are trying to catch real fish, we should also provide extra fishing line, slowly reeling it in during the process, being careful not to accidentally lose the prospect member due to hastiness. Our recruitment efforts should demonstrate the principles and values for which we stand, and should these be shared with the candidate, they will certainly guarantee that we have found a true Rotarian at heart. The fishing pole represents the whole structure of our organization. It provides support during the induction of the new member and helps us with retention efforts. This structure includes the member’s sponsor, the club, the district, international support from Rotary International and The Rotary Foundation, all its programs and personnel, as well as the community which the new member will serve. Still thinking of our comparison, it is more enjoyable to pull in one fish at a time onto the fishing boat. Along the same lines, when we induct one new member at a time into our clubs, we are more likely to succeed with our efforts to adequately use the new Rotarian’s talents, helping him or her adapt to the new club by feeling himself or herself useful. If instead we hold mass inductions, a mixture of good and bad prospect members will enter the club and we will be forced to let some of them return to society. Many people have never had the opportunity to go on a real fishing trip. But there are those who never pass an opportunity to do so – they either go out alone or they go fishing with a group of people. They have felt the thrill of catching a fish and are now “hooked” forever. In the same way, those who still haven’t had the opportunity to experience the excitement of “fishing for human beings” should join Rotary, get their best equipment ready, and plan for their first big fishing effort - an adventure that will surely last for a lifetime. If necessary, reach out to the “fisherman/woman” who sponsored you for some useful advice.

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So this is what every new member should become after joining Rotary: a fishermen/women of human beings. Before joining a club, new members should learn about what Rotary does so that during their years of service in Rotary, they may understand what Rotary is. If all new members, from now on, are inducted along these guidelines, our problem of retention will be solved at the admission. As a result, we will be building the future by recognizing that it is in our hands.

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Towards a culture of peace For more than 100 years Rotary has cultivated peace and respect for human rights as indivisible elements that belong to all humanity. A culture of peace is closely linked to the development of the human being, which is the main reason for the very existence of Rotary. Peace is also established with social justice. There’s no sustainable development without peace. Consequently, peace can’t flourish if there’s no development and social justice. For a culture of peace it’s necessary first to identify the conflicts inherent to human relations and develop methods and techniques for the prevention and peaceful resolution of these conflicts. Culture of peace is a complex subject and requires community involvement. In this 21st century, we shall see more multiracial and multicultural communities as a result of globalization, thus different parties will have conflicting interests that will oppose each one against the other. Therefore, these parties will need an organization and prepared and competent negotiators to mediate their disputes, whose emphasis is on love, peace and world understanding. In this regard Rotary must become the catalyst for generating forces for this new world community, for which service was represented until then by providing volunteer or financial assistance. Although still needed, this model is changing into new models.

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Rotary’s mission is to find solutions for the new models of service, to which our governments have failed to address efficiently. It’s imperative to move from a culture of confrontation to a culture of coexistence, using to this end the formal and informal education systems. To contribute to a culture of peace Rotary is:      

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Training specialists who graduate in peace and conflict resolution; Training specialists in conflict resolution through short term programs; Providing adult literacy programs; Establishing a network of peace mediators formed by former Rotary scholars; Alleviating hunger and thirst and decreasing child mortality; Promoting youth exchanges through which young people can live abroad and learn a new culture, which in the end promotes peace; Preserving Planet Earth for future generations.

All the above have to have our support for us to achieve success. Incredible as it may be, a professor from Universidade Federal do Paraná in Brazil, after being nominated by UNESCO to teach the subject of Culture of Peace in other places, could not find one book about the subject in the several bookstores of the large cities he went to. In the process of promoting a culture of peace, the fight is unequal. The Stockholm International Peace Research Institute reported back in 1990 that US$2 million were spent every minute with the purchase 163

of weapons around the world. In one single day, more was spent on weapons than Rotary Foundation’s total yearly budget to promote peace. Each missile “Harm” fired in Yugoslavia, to give an example, cost US$ 800,000. In the United States alone, the arms industry employs over 3.5 million people. But these facts should not dismay us. These numbers are staggering, but what is more staggering is the evil, the war, is human beings killing human beings. The great philosopher Cicero said: “I prefer the most unfair peace to the most righteous war.” Peace, individual peace, urban peace, peace with no limitations of borders, religion, race or ideology. That’s the peace we need. Rotarians, let’s then move forward carrying the oldest flag we know, the white flag of PEACE, symbolizing all its purity. Peace everywhere, every time in all languages. PAZ, PEACE, PAIX, DER FRIEDEN, SALAM, SHALOM, PACE, PACO, PINGAN, PAX, XANTI, POKÓI, UKUTHUALA, MIR... Peace, simply put, peace. Peace, one thousand times peace. More than 6 billion times peace, so there’s peace in the heart of every human being.

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Reconnecting with the community The relationship with the community has been an important component of service in Rotary. In the different parts of the Rotary world, a growing gap between clubs and the communities they serve, or should be serving, has been observed. From the evaluation of possible projects a club plans to implement, to the definition of its territory, and even the selection of new members so that the club will continue to represent the community, all of those aspects should be analyzed by the community. Different alternatives, like dividing an area or sharing a territory to create new clubs, have been explored in order to increase membership and assure that the community a club serves is being attended. By using those strategies, it is important to analyze the Club Constitution to review its locality and area (in case it already has clubs), to avoid starting a process of not knowing which community the club serves. More recently, in place with more than three clubs, these clubs have been, in conjunction with the governor and under his/her orientation, analyzing and reviewing their respective territories, in order to identify and update the definition of the community they serve, or should be serving. With a clear definition of a club’s territory, it is possible to assess public resources, businesses, schools, clinics, self-employed profess-

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sionals, and mainly the existent needs of the area and a more precise definition of the community’s profile. If we ask our club members the following questions:  

Which community does our club serve? Does the community we serve know the members of the club? If we obtain convincing answers instead of an embarrassing silence, we can also ask:  Would the community notice if our club shut its doors? According to the answers, we would be able to evaluate how much their club identifies with “our” community. Nowadays, we have hundreds of thousands of functioning nongovernmental organizations (NGOs). Among those that are committed and responsible, the ones that have showed a larger increase in numbers of volunteers are those that have, among others, the following similar characteristics:  

Its members are in direct contact with the community they serve; The projects they implement, that benefit the community directly or even immediately, are simple, have fast results and, in most cases, are sustainable.

It is necessary, and it has been clearly demonstrated, that in order for our Rotary clubs to influence the characteristics of the communities, it is necessary that they know these communities and become known for completing projects that are relevant to that population. The connection with the community is not supposed to simply demonstrate the projects we are implementing and show that we did this and that ... Through this connection, we would be promoting our 167

accomplishments so that when we invite members of that community to join us for a project or campaign, they would accept it because they know us. Those same people, when asked to join us in service, would already know who they will be serving with. Membership development starts by bringing new fellows to a club, and that is easier if they come from a community which we identify with. The absence of this identity makes it hard for assessing needs, implementing projects and increasing the pleasure of service. If the new clubs’ organizers really practice the spirit of Rotary, the wheel that symbolizes us will engage the community and take the underprivileged population to a new level of dignity. That is how new successful clubs have been organized, by the creation and preservation of a strong identity with its communities. Those clubs will always be alive, finding new opportunities of service. Its new members will immediately know first hand what Rotary does and easily understand what Rotary is. More than ever, the principles and values defended by Rotary need to be practiced and conveyed to the community. We have, as part of the social order, responsibilities in a dynamic and integral way towards the community in which we live in, which is why we need to take up all the spaces still available, expanding the actions of Rotary. New needs in the communities demand new actions; therefore, it is important to understand the causes of such needs, whether they are political, social or economical, and face current situations with courage, courage to see them ... and change them. All of our efforts, all of our donations are important. But even more important than the donations is the certainty that they will get to those who need it. If we reconnect with the communities we serve,

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we will realize the vast amount of opportunities to serve, right there, within our reach. Rotary is big and small at the same time. The same way we dedicate ourselves to the international community supporting polio eradication, by identifying and interacting with our own community we will feel satisfied and able to appreciate almost immediately the results of our labor, as well as maintain the interest of our members in the community and the interest of the community in Rotary. The community is available; all we need to do is reconnect with it.

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Vocational Service The Avenue of Excellence Vocational Service is Rotary’s challenge. This Avenue of Service is what sets Rotary apart as a unique organization. It’s not an overstatement to say that it is one of the main reasons for Rotary’s very existence in a world in need, more than ever, of service through our professions. By sharing this Rotary concept with their peers, Rotarians put aside their judgment of their professional colleagues’ character to explain and exemplify our vision of acting responsibly and ethically, helping them follow this concept in their daily acts and decisions. To better illustrate the need to act responsibly and ethically in our professions, I would like to share an experience with you. During a meeting with the board of a multinational company, I had to find the solution for a delay in the delivery of an essential product. This product was necessary for the implementation of a telecommunications system within the company. After presenting a new timetable that would meet their needs and repair some of the damage caused by the delay, the company’s president asked me, “What guarantee will you give us that you’ll meet this new deadline?” I was about to answer when one of the directors pointed to the Rotary pin that was on my jacket lapel. He said: “He is a Rotarian. We can trust that he will put forth all the efforts necessary to make it happen.” They have put their trust in us, and my responsibility grew exponentially. After the meeting, the need to meet the deadline became not only a professional matter to me but also a mission. I wanted to prove that

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the statement made by that director was valid. As a Rotarian, I felt a mixed sense of pride and commitment. We met the deadline. From that day on, I never forgot that when we wear the Rotary pin on our lapel, it represents a powerful image of integrity and responsibility. I am the proud son of a Lebanese immigrant who arrived in Brazil in 1918, the same year that Rotary was established in Latin America. I still remember some of the lessons my father taught me: Love your family above yourself. Have a profession, because this is the most important legacy a father can leave for his child. Be honest, truthful, and fair in your profession and personal life. I’ve always seen my father abide by these words. When it comes to the Avenue of Vocational Service, the principles are similar. Of the 322 pages of the Manual of Procedure, three are dedicated to Vocational Service. Only three. Nonetheless, those three pages make it clear that this avenue is the vehicle used by Rotary to support and promote the ideal of service. There we can read about:       

Ethical standards, which can never be laid to rest Loyalty to employers and employees and the fair treatment between them The worthiness of all dignified occupations The use of our professional expertise to benefit the communities we serve Integrity and justice to all club members, clients, and also competitors, who should be our allies and not our enemies The Four-Way Test Our proper participation in professional associations 171

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Vocational training to youth, which reminds us of our responsibility for the future The connection between Vocational Service and the improvement of our communities

All that in only three pages. This is the guide to excellence! I’d like to give two examples to better explain the role of vocational service in the development of ethical character and the dissemination of values within the community. The first one is a project created at Virginia Tech University, developed by the Josephson Institute of Ethics and implemented in several countries. It was replicated in 60 schools in Joinville, Brazil, through a Matching Grant involving seven clubs of District 4650. The name of the project is Character Counts. The scope of the project is to help educators instill ethical values and principles within their students, building character so that students will grow to be productive, upright professionals and citizens. This initiative can be replicated anywhere. Through playful teaching and effective methodology, children learn the six pillars that form good character: trustworthiness, respect, responsibility, fairness, caring, and citizenship. These pillars are essential to guide their lives and to build happier and more harmonious communities. To set an example, we should exercise good character and demonstrate moral strength during trying times. We must respond positively and with certainty and resist the temptation to place popularity, well being, and comfort above ethics. When we do the right thing, even in the smallest aspects of life, it gives us the confidence and strength to overcome bigger challenges. The other example is also a school project. It’s a booklet with appropriate images and text that presents the implied concepts of The 172

Four-Way Test in an objective way. This booklet was created based on “The Four-Way Coloring Book” of the Rotary Club of Millen, Georgia, USA, and customized according to the Brazilian culture and sports preferences. I mentioned these two examples because they show an important task performed within the Avenue of Vocational Service, which is helping youth in our communities become honest and productive business men and women and professionals in their communities. We should reach out to them before they may be exposed to drugs and crime. We must give them a sense of purpose in their lives, teach them early on how to face the challenges that will come their way and develop excellence in their character. I conclude with an extract of a poem written by Sidónio Muralha: Stop, I do not stop. I may run, but without stumbling. But if I stumble I won't stop For not having the right to And that no one gives me a hand Nor ask me if I am suffering. If character is expensive I’ll pay the price I will pay the price, although it is rare The man has no reverse side And the weight of the stone is comparable To the strength of the throw If character is expensive I’ll pay the price

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Transforming information into knowledge and action We are being bombarded every day more and more, by a torrent of information. One of the great challenges of our time is to discriminate the information than can be useful to us, transform them into knowledge that in turn will be the foundations to help us to take decisions or to produce concrete, positive and useful actions. It should be included on this process the accuracy of the critical sense of the human being that no computer can overcome, of the selection of which information will be transformed into knowledge and which should be discarded. The Global Network generated by the Internet, and its most recent successors which are the social media, allow us to have access to an endless data base, democratizing the information. The appearance of the Internet in this aspect can be compared to the first Bible printed by Guttenberg, which in times of great religion syncretism, democratized the content of this holly book, making it available to be read inside homes and not only in the interior of monasteries. We are exposed to a risk to see our discernment be clouded by the excess of information to which we are exposed and that comes within our reach, blunting our senses and turning it more difficult our evaluation of what is relevant. The anxiety for information should be minimized and we should put some discipline in dealing with information to transform it in something that will result in a learning process. The information need 174

to be analyzed to determine where and when it is needed or going to be used, which knowledge value it contains and that would result from its analysis and propagation. Three pillars are important in this process: Consulting, Sharing and Collaborating. When we prepare a table with information on membership growth or of the contributions to the Rotary Foundation on the last years for instance, this table must be organized in a way that it will be easy to arrive to some conclusions and generate some action. Information is a dynamic asset that has a value associated to its life cycle. Information technology is only a supporting tool. So, static information that gives one single moment picture and that cannot be compared, analyzed in its tendency or appreciated in its anomalies is of no value. We receive and see published material and receive a lot of information that should be better treated to allow some analytic evaluation and generate some knowledge. Another relevant aspect is the sharing of information and the acquired knowledge. There is no use to analyze the information, aquire some knowledge from it, if we keep it to ourselves and do not share them. The information transformed in knowledge generates competence and the acquired knowledge when shared generates action. The information we collect from the community we serve, can be agglutinated and classified in several ways, but what count is the possibility to evaluate and prioritize their needs to generate projects, or even to evaluate which of its members are potential Rotarians and could be representatives of this community. It is then important that we share these knowledge with our club committees to generate proactive actions.

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The other equally important pillar is the one that allows that the acquired knowledge from the information we gathered collaborates with the perfection of our decisions and actions. For instance, we can understand that the information gathered from the community be used to perfect this same community and amplify our capacity to serve through our club, increasing and generating a collective intelligence (Business Intelligence). The concept of Business Intelligence is not new. The ancient nations, more than 6000 years ago, crossed information with nature occurrences to take decisions that would benefit their life. The information we deliver in Rotary or in any other organization must have the purpose to mobilize people to action. A simple list of the membership of clubs in the Monthly Letter of their district is of no use if it does not generate action to avoid evasion with better admission processes. Understanding the performance of these clubs and how they become limited in their action by having a low number of members is what is relevant. And is also important how they could have their performance increased if they admitted new members compromised with our values. If necessary we should modify the way we present the information so that they fulfill a nobler task than simply to inform. Besides all this, the published information must be well visualized, expose an investigative process, present complex data in a simple and pragmatic form so that people can ask questions and evolve from the answers that they get, make use of collective intelligence, amplify personal stories, evaluate tendencies and generate alarms. It should not be just a mechanical and repetitive act. Photos that is said to be more important than a thousand words, should reveal something, not just satisfy personal ego of being seen, but reveal an action and inspire others.

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The information transmitted should, above all, contribute with something new that help to increase our capacity to serve. You will be remembered and will have contributed to increase the perspective of action and of life of someone, if when you produce information you generate knowledge and promote constructive action.

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A New Language During the Renaissance, what moved the human beings to action was the investigation, the discovery. Emerging from those times a new way to communicate, that together with this investigative character, were called as essays. The essays were characterized by dealing with two levels of thoughts or ideas: in one hand with the known reality and in other hand with the unknown reality. Who wrote about these two realities “essayed” a connection between them, a drive to a creative reasoning to explore the unknown side from the known one. In these times we are living in because the acceleration on discoveries, either on the scientific field, or on the field of social relationship and of the communication media, a new language is being installed and is rapidly disseminated and absorbed. It does not reverberate any more boring speeches with great number of philosophic verve or with erudite citations. The new social media that proliferate easily, clearly demonstrates this, up to a point that Rotary is with a group of specialists, debating the implementation of its own social network. In the old times we needed to write in a copy-book, because we had to copy what was written on the blackboard. Now we write using the Internet, because we want to interact with the world. It is another dimension of language. This process of the need of a new language can be seen in Rotary under several aspects and in several occasions. To publish what we have accomplished On the process of publishing to communicate to the community and also between ourselves our accomplishments, the language adopted 178

must be adequate to the public to which it is directed and with specific objectives. If this public is the community we serve, the content of this information has the purpose to allow this community to know about what Rotary does, so that when they will be asked to participate on our projects they will come with knowledge of who we are and what we do. When publishing this same project to be seen by the internal public, we should use another language, because the purpose is to make it easy to this project to be replicated elsewhere and be successful. In communication with youth In this case the communication must be direct, motivating to action, in new fields of service that generate on youth the anxiety to participate. One kind of projects, for instance, that motivates young leaders to participate are those dedicated to ecology or nature preservation, like those proposed by the program Preserve Planet Earth. Equally attractive and that requires appropriate language are the project on areas that affect them, like those related to drug addiction, of early pregnancy, of sexually transmitted diseases, in particular the process of their mitigation. They want to participate. We have to let them participate and speak their language which is the language of optimism and immediate and effective action. On training seminars On these events the unidirectional language is not being accepted any more. The monologue does no more attract audience’s attention. What is required is the debate of ideas, the information of new trends with consistence and objectivity. Negativistic declarations are not well accepted any more, those that only points out mistakes but do not bring any new ideas or alternative solutions. Greater success has received the sessions of debate in discussion groups in which an 179

initial idea on a subject is thrown, is debated and is piramidated with others and in which all have the chance to participate ant present their ideas. In the development of new leadership In this absolutely needed process in Rotary, the language to be used by the trainers is the one that their life in Rotary allows them to express. Simple, clear, taking the new leaders being developed to understand the organization through the stimulation of their intellect and also by letting them know about real cases. When incentivized to debate by who has past experience about the subject, the conclusions will come from the group, without having to use manuals. This development process will take them to a self development and to a continuous and increased interest. In Rotary’s instruction Many clubs have been neglecting the importance of this practice, reducing their occurrence during their weekly meetings. The lack of stimulus for reading and meditation should be recomposed. The club members could be periodically designated to present in a synthetic and personal way their understanding about Rotary’s topics. It will become a tool of membership development, but equally important for visitors that do not know about Rotary, to understand some of it. This new language should become an integral part of our lives and should be explorative and let the creative thinking flow and be adapted to current times. These new times of the always available, of thinking green, of reliable virtual transactions, of the neglected niche, of the innovation with sustainability, is alerting our way of thinking and acting, paying more attention in these new languages that we are having to use.

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The administration and Leadership development in Rotary To say that Rotary is a nongovernmental organization or a non for profit enterprise, is simply using negative expressions, because they only say what Rotary is not. Not that Rotary do something differently than enterprises or governments do. Enterprises offer products and services. Governments define politics and control their application. An enterprise completed their task, when their client that bought a product or service, pays for it and is satisfied. Governments completed their task, when the public politics, once implemented are effective. Rotary do not offer remunerated products or compensation for services, neither implement public policies or control their effectiveness. Rotary’s product is neither a pair of shoes nor a regulation. The product of Rotary is a transformed human being. Rotary is an AGENT OF TRANSFORMATION OF HUMAN BEINGS.

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The product of Rotary is a child immunized against polio, is a young adult that learned how to read and write, is a girl that grows up to be as a respectful adult, is a competent professional to promote peace. Is also a Rotarian, a human being that had his life transformed to be a better person. Some decades ago if someone tried to buy our organization or tried to compare it with a business, or even saying something about the managers of Rotary, could hear in response: “Rotary is not an enterprise that has inferior levels that needed to be managed, neither we had assets that could be bought in the market”. During the last years it has grown the conscience that we need unconventional levels of management in Rotary, without creating, by having them, an oppressive posture in applying them. It is the consent management, a management based on convincement, of motivation. It is the type of management that transnational companies are starting to use as a modern methodology and that Rotary is using for a long time, which is called administration by subsidiary responsibility, in which the decisions are taken in the lowest level possible. This management methodology has the ultimate object to make Rotary leaders concentrate in their mission and not in themselves. The leadership development was also receiving in Rotary a special care by implementing the District Leadership Plan and the Club Leadership Plan. They implicitly shape our leadership through the application of their content. The Harvard University idealized the Case Studies as a situation analyzes in the business arena. Let me propose one. Imagine a multinational enterprise that sales an excellent product, but is having some management problems. Is a very big company with more than 183

35,000 branches in more than 170 countries, coordinated by 535 regional offices and managed in the highest level by a Board of 19 members. It is this company policy that on thirtieth of June of every year, to dismiss all of their branch managers, all of their 535 regional managers, dismisses half of the Board and very politely asks the President to ask his resignation. Than with the objective to bring new blood and new ideas every year, this company, on first of July hires 35,000 new branch office managers, 535 new regional managers, elect half of its Board and a new President. Do you see any problem with this company? Would any company in any area of business survive with this policy? As you have already understood we are talking of Rotary. Every year we have 35,000 new Club Presidents, 535 new District Governors, a new half of or Board and a new RI President that will serve for one year. What can we do in relation to this? We may have two main alternatives. The first would be to invite each club president and each governor to serve for five years. Would we find anyone available? The other possibility is to identify as early as possible between Rotarians, those who has potentiality to occupy leadership positions and provide them with the best level of qualification and knowledge, for them to be capable to take on the leadership positions that they are asked to occupy. But we have to have in mind that we will need to prepare and train 330,000 new leaders in the next ten years. And we hope that they pave the road for those who will come after them. 184

Multilevel planning is a very important subject for the development of our organization. The other that maybe is even more important is the development of Rotary leadership. Leadership is like the abominable Snow Man, whose foot prints are everywhere, but no one have seen him. In any leadership position you are and need to compose a team, you should always ask: “Would this leader inspire my children to work in his team?” And it does not matter only the charisma of the leader. See the suffering caused by charismatic leaders like Hitler, Stalin or Mao. More than charisma, what is important in leaders is their sense of mission. On this context we must insert the next generation of Rotary leaders. Some are now Interactors or Rotaractors and we need to give them dialog opportunities, and also to help to prepare the future and use their imagination and idealism. Imagination and experience must walk together in every step. Rotary will build its future depending on the leaders that we are capable to attract and cultivate. Talented capable and visionary leaders. Leaders that produce excellent results, while fulfilling their mission in Rotary, even with scarcity of resources. We are facing sometimes an uncertain future, not well established, but not a future without vision. Vision is the propriety and assets of leaders, but the power to transform the future by their action on the present is their currency. In these critical moments, that we are living in, the strings of history is given in our hands. They cannot be caught in an irresponsible or indifferent way. We cannot let them escape because we feel 185

intimidated by the responsibility that these moments require. We must feel ourselves happy and at its maximum our capacity of action. And use it correctly as it is required now. We cannot go back to what we were as individuals or as institution ten twenty or one year ago. The important is not what we are, but what we want to be and what legacy we want to leave. The future is now and we are its administrator and conductor.

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How to permanently admit a new member I believe in simple solutions. Even to this complex problem we have been facing for so many years, which is related to membership growth and retention. And it is related to a statement that I have been proving valuable, not only in inducting new members, but also in chartering new clubs: New members should first understand what Rotary do, to later understand what Rotary is. And this may take a longer time. We have been doing new admissions, for many years, in the same way and sometimes not even considering and utilizing the steps suggested in our Manual of Procedures. We are normally trying to give to any new member of an existing club or to chartering members of a new club, information on what Rotary and The Rotary Foundation are. Instead, it is my experience that it is more effective and there are several examples to prove it, that we should give them first the possibility to understand what Rotary does, having in mind that they will have their whole life to understand what Rotary is. How can we do this? By letting these incoming members to participate on a project and allowing them to decide, by observing its execution, effectiveness and the impact of this project in the community if this is the organization that they want to join. If while chartering a new club on a community we allow prospective new members of that community to participate in one of our community projects that we do well in our club for example and 188

replicate it in that community, the first thought that will come to their mind is: if engineers, doctors, dentists, entrepreneurs and so many professionals come to my community to work on such project, this Rotary International must be a good organization for me to join. And not only will that happen. By participating on a Rotary's project and understanding what Rotary does or can do, immediately a new possible project will come to these person's mind, based on their talent and expertise and that by joining Rotary he or she will start to fight for it to be implemented. By allowing these citizens to participate on a project, even before becoming a Rotarian, we will acquire a new member that will not leave. We will be solving the evasion problem at the admission. It is a slight change in the admission process that I have seen making a great difference in new member's life.

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Transforming donors into Partners (and Partners into donors) It starts by changing the concept of fund raising into fund development. Recognize that our true potential for growth is the donors and the partners we are able to motivate and captivate. The donor must be brought along in our programs, not simply be someone we collect this year contribution from. To move forward we must develop a broad, sound and solid advocacy base. And that base must include not only our membership, but also our donors, our partners and, why not, our beneficiaries. Donors, beneficiaries and partners, must be integrated in our projects and programs. Before they write a check, we must present them a case for support, which spells out the magnitude of the challenge, what we propose to do about it, how realistic it is to achieve that challenge, how their gift can make the difference, and which are their opportunities to participate. The tripod built on:  

A viable and challenging project A motivated partner or donor, and

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An intense Rotarian’s involvement, is the road to our future of success and growth.

We must help our constituents, which include the Rotarians in our clubs, our donors and our partners, with a more efficient and resourceful support. And this must happen with grater intensity at the club level, which is where action takes place. The lack of support to clubs has had as consequence for instance, the creation of their own foundations. Again, when we speak of fund development it means also bringing our partners and donors along, increasing their perception of the opportunities they have to be involved and support us in our projects, apart from just doing a contribution, but by acquiring also the ownership in the outcome of our organization. From this unified structure is how the concept of “One Rotary” can evolve, by uniting all the forces we are in touch with and be the catalyzer that make them work together.

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Water: an international perspective According to the UN Report numbers, almost 1 Billion people (780 Million) do not have access to potable water and 2.5 Billion people do not have access to basic sanitation. We chose this area as one of our area of focus. While this problem is faced predominantly in the developing countries, the developed world also grapples with issues of infrastructure asset depreciation (an infrastructure that need to be periodically substituted) and risks associated with increased water scarcity and unsustainable environmental management. The cost of failing to effectively address this water and sanitation gap is significantly higher than the cost of addressing it, hence the worldwide sector calls for fundamental strategic reform. Although not entering in detail of the many aspects of this area I will try to give a glimpse of its most important aspects and how they are related to Rotary action. Communication While examining this strategic reform in the perspective of a service organization, we understand that there is a subject that is an important part of this reform that we as Rotarians can participate and have a major role. This role is to practice and use a main tool of this reform, which may become a foundation of this reform and that this role involves a strategic communication to the community. The same community we serve, about the risks and future consequences of lack of care with water resources and basic sanitation. If we are 192

willing to contribute to this reform, we have the means to help it to happen. Tariff While struggling with global economic recovery, one key issue at the top of the agenda today is tariff setting. It should ideally reflect the value of water and the importance of water treatment. This is a problem which is related to infrastructure deficit, which involves huge amount of money. Although it is out of reach of Rotary to solve it, we need to be aware of its importance. In the US for example the infrastructure deficit is of US$ 1 to 2.2 trillion over the next 5 to 20 years. The quantity of waste water is increasing and the great number of sewer pipes (in Honolulu there is 2100 miles of sewer pipes – more than its street system) and they are aging and need to be substituted to prevent spills and protect public health. There is no such thing as free water. Technological Approaches and Policies Technology plays an important role nowadays, from the implementtation of water holes, in which Rotarians have been active on, to the building of positive community attitude towards better water supply and sanitation, in which we are starting to act. A thought that have been common sense between water leaders in the world is: “First, make the people care”. A good example is the case of the Tucson water story. During the summer of 1976 Tucson Water launched the “Beat the Peak” campaign to “never watering from 4 to 8”, a program extended now for the year-round. It prevented great investments expenses in the capacity of the system. In the last 20 years per capita consum193

ption was reduced by 30% and total consumption is the same as it was in 1995. The pride of the community increased as they became a low water using community. And they did not stop there. The use of smart technologies (like Automatic Metering of 225.000 meters) is helping them to gather a great amount of data, interpret them and make them friendly available to the public. Synergy between organized entities and the utility is on the move. The four Rotary districts in Paraná state in Brazil are putting together a similar project in partnership with the Water and Sanitation Utility. This project intent is to help the community of the state, covered by more than 320 clubs, acquire the sense of responsibility to the water resources that are being used by them. The Water and Sanitation Utility will provide the printed flyers and talking support material to train Rotarians to be multipliers of this motivational chain ideas. Partnerships, intelligent partnerships, are looked as an opportunity to help bridge the gap and change attitudes. Another example here in the US is the DC Water Strategic Plan. Although a detailed breakdown and budget was developed, it is in hearing all the community members that wanted to say something, even if they were unhappy, that made this plan viable and successful. This is the difference that makes the plan that is being implemented to become a success story. In India, the same as in Africa the policy makers are struggling with several problems that goes from increasing use efficiency of water to closing the loop between sewage management and water supply. In the words of Dr. Shah “there will be no project in India, either in the 194

rural areas or in the urban areas, where the two will be separated. By dumping untreated waste into our rivers we are causing health problems to household and contributing to crop failure due to contaminated irrigation water”. Public Private Partnership (PPP) takes a great part in the solution, And he always reminds: “Please don’t forget the fourth P - PEOPLE. They will determine the success or failure of any venture. They will be willing to accept such enterprise as long as they understand the results for them and the tangible benefits”. While visiting Pune, a city with more than 4 million inhabitants, I was informed that all the waste water collected is thrown directly into the river, without treatment. But the community was alert and I also saw their protest and consciousness and responsibility to change that situation. DISCREPANCIES IN BRAZIL (a continental country) and ELSEWHERE While in southern Brazil we have losses on water conduits of 3-5%, in the northeast we have systems with losses of more than 70% in their water distribution systems. While Curitiba has a water supply guaranteed for the next 30 years, São Paulo, because a long shortage of localized rain and lack of long range planning is struggling with physical scarcity of water. While in the Paraná state we have 100% of treated water availability to the population, some northern states has an availability of not more than 40%. So, what kind of projects can Rotarians start? Definitely any one passes through a partnership with the local utilities.

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All over the world water is a municipality issue, and the participation of Rotarians to help changing the community attitude and create awareness of the problems and involve them on the solutions is a feasible way to create proactive attitude towards the value of water. The Participation of Youth By involving our youth on this effort, we will be surely preparing them to a situation that without a positive action now will result in a huge problem in the future. This is another way that our Foundation can provide an enormous participation of our youth, increase their involvement and participation in Rotary projects and be interested in joining Rotary when they have the opportunity to do so. Cowspiracy This term was created recently by Kip Anderson and was shown as a documentary on NETFLIX, in which he was raising some numbers that try to emphasize that the lack of water may take humanity to witness climate wars, with migration or even invasion of countries by others. His numbers for our reflection: 100 Billion gallons (376 billion liters) is used every year by the population consumption in the US; But Kip Anderson also mentions that: 34 Trillion gallons of water are used every year in the US, only for animal agriculture (understood mainly as the water used on crops to feed the herds of cattle and the water they drink, between other uses); 91% of rainforest destruction in the Amazon is to raise cattle.

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One pound of hamburger requires 600 gallons (2500 l.) of water to be produced. This is equivalent of two entire months of short showers. And no data is published on the damage of animal agriculture on environment by any environmental organization, although the author tried to get some answer. All the organizations he entered in contact with, either avoided to discuss the subject or denied to give any number or information during the interviews, or even argued that this was not an important subject when dealing with environmental care. And he goes on. The methane produced by cow’s digestion itself, is 86 times more destructive to the atmosphere than all carbon dioxide produced by all vehicles (cars, buses, trains, airplanes, etc.). Although not discussing these numbers they at least require a behavioral change. Rotary and Rotarians have a lot to do in relation to water and sanitation in an international perspective. This is one of the six areas of focus that we decided to act upon on our projects. And we must start now!

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Managing Nonprofit Organizations (The Third Sector) While trying to define a list of topics that should compose the knowledge of the “managers” of Rotary International and our Foundation, on the several levels of growing complexity, I tried to list them without detailing them, in such a way that their understanding and comprehension be equivalent in profoundness to the hierarchical position occupied. The intensity of the application of these themes should be included on the training of these so called “managers”, to give them the tools to better execute their job, concurring to a better personal and institutional performance. 1. 2.

Definitions and historical perspective of management of the Third Sector institutions Boards and Councils a) Commitment and Leadership b) Board and Councils functions, challenges and goals c) Impact of decisions on institutional structures d) High level leadership selection and development e) How to structure and define size of Committees and put them to work Strategic Plan and Performance Evaluation a) Elaboration of a consistent Plan b) The process of strategic administration c) Strategies development and their effectiveness evaluation d) Hierarchy of objectives 198

e) From mission to performance management f) Performance measurement parameters g) Standards, Rules of Procedures and Code of Policies and Ethics Administrative Structures a) Structure models analysis  Mission oriented  Service oriented b) Leadership participation on structure evolution and development c) The key relationships between Board, staff, volunteers, donors and community d) Board effectiveness e) Budget and financial sustainability f) Team motivation

Communication , Marketing and Branding a) From volunteers to unpaid staff b) The use of volunteer’s expertise c) The branding effectiveness d) Communication and Marketing Plan e) Membership motivation and development

The foreseen future a) The evolution plan and its adherence to community changes b) Financial development of funds c) What do you want to be remembered for? d) Today’s actions and their implication on the future of the organization e) Evaluating social changes 199

Pragmatic wisdom

These topics are not expected to be a complete spectrum of items but compose a summarized suggestion of points to be included in the future preparation of our leaders.

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Characteristics of Leadership Without creativity and the action of a human being nothing moves. Leadership is energy. It is the process to influence people by ideas, so that they do things that has to be done by their motives and not by ours. The leader is that who possess the moral, doctrinaire, practical, material, opinion and life conduct energy in his or her manifestations. There is no limit of the number of leaders in a democratic association like Rotary. This is true because leadership is somehow mystic, that a person has or not. It could be learned and anyone can develop and perfect it by study and practice. It varies in accordance with the situation and in Rotary it varies in accordance with the job and objectives. Any member of a club is a leader, when presenting the appropriate solution at the right moment. Leadership moves from person to person, from the time they contribute with something more to the objective of the organization. We must bring something new to Rotary at all times. Leadership is the quality that should have someone who accept the responsibility to guide others to reach a common objective. According to Hurlok: “The signs commonly found in a leader are: assurance, sociability, responsibility, good character, generosity, spirit of justice, good and effective working habits and easy adaptation to society”.

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The democratic leader respects the human being and believes on them, conquers the cooperation of the group that he or she belongs to by competence, patience, tolerance, and honesty of purposes. Does not give orders, give examples, stimulating instead of reprimanding. The democratic leader arises naturally from the group and not by attracting followers, although there are no leaders without followers. A good leader was or can at any time become again a follower. A follower is not a passive person. He is a person that has ideas, argue respectfully, complement and implement the ideas proposed by the leadership, is a protagonist. To lead is to act. Every thought is the outline of an action. The function of the leadership is personalize the human being, give life to his conscience of life, creating and promoting the ambience of positive freedom from a moral authority. That person, who shoulders the mission to help others, be authentic, watchful of feelings, trying to be flexible and adaptable to creations, open to statements, organized and integrated, active in pursuing objectives and of the chosen ideal, this will be leader. To live is an art, is said in the popular wisdom and the art of living is to transform life in a work of art. The ten characteristics of a leader are: 1) Pay respect to the human being and believe in his possibilities, that are immense; 2) Rely on the group, more than in yourself; 3) Avoid criticizing anyone in public, trying to exalt to the group the positive aspects of every one; 4) Always gives examples, instead of be criticizing all the time; 5) Avoid to give orders, trying to get cooperation of everyone; 203

6) Give to everyone their place, taking in consideration fondness, interest and personal capability; 7) Avoid taking even if temporally, the initiative of a responsibility that belongs to someone else, even when thinking that you could do it better; 8) Consult with the members of the group before taking an important decision that involves common interests; 9) Before acting explain to your peers what you are up to and why; 10) Avoid taking part on the discussions when chairing a meeting; maintaining absolute neutrality, registering with impartiality the decisions of the group. These characteristics can be summarized in the three qualities that characterizes any leader, that are: sacrifice, humility and perseverance. The leadership in Rotary is consented and not conquered. Because is through consent that leadership in Rotary must be selected. In this respect the Nominating Committees plays a central role; their members must be diligently and carefully chosen so they can exercise their responsibility based in qualifying criteria, being it to chose a Club President, a District Governor, a Director or the president of RI. The responsibility of the leadership in Rotary is not concluded at the end of his term. This can be expressed by the true genetic mutation that happens or should happen in someone that occupies a leadership position in Rotary. In any position of leadership, the person acquires more knowledge of our organization and perceives through the exposure to the responsibilities in growing grades of complexity, the multifaceted and important action of Rotary.

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The true assumption of leadership positions should not be by accident or by chance. The choose must be to fulfill a mission and a destiny: they must be leaders. When it should start the preparation of a Rotary leader? We must have in mind that in the next ten years Rotary must prepare and orient for action more than 360,000 leaders. Then when do we start? Which are the alternatives to attack this immense task? One would be to ask that club presidents and district governors to agree to serve for five years. Would we find anyone who is willing to do that? The other alternative is to start preparing these leaders as early as possible. Some alternatives are already being used: pre-PETS, schools of Rotary, mentoring projects and the Rotary Leadership Institute. Each one has its merits. One great lesson that we see happening around us that gives us a clear understanding of what is needed and very important lesson that to lead we need to serve. Mahatma Gandhi declared one time: “I must follow the people … because I am their leader.” We must also understand that leadership does not means power. Leadership is not a speech or a theme. Leadership is not even to have authority over other people. Leadership is relation between people. It is to cultivate the relation with people that will follow you, that will work with you and with whom you could share the successes that you all reached. If to lead one needs to serve, we must lead by example. We cannot ask dedication if we do not dedicate ourselves. We should not ask to anyone one to do something that you would not do yourself.

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Then how to leave our brand and legacy? I believe that all the great leaders have the absolute perception of their mission. They have clear and well defined objectives and channel their energy to reach them. We must always remember that “one who does not know where he is going will be surprised to arrive elsewhere”. We must always learn with the lessons of the past and the powerful heritage that the past deliver to us. But even that the past tell us about extraordinary undertakings, the future depends of the work that we do in the present. It is here for instance that resides our effort to transform the Avenue of Service to Youth in a true philosophy of action of our organization. How many of you have formulated your plans for tomorrow? Or for the next week? For the next year? For the next decade? If you have done your plans, share them with those around you. If you have not, start doing them now, at this very moment and start seriously about them, remembering also that the great mission of a leader is to prepare new leaders. Do not be shy for being originals; because it is exactly because of this that you are going to be criticized. And people will say to you: “But this had never been done this way before!” Do not be afraid … where there is no road, leave a trail. And to those who criticize you, invite them to take with you the bus to tomorrow. Do not follow the crowd just by being afraid to be different. Decide by yourself what to do. Leadership is also a question of choice. Above all be yourself.

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And the dream goes on ... Through these articles we were united, to share several pragmatic aspects and points of view of Rotary’s action, analyzing some atavic problems that require from all of us responsible attention and solution. Without the preoccupation to put them in order of priority, we can enlighten: The need to improve the admission process of new members or the chartering of new clubs. It is requiring that this process includes the previous participation of prospective members in projects for them to - Know Rotary first for what it does, for then understand it for what it is. The new admissions made with this in mind will help to solve the problem of retention at the admission. Done with quality and giving the incoming member to know how we work to do our job it will also let this person to test where his personal talents are more useful and bring new ideas to start similar projects. The more intense attention given to our youth, giving them voice and opportunities to exert their capacity of accomplishment, together with the adoption in every club of a Permanent Committee on Youth, that joins together a group of club members that plan in an integral and interconnected form, youth participation in the several programs of RI and TRF, dedicated to youth. We must also leave in the club’s board a position to be occupied by a young leader from Rotaract and Interact, understanding that better than to show them the way is to walk it with them. There is a need to adapt our language and our ideas to the new times, so that our message of values and principles reach a greater number of people that want peace and comprehension. We observe that a lot of documents, sites and magazines we produce have their content 208

dedicated to the wrong audience. The public to which we must unveil Rotary is the external public and we are not doing much in this direction. The images we display on these media are not attractive to young leaders that we are trying to attract and motivate. Our brand must be consistent with our history and attractive enough to lead us to the future. It is important that we bring new and talented members, which come to join us to help us to continue our job on a process of renewal of evolution without interruption. We have to break paradigms of age gender and many others. How necessary it is to fill in the gap that is increasing between us and the community we serve to know and be known by this community, attending with completed projects their priority needs. The use of modern technology like geoprocessing the information about the community, already in use by some clubs to map their action and register the information in a coherent and useful way. There is a need to show and tell to these communities what we are doing and planning to do. By producing new projects and partners in service, new frontiers will be opened. There are no limits for our action and there is a lot to be done, what makes us responsible to - Create opportunities, act with competence and fulfill our obligations. Our mission is permanent and our goals are temporary and renewed when reached. It is very important that our leadership compromised with the Object of Rotary and not with themselves, be proactive, creative and visionary on the three levels of our organization. Suit their thoughts and postures very high, accessing and sharing relevant information and knowledge. By stimulating the adoption of methodologies of new leadership development, develop people, not positions. 209

The importance of a strategic thinking and action on all levels, will be taking us to reflect in alternate forms of corporate governance. They are needed to adapt Rotary and our Foundation to the amplified needs of service required nowadays by our community. This will allow that with an integrated attitude we solve and improve an ease of fruition of ideas and plans in consonance with the regional cultural characteristics. A transparent strategic plan, simple, intercomnected in the three levels, must provide the means to a coordinated action of the Family of Rotary. The use of the subsidiary administration, through which the decisions are taken in the lowest possible level, is gaining strength and momentum. Strengthen of our Public Image by the exemplar and responsible attitude of each one of us, walking together with the publishing of what we do, will produce its effects. So, when we ask the community to contribute and participate in our projects, it will collaborate with the perfect understanding and confidence on what we do and how we perform. Also when we go into the community to ask one of its members to join forces with us to render better service, they will come, because they will understand that they are joining a group of conscientious citizens that try their best to revert to the community what they conquered in a privileged form. Our brand is valuable and will bring every time more identity to what we are, the more we are known by what we do. Our corporate governance can be improved in the three levels of our organization, turning it easier the propagation of new ideas in the two directions. Using electronic media we can facilitate the production and the debate of these ideas and that they become known in any of our meetings. There is an urgent need to unite all Rotarians by passionate causes that motivate them to total action. While preparing ourselves to let the world know our success in eradicating polio by first stopping its propagation, it is necessary that we invade the 210

causes expressed by the six areas of focus, by generating projects that involve our constituents and solve or mitigate the detected problems in these areas. To do this, all our meetings must become a melting pot to amalgamate new ideas and find vectors to disseminate them. For all of these, is that I believe that it have worth the effort developped in the intense years dedicated to our organization, participating on so many activities, committees and proactive Boards. Rose and I will be eternally grateful to those that relied on our work and to those we were able to motivate to action. There is a lot to remember and we learned a lot on this journey. I has been equally important the preservation of true friendships and the creation of new ones that only the life in Rotary can make possible. The immense support correspondence we received, give us the assurance that we have a lot of challenges yet to meet and overcome with determination and enthusiasm. Any activity in Rotary produces implicit interest and dividends. We are in Rotary in an inflexion point. The immense work done by many Rotarians must still be recognized, but we should also analyze that: We will only honor our past by compromising ourselves with the future through the action we do in the present. We must win the battle for relevance of Rotary to youth, to Rotarians and to the community. And the dream goes on …

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