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‘SUCCESSION PLANNING’

Article by ARC PDG Brian Coffey

Last month, I provided an insight of the importance of demographics – a vital consideration of

succession planning when it comes to training and identifying needs and opportunities for your
members.
What would you do in your Club if a key member resigned or fell ill? Would you be prepared?
Succession planning is not an issue that many Clubs address until the AGM, this is reflected in many Clubs not even
having a plan evident on ‘My Rotary’.
We need to think about succession planning to meet our Incorporation obligations, Rotary commitment and most
importantly to provide services and meet our Clubs goals (if we have any). What would happen in you club, if a key
member were not available?
Have newer members been trusted and mentored with the skills and experience required. Clubs need to ensure they
have a formal plan to manage the changes that result from a generational transfer of leadership as well as the ongoing
changes that occur when key members are not available.
Effective succession planning demonstrates good planning, management and leadership through supporting
organisational stability and sustainability, by ensuring there is an established process to meet staffing requirements
with minimal disruption to the organisation.
We need to focus not only on our executive positions but on the key players in our club – from the raffle ticket seller
to the BBQ specialist. Key positions can be defined as those that are crucial to the operations of your organisation
and – because of skill, seniority and/or experience are hard to replace. The most important added benefit is that
those members feel valued.
A succession plan should involve nurturing and developing members with the skills (training / certification),
knowledge (revised job descriptions), qualities, experience, and the desire – grooming them to move up to fill
specific, key positions.
Clubs and Districts should:
• Assess their current and future needs based on either their strategic plan, goals and objectives, or priority
programs and projects
• Learn of the skills, ambitions or potential of members through offering development opportunity
• Match these needs to the capabilities of the existing membership
• Develop a plan to manage the gaps that will arise when individuals in key positions leave or advance
• The plan will generally include a combination of training and developing existing members, and recruitment
identification and strategies.

‘STAYING CONNECTED’

Article by Marylin Rayment, District Membership Chair D9570
DMC D9570, Marilyn Rayment, has been holding monthly Membership Zoom meetings in order to keep the Club
Membership Chairs in her District connected. Clubs within the district are up to 1200 kilometres apart and visiting each
club is literally impossible. The monthly zoom meetings have enabled clubs to engage with Rotarians from other clubs
within the District. One of many positive outcomes from these meetings included a membership promotion in the form
of a Melbourne Cup Club sweep for the clubs in her District, the sweep was Corporate sponsored. The winning clubs were
able to use funds to help promote Rotary Membership in their respective communities.
The Calliope Rotary Club has hosted three dinners in order to continue to connect with students in their local community,
they have recently chartered a new Interact Club, see below photo, the charter of the new Interact club has been a flow on
effect from its Primary school, who have an active Rotakids Club. They have seen a growth with both Rotakids and Interact
Clubs in their community.

Rotary on the Move December 2020 Page 3