Saturday, June 17, 2017

How to Plan Your Project for Success

How you can make a difference in the lives of the people you feel concerned about?

As a Rotarians we face with numerous issues and problems around our neighbourhood, in our community, and unlike 80 percent of the people who would like to crib and complain, or blame the people, the municipal corporation or the government for not doing anything about it.  

But fortunately, you as a Rotarian, belong to that 20 percent class of people, who are happier, who know that any problem is just a mere challenge, and is a situation which can be tackled effectively.  
You are the person who is a professional and a leader in your business or vocation and know that you can bring about this change.  

You are that 20 percent of the confident community leader, as a Rotarian, who knows that everything is possible. 


How one goes about this?

The moment you discover a community issue that needs to be tackled immediately, stop for a while, and write down :

How can I change this situation and transform the lives of the people affected by it?  Simple. As a leader in your business or profession this is a normal management challenge and you handle those situations normally like any manager would do to find out the process involved. This is just like any other project.  Draw out the matrix for

WHAT the problem is? Define it. How bad the situation is. What is the source of the issue? What specific problems it is causing to the community?

WHO would benefit? Talk to the people, and find out what would make them happier. What change they would need? What are their specific requirements?

WHICH are the specific resources that you would need for the project?  Money, human resources, cooperation of the community and other stakeholders? Identify them and list that out. And most significant aspect is the knowledge, skills and expertise that you as a Rotarian, and a leader of your business can bring on to the table.

Ask other Rotarians in the Club how they can contribute. What are the key skills they can deploy to bring about this change.

WHEN: The timeline. To execute any plan, one needs very specific timeline to implement the project. List out the step-by-step process involved.

ACT NOW.  That is the mantra. The ultimate success of any project or plan is to start. Go ahead and just do it. 

Friday, June 16, 2017

I'm a Rotarian. I Make a Difference.

On Ist of July the entire Rotary world would get into action with renewed vigour to Make a Difference.  And already the plans are afoot and the new team is all set to take up the baton of leadership from their immediate predecessor, to take Rotary to still greater heights.

Each one of us is capable of making a difference in the life of someone; in our family, our immediate neighbourhood, the city or town or the country we live in, and in the process, in the entire world. 

Do a Daily Good and make a Difference.  

Howsoever small it may be.  

I am reminded of the tale of a child who finds lots of fish left dying on the seashore with the receding tide.  He picks up a fish and throws it back into the sea.  And he keeps on moving, picking up another fish with his little hands and throwing it back into the water.   

Watching the little child's action from a distance, an old man approaches him and tells him, that he won't be able to do anything since there are thousands of fish on the shore.  It would be futile.  It won't make any difference what you are doing, says the man. 

The child picks up another fish from the sandy shore, gasping for life, shows to the man, and says, "It makes a difference to this one at least," and throws the fish back into the water. 

Let's remember, as a Rotarian, we cannot ignore our potential to act and save a life.  Or even change a life through little acts of kindness as humans.  

And that is what makes a Rotarian more humane. 

Tell to the world, "I'm a Rotarian. I Make a Difference"