Programme for week commencing 15th March 2012
Thank you for everyone who commented on last week’s programme eClub Open Meeting, this week we want members to continue responding to the points made in the open meeting, especially in regard to the Group/Forum you belong to. We have made tremendous progress over the past 6 weeks since our Inaugural Meeting, but we mustn’t loose sight that we are still a very young Rotary Club in it’s FORMING STAGE, to this end we need to get things working well before rushing on.
If you all revisit the post on this blog called the Inaugural Meeting, President Tim in his address to the eClub talks about the word CARE – Contact, Activities to build Relationships, which will lead to Engagement. This is an important method we need to use if we are to build a strong Rotary Club, it also gives us a focus on our need to care for each other while building our relationships and the eClub Team. The eClub was set up to enable busy people to be part of Rotary, there is no need to apologise for being busy that’s why you are here, however some simple things will help to build these relationships e.g. keeping your personal posts on the website updated and having conversation with others about the posts, see the programme for week 23rd February – Growing Together lots of suggestions about the website helping to build the important relationships.
So please use this week to REVIEW what has been said in the programmes since the Inaugural Meeting, especially the things highlighted above, if we focus on the relationship building this will help so much as the eClub moves forward.
If we REFRESH our posts every time we visit the website with either comments on the programmes or something about how your week or day has been, we will start having a conversation, which will again help in building those important relationships. Or if we post questions, that others can answer, this will help all of us learn.
Finally, we will all try to RESPOND to the comments and ideas that people put on the programmes, for instance some people have asked for leaflets and electronic promotion material for giving to their colleagues or friends, this is in hand. Can we particularly revisit last weeks programme and think of how your Group/Forum can get plans in place to help focus the eClub on what we need to do to move forward.
Getting started in RESPONSE – an example from Janice
Hello, Janice here. I have been creatively thinking about how to form the eClub Admin Forum/Group and how to set our wheels in motion. Reviewing last week’s programme and the items mentioned concerning the eClub administration started me jotting down key elements and mind mapping out what our objectives are and the possible avenues we can take. As a visual thinker I find mind mapping a useful planning tool as it makes you focus on key elements and demonstrates flows of thought, and I believe it also helps communicate information in an easy to follow manner, leaving room for other people involved to add their thinking and views. I have drafted out the mind map below for the eClub Admin Forum and I am going to use it to work with other members of the Forum to look at what skills, interests and capacity we have in the group, how we want to balance responsibilities and, as the CARE analogy above shows, how we build relationships by working together. If anyone is interested in the mind mapping software I have used to create this, you can download a basic version for free from www.ThinkBuzan.com or if anyone wants to discuss its use please leave a comment below.
Even though eClub Administration sounds dry, this plan now looks really exciting and I can’t wait to get my fellow Rotarians involved in helping to make this a reality and moving the eClub forward.
Great mind map for visual-type people
Like the mind map, going to download the trial and see if I can come up with something relating to the safety role.
I use mind maps for my work ‘to do’ list each week. I find if I list out all that I need to do and add new things onto the bottom or squeeze them in between lines, I have to keep reading through the whole list to check on what needs doing – time wasted and focus distracted. By using the mind map there is space to add new items and a focused approach when I need to review the ‘list’.
Some timely reminders – thank you! I think I’m up to date – just make the lists for conference, mail those who have offered to help – and Dave so he can do the Risk Assessment and we’re ready to go – I hope. For those waiting to hear from me on this – I WILL get it done this weekend – apologies for the delay.
That looks really good!
Wow Janice, that looks like it was a lot of work! Very useful though. I look forward to the day when I can stop making excuses and start participating more – right now September 2013 when my youngest starts school is looking likely! Work is expanding to fill the time available just now and I mustn’t complain but by golly it doesn’t leave a lot of time for much else! At the moment I’m best just given discrete tasks to do so let me know if there’s anything I can set my mind to. For now I’ll make sure the flyers are distributed at the Expo next week and my badge is prominent. Whenever I mention the eClub people show interest but no-one has yet wanted to take further details – must work on my pitch ;D
Not much work at all, honest. It’s just about focussing thought and activity.
As I have said before, and something I need to repeat as lots of you are starting to apologise – we have always said that it is understood that all our members are busy people due to work and family commitments, this is a good thing and something not to be apologised for. This is why we need to ensure we have good working relationships so that we understand each other, know where skills, interests and capacity are, so that we can share the things that do need doing for the eClub to function, be effective and be enjoyable.
Leaflets are in the post to you Heather, good luck with the exhibition, both for your business and spreading the word about the eClub. We are almost to 1/3 on our way to achieving 100 members and you can’t beat the personal touch to get the message out there.
Great Mind Map Janice. Would be good if the Communications team developed a mind map for publising and recruiting new members.