Twelve months ago, I slipped on the District Governor chain of office, pinned on the badge, shook the hands, smiled for the photos, waited for the starters gun and began the race and off on the journey I went.
I thought I had a reasonable understanding of what the road ahead would look like...
Six months ago, I wrote that I had some idea.
Now that the year is almost over, I can confidently say this:
I still had absolutely no idea.
Not really.
You can attend the International Assembly District Governor training in Orlando, Read the manuals, Speak to past Governors, Ask questions, Take notes.
But some things can only be learned by living them.
And what a year it's been.
A year of highways, byways, country roads, club visits, conferences, meetings, speeches, selfies, sausage sizzles, youth programs, celebrations, crises, late-night phone calls and enough coke to keep me buzzing for a decade!...let me clarify, I'm talking about Coca-Cola, the DG allowance wouldn't cover the other stuff...LOL
Did I mention the travel? With the furtherest club in the district being an 8 hour drive away, my car and I have become so close over the past twelve months that I'm reasonably confident it now qualifies as a family member.
It's been inspiring.
It's been exhausting.
It's been wonderful.
It's been frustrating.
And occasionally it's felt like all four of those things before breakfast.
The Great Rotary Road Trip
One of the greatest privileges of this role has been seeing Rotary in all its forms.
From the coast to the country.
From clubs with a handful of members to clubs with rooms packed full of energy.
I've met people who have been Rotarians for fifty years and others who joined five days ago.
And here's what I've learned.
The strength of Rotary isn't found in our constitutions, policies, strategic plans or if the Rotary bell is rung before a meeting or not.
It's found in people.
It's found in the member who quietly makes welfare calls.
The volunteer stacking chairs at the end of a meeting.
The person who turns up every single week because they genuinely care about their community.
The young leader discovering confidence through a Rotary youth program, like RYLA.
Or it's the club member who says, "I'll help," before anyone has even asked.
Those people are Rotary, those people are the Changemakers!
The projects are important.
The fundraising is important.
The meetings are important.
But people are the magic.
Everywhere I travelled across District 9660, I saw good people doing good things for no other reason than they wanted to make life a little better for somebody else.
In a world that often feels divided, cynical and angry, that's actually quite amazing.
I saw this in every meeting I attended and If frequent traveller points existed for Rotary meetings, I'd be halfway to the Moon by now!
The Parts They Don't Put In The Brochure
Now for the brutally honest bit.
Because if there's one thing this year has taught me, it's that leadership isn't nearly as glamorous as the photos I've taken make it look.
Nobody ever takes a picture of you answering difficult emails at 11.30pm.
Nobody posts the photo of you sitting in a car park about to head into a meeting wondering how on earth you're going to resolve a situation where every available option is terrible.
Nobody talks much about the emotional weight or the mental anguish that comes with leadership.
The reality is that some parts of this role I have genuinely disliked.
Actually hated with every fibre!
But not Rotary.
Never Rotary.
But some of the situations i’ve faced.
The conflict.
The complaints.
The politics.
The ego's
The moments where personalities become bigger than the purpose.
The moments where people expect you to be a magician and somehow possess a magical wand to wave around to fix a problem.
I've learned that leadership often means disappointing people.
Sometimes it means making decisions that are right but unpopular.
Sometimes it means standing in the middle of two opposing viewpoints while both sides are convinced you've joined the other team.
And sometimes it means accepting that not every problem can be fixed and not every solution is the right solution.
For a natural people-pleaser like me, that's been a difficult lesson to accept.
Actually, scratch that.
It's been pretty fucking awful!
I've always tried in my life to do the right thing and make people happy and that just isn't always the reality.
But it's also been one of the most valuable lessons of the year.
The Balancing Act
The juggle Is real, all the balls in the air trying to catch them.
Of everything I've faced, the biggest challenge wasn't Rotary.
It was balance.
Or more accurately, the ongoing attempt to achieve something that resembles balance.
I'm always told that this is the order of things.
Family.
Work.
Rotary.
Try keeping all three happy at the same time and you'll quickly discover you're performing a circus act without a safety net and you look like a clown.
There were times when I felt guilty for not being home.
Times when I felt guilty for not doing enough Rotary.
Times when work needed more of me.
Times when family needed more of me.
And times when I probably needed a little more of me.
I don't think I've mastered that balancing act.
In fact, I know I haven't.
But I've gained a much deeper appreciation for the people who have supported me throughout the journey.
Particularly my partner Kath and my 3 boys.
Because while only one person wears the District Governor badge, the entire family carries part of the load. It's a heavy load and something I think Rotary International takes a bit for granted.
That's a truth I understand now more than ever.
The Unexpected Stuff
There were surprises too, some wonderful, some confronting.
I also didn't expect to laugh as much as I have and to question human nature.
I didn't expect so many genuinely memorable moments.
I didn't expect random conversations in an old country pub to stay with me for months afterwards.
I didn't expect complete strangers to become friends.
And I certainly didn't expect to find myself in situations that involved Meerkats, Tasmanian Devils, selfie taking heads of state, cowboy hats, giant bananas, high kicking drag queens, talking robots, television cameras and enough selfies to fill an entire cloud storage account.
District Governor wasn't quite the role I expected.
It was much stranger than that.
And much much worse and much much better at the same time.
So Was It Worth It?
That's probably the question I've been asked most often, that, and did I enjoy it?
And the answer is simple.
Absolutely YES, it was worth it!
But did I enjoy it? Well enjoy isn't a word I would necessarily use.
Not because it wasn't enjoyable,
Because it was.
Not because every moment was enjoyable.
Because it definitely wasn't.
Not because everything went according to plan.
Because it definitely didn't.
It was worth it because growth rarely happens when life is comfortable and growth isn't always enjoyable.
This year stretched me.
Challenged me.
Frustrated me.
Tested me.
Taught me.
And occasionally kicked me squarely in the ass!.
But it also reminded me why Rotary matters.
Rotary isn't perfect because people aren't perfect.
Yet despite all our quirks, differences, opinions and occasional madness, thousands of people across the district continue to give their time, energy and passion to help others.
That's something worth believing in.
This role has made me a better person and given me the insight into the human condition and the challenges of being at the front of stage.
A Final Thought
As I prepare to hand over the chain of office, my overwhelming feeling isn't just relief.
It's gratitude.
Gratitude for the people I've met.
The friendships I've formed.
The stories I've heard.
The trust that was placed in me.
And the opportunity to spend twelve months with a front-row seat to the extraordinary things ordinary people can achieve when they work together.
The role may be ending. The name badge will change.
The chain will move on to a different neck.
But the memories, lessons and friendships will stay with me forever.
And if this year has taught me anything, it's that Rotary can't solve every problem in the world.
But it remains a very good place to start.
As O'le Bue Eyes sung it, "more, much more than this...I did it my way!"
But of course of I did it my way, I don't know of any other way to do it!
Article by Evan Burrell
