1. Submit regular monthly and other reports to the international office of the association on blanks provided by it containing such information as may be called for by the board of directors of this association;
2. Submit to the district governor's cabinet such reports as it may require including copies of regular membership and activities reports;
3. Cooperate with and be an active member of the district governor's advisory committee of the zone in which the club is located;
4. Have custody and keep and maintain general records of this club, including records of minutes of club and board meetings; attendance; committee appointments; elections; member information, addresses and telephone numbers of members; members club accounts;
5. Arrange for issuance, in cooperation with the treasurer, quarterly or semi-annual statements to each member for dues and other financial obligations owed to this club, collect and turn the same over to the club treasurer and obtain a receipt;
6. Give bond for the faithful discharge of his/her office in such sum and with such surety as determined by the board of directors.

e. Treasurer: He/she shall:

1. Receive all monies, from the secretary and otherwise, and deposit the same in a bank or banks recommended by the finance committee and approved by the board of directors;
2. Pay out monies in payment of club obligations only on authority given by the board of directors. All checks and vouchers shall be signed by the treasurer and countersigned by one other officer, determined by the board of directors;
3. Have custody and keep and maintain general records of club receipts and disbursements;
4. Prepare and submit monthly and semiannual financial reports to the international office of the association and the board of directors of this club;
5. Give bond for the faithful discharge of his/her office in such sum and with such surety as determined by the board of directors.

f. Membership Director: The membership director shall be the chairperson of the membership committee. The responsibilities for this position shall be:

1. Development of a growth program specifically for the club and presented to the board of directors for approval.
2. Regular encouragement at club meeting to bring in new quality members.
3. Ensuring implementation of proper recruitment and retention procedures.
4. Preparation and implementation of orientation sessions.
5. Reporting to the board of directors on ways to reduce the loss of members.
6. Coordination with other club committees in fulfilling these responsibilities.
7. Serving as a member of the zone level membership committee.

g. Lion Tamer (Optional): The Lion tamer shall have charge of and be responsible for the property and paraphernalia of the club, including flags, banners, gong, gavel, song books and button board. He/she shall put each in its proper place before each meeting and return the same to the proper storage area after each meeting. He/she shall act as sergeant-at-arms at meetings, see that those present are properly seated, and distribute bulletins, favors and literature as required at club and board meetings. He/she shall give special attention to assure that each new member sits with a different group at each meeting so that he/she can become better acquainted.

h. Tail Twister (Optional): He/she shall promote harmony, good fellowship, life and enthusiasm in the meetings through appropriate stunts and games and the judicious imposition of fines on club members. There shall be no ruling from his/her decision in imposing a fine, provided, however, that no fine shall exceed an amount fixed by the board of directors of this club, and no member shall be fined more than twice at any one meeting. The tail twister (optional) may not be fined except by the unanimous vote of all members present. All monies collected by the tail twister (optional) shall be immediately turned over to the treasurer and a receipt be given.

Duties
The duties of the tail twister are to promote harmony, good fellowship and enthusiasm at club meetings by appropriate stunts and games and a judicious imposition of fines on club members. New Lions may be inhibited and shy and the tail twister can suitably introduce them and make them feel that they are valued members of the club. Fining members is a key element of a successful tail twister. But fining for funds only and not for fun is a mistake. Where possible, a good tail twister should fine every member at least once every second meeting. It might be considered in poor taste to have a member continually overlooked in fining because that Lion may well come to feel that he or she is not really part of the club. By fining, the tail twister involves everyone and assists the president in general management of the meeting.

One of the primary tasks of the tail twister is to extract humor and laughter with jokes, puns, witticisms, mimicry, acting, singing or dramatizations. Laughter is universal, but the tail twister’s rostrum should never be used for insulting anyone. A tail twister who levies fines on members in order to satisfy personal grudges will soon fall from grace. Care need be taken, however, in promoting humor because vulgar jokes are not compatible with the ethics of Lions Clubs International. Advice on Fining. The tail twister may not be fined, except by unanimous vote of all members present. All money collected by the tail twister should be turned over immediately to the club treasurer for deposit in the club account. How may the tail twister go about fining members during club meetings?

• Move about the meeting room.
• Stand behind the member being fined.
• Make all eyes follow you. Motion is variety. It is lively. Standing still and talking is monotonous.
• It is important never to embarrass anyone. Irregular attenders need a warm welcome, not attention to their oversights. It is best to fine for something other than attendance.
• Mention, and welcome, visitors, but fine only Lions.
• If district officers are present, you may fine them if you wish, but never heavily. Check with them first. They will cooperate by giving a reason to fine them. An observant tail twister can usually find enough reason for assessing fines without fining for imaginary offenses. Therefore, it is important for the tail twister to determine, for example, who has recently become engaged, bought a new car, become a parent, received a promotion at work, or other noteworthy achievement.

Ideas for Fining reasons, or excuses, for levying good-natured fines are endless. Following are just a few examples of how a tail twister can raise these special funds for the club or just promote fun and camaraderie at meetings.

1. The tail twister can enliven roll calls or “round table introductions” by insisting that the members have a slogan descriptive of their business or profession, fining those who have none, or those whose slogans are too long or exaggerated. Disturbances can be minimized by fining those who are too noisy or inattentive during the introductions or roll call or while announcements are being made.
2. All members might be fined if one of them has cause to celebrate. The one celebrating would not have to pay a fine.
3. Have a joke-telling contest and give a prize for the best joke. The tail twister may also call on one or more Lions to give a spontaneous joke on-the-spot. Fines can be levied according to the response of those in attendance.
4. Special presentations to members can brighten the meeting. For example, give a hairbrush to a bald-headed member, a set of curlers to a curly-headed member, a gardening tool to a gardener…
5. If the tail twister knows the middle names of the members, they can be called upon by those names. Most will be slow to respond, and can be duly fined.
6. The tail twister may decide upon a “uniform of the day” for the next meeting. Bow ties may be required, or unmatched socks, rope instead of a belt, etc. Lions not attired properly are liable to a fine.
7. The tail twister gives a slip of paper to the president. On it is written a word. The first Lion to use that word in addressing the meeting will be fined.
8. During meetings, a Lion may be called upon to stand and formally introduce another Lion named by the tail twister. Any mistake will earn a fine.
9. Fine members who arrive late---or too early---for a meeting.
10. Fine for the use of such words as mister, miss, or mrs. instead of “Lion.”
11. For quick, impromptu fining, pose riddles or ask tricky questions. Go right down the tables or move around with the questions. Fine for wrong answers.
12. Finally, use your imagination in handing out fines and, in so doing, enliven the meetings. Advice on Stunts Stunts are important at every club meeting and, to be most effective, the tail twister should have a different stunt or gimmick at every meeting, otherwise, there may be a lessening of enthusiasm among the members. With stunts, tail twisters have recognized a fundamental element of human nature---that work done in the guise of fun is many times more enjoyable. In fact, some of the most meaningful things Lions have done were accomplished in the spirit of fun and good times. But tail twisters need to use discretion and consider the safety and feelings of others when employing these diversions.

Some Additional Suggestions for Stunts The following stunts are only examples to show tail twisters that their imaginations are their best resources. Test your own imagination.

1. Passing the buck. Inspired by the tail twister, the president begins by calling on the program chairman to conduct the program. The chairman then claims to have been a bit busy and has 
   
   The Tail Twister: Function and Duties arranged for another member to take over. This Lion rises and claims illness prevented organization of a program, but that another member was assigned to take over. That Lion gives yet another excuse for not arranging the program, but has passed the baton to someone else. This continues until it is apparent that nobody has actually organized the program. The chairman calls a halt and then announces that a program really has been arranged.
2. Thread on the coat. The tail twister will wear this thread. When club members and guests arrive, they notice this thread protruding through a seam on the back or shoulder of the suit or jacket. Many will instinctively try to remove it, but the thread can’t be picked off or even snapped off. As it is pulled, it only grows longer and longer as if the whole garment is unraveling. The tail twister, of course, has a spool of thread in an inside pocket of the suit or jacket, having threaded the end through the seam, then removed the needle and left an inch or so of the thread hanging. As new guests arrive, the tail twister cuts the long, dangling thread back so that only a short, inviting strand remains. The earlier guests will watch with amusement as each newcomer yields to the temptation and tries to remove the thread.
3. The tail twister should wear something distinctive such as a large tail twister’s badge. He or she may even wish to blow a whistle or add something like horns to the “fine bank.”
4. Fines may be paid in any number of ways. Some tail twisters direct that each member pays the fine of the member to the right (or left). This will generate more fines since members will do more things wrong if they don’t have to pay the fines themselves. A word of caution: Set a limit on the fines so it doesn’t get out of hand. This amusing manner of fining can be conducted during meetings at specific intervals.
5. When you have a door prize, members can have the option to either pay the regular fines or pay double with the chance to win the prize.
6. There is also a way for the tail twister to raise money for a worthwhile cause and have members learn more about one another. When a Lion begins providing a self-introduction when the tail twister comes around, he or she must continue talking until the tail twister says to stop. The monologue may be about the member’s personal or business life, hobbies, interests, or anything else, but the introduction must continue. If the Lion runs out of words, the tail twister levels the fine. If the member, however, does an exceptional job, the tail twister may pay the fine or present that Lion with a mock prize as the best talker in the club.

Board of Directors

Section 1: Members
The members of the board of directors shall be the president, immediate past president, the vice president (s), secretary, treasurer, Lion tamer (optional), tail twister (optional), membership director, branch coordinator, if so designated, and all other elected directors.

Section 2: Quorum
The presence in person of a majority of the directors shall constitute a quorum at any meeting of the board of directors. Except as otherwise specifically provided, the act of a majority of the directors present at any meeting of the board shall be the act and decision of the entire board of directors.

Section 3: Duties and Powers
In addition to those duties and powers, express and implied, set forth elsewhere in this constitution and by-laws, the board of directors shall have the following duties and powers;

1. It shall constitute the executive board of this club and be responsible for the execution, through the club officers, of the policies approved by the club. All new business and policy of this club shall be considered and shaped, first, by the board of directors for presentation to and approval by the club members at a regular or special club meeting.
2. It shall authorize all expenditures and shall not create any indebtedness beyond the current income of this club, nor authorize disbursal of club funds for purposes inconsistent with the business and policy authorized by the club membership.
3. It shall have power to modify, override or rescind the action of any officer of this club.
4. It shall have the books, accounts and operations of this club audited annually or, in its discretion, more frequently and may require an accounting or have an audit made of the handling of any club funds by any officer, committee or member of this club. Any member of this club in good standing may inspect any such audit or accounting upon request at a reasonable time and place.
5. It shall appoint, on recommendation of the finance committee, a bank or banks for the deposit of the funds of this club.
6. It shall appoint the surety for the bonding of any officer of this club.
7. It shall not authorize, nor permit, the expenditure, for any administrative purpose, of the net income of projects or activities of this club by which funds are raised from the public.
8. It shall submit all matters of new business and policy to the respective standing or special club committee for study and recommendation to the board.
9. It shall name and appoint, subject to approval of the club membership, the delegates and alternates of this club to district (single, subor multiple) and international conventions.
10. It shall maintain at least two (2) separate funds governed by generally accepted accounting practices. The first fund to record administrative monies such as dues, tail twisting fines and other internally raised club funds. A second fund shall be established to record activity or public welfare monies raised by asking support from the public. Disbursement from such funds shall be in strict compliance with Section (g) of this article.

Objectives:

• To understand the levels of motivation in your club
• To provide ideas of ways to increase motivation in your club

Organization:
This document is organized into several sub-topics. For each sub-topic there is;

• An overview explaining the sub-topic in some detail
• One or more suggestions or tips for introducing the sub-topic within the district/club
• (If applicable) A resource or resources to existing documentation that supports the material presented

Overview:
Lions are motivated to serve their community; however, sometimes motivation begins to diminish in the club. Repetition, lack of involvement, and lack of challenge are the biggest factors, which lead to unmotivated Lions. 

This component of your toolbox is designed to give you some background theory on motivation and an understanding of how it relates to your club. At the end of this component you will have ideas and a plan of action to increase motivation in your club.

Sub-topics:

1. Assumptions about Motivation
2. The Maslow Hierarchy of Human Needs
3. Theory into Practice: Motivate to Mobilize
4. Quick Ideas to Increase Motivation

Common Questions Related to the Topic:

• Why is motivation in my club slipping?
• What can I do to increase motivation in my club?

Assumptions about Motivation

From Douglas MacGregor’s The Human Side of Enterprise

Douglas McGregor in his book, "The Human Side of Enterprise" published in 1960 has examined theories on behavior of individuals at work, and he has formulated two models which he calls Theory X and Theory Y.

Theory Y Assumptions

• People will usually, if given a chance, find ways to be active, productive, and satisfied in their work.
• Work is natural and enjoyable unless it is made offensive by the actions of organizations.
• Most people are ambitious, desire autonomy and self-control, and do effective problem solving. Creativity is distributed equally across the population.
• Many different things motivate people, only some involve economic rewards or security.

In situations where it is possible to obtain commitment to objectives, it is better to explain the matter fully so that employees grasp the purpose of an action. They will then exert self-direction and control to do better work - quite possibly by better methods - than if they had simply been carrying out an order which they did not fully understand. Leaders will find that the participative approach to problem solving leads to much improved results compared with the alternative approach of handing out authoritarian orders.

McGregor realizes that some of the theories he has put forward are unrealizable in practice, but wants leaders to put into operation the basic assumption that:

People will contribute more to the organization if they are treated as responsible and valued members.

Understanding Motivation Factors: Your Club and You
Answer the following questions about your club and you.

Your Club

• What are the events and projects in your club that members seem most willing to undertake? (These are one for which the members seem self-motivated)
• What are the events and projects in your club that members seem most unwilling to undertake? (These are the ones for which they are not self-motivated.) What kinds of things has the club (or individual members) been doing to try to motivate members to work?

You

• Recall a situation in which you were in the middle of a club project that required considerable effort and time (fundraiser, community project, and so forth), and thought, Why am I doing this? What did you tell yourself about your own motivation?
• Consider this situation: You and your fellow club members are in the middle of a club project, which requires considerable time and effort. Someone asks: “Why are we doing this?” What would you tell that person?

Understanding the Motivation Level of Club Members
Ask yourself two questions:

1. What level of skill and ability do club members bring to the project?
   
   • Is this a task they have successfully done many times before?
   • Is this a routine (but important) task?
   • Does this task have a direct connection to what the club members do on the job?
   • Is this a new task that will challenge the skills and abilities of the club members?
   • Is this a complex task that will require new ways of doing things?

   If the task is routine or well established, your motivational technique should focus on creating energy and drive, not on telling the members what to do. If the task is new, challenging, or uncomfortable, you can motivate by modeling the desired behavior and providing emotional support.

2. What is the willingness and drive of the club members to do the task?

• Has the project become so routine that it seems boring rather than challenging?
• Have the members mastered the skills needed to do the job?
• Is the task so new and interesting (service projects) that the work is a reward in itself?
• Do the members receive plenty of affirming messages for the work that they do?

If the work is its own reward, sometimes the motivation comes when the leader gives only general guidelines and lets the workers do their work as they see fit. If the members are competent but bored with the work, the leader might want to delegate supervisory tasks to several people.

The Maslow Hierarchy of Human Needs

It can be argued that the behavior of individuals at a particular moment is usually determined by their strongest need. It would seem significant, therefore, for Lion leaders to have some understanding about the needs that are commonly most important to people. Abraham Maslow developed an interesting and useable framework that helps explain the strength of certain needs.

Level 1: Physiological Needs
At the most basic level, we are motivated to find food, water and other basic physiological needs. Until these basic needs are satisfied to the degree needed for the sufficient operation of the body, the majority of a person's activity will probably be at this level, and the others will provide little motivation. 

But what happens to a person's motivation when these basic needs begin to be fulfilled? Rather than physiological needs, other levels of needs become important, and these motivate and dominate the behavior of the individual. And when these needs are somewhat satiated, other needs emerge, and so on down the hierarchy. A comfortable, well-lit room makes it easier to focus on the meeting program or other activity 

Level 2: Security Needs
We are motivated to find shelter, protection and safety from attack. These are our security needs. If an individual's safety or security is in danger, other things seem unimportant.

Level 3: Social Needs
We feel a need to join with other people, to feel part of a group. Maslow talked about having “meaningful relationships” with others, relationships that transcend the everyday encounters we have. These are our social needs. 

Level 4: Ego-Enhancement Needs
We are motivated to receive recognition and to accomplish goals, which we (and others) see as important and worthwhile. At this level we are meeting our need for recognition. Most people have a need for a high evaluation of themselves that is firmly based in reality- recognition and respect from others. Satisfaction of these esteem needs produces feelings of self-confidence, prestige, power, and control. People begin to feel that they are useful and have some effect on their environment.

There are other occasions, though, when people are unable to satisfy their need for esteem through constructive behavior. When this need is dominant an individual may resort to disruptive or immature behavior-a child may throw a temper tantrum, Lions may engage in arguments with fellow Lions.

Thus, recognition is not always obtained through mature or adaptive behavior. It is sometimes garnered by disruptive and irresponsible actions. In fact, some of the social problems we have today may have their roots in the frustration of esteem needs.

Level 5: Self-Actualization Needs
Maslow felt few people ever achieved this level. At this level, we are motivated to do what we were meant to do; to fulfill one’s self. This is the need for self-actualization. 

Club Inventory

Maslow’s hierarchy model is for understanding how club members could be motivated. Write some notes to yourself in response to the following questions:

1. How does your club help members satisfy their belonging or social needs? For example, do weekly meetings provide this? Or would fewer meetings provide this just as well for busy people? What else?
2. How does your club help members satisfy their need for recognition? For example, what awards and statements of recognition in the club or the community could an individual achieve by being a Lions club member?

Theory into Practice: Motivate to Mobilize

1. In what major job or task will your club be involved in the next three months? (This could be a routine but vital task or a new project. It should be something that you or other leaders in the club will need to motivate members to do well.)
2. Who in the club will need to be motivated to do this task? Who is the target audience that you want to motivate to do this task: all the members, club leaders, new members, or senior members?
3. How will doing the task help the target audience achieve their belonging needs? Note: Depending on the target, meeting the belonging (social) needs may not be much of a motivator.
4. How will doing the task help the target audience achieve their need for recognition?
5. In what specific ways will the factors discussed above help mobilize members to action?

Quick Ideas to Increase Motivation

Increase Involvement

• Share your Enthusiasm – Attitude is infectious. How you feel about making positive changes to your club will affect how members respond. Be upbeat and enthusiastic -- your members will be motivated to support your efforts.
• Have an Informal Gathering – Invite new members to meet with club officers in a casual, non-club setting. This will help them become acquainted informally with the leadership team where they can ask questions.
• Share Praise Freely – Important to all members, and especially new members, is positive reinforcement for a job done well. Often, simple acknowledgements are best – a special thank you during a club or committee meeting, a personal note of thanks, a word of encouragement. Consider creating a “Kudos” column in your newsletter or Web site to list those members who have done their jobs well, made great suggestions, or gone above and beyond the call of duty.
• Emphasize Social Involvement – You want to involve members in your club socially as well as through activities. Socialize with members during and outside of meetings. Share happy occasions – birthdays, anniversaries, a special achievement or the achievement of a spouse or child. The club newsletter and Web site are great places to list these special occasions.
• Communicate Constantly – Open communication is vitally important to the success of your club. It creates a comfortable, productive environment that will motivate members to do their best. Encouraging input from members and using your club meetings, newsletter and Web site to communicate club happenings will help you with this task.

Club Dynamics

• Attendance Cues – Paying careful attention to attendance trends can help uncover retention problems. Not attending meetings is one of the first signs of lack of member interest. Confer with your secretary and get a list of members who are “slipping.” If they have missed three meetings or more in a row, call them to find out why. Personally calling them will show that you care about them.
• Retention is for All Members – While making sure new members feel welcomed, involved and comfortable, it is important to remember long-term members. As people belong to an organization for a longer period of time, their goals and needs may change. Let long-time members know that their continued membership is important by periodically asking them if they are still satisfied with the club.
• Scramble Seating Arrangements – Change seating arrangements at meetings from time to time to allow all members to become better acquainted.
• New Members Make Great Greeters – Have new members serve as greeters for club functions for the first several weeks of their membership. It’s a great way for them to meet all club members.
• Make it Fun – Have some fun while encouraging members to mix with their fellow members. Before a club meeting begins, select a member to be the “Secret Lion.” In a clique-free club everyone mingles freely and will eventually meet the Secret Lion. As the meeting nears a close, you ask the Secret Lion to identify those members who never made contact, and encourage the Tail Twister to humorously levy a fine. Done with a light touch, the Secret Lion method gets the “no-cliques” message across.
• Think Positively – When considering any changes to your club, keep a positive attitude. Your club might be steeped in tradition and used to doing things a certain way, but that doesn’t mean you shouldn’t try something new. Today’s “experiment” could be tomorrow’s new tradition.
• Mix it Up – Keep your club meetings fresh by trying something new every once in awhile. Consider having people change where they sit every few meetings to encourage camaraderie with new people, add a new quick agenda item to boost morale (such as suggestion of the month or recognizing a member who went beyond the call of duty) or change the order of your agenda items (make sure everyone involved knows if you do this so they will be prepared!).
• Change Meeting Places – By changing locations you will also give a new perspective to the meeting. Possible venues include different restaurants, parks, hotels etc.
• Give Ownership – Allow members to lead the activities. This will make the members feel needed and increase their motivation to do more in the club.

Resources:

1. Focus on Involvement: Smart Strategies for Keeping Your Members Involved in Your Club. President’s Retention Campaign. July 2001.
2. Focus on Club Dynamics: Smart Strategies for Handling Cliques and Politics.
   President’s Retention Campaign. July 2001.
3. http://www.accel-team.com/motivation/index.html