Lead to Serve, Serve to Lead.

We are committed to leaving this world better than what we inherited. Together, our service makes it possible.

And, we can expand our service by growing our membership.

A world that shaped his own

A.P. Singh calls India home, and it’s a home unlike any other. India is a cradle of human civilization, with a culture that goes back thousands of years. Yet, despite its great antiquity, modern India is younger and more prosperous than ever.

Having been born and brought up in Kolkata, A.P. imbibed the dream of Tagore:

Where the mind is without fear and the head is held high

Where the world has not been broken up into fragments by narrow domestic walls

Where the clear stream of reason has not lost its way into the dreary desert sand of dead habit

Into that haven of freedom, my Father, let my country awake.

And this is a vision that A.P. embraces as a Lion.

He believes service and leadership go hand in hand — each complement the other. Lions don’t strive to become great leaders, they just try to serve as best as they can. It’s only through service that they evolve as great leaders.

This confluence of service and leadership leads us to the higher pedestal of servant leadership, which A.P. believes is the model for our association.

So, maybe it was destiny that brought him to Lions.

“Becoming a Lion helped me become a better human being,” he says. “Being a Lion helped me further realize that I have a duty to others. And it gave me such a gratifying way to fulfill it.”

A.P. has been influenced by his community’s principles of sharing, and what Kahlil Gibran has to offer:

You give but little when you give of your possessions. It is when you give of yourself that you truly give.

Is not dread of thirst when your well is full, the thirst that is unquenchable? Therefore give now, that the season of giving may be yours and not your inheritors. You often say, ‘I would give, but only to the deserving.’

The trees in your orchard say not so, nor the flocks in your pasture.

They give that they may live, for to withhold is to perish.

Surely he who is worthy to receive his days and his nights, is worthy of all else from you.

And he who has deserved to drink from the ocean of life deserves to fill his cup from your little stream.

India may have been where A.P.’s value system took roots, but Lions is where his life of service took flight. Indian at heart, global in spirit is what he is today, and he’s ready to work in cross–cultural environments to inspire Lions to grow in the era of MISSION 1.5.

As a servant leader, A.P. is driven by the desire to be a listener to what Lions have to say, and then be the voice of the Lions of the world as he descends to be its first servant.

A growing vision for Lions

Like most Lions, A.P. was focused on his club and his community when he started his journey as a Lion. He then traveled to Lions forums and conventions around the world, spent quality time with Lions with whom he developed bonds of friendship, and has gradually prepared himself with a global perspective.

The world is so diverse, but it is unified as far as the need for building bridges for international understanding and serving communities is concerned.

A.P. is convinced that we need to grow in every district globally and that we can do it together.

A.P. says, “If you don’t have the people, you don’t have an organization.”

A Lions club without service is meaningless, and a Lions district that does not grow is not being just to the association. We have to keep the legacy going, and the torch of service burning bright. We must grow to be able to serve more.

A.P. sees a growing membership — and the growing service it brings — as our most important goal, and he wants Lions to understand that chartering new clubs and inducting new members are essential for our future.

“The option is simple: we either grow as an association, or we perish gradually like a frail person whose body has begun to give way,” he says. Lions International is the greatest gift to humanity, representing the silver lining to dark clouds of despair represented by challenges like natural disasters, diabetes, childhood cancer, vision impairment and environmental degradation.

A.P. believes every Lion has a part to play and a debt to repay.

After all, we are all here today because someone invited us to be a Lion. We would not have been a Lion if someone had not worked to charter our club; now it’s our turn to build the next club in our district.

That’s how our service grows. That’s how our legacy grows. And that’s why Lions around the world are making a commitment to growing our clubs and service through MISSION 1.5.

For A.P., members are the core —they lead and serve.

They define us. They drive us. And they will guide us forward.

Lead to Serve, Serve to Lead

When we serve, we stand alongside our fellow Lions and Leos. We stand with the people of the world. And we stand for compassion, the force that moves the hearts of all who serve.

Leos and Leo-Lions are not our future — they are our present. They are important stakeholders. Along with women, we must give them all the space and freedom they need to function and grow in our organization.

We know that change is something we make, not something we wait for.

We know that building anything of value takes collaboration, purposeful action, and leadership driven by passion and purpose — the kind of leadership that only Lions bring.

We must work together to grow our organization so we can grow our impact. We must set the example by leading the world in service. We will always be recognized for the great work Lions have done in the past, but we have to ensure a wonderful present that gives birth to a glorious future by growing the association.

Lions lead to serve, and serve to lead.

Leading the way, serving in greater numbers

We’re serving to make the world a better place, and we’re growing so we can make our impact greater, our communities stronger and our future more secure. That has been the philosophy of our organization, and that’s what has contributed to making Lions International the premier service club organization in the world.

By supporting these global priorities, we’re leading the way there.

Grow our clubs and our service

We are a people’s association — a volunteer service club organization. More members mean enhanced, continued and expanded service to meet the growing needs of the world.

Every country has its own currency; membership is the currency of Lions International. Service, fellowship, networking, branding, fundraising and even contributing to LCIF is done by Lions and their clubs. We need to constantly become stronger, and have a favorable ratio between those joining and exiting. Service without Lions is inconceivable.

Ongoing addition of members and clubs is required to add to our capacity to serve and to replenish the constant loss for reasons beyond our control. Growth is imperative for us as we expand our horizons.

Individual Lions, clubs and districts will be recognized throughout the year for their accomplishments in supporting MISSION 1.5 by adding members, promoting retention and chartering new clubs. Growing the association is the unwritten responsibility of every Lion, and the constitutional obligation of every elected or appointed leader.

MISSION 1.5 is the operating system of our association, and all our resources need to be focused to achieve its goals to increase our bandwidth to serve.

Empower service together

Lions support Lions Clubs International Foundation (LCIF), and LCIF supports our service. By working together, we’re investing in the people we serve and the places we call home. Together, our association and foundation create lasting solutions to some of the greatest challenges that face our communities. You can be part of the solution by supporting LCIF.

LCIF is making strides in building partnerships with corporate entities, NGOs and government bodies since collaboration holds the key to serving prudently and effectively.

A.P. believes that donations to LCIF are actually investments for safety, security and the betterment of future generations.

Innovate your service

To meet the challenges of the world, we have to first challenge ourselves. When we embrace innovation and continual improvement, we can increase our impact, our member satisfaction and our service delivery.

Districts are encouraged to determine the U.N. sustainable development goals they will promote, and to encourage all clubs to plan projects for our three global weeks of service to support mental health, environment and relieving hunger.

Leadership training programs are being adjusted to ensure that every opportunity is utilized to drive home the importance of growing the association.

Continuous improvement may have no end, but now is the right time to begin.

Welcome diversity, include everyone

We serve in nearly every country on earth — we need to include more people in our service, especially young people, women and people with different cultural backgrounds. Inclusivity creates an organization that serves and represents the world.

We need to make sure our culture and approach in every club and district is youth and women friendly.

Lions are encouraged to invite members from all ethnic backgrounds and genders. Our service reaches around the world, so we must reach out to everyone who has a heart to serve.

All service leads to success

Our success is defined by our service. Here are key steps that can help us achieve even greater success through our service.

EXPAND YOUR NETWORK
Our global reach puts the world at our fingertips. Tap into the collective knowledge, cultural perspectives and success of Lions by taking advantage of the opportunities to learn, grow, connect and serve.

Lions must expand their network to build knowledge and bridges around the world. A.P. also encourages the establishment of Lions Business Networks in as many districts as possible to attract young entrepreneurs. He encourages travel to other districts, states and countries to meet Lions as part of service tourism to learn the best practices elsewhere and to share your own perspectives.

LEAD BY EXAMPLE
Lions follow what they see their leaders do, not what they hear their leaders say. Leadership is not about how many followers one has, but about how many leaders one creates.

Every organization needs to evolve with time. We need to encourage change because what was relevant earlier may have lost relevance today. Be the example that brings out the best in others, and yourself. This may involve learning, and even unlearning at times.

KEEP PACE WITH TECHNOLOGY
Technology is interwoven with how we live, and it creates new opportunities to improve how we serve. We may be surprised by the viewpoints of young adults, but they are, in fact, a different generation, one that has never lived without digital connectivity, and we may often be required to adapt to what they say.

Any organization will be only as effective as its technology and its ability to keep pace with the changing world. Lions have come a long way and are known to be able to adapt and grow. It is also time for us to integrate the power of Artificial Intelligence (AI) in our clubs and districts to be able to reach out and grow more.

When we embrace technology — and keep pace with it — we can benefit at every level and better connect with younger volunteers. So use the tools that can help us evolve and thrive. So the mantra is: We need every Lion to LEAD, SERVE, GROW.