I’m convinced. We, Leaders of Volunteers (#LOVols) hold in our hands more power to affect positive change than we can even imagine.
We have the opportunity to impact the world beyond filling tasks and adding to our volunteer base. The intuitive feelings within each of us are spot on: There’s so much more going on than our excel spreadsheets show.
I remember long ago struggling to find volunteers who could be with clients while loved ones attended church or synagogue or temple or mosque. I would look for volunteers of that same faith and hoped that they would be willing to give up their own attendance to help someone in need. It was the way it had always been done and it was frankly, exhausting.
Then one day, a volunteer stepped forward. Hannah offered to sit with Christian clients on a Sunday morning. (I’d love to take credit for thinking this solution up, but, no, it came from this wonderful, selfless volunteer.) Bam! The light went on.
I feared that mixing faiths (or cultures, or beliefs) would be a challenge in itself, but you know what? (Of course you know what comes next) It ended up uniting people in mutual respect and a desire to understand one another. The mere act of reaching across a cultural or spiritual divide created its own sense of wonder.
And here’s the thing. For the volunteers, it was never about, “oh, I’m so enlightened that I want to transcend these differences.” No, it was, “you know what? I’m free on a Sunday morning and you need someone, so what could be a better fit?”
The deep meaningful by-products of volunteering are seldom the initial goals. They just naturally evolve because the volunteer ripple brings out the best in everyone: Clients, families, volunteers, volunteer managers, staff, neighbors, community, everyone.
Think about that. Volunteer programs impact society in rippling positive ways beyond the delivering of meals, or escorting a tour group or passing out information. Our programs share love. Our programs open the doors for unity, connection and understanding to naturally take hold, and not just during holidays.
We often witness a profound change in people. We glimpse moments of powerful interconnection through the simplest of assignments. We stand, watching that small pebble create ripples of inspiring stories.
As you are running around this holiday season, scrambling to fill tasks, stop for a moment and think about the societal change you are helping to bring about. Because you value the innate worth of each human being and believe in their ability to transcend, you are spreading that change like a ripple in a vast sea.
Volunteerism is a rippling movement.
And leaders of volunteers are tossing the pebble into the water.
“Yeah, so, this is Ginny from donor relations,” the voice on the phone sighs. “My next door neighbor’s fourteen year old daughter, April has a volunteer assignment for school. Why they are coming to me, I don’t know but just because I work at a non-profit, they think I’m free to help with all their little projects. When is the next volunteer training, or better yet, you call them. I don’t have time for this nonsense.”
“Hey, I’ve been calling you for an hour. Where are you? Anyway, this is Jazz from administration.” The voice message plays, Jazz sounding out of breath. “I need volunteer stats ASAP for a grant for our project that, oh, never mind, I just need some stats and fast to complete this application. How many hours did volunteers give last quarter? This is the last component on the grant and it’s due today so I need this right away. Call me immediately.”
“Yo, this is Dean in records. The new volunteer, Charles, the one you sent us last month hasn’t been logging any hours, at least I don’t think so. I thought these volunteers knew what they were doing. Anyway, where does he fill out his paperwork again? And should he just make up hours for the time he worked?”
Do you get tired of answering the same questions over and over? While we are conditioned to give that personal touch, our time is pretty precious and continually answering simple questions can eat into our efforts spent cultivating volunteers, forging new recruitment avenues and solving challenges.
Taking a proactive approach can help. Think about all the standard questions repeatedly asked by staff and volunteers. Can these be put into a cheat sheet? Where can these cheat sheets be stored for maximum viewing?
We have to remember that folks don’t necessarily remember something told to them one time. Volunteers will forget specifics taught to them in orientation. Staff is too busy with their own pressing duties to remember the date of the next volunteer training. So, storing these cheat sheets in multiple areas will cut down dramatically on repetitive phone calls.
For volunteers, some visible places to store cheat sheets:
on a designated area of your website
as reminders in your newsletter
posted in your office
included in your welcome packet
given to volunteer mentors to share with newbies
For staff:
on an internal website
sent out as a quarterly email blast
given to department heads to post
at departmental meetings (ask to attend other department’s meetings to answer volunteer related questions, explain policies, intercept issues etc. )
on surveys sent to staff
posted in your office in case you are not at your desk
training dates posted prominently in your office (whiteboard, poster etc)
training dates printed on flyers, cards etc and given to staff (great recruitment tool also)
Besides cutting down on repetitive questions, posting core volunteer information creates an informed team of staff and volunteers who will disseminate correct information to potential volunteers. And, if volunteers have to constantly try to pin you down for simple questions, or if they always receive incorrect information from uniformed staff, they will quit out of frustration.
Elevating our vocation includes creating a comprehensive base of information visible to staff and volunteers. The more we polish the fundamentals of our volunteer programs, the more we can build upwards.
So, go ahead and press “2” for that volunteer question. But press “1” to leave the name and contact information of a prospective volunteer.”
Do volunteer managers possess the skills required to succeed in the corporate world?
I recently had the pleasure of interviewing Sally Garrett, a recent leader of volunteers who has taken a managerial position in the world of retail. Sally was the manager of a St. Vincent de Paul depot, an Australian branded “Vinnies” retail thrift store, the highest grossing and net profit store in Western Australia while under her leadership.
VPT (volunteerplaintalk): Can you briefly describe your current job?
S (Sally): My Current job is as a Retail Manager of a lifestyle super store with 26 paid staff.
VPT: How long have you been in this position?
S: I have been here 1 month.
VPT: Before this position, what was your job as a volunteer manager?
S: I ran a large not for profit processing and pick up depot and retail outlet.
VPT: How long were you in that position?
S: Two and a half years.
VPT: What skills do you feel you developed as a volunteer manager and how did they translate to the position you now have?
S: The biggest skills I developed are empathy, patience, organizing people, time management and being able to teach others that they are more than they believe they are.
VPT: What skills helped you the most in moving into your new position?
S: I guess because I had been rostering and managing large volumes of people all doing small roles, the biggest skill that has helped me in my new role is patience. You can’t rush volunteers and you develop a skill of being able to step back and look at the bigger picture all the time, so it became a habit to stop, look and listen. This has helped so much in my present job, because as I have a lot to learn, I am not at all overwhelmed. I am much more rounded in my approach to my team and I listen a lot more and act less, but it’s action with conviction. This means when I do act, it is for the long-term and not the short-term.
I have already found that many people can sort out problems for themselves and become self autonomous rather than needy. I can quickly detect when people are good at what they do or need better training because I’m watching them and listening. I’m not trying to learn their job so much anymore, but placing acknowledgment in what they can do. This has made my new team feel more confident and then their skills began to shine.
The second skill is having learned to not take credit for what others do, but rather celebrate their gifts and achievements. I don’t feel the need to own others’ successes. I have developed the ability to lead, not manage.
The third, most important skill is that I don’t take anything personal. I am impartial to people because I know it is about them not me, and every action someone takes says things about them, not me. So, if someone is frustrated they may call me names or tell me I am not doing my job but this translates into the fact that they are telling me they need more training and are feeling overwhelmed or vulnerable. This took a long time to learn. I always thought I was doing things wrong in this situation until a volunteer pointed out to me that the other 120 people loved what I did and felt supported, so once this skill kicked in it just meant going back to basics and taking time for a cuppa and a chat and getting to the real problem which was 100% of the time the person left feeling vulnerable for some other reason.
VPT: When you accepted this new position, did you find that your volunteer management experience helped you get the job? Any actual feedback from your new supervisor on your volunteer management experience?
S: When interviewing for the position I applied for, I was calm and confident as I knew I had become a leader and not a manager so the interview process was easy and effortless. I had nothing to prove; they either wanted my skill set or they didn’t. If I wasn’t a good fit, I didn’t want to be there.
I was asked to take on a much larger role than I applied for in the interview; the position was in another shop as they felt I would be of value in that role with a larger team and a busier store. As it turns out I came across as soft and compassionate but with a deep knowledge of people. This is what progressive organizations want. They don’t want bosses anymore, they want team leaders and that’s what you are as a volunteer manager.
VPT: Are there skills that volunteer managers lack, or do not realize are important if they are seeking jobs other than in the world of volunteerism?
S: Acknowledge your value!
I believe a volunteer manager is much more qualified at team leadership than anyone gives them credit for, including themselves. It is a huge task being a volunteer manager and when in the role it doesn’t feel it is that important, but you touch the very core of people when they are a volunteer. Because they aren’t there for money, you find out more of what makes people tick so translating that to paid staff roles, you are able to make your staff really feel cared for when they come to work.
You have developed an ability to shut the work-space out and make eye contact and listen to them and answer their questions. whether it be personal or work related. You have developed the ability to validate people, and that’s what our world needs more of. You are also able to adapt quickly because volunteer management deals with absences regularly. You know how to get work done with few, if any help. Acknowledging the confidence that you know it will get done when the team is there, gives you a calmness and that drives people to help more and work harder. People love that you are in control and that you appreciate their efforts rather than stressing and then making them feel less when they are giving more. All volunteer managers develop this skill.
VPT: How can volunteer managers prepare themselves to enter the world of corporate management?
S: Be the very best version of yourself, it’s really that simple; being authentic and not promising things you can’t deliver, the rest falls into place. When you develop the calmness of self-confidence, you can learn anything; the skill of managing people is the highest of all skills you need in life and work and you have that in the bag once you are a successful volunteer manager.
VPT: Is there any advice you would like to give your fellow volunteer managers?
S: Give them (volunteers) 15 minutes undivided attention and induct, induct, induct!
Make sure when your volunteers start, you have given them your time whether it is 15 minutes at the start or the whole induction if you can, that time is what the volunteer remembers, because volunteers revere you; they know how hard your job is and they see you as their guiding light. If you only knew how powerful you are you wouldn’t worry about a thing. But that’s where volunteer managers are the most successful. We don’t settle for second best because it always has to be the best. Aiming for the stars on every task is what we do. Landing on the moon is not good enough for us, but it’s great to everyone else.
Know you are saving lives! There is a high number of volunteers that are volunteering due to mental illness preventing them from holding down a paying job. Know that you are potentially providing the healthy, stable and compassionate environment that these people need to gain new skills and give their life purpose. It surprised me to be told on three occasions that it was because of me, personally that three people got up and tried again another day rather than ending their lives. It both shocked me and made me seek help myself to understand my role more fully. The knowledge of each person over my time in Volunteer Management truly made me see how I changed lives and how powerful and responsible my role was and how important it was to be transparent in all I did. I had to understand that it wasn’t my responsibility to take this knowledge on board personally and that it was only a part of the role. But the knowledge was confronting and it changed my dealings with people. Compassion isn’t being weak, it is the exact opposite.
Relax more and stress less, develop the ability to tell people they can do it on their own. Softly, gently encouraging and convincing people they are wonderful and able, is the greatest skill ever. It is the most productive management tool in the workplace.
What incredibly inspiring words for leaders of volunteers. Thank you Sally for sharing your wisdom and experience with us. All the best to you in your new position. They are very fortunate to have you on board.
So, the next time all of you volunteer managers feel under appreciated, remember these words from Sally: I was asked to take on a much larger role than I applied for in the interview; the position was in another shop as they felt I would be of value in that role with a larger team and a busier store.
What would sustainable volunteering look like? Besides many of the innovations already being implemented, what would nurturing a volunteer garden shared within our communities involve? Is this a 180 degree leap or is it more of a naturally occurring shift that we have been moving towards all along? Are we, volunteer managers coming together in an organic movement to help one another and therefore all volunteers and all good work?
What can we try? Will this take extra work, headache and heartache to achieve? Just as in gardening, there are necessary steps to achieve a bountiful crop.
I’m going to list some ideas in a season of planting using the gardening metaphor.
TILLING THE SOIL (preparing to garden):
Make a list of agencies and organizations in your area that utilize volunteers and reach out to introduce yourself to each leader of volunteers
Join any clearinghouse agencies such as United Way, and Volunteer Centres in your area
Join a DOVIA (Directors Of Volunteers In Agencies) or a similar group in your area or if none exists, reach out to another volunteer manager and start a peer group
Create a list serve or simple newsletter to share with your fellow volunteer managers in your locale
PLANTING (seeding the way):
Share your volunteer opportunities with other volunteer managers (at your peer group and by list serve) and ask for theirs-regularly check in to gauge the fluidity of roles, etc.
Discuss volunteers’ skills and interests at peer group meetings. Offer other volunteer managers the opportunity to contact one of your volunteers if their mission or opportunity more closely aligns with your volunteer’s passion
Share background checks if you are able in order to cut costs
Pair up with other organizations to conduct a visible volunteer project and involve local media to cover the event
Create volunteer educational conferences with other volunteer managers to benefit all volunteers in area-share space, costs of snacks or printed materials creating more bang for the buck
Share cost of a national speaker with other volunteer programs and invite all volunteers in area-have plenty of information on volunteering opportunities available
FEEDING (nurturing the collective):
Bring your volunteers to another organization on Make a Difference Day or another day of service and help that organization-build that camaraderie, use positive press to show cooperation: Days of service include:
Create a summer circle of volunteering for out of school students so they can sample the various opportunities in your area and participate in a well-rounded service learning experience
Conduct partner training sessions with other organizations
Partner with another organization to create a group of volunteers to cross-volunteer (a really rudimentary example – library volunteers + homeless shelter volunteers = a reading program for school aged children in the shelter. Library volunteers finding appropriate books, shelter volunteers utilizing them and perhaps some library volunteers venturing out to read to the children while shelter volunteers conduct a fundraiser for the library-and no this isn’t simple or easy but it can be a start)
Mentor new volunteer coordinators in your area
Offer your highly seasoned and trained volunteers to train/mentor volunteers at another organization
Partner with other volunteer managers to create a presentation that educates organizational staff on the nuances of volunteer engagement-allow all volunteer managers in your area to utilize
Create partnership recruitment efforts by sharing speaking engagements
Future Bounty (what might come of this?)
Increased satisfaction and sustainability of volunteers
More flexible options for prospective volunteers
Sharing of best practices between leaders of volunteers
The showcasing of cooperation between non-profit agencies
Increased volunteer involvement in organizational planning and innovations
More good work accomplished within communities
Cooperative think tanks springing up
Less stress on volunteer managers
We, volunteer managers are unique, innovative and forward thinking. Why wouldn’t we bond with one another and forge a new, co-operative garden in order to create sustainable volunteerism?
Besides, we are generous and big picture oriented by nature. Let’s co-op.
Retention: the continued possession, use, or control of something.
Does that sound like the volunteerism you know? Not to me either. Maybe it’s time to rethink using the phrase “volunteer retention,” because it conjures up images of a stagnant retention pond. It also rhymes with detention which is closely related to imprisonment. (shudder)
So, if we stop using that phrase, then do we have to rethink the old principles behind it such as:
make the volunteers feel welcomed
say thank you a lot
be mindful of their time
What???? But wait. Just because these principles are fluffy and nice, it doesn’t mean they are still the best for the changing landscape of volunteerism. Maybe it’s time to retire volunteer retention and instead, embrace volunteer sustainability. Ok, so swapping phrases does not make for innovation. I get that.
What is the difference then, between retention and sustainability? Well, we’ve all been moving away from the strategies that worked with the WWII generation for some time now. Why not update our verbiage to match the creative ideas being implemented out there by so many forward thinking visionaries. And while we are embracing these changes, let’s go even further.
*This is where sustainability is radically different from volunteer retention. Sustainability, unlike retention is the ability to maintain a healthy balance while avoiding depletion. Sustainability, as it is being applied to agriculture, economics and ecosystems implementation implies that there is a larger network to be considered. It implies that resources are not hoarded (retention) and depleted.
What larger network is there to consider when engaging volunteers? The larger network is all volunteer organizations and individual volunteer satisfaction. With that in mind, let’s ask these questions:
Why do we keep volunteers on waiting lists if we cannot use them in a timely manner or cannot find roles for their passions?
Why do more volunteers equal better volunteer engagement even if some volunteers are in name only?
Why do we stuff volunteers with specialized skill sets and interests into non-matching roles? Or try to tweak a role just to keep the volunteer?
Why do we cling to volunteers as though they are 23 year old offspring and we just can’t bear to see them fly?
Why do we blame ourselves when volunteers leave?
It is time we, volunteer managers, think of other volunteer managers, our volunteers, all volunteer opportunities, all clients in our area, and all missions as a network serving the greater good.
It is time we viewed volunteerism as a regenerating community garden that needs tending by all of us so that the bounty of volunteers is nurtured, regrown and sustained.
It is time we added collective volunteer engagement, sharing and referral to our innovative methods in order to cultivate volunteer sustainability.
How many times does a volunteer get frustrated and drop out when they have to wait too long to share their time and skill? Or how many volunteers quit because their passion is not being fully utilized? How are we serving our communities when we deplete our volunteer base by clinging to the archaic notion of volunteer retention?
A recent article from Business News Daily cites a study finding that “89 percent of employees think organizations that sponsor volunteer activities offer a better overall working environment. In addition, 70 percent believe volunteer activities are more likely to boost staff morale than company-sponsored happy hours, with more than three-quarters saying volunteering is essential to employee well-being.”
But here’s the kicker from the article: “Three-quarters of the millennials surveyed said they would volunteer more if they had a better understanding of the impact they were making, compared to 61 percent of those of all ages.”
Huh. So, it isn’t obvious that volunteering for a homeless shelter actually helps homeless people is it? Or wait. Maybe it isn’t obvious that weeding the garden at the homeless shelter actually helps the homeless.
Oh, yeah, now I get it. Maybe for corporate volunteers, the cleanup or painting or weeding the garden doesn’t scream “OMG, this made all the difference in the world to our clients! You have changed lives like no one else ever has in the history of volunteering! Ka-bam!”
We, volunteer managers, can be caught in a nether world of finding projects while assuring these episodic volunteers that we really need them. And once you manufacture a project just to accommodate a group, is that truly meaningful work?
So what can we do since corporate and episodic group volunteering will most certainly grow in the future?
Well, we need to do some serious planning, be methodical about our episodic volunteers and complete the legwork before we take on groups. We can:
Create a plan before accepting groups. Decide how many group members can be accommodated at a time, the age range you are comfortable working with, the time frame that works for you, what supplies the group needs to bring, the number of groups per month or year you can accept, etc.
Create an application process for group volunteering: Gather information on the group, ask pointed questions on the application that will help you understand their motivation, interests, skills etc. Then decide if and when they will fit into the projects you have or can create.
Create an impression that you value quality over quantity and busy work: We don’t have to take everyone. As each group you engage comes away with a positive experience, word will spread that your organization is the one to contact for quality volunteering.
Develop a narrative to go along with each project. Prepare impact stories to accompany each project. Highlight the contribution and results of the project.
Utilize client testimonials to recruit and thank corporate volunteers. Tie these into the activity. It may take some creative interviewing to elicit these testimonials, but it will be worth it.
Follow up with a letter outlining the impact of the completed work. Reiterate the improvements for clients, staff and other volunteers.
Send a thank you letter from your CEO to the corporate CEO or group leader. It can be a general thank you created ahead of time and tweaked for each group. But, have the CEO sign it each time and encourage them to write a personal note.
Take pictures-make memes, add text boxes, thought clouds etc. Send them to the group, post them on all social media outlets.
No matter what, the connection between the project and the impact on clients is critical. Take weeding the garden at the homeless shelter. We can say to our corporate volunteer group, “Imagine the first night you are homeless. Imagine what that feels like, having nowhere to go, no stability, no safety and you arrive at our shelter and all you see are the weeds in an unkempt garden. It says to you that we don’t care. It reminds you of the tangles that threaten your existence. How would you feel? Remember, every little thing can be the one big thing that makes someone feel safe.” Then read testimonials from clients who felt safe.
A lot has been said over the years about making corporate volunteering fun. While fun is important, it is secondary to meaningful work. Corporate and episodic volunteers deserve to know that even by pulling weeds in the garden, they have created a beautiful safe space for those facing a difficult time in their lives.
We know the impact of each job, no matter how inconsequential it may seem at first. If we are thoughtful about episodic volunteering and prepare well for group volunteers, we can create a win-win for everyone.
So, here’s the question: If we identify key volunteer accounts, how will this help us in the management of all volunteers and correct the misconception that we herd cats?
By reclassifying our work in terms of strategically managing volunteer accounts and key volunteer accounts, we will:
explain in recognized professional terms the vast work involved in cultivating and engaging volunteers
begin to prioritize our time in order to do the “key duties” such as recruiting, creating volunteer programs, relationship marketing, retention implementation, in-depth training and staff education
illustrate that focusing on key duties produces sustainable volunteer participation
more successfully require that all staff learn to manage volunteers, especially one time and episodic volunteers, therefore freeing us up to do the key duties
show potential volunteers that becoming key volunteers carries tremendous perks
free up the time necessary to educate ourselves, create programs and contribute in a more productive way
be able to demonstrate that not all volunteers produce the same results and that key volunteer account management creates key volunteers who will not only do the bulk of the work, but will also contribute in multiple other ways such as increased donations, resource allocating, community awareness, marketing, planning, trend setting, awards won, social media championing, recruiting, and program development
show that key volunteers will lighten staff workloads and free staff to work smarter
strategize the future instead of “handling” the present
As we move from herding cats to a more modern and professional structure, what are some differences between outdated volunteer management and the new strategic volunteer account and key volunteer account management?
Outdated Volunteer Management
Strategic Volunteer Account Management
Strategic Key Volunteer Account Management
Vols fill jobs defined by org
Steps to assure vol role is successful
Partner with key vols to assure mutual org growth
Retention by yearly luncheon, hours reported
Vol contributions highlighted with real stats
Key vols contribute to implementing programs of worth
Vols view volunteering as “I get more than I give” and that’s enough
Vols are integrated as essential members of team
Key vols are integrated as shaping future of org
All vols are just here to do org bidding
Vol roles are created to meet changing needs of volunteers
Key vols help shape the roles they wish to play
Vols should be grateful to be volunteering
Orgs should show gratitude to vols for volunteering
Orgs value key vol input, skills and ideas in a win-win situation
Fear that vols may “take over” or do something to harm org
Allow vols to accompany staff on important assignments
Trusting key vols to utilize their proven skills and desire to further org mission
In order to be classified as a “key volunteer,” we most likely will be choosing those volunteers who are already known and trusted by fellow staff. This trust in a proven volunteer is the example you already possess to showcase the benefit for key volunteer designation.
In many ways, there is an iron grip of thought relating to volunteers and volunteer management. Words and terms mean something and by referring to our work in professional, respected terms, we will begin to show the in-depth work and skill necessary to create a sustainable volunteer program. We will also begin to illustrate that freeing us from herding cats to concentrate on key duties will produce a stronger, better volunteer program. (everyone in the organization is responsible for engaging and managing volunteers-the volunteer manager does not have time to run around putting out fires)
Let’s not be left behind in modernizing our profession. We are the Captains of our destinies.
As Captains of our destinies, we looked at some of the terms that define our work as Volunteer Account Managers. Now, let’s look at the responsibilities of the account manager and redefine them to fit our profession:
Volunteer account manager responsibilities:
Serve as the point of contact for all volunteer account management matters.
Build and maintain strong, long-lasting volunteer relationships.
Develop opportunities and programs for volunteer engagement.
Mediate volunteer challenges.
Communicate the mission and policies of the organization to all volunteers and prospective volunteers.
Recruit new volunteers, volunteer groups and develop relationships with all volunteers through education, feedback, and progressive opportunities.
Forecast and track account metrics through volunteer feedback, community involvement, bench marking, research and continual participation in conferences and symposiums relevant to subject.
Prepare reports on volunteer contributions and trends.
Advocate for system changes when necessary.
Interpersonal skill set of the Volunteer Account Manager:(partial list)
Solution oriented
Communicates clearly
Innovative
Professionalism
Mediation skills
Detail oriented
Relationship marketer
Ability to research, monitor and predict trends
We can still go one step further and look at how organizations and businesses divide up the management of accounts. Does one person manage all accounts? Are some accounts afforded more attention than others?
In account management, the key account has emerged and with it, the key account manager. So if we are volunteer account managers, what would be a key volunteer account?
Redefining a key account in terms of a volunteer key account yields: A key volunteer account is the volunteer or volunteer group who volunteers substantially in a sustainable manner and/or contributes greatly to organizational success.
This begs the question: Do we have key volunteer accounts?
Do we spread ourselves too thin when we spend our time in a non-strategic soup? Do we run around, putting out fires, jumping from one scenario to the next trying to make sure each and every second of volunteer time is perfect? Are we really just herding cats?
Can we maximize our time by identifying and explaining the steps necessary to cultivate key volunteer accounts?
What are a few categories that might catapult a volunteer or volunteer group into key volunteer status?
dedicated on-going scheduled work that is vital to operations.
years of service and hours given.
the successful recruiting of additional volunteers and/or a community engagement champion.
leadership skills and/or the assumption of a leadership role.
dependability and the willingness to step up when needed.
highly trained or skilled in the mission and the ability to handle challenges.
We all have these volunteers. They are what we wish every volunteer could be. If we apply the Pareto principle (80% of the output comes from 20% of the input), then approximately 20% of our volunteers are producing 80% of the vital work. Is this true? And what about new volunteer potential? Should we not spend our time in the soup, cultivating everyone in case we might lose that potentially great volunteer? Should we just herd cats in hopes that a few of those cats turn out to be key volunteer cats or should we begin to think in terms of key accounts and key strategies?
Next time: How can strategickey volunteer account management help us manage allvolunteers?
In decision theory, a loss aversion means that the pain of losing something is much greater than the pleasure of making an equivalent gain. Marketers everywhere utilize this theory to hawk their goods.
“Get it before it’s gone!”
“Act fast. Limited supplies available!”
In volunteer management, we prefer the gain theory when marketing to potential volunteers. We use phrases such as “the life you change may be your own,” or “do something meaningful” to entice others to join our cause. But what if these researchers are correct and we are hard wired to respond more to fear of loss?
How would this advertising trick work with volunteer recruitment ads?. To find out, I stopped in to see my good friend, Svin Dler who runs an ad agency in town. He’s the genius behind such memorable ad campaigns as “Proud to Be Under Federal Investigation” and “Without Our Product, You’re a Worthless Pile of #$%@.”
I walked into his inexplicably empty office and asked Svin to take some of our volunteer ads and apply the loss aversion theory to them. Here’s what he came up with. (after I passed a ten spot under the table to him-no, really he made me pass it under the table)
Don’t miss out on this exciting opportunity to file papers! All the beautiful people are doing it. File those papers before they’re gone and then you won’t be beautiful!
Volunteer now, or our charity will go out of business. Then, when your family needs help, no agency will help you because all agencies share a list of slackers. Don’t get turned away you slacker.
Volunteer now or keep being your worthless selfish self. BTW, everyone hates you.
Save the world by volunteering. If you don’t, the world will end and it will be YOUR FAULT.
Hmmmm, I don’t know if those will work. Well, maybe the third one will….. no, no, they won’t. But can we write worthwhile ads and throw in a bit of the loss aversion theory?
How about:
There’s only a limited number of volunteering slots. Call 555-5555 to get started before the good ones are gone.
Don’t miss our next life changing volunteer orientation. Refer to this coupon code:
Act now! Don’t lose your chance to be a better person. Call this number:
Well, that’s soul-less, isn’t it? Maybe loss aversion can’t be applied to volunteer recruitment. But wait. Perhaps if we lightly sprinkled in some loss aversion techniques, we could:
Create an ad using the wish list and implied loss:
“Do you wish to be more (circle all that apply): accomplished, social, engaged, in-tune, appreciated, worldly, satisfied, prepared, rejuvenated, self-aware, respected, content, experienced, understood? Join us next Saturday. We have just three Volunteer Training slots still open. Come, let’s explore your wish list.”
Create an email reminder for those who have expressed an interest:
“Our volunteer training is this Saturday at 1pm. Seats are filling up and we would love to see you there. Click here to join our amazing volunteers.” (or diverse, or award winning or whatever adjective fits)
Use urgency:
“Our last volunteer training of the year is being held next Saturday at 1pm. As one of our volunteers, Jamal says, Don’t miss out on this life changing experience!”
So, can we actually use marketing techniques for volunteer recruitment? Is that ok?
Well, here’s a question: When designing volunteer recruitment ads, do we inadvertently give these impressions:
There is no limit to the amount of volunteers we take
Time is never of the essence-we’ll always be there kinda like death and taxes
The choice volunteer positions never get filled
Is there a boring and stale element to our ads that imply volunteering is a never-ending constant so heck, why not put it off?
We are not gimmicky marketers looking to sell something and move on. We deal in cultivating real human beings who offer meaningful involvement, so tricks and slick words are not us. However, we are also not complacent.
Here’s a recent ad I came across:
“Join us for a Volunteer Orientation (date) to learn more about our organization and the many different ways you can help us. You will get an overview of our work and learn how you can help improve the lives in need by volunteering. To learn more about our volunteer program, check out our website.”(here)
Now, let’s re-imagine this ad with a sprinkling of loss aversion theory:
“A limited number of slots are still available for volunteer orientation on (date). Don’t miss out on exploring the many flexible ways you can help.” Visit our website (here) for a quick sign up. See you on (date)!”
So, as long as we are truthful about our ads, why can’t we use some marketing techniques to recruit volunteers?
“Our CEO has a next door neighbor who has a son who got into minor trouble,” Marlee, a volunteer manager says. “The neighbor asked our CEO if his son could do community service at her organization. I called the son repeatedly, left messages, but he never returned my calls. Wouldn’t you know it, my manager told me our CEO was annoyed because the neighbor blames me for not connecting with the son. My manager said our CEO made the comment that volunteers never seem to be able to get started here.” Marlee sighed. “I can’t win.”
Ehhhhhhhhhh. How can one opinion or circumstance create a belief? Why didn’t the CEO say, to her neighbor, “that’s certainly not typical of OUR volunteer department.” How could she seemingly frame an entire belief on one opinion?
There is something known as Confirmation Bias, an effect that feeds our assumptions. So maybe, Marlee’s CEO might have simply felt that her neighbor’s son was just one more example of the volunteer department’s failure to properly onboard volunteers because she already believed it to be true.
Where did this belief come from? Did the CEO hear other examples (and it doesn’t matter how accurate they are, it’s the perception) of volunteers not onboarding quickly while not hearing enough success stories? Or maybe it has nothing to do with Marlee. Perhaps the CEO had a poor experience volunteering when in college. Maybe the CEO heard horror stories at networking events and applied those stories to all volunteer departments. Is that fair? No, and even worse, perceptions are really hard to change.
So what should the strong volunteer leader do when hearing these 1pinion comments?
Don’t get mad or hurt-get curious: What is fueling these opinions? Do some research via surveying the staff or a one on one chat with senior management to find the sources of these perceptions. Say, “I heard something that concerns me. I think there is a perception that I don’t get in touch with new volunteers and I’d like to find out what happened to create that perception.” Then, be prepared to act! Refuting assumptions is one route to take, but there are better ways as in…
Double down on positive reporting: Counter negative perceptions by offering facts supporting positive volunteer department accomplishments. Review your stats to find areas that are lacking. Create new categories of reporting to freshen up the numbers. But, again, this is somewhat akin to refuting, so there is another thing to try…
Create your own performance improvement plan: No one wants to be unfairly criticized, so if there is a perception floating around that volunteers are not being contacted in a timely manner, embrace it on your terms. Let go of the frustration at having been unfairly labeled. A self-imposed performance improvement plan accomplishes two really important things.
One, it says a great deal about you-that you are always willing to improve (and here it’s not about being unfairly labeled, it’s about always striving for excellence). Say, “If there is a perception that new volunteers are not called back in a timely manner, well it came from somewhere and I’m here to change that. I don’t want one prospective volunteer to slip through the cracks.” This approach shows that you don’t harbor an us (volunteer department) versus them (upper management) attitude, that you are solution-oriented, and that you are proactive and approachable.
Two, it allows you to create a new narrative by moving forward from this point of misconception. (It’s so much easier to create new impressions, than fix old ones). By acknowledging the old perception, you are not positioning yourself for a fight. You are forging a new, cooperative path, one in which your future statistics will be embraced in a positive light. And you will find your critics becoming supporters along this journey.
We are all prone to confirmation bias. As proactive leaders, we must put aside our personal feelings when hearing negative perceptions, and work to change those perceptions by creating new, positive ones.
Let’s face it. Opinions are not facts. Opinions can be unfair. While we may not be able to control each and every negative opinion, as proactive leaders, we certainly can control what we do about them. And the thing we do best is understand people and their motivations.
When confronted with 1pinions, we can gear up for a pointless fight or we can use our strengths to create new and more positive realities.
volunteerplaintalk 