“What can I get my non-profit staff, especially that mysterious volunteer manager, who seems to run around a lot?” You, my dear ED or CEO have come to the right place.
Forget that self help book, “Criticism is Our Way of Showing Our Appreciation.” Forget that subscription to “How to Be a Team Player by Keeping Opinions to Yourself” digest. Never Mind that “Quotes to Make You Humble” of the month club. Forget that framed picture of the senior management team at their annual retreat, ziplining over the 4 star resort.
NO! Give a gift that really resonates with your VM. And, the best part is, it doesn’t cost you a thing, only a sheet of paper, a printer and a pair of scissors. And, as a bonus, in typical cooperative volunteer manager style, I’ll even throw in the printable voucher! (what a pal I am, right?)
The Obvious Gift That Every VM Wants:
Be Careful With This One
Oh Yes, Your VM Would Love This
And This, For When Things Normalize a Bit
Well Executive Directors, there you have it, the top four gift coupons for your volunteer manager. A few moments, a pair of scissors and you are done shopping!
And, oh, volunteer managers? Feel free to slip these under the door of your executive director.
Unless you really want another coffee mug that says, “World’s Best Office Worker.” Happy Shopping!
We, volunteer managers can get stuck in a rut, even though our days are varied and utterly unpredictable.
I remember acknowledging I was stuck in a rut when I realized I watched out my open door every morning to see if the marketing director was wearing hose, because our policy attire required hose and she was never reprimanded. Yeah, sad, I know.
Recognizing a rut
But it made me recognize I was in a rut. I would arrive, sit down with my coffee, answer emails, make phone calls, then prepare for training, meetings, check ad responses, gather stats and set up interviews. All problems and crazy situations were just bumps in the rut road. Even the volunteer who removed taxidermy from a patient’s home because he couldn’t stand the deer looking at him became a routine challenge.
Ruts are the dangerous, motivation killing, brain numbing enemy of creative volunteer managers. Ruts destroy our ability to move forward.
We can be in a rut and not know it. We move slower. We take on nothing new. We look at the volunteer who, without permission, is rearranging the front office every time she comes in and think, “so what.” Every task and every question seems like another stone on our chest.
Does a pandemic kill a rut?
Even in a world altering pandemic that changes everything, our new routines can seem like weights because we haven’t fixed our old ruts. The rut just went in a different direction.
New circumstances don’t automatically alter old perceptions and old inner challenges. New circumstances often add to the burden.
How did I get here?
So, how do you get out of a rut? For me, the first thing is dealing with my internal perceptions of the rut I created. By that I mean looking at how I perceive the things I’m doing. For example:
Q: why do I care that the marketing manager is not wearing hose?
A: because I feel there are different sets of rules for favored staff and I’m being treated unfairly.
Q: why do I sit and answer email instead of doing something else?
A: because it’s safe and I don’t have to interact personally cause I’m unmotivated.
Q: why don’t I care that a volunteer is rearranging the front office without permission?
A: I do actually care, but I don’t want to upset the volunteer by having an intervention, it’s so hard.
Turning the wheel
To get out of a rut, you have to consciously turn the wheel and find another road. Start small by varying your routine. Read emails at the end of the day. Ask a volunteer to make phone calls. Eat lunch at 10am. Vary your routine so it becomes obvious that it’s not about the order in which you do things, it’s the effort you put into each task.
Take lots of mental breaks. Lots. Lots. Lots. We, volunteer managers need mental breaks in the best of times. Have your quilting or model airplane or unfinished painting nearby and stop, work for a few minutes on your hobby/project/silly fun doodle/whatever during the day. Clear that brain.
Take stock of all your successes. Begin (if you haven’t already) to record inspiration-get a notebook and write down the things that inspire you, including quotes, stories, testimonials from volunteers, family, staff, community and your own experiences. Keep these nearby.
Be un-perfect
Purposefully forget to do something. Yep, not a typo. Prove to yourself that perfection is not the goal and instead, perfectionism drives you into a rut. Own your less-than-perfect self un-apologetically and don’t hold yourself to a standard you’d never place on a volunteer, other staff member or a person your organization is serving.
So, I took my own advice and I wrote this post in one sitting, no revisions, re-thinking etc. It’s a mess, I know. Oh well.
What is a volunteer flow? It is the movement of volunteers in and out of an organization, much like a cash flow in business. Like any resource, volunteers are a people-resource that is rich in skills, passions, marketing reach, knowledge, experience, dedication, and in ability to procure donations and other desired resources. As such, our volunteers must be viewed as just as valuable a resource as a donation flow.
Can we, volunteer managers predict our volunteer flow, especially in uncertain times such as we face today? Before we say no way, (mainly because we have all experienced surprises when it comes to who actually will volunteer), let’s ask this question: Would it benefit us, Leaders of Volunteers, to create a volunteer flow statement?
As a fan of mathematical equations (even when I mangle them), our aim is: UPV (under promise volunteer resources) < OPV (over produce volunteer resources).
We know that there are thousands of factors that influence volunteer recruitment and sustainability and we know that challenges have increased exponentially due to the pandemic. So, how can we possibly predict how many volunteers we will gain, retain or lose in the next few months?
We can’t predict with certainty, but we can estimate with causation. And this is actually a good time to introduce the idea that volunteers ebb and flow not only with changing times, but with any negative or positive experiences within our organizational structure. Volunteers aren’t something we “order up” or people who magically appear when needed and never question their assignments. This is the time to introduce the factors that freeze or free up a volunteer flow.
What is our objective?
Our aim is to create a consistent flow of highly engaged and productive volunteers who positively impact our organization’s goals, objectives and mission. Our job is to recruit these volunteers, and to develop them into contributing members of our teams. For more on development, see:
Will volunteers return after being furloughed? Will more virtual volunteers sign-up and then we are caught without enough meaningful roles for them? Will corporate and other groups want to continue their philanthropy? How will virtual training affect volunteer sustainability? These are questions we don’t have all the answers for, but based on what we are experiencing, we can create a volunteer flow strategy statement.
We are at a junction. Volunteer past is meeting volunteer present and volunteer future. How will we treat each one going forward?
It’s too soon to know what changes will occur, but it is not too soon to start strategizing for a better present and future. Will we recruit new volunteers saying, “It’s a new day folks,” and by sweeping away the past, piss off all the volunteers who have stuck with us? Will we try to force all the new volunteers into old roles and methods and appear to not have gained any innovative insight from this crisis?
Volunteer past is an organization’s foundation. Honoring volunteer stories and accomplishments from the past means your organization has created a solid base and has laid an infrastructure on which to continue building.
I discovered long ago, that when seasoned volunteers spoke at volunteer orientation, new volunteers were impressed, but also thought, “Am I supposed to be like this volunteer or will I have my own volunteering path? Is there anything new to be done?”
Moving forward, modern volunteers need to get excited about their volunteering journey. Volunteers are looking at the future instead of being content with the present. It’s a subtle, but significant shift.
What does that mean for us then, when it comes to recruiting, sustaining and on-boarding new volunteers? It means balancing past volunteer methods, awards and accomplishments with present goals and visions for the future. It means setting the foundation and then inspiring new volunteers to put up the walls, or decorate the interior or construct another floor. It means focusing on moving forward.
What if you’re not an exciting start-up organization with endless possibilities? Introduce expansion, new programs and future visions to volunteers who may be wondering, “why do you need me?”
Nothing is more infectious than an inspiring vision that has movement. It gives volunteers an identity. It means that they won’t have to mimic volunteer past to make their unique mark.
Volunteer Past infused with Volunteer Future looks something like this:
“Our volunteers have won numerous awards for their work. But, we want to build on that and we need your unique passion.”
“Our volunteers gave 70,000 hours in the past 5 years. That’s why we can expand our innovative programs. That’s where you come in.”
“We’ve used this method for many years because it worked. Now, we are moving forward and you are part of the journey.”
A well-rounded volunteer understands volunteer past and looks to make their mark on volunteer present and volunteer future.
Our volunteers want to celebrate and understand the past, but own the future. Let’s give them both.
Uncertainty sucks big time, but guess what? We, volunteer managers deal in uncertainty all the time. Think about it. Everyday we wonder…
Will anyone who attends my speech at the local Classic Car Collector’s Guild on Saturday actually sign up to volunteer? Will one or two attendees fall asleep in the back and snore so loudly I have to shout over the noise?
Can I trust that Magda in event planning will communicate the revised meet-up spot to the volunteers and not forget again? Will I get a frantic call from a volunteer asking where he should be while I’m at my son’s violin recital and then I get shame-shushed by snarky Heather who always sits behind me?
Will volunteer Trevor stop bringing his herbal supplements to clients’ homes or do I have to have another conversation with him? Will he ever stop trying to sell his energy pills to everyone? (huh, maybe that’s why I’m so jittery...)
Will I come in to work this morning and find a volunteer has once again written a letter to the editor of the local paper, calling out the lack of volunteer department budget? (after I’ve patiently explained that going to the press ensures WE WILL NEVER GET THE MONEY NOW!)
Will the A/V equipment break in the middle of my presentation to the chamber of commerce and then I’m stuck drawing a graph on volunteer impact from memory on a chalkboard? (and I hastily draw a graph that resembles male body parts)
Will I have to carpool volunteers to the luncheon because finance did not pay for the bus and driver I reserved? (and we arrive late because volunteers have to stop to use the restroom along the way)
Will the printing company get this year’s appreciation theme correct and not print 400 balloons saying, “Volunteers have no heart.”
We, volunteer managers routinely operate in an uncertain world so we’re already positioned to navigate these times. But wait. Not everything is uncertain so let’s look at what we do know.
People want to help: If anything tell us that volunteerism is alive and well, this pandemic proves it. From neighbors helping neighbors to social media groups that mobilize participants to 750,000 people signing up in the UK for the NHS, people are still volunteering. The spirit of volunteering is alive.
We know there will be an end: There’s always an end. Sure, there will be a new normal with new challenges so this is the time to start strategically planning for the new normal in a way that benefits you, your volunteers, and your volunteer initiative. How do you envision yourself coming out of this? Better equipped to speak up and mold your volunteer program for this new normal?
Change is an opportunity. No one is more adaptable than a volunteer manager. We can come out of this with the adaptations that fit the modern volunteer. Change can be an opportunity, so let’s make it work for us.
Priorities rise to the top: What does that look like for you? Communicating with volunteers, serving clients or revamping archaic systems? Challenging circumstances have a way of exposing flaws and outdated methods while highlighting the greatness of the things working well. Now is the time to sort through and document what is working, what is not working and why, so that moving forward, you have supporting information that will back-up your plans moving forward.
We are in this together. Yep, we are, because we, volunteer managers have a common purpose. Let’s take this time to find each other, band together and further our goals. Volunteer organizations are forced to stream their volunteer award events. These are the events we can all support by virtually attending or commenting on in a show of solidarity.
We are no strangers to uncertainty and the same strength, courage and resolve we employ everyday will see us through these times. We will come out of this stronger, more resilient and more determined to see volunteerism and our volunteers elevated.
We will come out of this more connected to one another, more supportive of one another, and more able to speak as unified voices. One thing we can do to create a swell of united support is to stream more. Let’s use this time to record, stream, and create videos showing volunteer impact so we can build an audience that sees the work firsthand. Let’s not relegate volunteer awards to a nice lunch at a moderately priced hotel, seen only by attendees. Let’s share volunteer value and impact with the world. Let’s go big and take our message to everyone.
Pandemic. It’s a worrisome time and we, leaders of volunteers worry. A lot. Like mother hens, we cluck about, gathering masses under our protective wings. “I got you,” we murmur, pulling everyone close.
We worry about the frail volunteers who are determined to keep volunteering but may become infected with the virus. We worry about the volunteers who stay home and are missing that one, bright, social spot in their lives as they hunker down, alone. We worry about the clients we serve and how they are deprived of that perfect moment, when our skilled volunteer makes a connection, soul on soul.
We worry we aren’t doing enough, or we’re overlooking a volunteer who needs us. We worry that things will never be the same again, and our volunteers will leave over new regulations. We worry that volunteers may experience a new normal and be reluctant to work directly with clients. We worry that no one will come to the next training class. (although I always worried about that, anyway)
I’m not going to say, “stop worrying.” Worrying is human. It’s the tough part of being a caring, sentient being. It’s part of a volunteer manager’s drive to be effective.
But I will offer this: Your worry means you care. Your worry means you are determined to make this world a better place, one volunteer, one client, one program, one training, one speech on volunteer value, one long night of blowing up balloons, one showing up at a volunteer’s swearing in as a new citizen at a time.
You believe in possibilities. You believe in light. You believe in neighbors stepping up to help neighbors. You believe in people wanting to help. You might even believe that some good will come out of this and volunteering will increase. You are optimistic.
You’re the very essence of what being human is about. So be human and care about the world. We, volunteer managers are resilient. We adapt, we adjust, we pivot, we overcome. We are always moving, and altering our direction to keep going forward. Our worries are often a map to finding the way. We’ll be all right.
Believe in your abilities and take care of yourself. We need you.
What? You thought I meant… No, f/u=follow up. Like sending volunteer managers to leadership training, it’s sadly nonexistent these days.
Lately, as a volunteer, I’ve experienced a rash of major lack of follow/up. Most of the time, follow/up applies to a new idea or project, but it can include things like getting answers on an assignment .
Truth is, I’m guilty of it too. But when you experience it from a volunteer perspective, it is a motivation killer. No follow/up is like saying to a volunteer, “this is not important or worth my time. YOU are not important or worth my time.”
When I was confronted by volunteers for not following up, I would feel off-balance and I’d use the excuses, “I’m working on it,” or “I haven’t gotten an answer yet,” (when I hadn’t even asked) or “I was just about to call you.” I’ve strung people along, put them on hold, shelved them, or ran the other way when I saw them coming; all because the follow/up wasn’t there. (But I was trying, so that made me a good person, right?)
Why do we do this to our volunteers and to ourselves?
we have the best of intentions- but the road to the volunteer apocalypse is paved with good intentions
we can’t say no-which creates a loop in which we never get anything done
we are caught off guard-and we have no comeback prepared
we live in a visionary world-but we have no visionary strategy
we think we must prop up all volunteers-so we feed a need in some that may not align with our mission work
we are “nice” people-but we mistakenly equate nice with doormat
The bottom line is this: if we can’t follow/up, we have no business engaging in the first place. What are some ways to prevent the volunteer f/u syndrome?
Make priorities known: It’s ok to say, “that is an interesting idea. Right now, our priority is to fill these volunteer roles. Can you help us do that first?”
Share the responsibility for f/u with the person: “I’m swamped with this event coming up. Will you remind me after the event?”
Be honest: “I might forget because we are in the middle of a recruitment campaign and I don’t want you to think I’m just giving you lip service, so can we revisit this at a later date?”
Weed out the serious from the non-serious: “That is an interesting concept. We have a volunteer task force that meets monthly and one of their objectives is to choose and implement a new idea. Would you come to the next meeting and make a pitch?”
Define the f/u: “What do you need from me? I will put it on my calendar and get back with you on the 20th of next month after I speak with the finance director.”
Don’t sugarcoat the no: “I’ve spoken to our CEO and at this time, she is unable to allocate the resources to your idea. It is not because the idea isn’t a good one, but because we are about to implement a new initiative and it’s all hands on deck right now. Try again after we’re successful.”
Don’t own the work: “I would like to help with that, but we are in the middle of volunteer appreciation planning. Can you work up a proposal with specifics and examples and get it to me? Without a fleshed-out proposal, I can’t get an audience to hear your idea.”
I’ll not lie. I’m disappointed in my recent experiences with f/u even though I understand the why because I’ve been there and had those good intentions. But, still, lack of f/u kills motivation.
So, let’s not make volunteer f/u an actual….F…. well, you know what I mean.
Picture a potential volunteer skimming through volunteer ads, and they come upon yours. Are they intrigued? Do they shout “Golly gee, this is fabulous,” and run for the phone, desperate for the wonderful opportunity? Or do they keep looking?
According to research, the science of naming brands is more than descriptive words. Clever word coinage, rhymes that fall off your tongue and words that sound like the actual word (think fizz) all play into choosing a name.
What if we rename common volunteer-wanted ad titles, using these techniques? But wait, let’s add a dose of job realism, shall we? For example, instead of:
Office volunteer wanted: Let’s use (and include a tagline)…
Mundane-Loving Myrtle; Boredom is the new black
Stays-In-The-Cubicle Carmen; see no evil, hear no evil, report no evil
Filing-Fool Fiend: keep your head and your hopes down
Marketing/Fundraising Volunteer wanted:
Shake-Em-Down Shirley; we’re all about the money, er the mission
Beggar Bonnie; sucking up to the donors so we don’t have to
Stay-In-Your-Lane Larry; we’re the experts here, silly, not you
Events Volunteer wanted:
Pack-Mule Pete; Hee-haw, following your dreamsis so yesterday
No-Instructions-Needed Nell; Confusion is the spice of life
Stand-And-Wait Stanley; it’s just like being in line at Disney Worldexcept there’s no fun ride at the end
General Volunteer Help wanted:
Obedient Ozzie; cause we don’t want no backtalk or new ideas
No-Personal-Life Latasha; stay by your phone, we might need something
Squeaky-Clean Shaquille; we can’t afford background checks
While ad titles like Front desk volunteer, Office volunteer and the soul-sucking Dracula of all ad titles, Data Entry Volunteer may describe the positions, they lack the meaning that volunteers crave.
Other outdated ad titles such as “Caring Volunteer,” or “Friendly Visitor,” feel like they were written with a chisel on stone. Recruitment ads forgotten on social media sites gather more dust than the speech I wrote in case I’m voted employee of the year.
Or how about these dusty goodies: Bring Your Smile! Hold a Hand. They’re as effective as an ad for a VCR.
Volunteer ads are passive recruitment which means they work for us while we are out talking to civic groups or sitting at community fairs or having lunch. Spending time and energy on writing these ads and regularly refreshing them is one of the most effective things we can do.
Picture a student, late at night, phone in hand, swiping through ads that will fulfill their desire to be a change maker. Or a senior, recently widowed, searching in the still morning for something that will add meaning to a bruised soul. Or a working parent, sneaking a peek at ads while helping with homework, looking to spend some me time helping others. What speaks to them?
Dive deep and find the meaning in your volunteer roles and convey that to potential volunteers. Try:
ask existing volunteers to help write ads
include quotes or testimonials from volunteers, staff, clients that get to the essence of why this job is important
use what I call the 3-way method: describe the job, describe what it means to clients/org and describe what benefits volunteers will reap
experiment with funny ads, pop-culture reference ads, or mimic current events
create a targeted volunteer profile and write for that person
write a question into your volunteer application that asks, “how did you find us,” and include a choice for ads, asking-“which one spoke to you and why?” Evaluate the feedback
You work hard to recruit volunteers. Volunteer recruitment ads should work as hard as you.
Do #LoVols chat up potential volunteers, make a few phone calls and then go home to binge watch Mind Hunter while eating Cheetos and petting the rescue cat? What do we do all day, exactly?
We say things like, “I do a bit of everything,” or “I’m a jack of all trades,” or “depends upon the hour, ha ha,” which gives the impression that we are not in control and have no direction. Here’s the thing though: We are in total control and every portion of our day is devoted to engaging volunteers and creating volunteer impact. It’s time we show the world we are proactive, not reactive. Let’s gather all of our people skills under one term, “volunteer engagement skills” and stop downplaying our role. We’re a Jack of the volunteer engagement trade which consists of all kinds of skills, each one working towards a single purpose: creating an effective volunteer experience and team.
We wear volunteer engagement and impact gear. Our skill set is people- saturated. What looks breezy is calculated. What looks effortless is deliberate. What looks casual is strategic.
We may appear to be socializing but we are establishing a welcoming and meaningful atmosphere through the hard work of making it look effortless so volunteers are engaged and add value. There is method to our madness as we strategically create a team of effective volunteers through each people-saturated element:
vetting
on-boarding and/or orienting
looping
efficiently and effectively communicating
training to position
educating
adjusting or agile thinking
mediating
structuring
let’s look at each element and why it is crucial to volunteer impact:
vetting: includes background checks, reference checks, one on one interviews, sit-downs and all other “getting to know a volunteer” tactics.
Why is this important? Volunteer engagement professionals (LoVols) weed out potential harmful volunteers and redirect volunteers to a fit that works for all stakeholders ensuringclients and staff work with competent people that do no harm and produce results.
onboarding and/or orienting: includes introduction and immersion into the mission. Whether by formal or informal methods, the LoVols connects the new volunteer to the work. Orientation is the emotional glue that binds a volunteer to the organization.
Why is this important? Volunteer engagement professionals ensure each volunteer understands organizational purpose and intent and is in sync with mission goals and objectives, thusequipping a volunteer with the necessary emotional connection to embrace the mission.
looping: includes checking in and checking back with clients, staff and the volunteer in a continuous loop to ensure satisfaction by all stakeholders.
Why is this important? Feedback is key to volunteer, staff and client satisfaction. Continual feedback and adjustments create impactful, working relationships, and prevent missteps, misunderstandings and potential disasters. Unlike employees, volunteers work less time without pay so looping is crucial to volunteer success.
efficiently and effectively communicating: includes emails, chats, phone calls, meetings and all other methods providing information to volunteers.
Why is this important? LoVols balance inspiration and expectations to ensure volunteers understand expectations and organizational direction while reaping the positive benefits of volunteering.
training to position: this includes on the job training for the volunteer role. Unlike onboarding or orientation to mission, this training is specific to job requirements. Whether the LoVols trains personally or has been instrumental in guiding staff to train new volunteers, training to positionensures volunteers are equipped to function within their roles and produce results.
Why is this important? Volunteers free staff to accomplish their objectives. Essential training equips volunteers with the confidence to fulfill their roles and allow staff the additional time to accomplish their objectiveswhich becomes a dual benefit.
educating: this includes newsletters, seminars, workshops, email blasts and other methods to inform volunteers not only about organizational news, but about topics relevant to volunteers’ lives.
Why is this important? Education is high on employee and volunteer lists of desirable perks. Continually educating volunteers equips the volunteer team with correct and current organizational information, especially since volunteers are WOMM (word-of-mouth marketing) ambassadors to the community.Educational offerings speaks volumes about the commitment to the volunteers’ positions within an organization and to their well-being.
adjusting or agile thinking: this includes reevaluating volunteer involvement or placement, utilizing innovative methods of retention, matching volunteers to roles, flexible adjustments and any other method to address individual volunteer needs.
Why is this important? LoVols balance organizational needs with volunteer needs to create a symbiotic relationship that adds value and furthers mission goals.
mediating: this includes intervening when necessary, balancing the advocating for volunteer rights while promoting organizational needs, finding middle ground that satisfies all stakeholders and honors the mission. It includes having difficult conversations with volunteers, putting the mission first, dismissing a volunteer when necessary and advocating for volunteers to be treated with respect.
Why is this important? Improving or salvaging a relationship with a volunteer is crucial. Poor experiences affect volunteers, staff and clients. LoVols mediate to ensure all stakeholders are satisfied so that mission goals are achieved.
structuringstrategically: this includes creating innovative new roles to engage today’s volunteers, revamping outdated volunteer positions, policies, procedures and methods of communication, gathering feedback and involving volunteers in strategies.
Why is this important? As volunteerism evolves, LoVols structure volunteer initiatives to sustain and attract today’s volunteers by creating new roles, offering flex scheduling, sharing jobs, ensuring diversity, engaging virtual and one time volunteers and including volunteers in strategic planning. As demand for volunteers grows, LoVols are busy structuring for future growth and laying the groundwork to attract and sustain a team of effective volunteers whoadd value.
The next time someone stops and says, “gee, it looks like you’re having a lot of fun,” smile and reply, “I’m actually hard at work because one of my volunteer engagement skills includes making fun look effortless. Thanks for noticing.”
P.S. Feel free to share this with anyone who doesn’t understand your job…your grandpa, your snotty cousin Mildred, all your old college roommates, staff at your organization, your CEO…
Ask an astro-physicist “what do you do all day,” and I’ll bet her answer isn’t “I look through a telescope.” Ask a software developer the same question and it’s doubtful he’d say, “I type on a keyboard.” So why do we, #LoVols say, “I work with volunteers?”
Astro-physicists and software developers have complicated jobs producing impressive results that stretch far beyond the simplest terms. Our jobs as #LoVols?…..most people don’t have a clue as to the skills and strategies we use when engaging volunteers and crafting volunteer impact. We need to change that perception.
This doesn’t mean whining, “volunteer Jenny did that amazing work because I spent extra days training her since our staff couldn’t take the time to show her how to do her work and oh, I listened to all her last-minute questions on a Saturday night when I could have gone to see Star Wars at the movies with my now ex-boyfriend who incidentally went without me and showed up with my best friend Carla and yeah, my life is in tatters, but hey, Jenny did a great job, thanks to my sacrifice, didn’t she?” Hmmmm, maybe that’s not quite the way to show our work.
Instead, we can show our strategies in developing effective volunteer teams and by doing so, dispel the myth that volunteers need nothing more than coordination. By laying out the upfront and continual work in developing effective volunteer teams, we accomplish these objectives:
we ingrain the idea that volunteers don’t magically appear, ready to go.
we show that volunteers are people, not tools, and like employees, need continual mentoring and support.
we reinforce the truism that volunteer initiatives are not “herding cats” but are strategically structured for success.
we support our argument that not every volunteer can be interchanged and that thoughtfully matching volunteers to role creates successful outcomes and prevents disasters.
we show that there are processes in play and that even our chatting with volunteers is structured to mentor them for success.
we point to a volunteer’s progression from first contact to integrated volunteer and reinforce the idea that volunteers require continual support, not just from us, but from the entire organization.
we highlight the creative processes in forming innovative volunteer roles that impact the mission.
The acronym, VOL E TEAMS will do nicely here as in, “Let me show you how I develop teams of volunteers who are effective.” You can substitute excellent or efficient for the “E” but I’ll argue why effective is the best choice when talking about VOL E TEAMS. Let’s look at definitions:
Effective: producing the intended result
Efficient: functioning in the best manner without wasting time
Excellent: possessing superior merit
Say a physician recommends her patient take a medication to alleviate symptoms. The physician could say, “this medication is excellent,” or “this medication is efficient,” or “this medication is effective.” Which word speaks to results? Effective. That doesn’t mean our volunteers are not excellent nor efficient. They are and you could also say, “I’m developing volunteers for an effective, efficient and excellent team.”
As we, LoVols report volunteer impact, effective is a key word to support the contributions our volunteers make. Verbiage is crucial and we must use results-type words to describe volunteer value such as effective, outcomes, results, impact, accomplish, contribute to, produce, achieve, implement, enact, create, effect, etc.
So, what does the acronym VOL E TEAMS stand for? (Hint- it stands for the work #LoVols do to create and sustain the volunteer factor.)
vetting
on-boarding and/or orienting
looping
efficiently and effectively communicating
training to position
educating
adjusting or agile thinking
mediating
structuring
Next time: An effective team requires an effective leader. Looking at the components of VOL E TEAMS or it’s time we show our value as Leaders of Volunteers.
volunteerplaintalk 