Tobi's Nonprofit Management Blog

Using Particiaptory Leadership to Boost Volunteer Engagement

If you are struggling to find ways to motivate volunteers, or don't seem to have enough "leader" volunteers available, consider rennovating how you make decisions.  Try leading from within, rather than from the top, by using a shared leadership model.

While a traditional, hierarchical style of management (sometimes called “command-and-control”) works for some situations (e.g., emergency response efforts) and is required in some contexts (e.g., historically bureaucratic institutions), it is rarely helpful in inspiring and motivating volunteers. Volunteers want to participate and have a say in what they accomplish and how they go about it.

An alternate model is that of participatory leadership and decision-making. While the traditional leadership model is a triangle with a charismatic leader at the apex, a more innovative, and perhaps more effective, leadership model for the knowledge economy involves a network of people around a circle who filter information from the perimeter and feed it into the middle of the organization for action. 

A participatory leadership model assumes that the group has greater wisdom than individuals and accepts that, while this approach make take longer up front, it will save time in the long run by increasing morale and productivity and decreasing resistance to change.

By building a shared framework of understanding, creating a safe environment for diverse views to be shared, seeking new and untested alternatives and a focus on finding win-win solutions to all problems, teams experience an environment that is both challenging and inspiring. 

Traditional Versus Participatory Leadership: What's the Difference?

Traditional	Participatory
Top Down	Bottom Up
Either/Or	Both/And
Win-Lose	Win-Win
Org Chart Determines Work	Purpose-Oriented Work Teams
Chain of Command	Community of Practice
Individuals Responsible for Decisions	Collective Decisions
Top-down Agenda Setting	Group Agenda Setting
Motivation by Reward/Consequences	Motivation by Ownership
One Meeting Leader/Speaker	Multiple Voices/Leaders
Work Assigned to Position	Team Members Follow Passions
Partial Participation in Discussions	Full Participation in Discussions
Efficiency is Valued	Full Participation is Valued

Collaborative Work Spaces

Shared leadership also works better if the workspace reflects a collaborative model. Although staff may not have complete control over their work environment, they can lead the way in making small changes that support team cohesion. Here are a few:

• Find Ways to Encourage Play — If teams are relaxed, they are more likely to work together. Celebrate small victories, play music, post funny photos, make common areas comfortable, give goofy prizes or tailor something that works at your organization.
• Create Designated “We” Space — Get rid of the corner office and create a shared space where work can be accomplished communally. Be sure to also have “quiet space” for sensitive conversations and where team members can go to concentrate without distraction. (At the same, time, make sure that confidential documents are kept in locked cabinets and that volunteers have secure, personal storage space while they are on site.)
• Visualize Your Projects — Use white boards, walls and flip charts to create shared graphical depictions of your group’s process and decisions. Keep them up during the life of the project to remind the team where you’re headed and how far you’ve come.
• Be Flexible — Not all work has to happen in an office. Encourage volunteers and staff to work remotely and use technology to stay in touch and communicate as the need arises.

Managing Virtual and Offsite Volunteers

In today's wired world, volunteers can make significant contributions to an organization, even if they live tens, hundreds, or thousands of miles away.  Working virtually, volunteers can be just as effective (or as ineffective) as those working on site, provided they are able to manage their time and priorities, have adequate technology, and are given the proper support.

Tips for Leading Volunteers in a Virtual Environment

Below are a few tips for supporting virutal teamwork.  These tips will help those who work in the same office, too.

• Clarify Team and Individual Goals – Make sure that everyone understands the goals and objectives for the project or service (including deadlines) and how their work contributes to the organization's overall success. Have the team work together, using a participatory decision-making process (check out People and Planet's excellent overview), to develop and agree upon goals that are achievable and make sense.
• Highlight the Skills of Each Team Member – To build confidence and trust, take time to describe the unique talents each person brings to the table with the others.
• Allow Time for Interpersonal Sharing – Encourage team members to share something about their personal lives beyond volunteering. This helps members find commonalities and knits together trusting relationships with people who find common ground.
• Share and Rotate Leadership – Appoint an overall leader, but share leadership for project stages or meetings with individuals who have the most knowledge or information at the current moment.
• Establish Communication Norms – As a group, set up basic guidelines for frequency and types of communications as well when and how to alert others about availability. This is particularly important for volunteers who, because of their schedules, will most often communicate asynchronously. Set up a regular schedule to meet as a team, but also allow the flexibility informal “just in time” interactions between individuals or small groups, both online and on land.
• Meet In-Person, Too – Some team activities are difficult to accomplish without being able to facilitate rapid discussion and read body language. For tasks like strategic project planning, problem solving and celebrating, bring the team together for a team meeting.
• Promote Healthy Boundaries – Encourage volunteers to maintain a productive work-life balance and let them know they are NOT expected to check email when they are off duty. Refrain from sending texts to volunteers unless they agree or in emergency situations.
• Establish a Code of Conduct – Although volunteers may not be working in your office,  they are representing your organization when they are on duty. Communicate clear standards for confidentiality, volunteer and staff privacy, email, social media communications, and ethics. These guidelines need to be reinforced regularly.

Technology to Support Virutal Teams

A second element of effective management of off site volunteers is, of course, the technology that is used to facilitate communication, resource sharing, and collaboration. The software you use doesn’t have to be expensive or complicated, but it does need to meet the team’s minimum needs and be easy to navigate.  Here are a few tips to consider:

• Maintain a Shared Calendar – Use Google Calendar or other software to communicate when volunteers will, and will not, be working as well as task due dates. Also, send team meeting notices via email, so that volunteers can download to their personal calendars, if they so wish.
• Use Group Video Chatting – Software like Skype and Google Meet Ups allow individuals and teams to view each other during meetings. This adds more interest that telephonic calls and allows participants to physically point to sections of documents as well as read facial expressions.
• Use Screen Sharing – To take it a step further, there are a number of free and fee-based screen sharing tools that can be used to share, and even collaborate on, documents in live time.  
• Set Up Separate Emails – Instead of using their private email, have volunteers set up a free email address, such as Gmail or Hotmail so that their privacy is protected. This is especially important if they work directly with the public.  If you are contacted by clients who receive assistance from volunteers, set up a general inbox that specific volunteers are assigned to check on specific days of the week.
• Store Documents Online – Google Drive and Wikispaces are two platforms that allow approved users to post and view shared documents. Be sure to establish a file naming protocol the team will use to keep track of multiple versions and edits over time, as well as final documents. Make sure you store both documents that are in development and your basic assets, like your logo, mission statement, templates, etc. – as well as current team contact info – in one, well-organized place.
• Set Up A Project Management System – Once you have your project plan decided and tasks assigned, have team members add their key milestones and tasks to the team calendar. If the calendar is integrated into a project management system all the better. There are several free options you can chose from, and all have integrated file sharing and management, project chat/email communications, a tasks tracking function, and a shared calendar.

Now that I've shared my ideas.  What are your favorite tools and tactics to manage off site volunteer teams?  Share them in the comments link below.

How to Use Storybanking to Build Support for Your Cause

Whether you are trying to recruit volunteers or raise money, there’s nothing quite like a captivating testimonial to build support.  Testimonials can demonstrate the true difference your organization makes. Stories can take a dry, bland bit of narrative and transform it into a vibrant, compelling depiction your program’s best work. 

The only problem is that it’s hard to come up with factual stories “on demand” when you need them.  That’s where storybanking comes in -- by capturing real-life stories as they happen and “banking” them for later use, you'll be prepared when that reporter calls, you need a fresh story for your newsletter, or you want to give your next volunteer recruitment ad a little zing. 

Storybanking Step By Step
If you want to try storybanking, here’s a quick and dirty way to get started.  And, the good news is that volunteers can help!

Step One: Put Together a Story Template
Use a template to ensure that the info collected is consistent and complete.  There's nothing like having to chase down a critical tidbit after the fact.  Get it down all at once.  Include all of the info to be collected -- questions to be asked, contact info for the storyteller, and the level of participation they agree to. 

For example -- Are they willing to be contacted later for further questions?  Can a photo be used?  Can their name (full or first) be used?  Are they willing to speak to the media (with your support)?  Where can the story be placed (website, social media, brochure, etc.?  Also, include a consent form right on the template, to keep everything together in one place.

Step Two: Collect Stories
 Stories and testimonials can be found almost anywhere -- you can ask people to share via your website, you can set up a “story booth” at public events sponsored by your organization, or you can ask service beneficiaries and volunteers directly.  The best stories are those that are those that share a journey through difficulty to triumph and relate real life emotions. If storytellers are shy, ask them to be intereviewed with a friend or as a volunteer-client team.

Note: Use a tape recorder or video camera when interviewing. Writing distracts the storyteller and interrupts the flow.  Also, you’ll be better able to pithy direct quotes later.  After the interview, you can transcribe key information and quotes onto your template.

Step Three: Use Interview Prompts
Use questions that tap into the passion people feel about your organization’s work, their contribution, and/or how it has helped them. They don’t need to explain it like you would; they only need to share their experience from their own perspective. 

Use the following prompts to get folks talking.  Also, don’t be afraid of a little silence.  Storytellers sometimes need to time remember and formulate their thoughts.

• Why did you get involved?
• What have you learned or gained?
• What has surprised you most about this organization?
• How has your life changed?
• What are you looking forward to?
• How have the people here helped you?
• What would you say to others about this organization?
• What advice would you give to others who are in your situation?
• Picture a world without this organization; what would it look like?
• How do you see the world differently now?

Also, ask these questions to elaborate...

• Why do you feel that way?
• What makes you say that?
• Can you give me an example?
• How would you respond to someone who disagrees with you about that?
  

Step Four: Share Stories When They Make Sense
Now that your team has gathered and banked their stories, find creative ways to share them.  Be sure you have the storyteller’s permission to do so, and always give them a heads up about how and when their story will appear.  If you are pitching stories to media, leave out the storyteller’s contact info until your media contact has agreed to run it.  That way, you don’t disappoint anyone.

Other Story Tips & Ideas

• Keep a binder of stories on hand for volunteer recruits to review during their interview or orientation training to help build commitment.
• Set up an online repository of stories and photos that is password protected, so that anyone authorized on your team can access them when needed.
• Whenever possible include photos; they increase trust exponentially.  And, use pics of faces, which have been shown to increase empathy.
• Rotate stories on your website in a special section “What People are Saying About Us”
• Stick with short, but specific narrative stories, NOT statistics or quick quotes.
• Pass out index cards at events and ask service beneficiaries and volunteers to share one thing that has changed because of their involvement with your organization; then, follow up with those who embody the most compelling depiction of your mission in action.  You can also include this question in your client and volunteer satisfaction surveys.
• If the story is to be used for volunteer recruitment, feature individual volunteers who are MOST LIKE those you are trying to reach.

Have you used stories to share your work?  What were the results?  What surprised you?

 

Re-Designing Volunteer Jobs That Are “Too Big”

While it would be great if all volunteers were natural born leaders, had tons of time to give, and were willing to take on even the toughest tasks, it isn't always the case. 

Although volunteers are a valuable resource, they do not generally have unlimited energy or capacity.  And yet, the work of our organizations seems to get more and more difficult.  So, what can we do? 

If volunteers complain that a job is too overwhelming, it's likely because it's not the right fit or because the job really is too big. 

When volunteers balk at taking on a big job, one option may be to wait around for the right "super volunteer" to come along, or to mount a focused campaign to find Mr. or Ms. Right.  Another is to re-design your volunteer jobs so that they feel more like a reasonable request.

The act of re-designing roles converts what was thought of as a people problem into a process problem.

Get Volunteers Involved 

If you decide to re-design volunteer roles, consider inviting a group of volunteers to participate in the process. Include volunteers for three reasons:

1. Volunteers, especially those who have dedicated many hours of service, may resist changes to the comfortable work roles and processes they have developed over the years.  They will be more amenable to change if they are actually involved in the process of making it happen and have a say in what will ultimately affect them in a very direct way.
2. Current volunteers are subject matter experts in their tasks and their challenges. They have likely already thought of ways to improve things and will also be able to provide practical pros and cons to new any new proposals.
3. It's going to take some time and effort to complete the re-design, and volunteers are a wonderful asset to tap for this purpose.
   

Re-design Your Volunteer Positions in 6 Steps

• Step 1 – Identify all of the main areas of work (administrative, direct service, communications, management, etc.). Include everything your program takes on.
• Step 2 – Brainstorm all of the tasks that need to be completed within each work area. Be sure to complete a thorough inventory and break down large tasks into smaller, discreet chunks. You may begin to see complimentary tasks that could be integrated into a single work process.
• Step 3 – Assess the frequency and timing of each task (i.e., twice a day, every Monday from 3-6pm, by the first of the month, etc.). This step is important in determining which tasks can be accomplished by volunteers and which by paid staff.  This may also help unearth ways to create more efficient workflow by assigning tasks that are to be completed at around the same time to the same position.
• Step 4 – Rate the complexity of each task (low, medium, high). This is important in determining the minimum qualifications, training and support needed for each role. Also, tasks with similar complexities might be combined under one role, so that the most effective use can be made of volunteer talent at each level.
• Step 5 – Design new roles and check to be sure each contains the three elements of job satisfaction:

• Task Variety – taps the breadth of skills and talents of the volunteer
• Task Identity – allows the volunteer to complete some tasks from beginning to end
• Task Significance – the volunteer believes the job has a substantial impact on others and the organization’s mission

• Step 6 – Create volunteer position descriptions for each role that reflect the desired qualifications, minimum time commitment, training and support provided, and how the position relates to the overall mission of the organization and the goals of the program.

Other Ways to Prevent Volunteer Fatigue

Instead of re-designing your volunteer positions, there are other ways to help keep tasks from overwhelming volunteers and, at the same time, prevent burn out:

• Reduce Effort Through Technology and Automation – For example, instead of answering a statewide toll free number at the central reception desk and then forwarding it to the appropriate local program, have the toll free number automatically forward calls based on call origination. Or, instead of hand mailing volunteer application packets, make digital copies available on your website.
• Reduce Mental Demands by Providing Job Aids and Ready Resources – Develop simple graphic tip sheets that outline key contacts, common, work processes, etc. for easy reference. Post everything online, so critical information can be found at any time from any locale.
• Try Triage or a Team Approach to Share the Load – For example, assign one team member the intake portion of client service, while another provides the direct service, while another does the follow up. Or, share clients amongst a team that is assigned different days of the week.  When using either of these tactics, it’s important to increase the team communication and keep everyone in the loop regarding client progress.  That way, volunteers still feel they are an integral part of the larger solution.
• Make it Clear When, Where and How to Ask for Help – Provide guidelines about how and when to make referrals, and to whom (both inside and outside the agency).  Be very clear about the scope of the volunteer’s work and the importance of relying on the appropriate community resources to help a client.  Also, be sure to offer back up to volunteers who are struggling with a task or are feeling overwhelmed.  Let volunteers know that genuine support will be provided when they need it.
• Reduce the Bureaucratic Burden – Figure out how to simplify the administrative hoops volunteers must jump through to get something done. For example, provide them templates, and give them the freedom to create outreach materials without approval each time (support them with training and clear guidelines). If you can’t simplify the steps, at least shield volunteers from the humdrum.

Have you taken steps to simplify or segment your volunteer roles in any way?  How has it worked for you?  Please share in the comments link below.

 

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Note: For research on promoting job satisfaction and theories of motivation, see "Motivation through the Design of Work: Test of a Theory," Richard Hackman and Greg Oldham.

Design Volunteer Recruitment Web Pages that Convert Browsers to Joiners

There’s no doubt that the internet is now commonly used for gathering information, making purchases, connecting with others, and supporting causes. And, it’s not just the “young-uns” anymore -- people of all ages surf.  In fact, for the first time in history, over half of older adults are online.  And more people are contributing to causes via online giving.  

So, it stands to reason that volunteers look to the web for information about new opportunities. But do our existing volunteer recruitment pages actually inspire visitors to join us?
Does Your Online Information Inspire Visitors to Act?

Take a moment to review the volunteer recruitment information that’s posted on your website. 

• Are your current openings listed?
• Is it easy to find directly from your agency home page? 
• Is a compelling case made for the need for your volunteer-led services? 
• Is there sufficient information about what volunteering actually entails? 
• Is there social proof that others have benefited from the volunteer program (as volunteers and service beneficiaries)? 
• Do visitors have a clear picture of what to do next? 

What Do You Want Your Visitors to Experience?

Now, take a moment to envision the experience you’d like your visitors to have. What do you want it to feel like? If your website were a storefront, would you want it to feel like a haphazard, dusty junk shop where you have to dig for hours to find treasures? Or would you rather invite users into the elegant comfort of your local Pottery Barn where everything is well organized, curated, and within easy reach? Or, does your local Ben & Jerry’s ice cream scoop shop suit your fancy where quirky, delicious variety is the spice of life? Or, is it somethng else altogether?

Your web site, or “virtual storefront,” can communicate your brand experience either very effectively or with disasterous results. So, take care to create a volunteer recruitment landing page that successfully plays the part -- It’s got to have curb appeal and some effective merchandising to draw new folks in, or your audience isn’t going to be compelled to step inside, browse, and make a commitment.

Actions You Want Visitors to Take

Your goal for each online visitor is that they take some kind of action.  Here are four positive actions volunteers can take, each building on the next:

1. Browsing -- People who visit your website for the first time are most likely there to check you out.  They want to learn more about your organization, cause, and volunteer opportunities.  Hopefully, they'll do more than just look you over, but that's up to you.  If you don’t have enough compelling information posted, they may abandon your site for soething more appealing.
2. Investigating -- If you’ve piqued a visitor’s interest, then they will want to know more about you, either by reading in-depth info you present or contacting you to get answers to specific questions.
3. Joining -- Once they’ve checked you out, and perhaps visited your website a few times, some visitors will take the leap and submit an application.  If these are quick and easy to complete online, versus waiting for a packet to arrive in the mail, the more likely your propsect will follow though.
4. Sharing -- Friends enjoy sharing what they’re up to and asking for advice. Prospective volunteers may want to share your info with others either while they are still investigating you or after they’ve applied.

Below are ways to promote these actions.

Landing Page Design to Promote Engagement and Action

• Include Clickable Call-to-Action Buttons -- I suggest three buttons -- Learn More About Volunteering, Contact Us, and Apply to Join Our Team -- with the final highlighted in some way as the preferred choice.  For more info on the art and science of Calls to Action, check out Hubspot’s free eBook “Mastering the Design and Copy of Calls-to-Action.” 
• Make Every Page Shareable -- Help your visitors (and current volunteers) spread the word about your volunteer openings.  Your landing page, and every subpage, should have a  Share This widget embedded.  Also, to make your opportunities easy to send to others and printable, place short paragraphs about each current opening together on one page. 
• Embed a Welcome Video -- Make it a brief and energetic one minute of fun.  Feature enthusiastic volunteers sharing quick snippets about why they volunteer and what accomplishments they’re proud of.  If you can’t get a video made, create a photo slide show of volunteers with hand-held signs and put it to music.  Animoto is my favorite inexpensive and easy tool to use to create dynamic, eye catching slideshows.
• Include Client Testimonials -- No one says it better than the people who have benefitted from your program.  Ask clients to share short quotes about how they have overcome a problem with the help of a volunteer. Get their permission to post and include first names and last initials if you want to protect their anonymity.
• Share a Photo Gallery -- Post photos of volunteers in action. Take photos of small groups of smiling people who are looking at the camera, versus large groups from far away involved in indeterminate actvities.  Also, include descriptive captions under each photo -- your audience will read captions twice as often as the rest of your body copy.  Plus, you can include added detail that describes the context for people who are not familiar with your work.  Be sure to get releases from all who are pictured. 
• Use QR Codes to Attract Online Visitors -- Help potential supporters link your volunteer recruitment landing page by using QR codes on all of your print materials such as business cards, fliers, rack cards, brochures, event posters, etc. Mashable has a slide show on how to easily set up QR codes for free. The use of mobile devices to surf the net is on the rise, so be sure anyone can access your site from any device. This means your website must be optimized for mobile use.  
• Design for Frictionless Browsing
  • Use Simple Typefaces -- Although it’s tempting to get fancy with the fonts, resist the urge.  The easiest to read are Arial and Verdana, so use them and keep them consistent throughout.
  • Chunk Text & Add Subheadings -- Most of your audience will scan versus read your copy in depth, so help them do this quickly.  Create subheadings that can be read with with the body copy or without.  Whenever possible, simplify long text into bulleted lists.
  • Include Links to Deeper Info -- For those who want to research more, include links to your Volunteer Position Descriptions, a list of staff and their photos, your agency’s Annual Report, the Volunteer Handbook, etc.
• Test & Evaluate -- Have your current volunteers test different web design layouts and copy.  Also, switch things up from time to time and see what works best for your audience.  To track conversions set up Google Analytics. The Google Conversion Suite can help you check whether your landing page design actually results in valued actions on the part of visitors. Also, ask every volunteer applicant how they heard about you to track the differences between online and offline referral effectiveness.

Remember that your web site represents you more often than you think. Invest in making your online experience an exceptional one and watch your visitors and volunteer recruitment results soar.

PS If you’re interested the current trends and demographics in internet use in the US, check out the Pew Internet & American Life Project’s latest research.

8 Time Saving Tips for Overwhelmed Volunteer Administrators

If you’re like most volunteer program administrators, you “wear many hats.”  The constant need to multi-task is a critical issue that needs a solution.  But, given the current economic climate and budget shortfalls, it’s not likely that help is on the horizon.  To succeed in this environment, it may be time to work smarter, not harder.

Manage Your Time, So It Doesn’t Manage You 

Below are a few tips and time management strategies that can increase your productivity. But remember that changing our well-worn behaviors takes discipline and patience.  Give yourself and your team some time to adjust to any new way of doing business.  

• Save Your Email Until After Your First Task of the Day is Done -- If you check you’re email first thing, chances are you'll get distracted and become less productive.  Work with your team to develop “communication norms” that everyone can live with -- if the expectation is that email must be responded to in 24 hours, that gives you some leeway as to when you need to check it.  Include in your norms what might trigger an emergency phone call or an interruption to a meeting.  This gives everyone some clear boundaries to work with.
• Chunk Your Projects & To Dos -- Research shows that people waste a tremendous amount of time switching from task to task.  Email and social media are major culprits here, but this goes for other work as well.  Try "mini-tasking" versus multi-tasking. When possible, plan your day so that you can stay on one task until you complete it.  Also, set a regular schedule for re-occurring activities.  For example, schedule your volunteer orientation and screening on discreet days of the month.  And, plan time-limited volunteer recruitment campaigns versus never-ending recruitment activities. 
• Set Limits -- We actually have much more control over interruptions than we think.  But, we have to be willing to jealously guard our “me time.”  Shut your office door (or put up a "do not disturb sign" on your cube or meeting room.  Set up office hours when anyone is welcome to drop by.  And, limit unnecessary meetings that eat up your time.  Be sure to let volunteers and staffers know when you can be expected to be free. Block out time on your calendar for tasks, not just meetings and travel.  And, post a small white board on your door that alerts everyone of your schedule and availability each day.  Finally, mute the ringer on your cell phone, and turn off your social media, so that every ping doesn’t interrupt your concentration.
• Work From Home When You Need To -- When you really need to think strategically or write something long or complex, such as a grant proposal or report, working from home can be a productive choice.  If your supervisor is skeptical, ask to try it for one day. Then, report back what you were able to accomplish at home and compare that to the hours needed for the same task at the office.  It may surprise you.
• Focus, Focus, Focus -- Reduce the number of new initiatives or projects you add to your plate.  Work with your team to critically evaluate each project and eliminate anything that doesn’t directly contribute to your overall goals.  Resist the urge for continued expansion, unless that expansion is accompanied my more people power (volunteer and/or staff based) and the necessary support infrastructure.  With increased service needs, nonprofits are hard pressed to limit services, but tough choices may be necessary.  At the same time, don't forget the tremendous human capital volunteers can bring to the table, provided some investment is made up front.
• Use Technology to Help Volunteers be More Self Sufficient -- There are tons of free or low-cost web-based software options out there, and you don’t have to be a tech expert to use them.  Here are a few ways they can bolser communication and save you time.  Form a volunteer-led team to do some of the following:
  • Set up an online resource hub (WikiSpace, Google Drive, etc.) where all volunteer support documents (handbook, forms, training materials, etc.) and works in progress (documents that need feedback or are being developed by a team) are posted.  
  • Set up an online discussion group (Yahoo Group, Facebook page, etc.) where volunteers can keep in touch with each other to ask questions, share ideas and info, arrange carpools, plan events, discuss scheduling, etc.  
  • Set up an email auto responder for initial volunteer inquiries with links to a landing page on your website where all recruitment materials are posted, and give them step-by-step instructions on what to do.  
  • Set up an additional auto responder, or pop up, when applications are submitted electronically, to let applicants know when they can expect an initial email or phone call.
  • Post a short video featuring current volunteers welcoming newcomers on your recruitment landing page to make their initial contact more personable. 
  • Use video chat services (Skype, Google Chat or Meet Up, FaceTime, etc.) to meet with others rather than spending time on the road.  Many of these will accommodate more than two people at the same time, making it easy to hold short team meetings, too.
  • Use an online collaborative team calendar (Google Calendar, You Can Book Me, etc.) that everyone can use to schedule appointments, meetings, volunteer service dates and times, etc. without going through a central person and multiple email threads.

• Get Volunteers More Involved in All Aspects of Your Program -- For example, delegate volunteer outreach, recruitment, screening, and placement to a volunteer-led team.  Create work flow processes and standardized tools, train the team on what to do at each step of the way, and explain when and how to reach out for support.  Set up an email specifically for interested volunteers and let the recruitment team manage it, making sure someone is assigned to check it each weekday.  
• Give Yourself a Break -- Nonprofit workers are to be admired for their self sacrifice and hard work under very challenging circumstances.  Be sure to take time out for yourself.  If you burn out, you’re no good to your cause.  There’s nothing to be gained from killing yourself, but everything to gain from caring for yourself.

Finally, remember all the good work you do and accept your limitations.  You may not be perfect and may not always notice the ripples you make.  But believe me, others do and are grateful even if they don’t or can’t tell you.  You are you, in all your fabulousness!  So, be kind to yourself first and foremost.

What are your best time savings hacks?  Share them by clicking on the comments link.

Paid Work and Volunteering: Mutually Exclusive or Mutually Beneficial?

As our economy evolves, I hear frustration expressed that volunteers simply aren’t available any more.  Two reasons are often cited for the current "drought" -- 1) Older volunteers are delaying retirement, and 2) Unemployed volunteers are returning back to work.  But, I wonder of this is the case.

Aside from anecdotal info and the national Volunteering in America study (which actually shows a small uptick on national volunteer rates), I’ve been unable to find any recent data that provides evidence to support these claims. So, it's hard to state conculsively that we're experiencing significant shifts in volunteer involvement due to workplace fluctuations.

But, this begs the real question, doesn't it? Are volunteering and paid work really mutually exclusive?

As a person who both volunteers and works a full-time job, I’d argue that the two activities actually compliment each other.  Above and beyond its value as an altruistic feel-good endeavor, volunteering can help build and support career development for people entering the workplace, seeking promotion, and changing careers later in life (provided opportunities are offered that fit the volunteer's work/life schedule).

If you’re still not convinced that volunteering might support workplace success, consider these tidbits --

• In a recent Harvard Business Review Daily Management Tip, the publishers recommend that readers “Try Out a Career by Volunteering,” which they suggest allows job seekers to “network with people, build new skills, and enhance their resume.” 
• Last year, LinkedIn added a Volunteer Experience & Causes section to its Profile page functionality.  The Realized Worth blog claimed this change would “revolutionize the way we volunteer” by making volunteering "a normal and expected element of a well-rounded resume."
• In 2011, the New York Times covered a story about how volunteering gains stature on a resume.
• Recent research, such as the Deloitte Volunteer IMPACT study, has pointed out that company-sponsored volunteer programs can actually increase employee job satisfaction and engagement.

Clearly, the business world has discovered the value of volunteering to their own operations, at least at some companies. 

So, how can volunteer programs take advantage of the attention and, at the same time, support the professional success of their volunteers?  I would argue that the answer lies in integrating professional development opportunities into our volunteer reward and recognition strategies. 

This practice will not only support volunteers, it will also help us recruit and retain qualified volunteer talent.  Helping our volunteers grow makes us more attractive to prospective recruits and more valuable to our existing volunteer corps.  It’s a win-win for everyone.
 

Six Ways to Offer Volunteer Professional Development Opportunities

So, what are simple, low-cost ways to incorporate career development into our volunteer program perks?  Here are a few that might work for you:

1. Match Volunteers with the Right Learning and Service Opportunities -- When you interview prospective volunteers, ask them about their current and future career hopes and dreams.  Then, find flexible ways to help them develop their skills in formal and informal ways through specific volunteer positions.  Match their needs with your opportunities.
2. Offer a Variety of In-service Trainings -- You don’t have to develop and present these all by yourself.  Survey volunteers about what they’d like to learn more about.  Then, ask internal staff, external partners, and volunteers themselves if they have expertise to share.  You’ll be pleasantly surprised at the talents people have to offer. 
3. Write Recommendations for Your Volunteers -- If you know a volunteer is seeking or experiencing a work transition, offer to write a letter of reference or post a recommendation on LinkedIn (also, remind them that they are free to list you as an organization they have supported).  Employers love to see well-rounded applicants who are devoted to their communities.
4. Partner with Employee Volunteer Programs -- Develop a leadership development program, in partnership with a local company, to train and plac volunteers in positions where they spearhead challenging special projects at your organization while gorwing their skills to lead.
5. Help Volunteers Earn College Credit for their Service -- Help students, old and young, get college credits, either through traditional internship (or work-study) programs with local educational institutions or with experiential learning programs, like CAEL, that arrange college credit for life experience.
6. Offer Continuing Education Credits (CEUs) -- If you offer intensive technical training to your volunteers, there’s no reason they shouldn’t get professional credit for it.  It takes some work to be able to offer CEUs, and you may need to form alliances with staff or community partners with specific credentials (i.e., MSW) to make it work, but if these are important to your volunteers, then it may make sense to check it out.

So, what do you think -- Are work and volunteering mutually exclusive?

Fostering an Investment Mindset in Our Volunteer Programs

In his recent Ted Talk, “The way we think about charity is dead wrong,” author and fundraiser Dan Pallotta raises some serious questions about our current mindset and the need for change.  He argues that a discriminatory belief system about nonprofits stunts our growth and capacity.  

What We Believe Keeps Us Down

Three ways we’ve been taught to think about how nonprofits should conduct business stood out for me, particularly because they also impact how we think about and resource our volunteer programs.

1. Nonprofit Compensation Isn’t Merited -- Pallotta points to the herculean social problems nonprofits are attempting to fix, all while paying staff a small percentage of their private sector peers.  I would argue that this pay disparity is even more deeply felt at the volunteer program level.  
   
   Consider problems even defining the average pay grade for volunteer administrators, and the fact that they are underpaid when compared to other staff, all of which is troubling given the broad swath of their responsibilities for program development, volunteer recruitment and onboarding, risk management, in-kind resource generation, supervision, etc.  And, consider that volunteer coordinators, despite the fact that they are often responsible for a significant share of agency human resources -- often far exceeding the number of paid staff FTEs -- are rarely invited to the executive management table.  
   
   How can we attract future talent to the volunteer management profession, if we don’t pay them equitable wages, even within our own sector?
    
2. Time Should be Spent on Direct Service Not Program Development -- Pallotta argues that nonprofits are discouraged from focusing staff attention on experimentation with new program models and allowing staff the breathing room to build effective programs to scale.  Volunteer programs are similarly stymied.  
   
   Consider how volunteer leadership is so often tacked onto a long list of other staff duties, resulting in a lower priority status for volunteer program management.  
   
   How can innovation happen when there simply isn’t time?
    
3. Money Should be Spent on Direct Service, Not Advertising -- Pallotta also noted that nonprofits aren’t really allowed to fully market their solutions in order to drive greater financial support for growth.  Again, in this respect, volunteer programs suffer mightily.  
   
   Consider how an agency’s meager advertising budget is often unequally split between the fundraising department and the volunteer program, despite the fact that volunteers donate 10 times more than non-volunteers, representing a far greater potential for return on investment.  
   
   If we rely solely on word of mouth and DIY volunteer recruitment efforts, without using more sophisticated marketing practices, can we really expect to reach the quality, committed citizenry we hope to engage? 

Finally, Pallotta argues that in the social sector “we confuse morality with frugality.”  Similarly, by promoting a “poverty mindset” in our volunteer programs we unwittingly discourage investment in the compensation, time, and advertising it realistically takes to connect with, prepare, and support high-impact volunteers.  And, we severely restrict our ability to scale the volunteer effort to something that can have real, sustained impact.

It’s Time for a Change

Volunteers are valuable human resources that can be game changers for organizations who embrace and support them.  What would it mean for organizations to truly invest in the growth of volunteerism at their agencies?  How could the current limited capacity felt at many nonprofits be transformed into limitless possibility through an infused investment in the volunteer infrastructure?  If we truly believe volunteers are part of the solution, do we have the courage to take the first steps toward authentic change?  How will we involve volunteers themselves in this shift?  Who else can we enlist as our champions in these efforts?

In the current economic climate, and political battles on Capitol Hill, it’s hard to think beyond day-to-day survival.  It may feel counterintuitive to speak of growth when so many have fallen on hard times.  But, as leaders we must. 

As volunteer program managers we must convince our agency leadership that an investment in volunteers can lead to long-term dividends for our constituents.  As executive managers, we need to find ways to elevate and support the volunteer function beyond a second class status.  As volunteers, we need to continually advocate for the needs of our programs and ourselves as we work to support the causes we love.  It’s now more important than ever.

 

PS A tip of the hat goes to my colleague and friend at the Tennessee Health Care Campaign, Brad Palmertree, who forwarded this Ted Talk to me.  Thanks Brad!

Beyond Plaques & Pins: Volunteer Reward & Recognition from a New Perspective

I’m often asked for recommendations on how to reward and recognize volunteers.  Naturally, leaders of volunteers want to express their gratitude for the contributions of their volunteers and want to encourage them to continue their efforts.  Unfortunately, more often than not, they don’t have the budget or can’t convince senior management, or the fiscal department, to approve the expense. 

As I work on a volunteer recognition and retention plan for one of my consulting clients, I’ve taken a step back to reconsider -- What really motivates us?  How can that be integrated into how we reward and recognize volunteers?  Does recognition really require a big budget and lots of bling, or are we missing the point entirely?

For author Daniel Pink, most business (of which I assume nonprofits are a part) miss the point when they design their employee reward systems.  In his TED talk “The Puzzle of Motivation” he explains what science has only recently discovered -- contingent motivators don’t work.  When we attempt to inspire using a transactional approach -- "if you do X, we’ll give you X" -- performance actually gets worse.

Unfortunately, extrinsic motivators are still what most of the world relies on to reward employees (through pay for performance, for example) -- as well as volunteers (through gifts and awards).

“There’s a mismatch between what science knows and what business does,” explains Pink.  Extrinsic rewards or incentives don’t increase productivity or motivate, he argues, because they actually make us focus on a limited action and consequence and thus restrict possibility.  This is especially true when it comes to jobs that require cognitive skills over merely mechanical ones. 

Consider motivating the elusive skilled or leader volunteer.  How do we limit their potential by the way we recognize them?

During countless interviews and conversations with volunteers I’ve heard similar themes expressed.  They really don’t need to see the plaque, trophy, or fancy dinner to feel appreciated.  They want to see and experience the change in the world they work so hard to bring about.  And yet, our recognition planning continues as before.

But if the old paradigm doesn’t work, what does?  In his book “Drive: The Surprising Truth About What Motivates Us,” Pink identifies three basic human drives:

• Mastery – The need to create and learn new things
• Autonomy - The need to direct our own lives
• Purpose – The need to be part of something that improves our world and ourselves

In fact, Pink’s arguments point to the very premise of volunteering itself -- volunteers are driven to help organizations and communities, without pay, because they can bring about improvements in society and because they matter.

So, rather than using outdated ideas about what what motivates people, how can leaders of volunteers use what science has discovered to improve their recognition practices?  Here are some ideas:

Encourage Mastery

• Give volunteers leeway to create new work processes and tools for your program and agency; develop style guides so that they know the minimum expectations and can work within agency guidelines.
• Help volunteers learn new things; invite guest speakers in for monthly “Teach Ins” (or webinars) that relate to your cause or their work for your organization.
• Hold annual “Idea Mash Ups” where volunteers and staff come together for a day of problem solving around the organization or program’s biggest challenges; then, have them pitch their ideas and vote on which should be considered for implementation.

Provide Autonomy 

• If extensive training is required, allow volunteers to direct at least some of their our own learning; offer them a Learning Checklist and goals with which they can track their own progress.
• Provide robust online resources and tools for learning, personal exploration, and growth; set up a volunteer team to develop a wiki where volunteers can connect and share resources (www.wikispaces.com).
• Set up a process and technology (i.e., Google Calendar) for team-based scheduling; appoint one or two volunteer schedule coordinators, but allow the team to work together to plan shift coverage (and offer back up in case issues arise).

Reinforce Purpose

• Take every opportunity to demonstrate how the world has improved because of volunteer efforts -- from both the individual level, by sharing thank you notes from service beneficiaries, and the program level, by reporting program outcomes and achievements.
• Present an annual “State of the Community” report to volunteers that details the impacts the organization has had in furthering its mission or cause (both measurable and anecdotal), what challenges it has encountered, and what still needs to be done.
• Form a Volunteer Advisory Team to not only guide your program decision making, but to also evaluate or audit your program operations to find ways to improve.

By changing the way you approach volunteer recognition activities, you may be able to better tap into what really drives human motivations and, along the way, help volunteers feel truly acknowledged and appreciated. 

What ideas do you have on whats to engage, reward, and motivate volunteers? 

Volunteer Orientation is a Process, Not an Event: Here’s How to Keep It Moving Along

Last summer, I wrote a post about how human involvement is propelled by organizational socialization.  In volunteer programs, we often attempt to institutionalize socialization by creating a single orientation event that’s meant to, among other things, shorten the time it takes to get volunteers acclimated.  But, does this really work? 

Socialization is “a continuing process whereby an individual acquires a personal identity and learns the norms, values, behavior, and social skills appropriate to his or her social position.”  In the human resources world, socialization is synonymous with the terms assimilation, transition, alignment, induction, integration, onboarding, and orientation -- all related to helping new hires get comfortable. 

Socialization is inherently slow -- It can take over a year for full time employees.  So, is it realistic to believe we can rush part time volunteer through the process?  By the same token, do we really have the luxury of time when we welcome new volunteers onboard?  Unless new recruits are making a contribution pretty early in their involvement, they are likely to lose interest and leave. So, what to do?

Rapid Onboarding
The first thing to accept is that orientation does not occur overnight.  Also, it doesn’t happen solely because a volunteer participated in a group welcome session or watched an online recording of your PowerPoint slides. 

New volunteer orientation is not an event.  Rather, it involves a process of adaptation where volunteers experience a wide range of emotions internally -- surprise, fear, ambiguity, etc. -- while they wrestle with past and current expectations and make sense of their new environment.  So, we must support them accordingly.

So, what helps keep this process moving?  Orientation training can certainly help.  Especially if it is helpful, supportive, makes social cues easy to read, and fosters connections between newcomers, the organization, and the people in it.  There are also specific, evidence-based tactics you can put to use.

Six Ways to Socialize
Researchers have identified six distinct socialization tactics that help newcomers adapt more rapidly.  These have been widely adopted by human resources professionals and may be helpful to you.  Below is a description of each and my thoughts for volunteer programs.

• Collective-individual – Subject newcomers to common entry experiences with a group versus unique experiences in isolation from other new hires.
  • Implication: This is a strike against designing individual online learning experiences. Moreover, because volunteers need to be able to bond with others, it may be more helpful to schedule orientations at regular intervals when a critical mass is ready versus doing them one-by-one.
• Formal-informal - Use specifically designed activities and materials while segregating newcomers from incumbents versus no exclusively prepared materials and immediate mixing with incumbents (e.g., learning on the job).
  • Implication: Throwing folks in to “sink or swim” isn’t helpful, nor are orientations that are conducted verbally without backup materials.  
• Sequential-random - Communicate the sequence of discrete and progressive learning activities versus ambiguous or unknown sequence.
  • Implication: During the screening process, volunteers can benefit from an explicit training plan that lays out what will happen and by when.
• Fixed-variable - Communicate specific time frame of completing each socialization step versus no given time frame.
  • Implication: Although “work at your own pace” orientations may seem tempting and responsive to volunteer needs, it may be more helpful to set up achievable deadlines for each step.
• Serial-disjunctive - Provide newcomers with access to experienced organizational members as role models or mentors versus no access to experienced models.
  • Implication: Buddy systems really work, and research shows that they are actually more helpful when the buddy is there to answer mundane everyday questions  (like “where do I find the copy paper?”) versus to conduct technical training on how to do assigned tasks.
• Investiture-divestiture - Provide newcomers with positive social support and affirm their personal characteristics versus provide more negative social feedback until newcomers adapt.
  • Implication: Volunteer recognition shouldn’t be reserved for volunteers who’ve been around awhile or relegated to your annual recognition event; plan to build it into your orientation activities right from the start.

Is Orientation Better Online or On Land?
With more and more volunteer programs moving toward adopting elearning strategies, it also makes sense to take a look at whether it hurts or helps.  In one study, a group of new employees (261 individuals) participated in either a group social-based orientation session or an individual computer-based session. They were then asked to complete a survey measuring the six content areas of organizational socialization (organizational goals and values, history, politics, language, people and performance proficiency).

Compared with employees who attended the social-based orientation session, those who were in the computer-based session reported lower levels of socialization in the content areas of people, politics and organizational goals and values, and no significant differences on the more information-based dimensions of history, language and performance proficiency.

• Implication: Although it may not always be feasible, it appears that face-to-face training is more effective in helping volunteers identify with the organization and its people.  In terms of specific job tasks, online training may work well (BIG caveat: if it is designed well).

A New Approach: Integrated Orientation
Socialization occurs on a continuum and is commonly thought to occur in three phases -- before, during and after the official orientation training. To help volunteers get up to speed more quickly, try to integrate orientation information -- and opportunities for interaction with other volunteers and staff -- into the recruitment, screening, training, and placement stages of the relationship with your volunteers.  This will help solidify their connection with your organization and increase your chances of developing a mutually satisfactory partnership.

PS  If you’re building, or improving, your orientation program and are interested in what to include in your Volunteer Handbook, check out my post on the topic.