Tobi's Volunteer Management Blog

And the winners are...

Congratulations!

The following randomly-selected readers have won a copy of “SHIP It: A Little Pamphlet for People Who Can” by Seth Godin (it should arrive within the week; if I don’t have your address I’ll let you know):

Robyn J (Montgomery, AL)

Lee T (Washington, DC)

HM T (Washington, DC)

Cheryl W (Oakland, CA)

Jennifer T (Hartford, CT)

A heartfelt thanks to all of you, dear readers.  I really appreciate your words of encouragement.  I'm so glad you are part of this journey.

Stay tuned...this week you’ll have a chance to shape what I share.  Let‘s make sure what I write adds real value to you and your org.  After all, you deserve it, right?

Happy Halloween!

 

 

Last Chance: 5 Lucky Readers Win this Sunday

As promised, this Sunday I will be raffling off copies of Seth Godin's booklet: "SHIP IT: A little Pamphlet for People Who Can."  To show my appreciation, five lucky readers of my blog will win copies.  

If you already subscribe, you don't have to do a thing.  You are all ready entered in the pool.  Yay!

If you have friends or colleagues who are thinking about subscribing, let them know.  Now is a great time to join us!

Dramatic Rise in Use: Older Adults & Social Media

If you are interested in mobilizing older Americans to support your organization as volunteers, donors, or advocates, a recent report by the Pew Research Center might interest you.  Social media use is on the rise...in a BIG way.  

For social networking use from April 2009 - May 2010:

• Ages 50 and older -- nearly doubled (from 22% to 42%).
• Ages 50-64 -- grew by 88% (from 25% to 47%)
• Ages 65 and older --  grew 100% (from 13% to 26%)
• By comparison, use among 18-29 year olds grew by 13% (from 76%-86%)

And, if that didn’t get your attention:

One in five (20%) age 50-64 say they use social networking sites on a typical day.

So, not only are seniors using the internet (as of December 2009 Pew says four out of ten do, likely many more now), they are also taking advantage of social media as a way to communicate and get information.  So, the next time someone tells you that Facebook is a waste of time because seniors won’t use it, just smile knowingly and continue with your plans.  Sooner or later they’ll see the light.

 

Dealing with Resistance in Eight Steps

There are times when it seems no matter how we ask, cajole, offer rewards, or demand people will not budge.  We think we know the right steps to take, but they refuse to see it our way.  The real issue may not be that they completely disagree.  It may be that they want their point of view to be heard and acknowledged.  The more we push, the more they will respond with force in kind.

This doesn’t mean they expect you to change your expectations or responsibility for getting the results.  It just means they want to tell their side of story.  The more they feel truly understood by you, moreover, the more likely they are to consider your position and buy into it.  The more you listen, the more you’ll learn how to improve your project in ways you had not considered.

Next time someone resists a request, try the following:

1. Consciously acknowledge you are meeting with resistance.  Remind yourself this is a normal part of the change process.
2. Take a deep breath. Prepare yourself for calm, active listening.  
3. Probe for more information from the resister.  Ask, “What’s worrying you?”  
4. Listen carefully and ask for clarification. Do this until you think you understand the issues completely.  
5. Resist judging their point of view.  It’s not wrong or right, it’s just another perspective.
6. Repeat back to them what you think you heard.  Use neutral, nonjudgmental language. Check for clarity until you both agree you’re on the same page.  
7. Only after you have absolute clarity on their point of view, can you move on to what you need.  State your own perceptions, expectations, needs, and rationale.  Be sure you don’t neglect explaining the reason behind your request.  People need to know why it is important they do what you are asking them to do.
8. Make the final decision as you see fit.  If there are valid points you are incorporating, let them know.  If you’re moving ahead as planned and need them to comply, thank them for helping you understand their point of view.  Then, move on, letting them know you will be counting on their support.

Give it a try.  Then, let us know how it goes.

 

Melinda Gates: Three Things Nonprofits Can Learn from Coca-Cola

Melinda Gates’ recent talk on TED makes some interesting connections between how the Coke Corp reaches those in the developing world and how nonprofits can similarly connect with people in need.  But can it really work?  Do for-profit models make sense in a nonprofit world?  Check it out below or on TED.

 

Gates Highlights Three Things that Make Sense

1. Analyzing Real-time Data
2. Deploying Local Entrepreneurial Talent
3. Marketing that is Aspirational and Localized

What do you think?  Can nonprofits learn anything from Coca-Cola and the corporate world?  Would these strategies be successful outside the clinical healthcare or global development sectors?  If so, do we have enough resources to implement them?  Or, how can we scale them to something that’s doable locally?  Finally, can strategies like these be used to generate additional resources, such a volunteers or in-kind support, when funding is limited?  

Share your thoughts below.

 

Book Report: Four Big Ideas from The Networked Nonprofit

 

If you’re wondering whether social media is just a fad, getting ready to dip your toe into the proverbial pool, or you’ve already taken the plunge and aren’t getting results you hoped for, this book is for you.

 Beth Kanter and Allison Fine, two leaders in nonprofit technology circles, recently published The Networked Nonprofit: Connecting with Social Media to Drive Change.  The book is split into two sections -- the first covering what it means to be a networked nonprofit and the second offers tips and case studies of how to work in a networked way.  

 Why It’s a Good Read

 Here are two reasons to spend a weekend on the couch reading -- one, because there aren’t many good books out there that address nonprofit management needs beyond the basic level.  This book is a refreshing change.  More important, though, are Kanter and Fine’s critical connections between the use of social media and the daunting challenges our sector faces in an evolving world.  We are witnessing a sea change in the way leading organizations engage the public in solving societal problems. 

 If you’re looking for a step-by-step guide on how to set up a Facebook page, this isn’t it.  Although it’s chock full of tips, advice, and case studies, the book is more intriguing as a treatise on where we find ourselves today and where we need to head in the future.  

 Four Big Ideas from the Book

 “Networked nonprofits are easy for outsiders to get in and insiders to get out.” -- This goes beyond breaking down internal silos and sharing your annual report on a website.  They point to a level of transparency and organizational “porousness” that is revolutionary.  Trust me.  It will give you pause.

 “Nonprofits and the people within them have too much to do because they try to do too much as stand-alone organizations.” -- Kanter and Fine assert that organizations, whether they realize it or not, are part of a larger ecosystem of individuals and groups at work.  The coordination of this larger network is what is needed to tackle the complex issues we face today.   Moreover, people aren't asking for our permission.  They'll continue the work, with or without our support.

 “Social media is a contact sport, not a spectator sport.” -- Some organizations are already on the bandwagon, but they still use social media the same old way -- to send one-way information blasts.  Two-way conversation is the key that unlocks the gate of engagement. 

  “There is no one-size-fits-all friendship.” -- Social media tools don’t create relationships, people do.  And, it’s appropriate to ask for different things at different levels of a relationship.  Kanter and Fine share a model called the Ladder of Engagement. It’s a helpful way to look at how to deepen support and resources, whether you need volunteers, donations, or both.

 Finally, the book also includes reflection questions at the end of each chapter.  If you are expecting resistance to social media at the office, these questions might help get the conversation started in a meaningful way.

 As a footnote, I’m hoping that when the second edition is published, they’ll add an entire chapter on program evaluation using networks.  Right now I’m helping develop a performance improvement system.  It makes me wonder.  Who’s using social media to involve stakeholders in program evaluation and how?  Can social media help us make program improvements in a truly authentic and participatory way?  Once we understand what we need to change, how can we continue to engage our network in supporting the transformation?  

 What do you think?  Share your comments below.

 Want to learn more?  Check out Beth’s Blog.  She writes regularly about how real live nonprofits and advocates are using social media tools in new ways.  

 (Photo credit: T. Johnson)

 

What Compels Us to Care? A Lesson from the Chilean Mine Tragedy

Over the last two days our household has been transfixed by the (now successful) efforts of the Chilean authorities to rescue 33 miners, trapped for 69 days underground in Copiapo.  We were compelled to watch not just the nightly news recap, but also by the ongoing news stream.  We were so compelled, in fact, that we stayed up late into the night, I tracked it over the following day, and we kept vigil to the bitter end as the last brave rescue worker made his way to freedom.  

For us, that's a lot of TV!  And we weren't alone.  Millions of people around the world followed the story both on TV and the internet.  And, it got me thinking...what motivated such a strong compulsion?  Does this event have any lessons for nonprofits and how we connect with our audiences?

Why Were We Watching?  

Partly, because we felt some sense of solidarity and need to support by keeping vigil.  But there was more, something about how we as human beings react to information we receive.  In the case of nonprofits, our job is to get people to react -- to donate, volunteer, change behavior, support our cause, etc.  So, what could we learn here?

Emotion Trumps Intellect

A few months ago, I sat in on a talk by Duke Professor & Behavior Economist Dan Ariely (writer of "The Upside of Irrationality" & "Predictably Irrational").  His research, and that of others, gives us insightful clues about how to engage and motivate potential supporters.   According to the research, we make 95% of our decisions based on our our emotions versus our intellect.  Emotion is a much more powerful driver than reason.  And, in fact, statistical information has a negative impact on action.  In addition, we care more when we hear the story of one person versus the plight of millions.  In other words, the more lives are affected, the less we care.  

The Power of Storytelling

But the Chilean mine tragedy affected 33 men not just one.  How did it affect us so powerfully?  Let's start with the power of storytelling.  When we hear a story, according to Roger Dooley, author of the Neuromarketing blog, we not only empathize, the appropriate parts of our brains are activated and we experience the story as if we were there.   In Chile, through the power of multiple camera angles, above and below the surface, we were able to track the progress of each miner as he entered the escape pod and when he exited the mine shaft.  In a sense, we could travel with each one of them on their journey to freedom...and we did it in real time.  

Individuals Not Statistics

In addition, we we received individual information on each miner, their age, experience, role on the team, marital status, and who would be waiting up top to greet them.  And, as they joyfully embraced their family and rescuers, we experienced the moment, empathizing and imagining ourselves in their shoes.  (It brought tears to my eyes every time, without fail.)  We were ignited by emotion, not because we heard statistics on the number of miners who have experienced similar tragedies, the rescue rates, the number of tons of material they hauled out every year, or the profits the company earned.  We cared because we felt an emotional connection to their individual stories.

We Admire Their Tribe

Dan Ariely contends that  "we are creatures of narrative, stories, and belonging."  He discusses the instinct in humans to herd.  People strive to be part of the whole.  In the case of the miners, we aspire to be better human beings.  We are inspired by their courage. We admire the strength of their tribe.  More, perhaps, than we've admired anything in a long time.  

What Can We Do at Home?

So, how can we be led by the miners example and do good in our worlds?  By what means will we ignite the emotions of our potential supporters?  What stories can we share that will resonate with the public? And what are we doing that turns people away?  We are lucky.  Our organizations help people change their lives each and every day, maybe not as profoundly as a mine rescue, but valued nonetheless.  Imagine the support we might generate if we shared these achievements with the rest of the world in a way that really resonated.

To see and hear a recording of Dan Ariely's fascinating presentation for Network for Good click here.

Lone Ranger or Superfriends. Which Would You Rather Be?

I posed this question to a group of volunteer coordinators at a recent conference.  What do super heroes have to do with program management?  Consider this... 

The Differences

• The Lone Ranger has only one sidekick, plus horse.  The Superfriends have a team of helpers who are activated to assist, depending on the world crisis at hand.

• The Lone Ranger is clearly the boss; Tonto follows orders (and shares his wisdom solely on a need to know basis).  The Superfriends use situational leadership; the person in charge depends on which evil needs to be thwarted at the moment, and everyone shares their particular talents.

• The Lone Ranger's crew of two men is uni-generational.  The Superfriends are multi-generational and include women (and yes, they could work on being more culturally diverse).  Also, you don't have to have super powers to be a Superfriend; you just have to care.

You Make the Choice

If you run a volunteer program, you get to choose.  What will your team look like and how will it operate?  Your capacity will be limited if you are unable or unwilling to welcome the talents of community volunteers, delegate authority, and be ready to let go.  

Two dudes working in isolation can't make big change happen; they don't have enough time, resources, or energy.  Tribes of people who care about each other and the cause do have that power, however. 

Volunteers will choose, too.  Changing the world is a team endeavor that stretches far beyond any organizational walls.  It's more than likely your potential supporters will see it this way, and will choose organizations that make the most of what they have to offer.  So ask yourself, are you a Lone Ranger or a Superfriend?

 

Welcome to My Blog!!

After over a year of hand wringing and feet dragging, I finally decided to take the plunge.  It was time to get real and get the blog started.  So, here it is!  

I come across so many resources, ideas, tools, and just plain cool stuff, that I needed a way to share them quickly and easily.  

I hope you'll find my posts valuable.  I'll try to deliver some good ideas you can put to use for the common good.  Your comments will help me include what's important to you.  So, please join the conversation, share the blog, and help me spread the word.