Volunteer Management ideas in this

Ultimate Ideas Newsletter

How to lead, recruit and retain more volunteers and members!

Issue 10

Volunteer Management Newsletter Part 1 and Part 2

Pass the Bation in Volunteer Recruitment

8 Tips for Committee Succession Planning

Here's an abridged version of an email from Lisa (published with permission)...

Hello Judy,

I am secretary of our junior football club, a role that has given me a great deal of satisfaction and I have learnt so much about running a business (which I consult in) as a sporting organization exposes you to every angle of a business. I believe that in the 2 years I have been able to streamline and organize the club to achieve a number of significant outcomes. I agreed to the position for 2 years and believe that this term is long enough... My goal was that the club would run even better without me in this role than it did when I was there – that to me is a real test of your management effectiveness.

The dilemma I now have is that I think I have raised the standard of organization to a level that frightens people off (without wanting to be boastful).

Do you have any suggestions how I can handle this? I am aware that people are just assuming I will continue on in the role, however, I don’t believe this would be a good outcome for the club and what I have tried to achieve during my term.

Thanks for your assistance, 

Kind regards

Lisa

Secretary

Junior Football Club (surname and club name supplied)

Okay here are 8 quick volunteer recruitment tips for Lisa and those in volunteer management.

Tip No 1 - Fright Night

You are certainly not alone - this is a common challenge for committee members who have done an outstanding job during their term. Many people have found that the more effective and efficient you are - the more the other committee members want you to stay. Well why wouldn't they?

Along with this super efficiency comes the reluctance and often the fear of another person to take on that role. How are they going to live up to such high standards of effectiveness? The fear of failure can be a great de-motivator and 'Can I do it?' becomes 'No I can't'. Recognition of this fear and find ways to reassure others they can move from 'can't' to 'can'!

Tip No 2 - Mentor Me

Here's a volunteer recruitment tip for Lisa to consider from a previous volunteer management newsletter on Must Join Committees to overcoming the 'can't' . With too many committees, the previous treasurer, secretary, etc leaves as another person is elected at the annual general meeting. The new committee member basically starts from the beginning in their learning curve. Ensure a smooth transition process and remove the 'fear of failure' element, with committee members serving for a 2.3 year term (or another suitable length of term). This means you serve on the committee for 2 years and then assist and mentor your replacement for 3 months afterwards as they 'learn the ropes' from you.

Tip No 3 - Committee Conference on Volunteer Recruitment

Don't just try to find solutions on your own. Put it on the agenda and discuss the whole situation with the committee at your next meeting. Express your concerns, ask for advice and plan a course of action together about not only your transition but for all future committee members.

Tip No 4 - Show Me the Volunteer Management Role

Sit down and write out all the duties and tasks that you have undertaken in your role on the committee - a type of job description for that role. When you then approach others to succeed you in that role, they are more likely to say yes if it is very clear precisely what they are being asked to do.

Tip No 5 - Task Touchdown

Now have a look at that list of duties and tasks again. Are you really role modeling burnout? Is it time to split the role? Why do we need one person to do it all? Would two secretaries, presidents, etc work even better? Can we reduce or spread the load so that potential volunteers are more likely to say yes.

Tip No 6 - Reduce and Ask

Go on! Have a look one more time at that list. Are there manageable tasks that can be separated from the present role and given to others to do. This may be others on the committee. Or what about new volunteers who may take on limited tasks that do not require them to hold an office on the committee or even attend meetings. Reduce the tasks and you will have more people saying yes to volunteering.

Tip No 7 - The Early Bird

If the role must remain as a whole, begin to look for your replacement early, certainly within 3 to 6 months of your completion of  your term of office. Seek out people who are highly efficient in other fields and target them as possible replacements. Begin to 'plant the seeds' of their future involvement on the committee long before you ask them directly.

Tip No 8 - Sell The Opportunity

Committee membership is, as Lisa pointed out, a great way to learn so much about running a business and dealing with people. So sell that opportunity and the associated benefits to those who are potential buyers of that opportunity. Consider approaching associations/clubs for business people and sell the benefits to their members.

Approach business schools with the potential opportunity for the students to learn 'the most important business skills at the grassroots' by joining the committee. Or consider higher education and university-based courses that contain training in groupwork skills (e.g., social work and community work) and sell the opportunity to develop skills in dealing with the groupwork processes found in a committee. You may have not considered these as potential sources of volunteers.

For more ideas on volunteer recruitment and  volunteer recognition see Count Me In! 501 Ideas on Recruiting Volunteers and Count On Me! 501 Ideas on Retaining, Recognizing and Rewarding Volunteers.

Enjoy!

Judy

Dr Judy Esmond is the leading expert on how to gain, sustain and retain volunteers and members. Join up and receive FREE membership to her 'Ultimate Ideas' Mastermind Group and get the FREE E-Book and newsletter filled with 100s of ideas on volunteer management, volunteer recruitment, retention and volunteer recognition at www.morevolunteers.com

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