I’ve often heard leaders in volunteer driven organizations lament that only 20% of the people do 80% of the work. I don’t know if this is really accurate, but I’ve heard it as long as I can remember. It can often be nothing more than a convenient reason for throwing up hands or not seriously prioritizing or resourcing the volunteer strategy – as if that is just the way it is. But does it have to be? Why?
From civic clubs, to schools, to churches, to community centers and health care, the implication is that people just don’t want to step up and help anymore. Now let’s assume the above “statistic” is even accurate (and it can certainly feel that way sometimes), then isn’t it a pretty sad excuse for not taking the initiative to look at volunteerism differently?
Seriously though, admitting that 80% of participants, connected to your organization, are little more than casual names in a group speaks to 1 of two possible realities regarding your organizational leadership:
1. Either the organization’s ability and priority to communicate a clear compelling vision along with a practical on-ramp is grossly insufficient, and maybe even misdirected or…
2. The mission of the organization is simply not meaningful or purposeful enough to engage more than a small amount of enthusiastic stakeholders (often the founders or decedents of the effort). In other words, the organization itself may not genuinely believe in it’s mission any longer, fails to intentionally resource the mission, or maybe even lacked a meaningful purpose to begin with.
In my upcoming book Welcome Aboard (shifting your volunteer strategy from transactional to transformational) we’ll look at why people volunteer, and how to package your vision and mission in such a way that brings fresh life to the experience in 2024 and beyond.
If you function in or lead an organization that wants to get serious about volunteer engagement, I’d like to hear from you.
#welcomeaboard
#whatmattersmatters
#leadership
#culture
#volunteerdevelopment
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This is going to get incredibly complex on many levels. There’s no going back, but we’ve been here before.
Like any new technology or medium (such as the printing press or the telegraph), AI will retrieve something/behavior from the past and add to creative, communication, and information processes. The medium will modify and impact the way we view and interact with our world.
In one way, AI will appear as an extension of our minds, and with that, will come all the pitfalls, opportunities, and consequences (both intended and unintended) that that implies.
“The medium will modify and impact the way we view and interact with our world.”
-Gary Yonek
#technology #future #creative #ai #media #communications #culture #whatmattersmatters #leadership
Occasionally I’ll hear someone speak about “these modern times”, when what we’re actually living in are the “post-modern times” – and we have been for about 15 years.
For over 400 years the modern era was marked largely by the printing press as the single dominant communication medium and profoundly shaped the linear literary mind especially in Europe and the West.
Many agree that post modern times began around 1970-1980 (some even say the late 1800s with the introduction of the telegraph). The Digital Communication Age, however came into full effect around 2005, significantly and noticibly changing cultural behaviors and attitudes.
The post modern mind is now largely shaped by current electronic technologies, specifically the fast dominance of digital communications as primary communication media.
Although, in the west, we still technically live and operate as a written, literate society, physical print is no longer the dominant medium. It’s simply not the reality any longer.
Consequently, our collective insensitive, sometimes violent, conduct and impulsive, sometimes irrational responses to our surroundings reflect that of more an oral, tribal tradition than that of a literary society. And those seem to be just a few of the behavioral characteristics of the digital communication age. What are some others?
This is our reality. And this will enevitably have to factor into the way we lead others and build teams moving forward.
What notable cultural or behavioral shifts have you experienced or observed beginning in 2005?
#postmodern #communication #media #digital #printing #culture
#whatmattersmatters #leadership #understandingthetimes
#tribes #teams #leadforward
Happy New Year!
Now hurry up and slow down. Take a pause.
I’m generally not one for resolutions, rituals, or “disciplines” but twice each day I take a pause of about 5-10 minutes (10:15AM and 6:30PM). I started doing this about a month ago and literally have it in my calendar with a reminder that pops up on my phone. It’s intentional.
And I’ve given myself permission not to feel guilty about it.
During those moments I literally close my door, silence my phone, turn off the screens, and maybe put in some headphones with some calming music to help bock interruptions and distractions. I don’t take calls.
This is not a break to play a game or take a nap. Not a chance to cram in some exercise or study time, to scroll social or check the news. Actually it’s a healthy disconnect from all things both important and trivial.
No, this is more of a reset. A time to quiet my heart and thoughts. And take some deep breaths. A time to remind myself what’s most important and that I’ve been given all the time that there is. For me I might meditate on a scripture verse or pray, or just be still for a few minutes. It’s refreshing and energizing.
Try it. I think you’ll quickly realize that there is likely nothing in your life that will fail or succeed because you took your hands off the wheel and stepped off your treadmill for 5 minutes. You’ll find that everything will be right where you left it. You’ll get back to your emails, crisis management, projects, meetings, and return phone calls. And even if there’s something in your life that’s big and daunting, intentionally letting go of some worry and anxiety for a few minutes certainly won’t make it worse. In fact a clearer mind might help you cope and navigate things more healthily.
You’ll most likely find it’s difficult to be quiet with yourself without constant noise, if even for just 10 minutes. And that, I think, is maybe the point.-garyyonek
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Taking a regular and frequent pause will help you be a better you – a better leader, spouse, friend, coworker, parent.
Happy New Year!
#leadership #filocommunity
#soulcare
Many organizations, particularly not-for-profits that rely on volunteers, can have a tendency to want to place everyone on the “same team”. The assumption is that they’re all somehow one big family equally invested in the same mission. It can even sound like vision. The language of team sometimes works to make people feel included and attempts to create an aura of general “ownership” or a collective corporate support. But are they really on a team?
Sometimes we say we’re leading a team, when what we’re actually doing is nurturing or facilitating a group. Maybe a group of people with relational connections surrounded by some common interest or activity, but a group none the less. These individuals might show up and participate in some activity when it’s convenient and when it doesn’t interfere with “more important” opportunities – because, well, they’re kind and like to help out once and a while.
The reality is that unless there is either a transactional relationship involving compensstion, or some deeply held conviction to the mission or cause, there should be no reason to expect anyone to show up consistently. And when we depend on teams of volunteers to repeatedly execute important recurring tasks, the wrong motivation can lead to recurring dilemmas.
Prospecting for a volunteer team is much different than recruiting a volunteer to show up one time to perform a task.
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A team, by definition, generally has some specific characteristics.
A team is defined as a group of people who perform interdependent tasks to work toward accomplishing a common mission or specific objective. Some teams have a limited life: for example, a design team developing a new product, or a continuous process improvement team organized to solve a particular problem.
https://asq.org › quality-resources › teams
The collective goal, is the advancement of a common mission (i.e. moving a ball down the field, or winning the game or games). Genuine ongoing commitment primarily comes from the passion for the mission, not necessarily the enjoyment of participating, the relational bonding, or even compensation.
Spectators, the fans who come and support their favorite ball club, can certainly view themselves as part of “the team” or family connected by a brand. But they are not interdependent contributors to the game the way the players on the field are. Fans and other stakeholders are under no obligation or expectation to show up, buy tickets, or even view a particular game.
But most importantly, what separates a team member from a spectator or relational participant in a group, is that team members have to show up in order for the game to play, and they must selflessly participate as needed to advance the mission. They feel concern and responsibility when the mission is not cared for.
-Gary Yonek
Two primary elements in a functioning team is that participants must have some level of interdependent contribution combined with a desire, ability, and commitment to show up consistently. (The greatest ability is availability.)
When developing an actual team of volunteers, one primary goal of the leader is to ignite a passion – not for a specific skill or connection with others, but a passion for the mission and greater purpose for which they are serving. Something bigger than themselves. High capacity volunteers will sacrifice time and prioritize their effort, even without financial compensation, if they are firmly bought into the long term “why” and possess an authentic sense of purpose. They are also more likely to continue when things get hard or frustrating, when the procedure or leaders change, or when they get bored or distracted for a season. They must internalize the vision and personally believe that what they do actually matters. This passion (having an undying belief in a cause) can not be developed with a snappy catch phrase or quick recruitment pitch over coffee. The key to a successful, healthy, and functional volunteer team is to place the right people in the right roles for the right reasons. Otherwise, what you often end up with is little more than a group of names on a list of those who may occasionally help to pitch in only if and when they’re available or are in need for some type of community.
- Does your volunteer team really understand the “why” of what they’re contributing to? And do they visualize how it fits in to a long term mission of your organization?
- As a leader can you accurately and passionately explain why your team exists and who benefits from your collective efforts?
- Do you regularly revisit the purpose with each team member individually as well as communicate with the team collectively to help neutralize mission drift and vision leak?
Identifying, enrolling, and developing high capacity volunteers is not cheap. It takes an intentional and ongoing investment of time, energy and financial resources – in addition to building trustworthy relationships along the way.
What Matters Matters 