New Ideas on Engaging your Volunteers

Engaging volunteers is crucial for any organization that relies on their support.

In addition, what are you doing to keep the pipeline filled with potential new volunteers.

And when we talk about volunteers, it is not just your board. It is anyone who is volunteering and helping your organization fulfill its mission.

Here are some fresh ideas to inspire and motivate your volunteers:

Skill-Based Volunteering:

 

Offer opportunities that match volunteers' skills and interests: Instead of assigning tasks randomly, identify volunteers' talents and passions and offer roles that allow them to utilize them. This could involve anything from writing and design to tech support or event planning.

 

Provide training and development: Invest in your volunteers by offering workshops, online courses, or mentorship programs to help them develop new skills or enhance existing ones. This not only benefits the organization but also empowers volunteers personally and professionally.

 

Gamification and Friendly Competition:

 

Introduce elements of fun and competition: Turn routine tasks into engaging challenges with points, badges, and leaderboards. This can be particularly effective for tasks like fundraising, outreach, or data entry.

 

Offer rewards and recognition: Acknowledge and appreciate volunteers' contributions with prizes, certificates, or public recognition. This can be a simple "Volunteer of the Month" award or a more elaborate celebration.

 

Themed Events and Activities:

 

Add a touch of creativity and excitement: Organize volunteer events with unique themes, such as a "Superhero Day" for a community cleanup or a "Decades Throwback" for a fundraising gala.

 

Make it social: Encourage volunteers to bring friends and family, fostering a sense of community and making the experience more enjoyable.

 

Flexible and Virtual Opportunities:

 

Offer remote volunteering options: Recognize that volunteers have varying schedules and commitments. Provide opportunities that can be done from home, such as online research, social media management, or virtual tutoring.

 

Micro-volunteering: Break down larger tasks into smaller, manageable chunks that can be completed in short bursts of time. This makes it easier for busy individuals to contribute.

 

Personalized Recognition and Appreciation:

 

Go beyond generic thank-you's: Take the time to get to know your volunteers personally and express appreciation for their specific contributions. A handwritten note, a phone call, or a small gift can go a long way.

 

Celebrate milestones: Acknowledge volunteers' anniversaries, birthdays, or achievements with personalized messages or small tokens of appreciation.

 

Feedback and Involvement:

 

Seek volunteers' input: Regularly ask for feedback on their experiences, suggestions for improvement, and ideas for new initiatives. This makes them feel valued and heard.

 

Involve volunteers in decision-making: Include volunteers in committees or working groups, giving them a voice in shaping the organization's programs and direction.

 

Storytelling and Impact:

 

Share stories of impact: Communicate how volunteers' contributions are making a difference in the community. Share testimonials from beneficiaries, data on program outcomes, and photos or videos showcasing the positive impact.

 

Connect volunteers with the cause: Provide opportunities for volunteers to interact directly with the people or causes they are supporting. This can be through site visits, events, or personal interactions.

 

By implementing these new ideas, you can create a more engaging and rewarding experience for your volunteers, leading to increased participation, retention, and overall impact.

Managing Your Volunteers to Stay Productive

Managing volunteers effectively is essential for any organization, that relies on their help, to be successful.

Let's be serious, it's a major part of our job and if done right you and your organization will benefit greatly from a great collaborative working relationship.

If there's one thing I hear all the time is I can't get my volunteers to show up for anything!

Take the time to cultivate relationships with your volunteers and follow these tips to ensure that your volunteers are productive and engaged:

• Start by defining clear expectations. What are the specific tasks that you need your volunteers to complete? What are their roles and responsibilities? Once you have a clear understanding of what you need from your volunteers, you can start to match them with the right opportunities.

• Provide training and support. Not all volunteers will have the same skills and experience. Make sure that you provide them with the training and support they need to be successful. This could include anything from providing them with job descriptions and training materials to assigning them a mentor or supervisor.

• Create a positive and supportive environment. Volunteers want to feel appreciated and valued. Make sure that you create a positive and supportive environment where they feel comfortable asking questions and getting help when they need it.

• Set clear goals and deadlines. Volunteers need to know what is expected of them and when they need to have their tasks completed. Setting clear goals and deadlines will help to keep them on track and productive.

• Provide regular feedback. Let your volunteers know how they are doing and how they can improve. This will help them to stay motivated and engaged.

• Celebrate successes. When your volunteers achieve their goals, be sure to celebrate their successes. This will help to show them that their hard work is appreciated and that they are making a difference.

By following these tips, you can ensure that your volunteers are productive and engaged, which will ultimately benefit your organization.

Here are some additional tips for managing volunteers to stay productive:

• Use technology to your advantage. There are a number of software programs and applications that can help you to manage your volunteers more effectively. These tools can help you to track volunteer hours, assign tasks, and communicate with volunteers.

• Delegate tasks appropriately. Not all volunteers are created equal. Some volunteers may be more experienced or have more specialized skills than others. Be sure to delegate tasks appropriately so that everyone is challenged but not overwhelmed.

• Be flexible. Things don't always go according to plan. Be prepared to adjust your plans as needed and be flexible with your volunteers' schedules.

• Show appreciation. Volunteers give their time freely, so it's important to show them how much you appreciate their efforts. Thank them regularly and let them know how their work is making a difference.

You can create a positive and productive volunteer experience that will benefit both your organization and your volunteers.

How to Engage Your Volunteers

We're all looking for ways to engage our volunteers as we manage our organizations.

It's important to understand that your volunteers are volunteering their time (free by the way) with you and it's your responsibility to make that a great and productive experience for them and for your organization.

While I've written about volunteer management before, the following is a great list of tips that you can incorporate into your program of work.

Here are some tips you might want to think about on how to engage your volunteer leaders:

• Understand volunteer motivation. Why do people volunteer? What are they looking for in a volunteer experience? Once you understand what motivates your volunteers, you can tailor your engagement strategies to meet their needs.

• Use your volunteer engagement strategy to tell a story. What is the impact of your organization's work? How do volunteers make a difference? Share these stories with your volunteers to help them connect with your mission and feel like they are making a real impact.

• Provide orientation, training, and feedback. Make sure your volunteers have the information and skills they need to be successful. Provide them with clear expectations, training, and opportunities to give feedback.

• Be flexible. Not all volunteers are the same. Some may be able to commit to a regular schedule, while others may only be able to volunteer occasionally. Be flexible with your volunteer opportunities to accommodate everyone's needs.

• Encourage a sense of community. Volunteers are more likely to stay engaged if they feel like they are part of a community. Create opportunities for volunteers to connect with each other, share their stories, and learn from each other.

• Stay in touch. Don't just reach out to your volunteers when you need their help. Stay in touch with them throughout the year to let them know how their work is making a difference.

• Show appreciation. Volunteers give their time and energy to your organization. Make sure you show them how much you appreciate their hard work. Send thank-you notes, host volunteer appreciation events, or simply take the time to say "thank you" in person.

By following these tips, you can engage your nonprofit volunteers and create a positive and rewarding volunteer experience.

Here are some additional tips:

• Match volunteers with tasks that match their interests and skills. This will help them feel more engaged and productive.

• Give volunteers the opportunity to learn new skills and grow. This will help them feel more challenged and fulfilled.

• Provide volunteers with opportunities to give feedback. This will help you improve your volunteer program and make it more enjoyable for everyone.

• Celebrate volunteer successes. This will help show volunteers that their hard work is appreciated and that they are making a difference.

Lots to think about.  Good Luck!

Get the Right People

This is the second in a four-part series, based on the book, Stop The Non-Profit Board Blame Game, by Hardy Smith.

The book is segmented into four parts and this post addresses the title of the blog and is part II of the book.
 
There’s been a lot written on this subject matter, including previously on this blog HERE, over the years.

Hardy discusses practical ways of getting the right people on your board by recruiting with purpose and process.  I would suggest this is the most important part of having a successful and functioning board.
 
I’ll also suggest, as the CEO, you should have a role in the nominating process.  And remember, these decisions, good or bad, typically come with a six-year consequence.  For a previous blog post on nominating committees go HERE.

He goes on to give great practical advice for your board recruiting process.  He addresses why board prospects say yes or say no.  He finishes this part of the book with a chapter titled, Have the Money Talk.
 
My take on the recruiting process for potential board members, and I’ve said it before for years, you want their passion, their intellect, and their money!
 
For more information on Hardy Smith, you can go to his website HERE.

Getting to Know You: Implementing Volunteer Assessments

I attended a webinar, on the title of this blog post, at the recent virtual ASAE Annual Meeting.

They started off by suggesting you should get the background information, on your members, who want to volunteer so you can match them up with the best committee or task force.
 
Assessments help both the volunteer and staff.  Working together is key.
 
Put another way, getting the right people in the right seats on the bus.  Does that sound familiar?  That was a key component in the book Good to Great.
 
They talked about three different types of assessments (tools).
 

• A getting to know you assessment – use an online survey to get their skill-set, do they like to work in a group or individually?  What do they have passion for in your program of work?  What’s their time commitment, what are their motivations that makes them want to volunteer?  For a great resource on this subject go HERE for the book Decision to Volunteer.

• The volunteer self-assessment – they referenced IOM faculty member Bob Harris and his board self-assessment tool and other great resources that can be found HERE.  The key is to give the volunteer an opportunity to reflect on their commitment, role, experience, etc.  It allows volunteers to identify their strengths and weaknesses.  This self-assessment could be administered half-way through your volunteer’s experience and adjustments can be made if applicable.

• Experience assessment (after a year of volunteering or end of term) – think of this as an exit survey.  This is a great opportunity to get great feedback that you can use for future interactions with your volunteers.  Find out what they liked and didn’t like about their experience.  This will make your future volunteer experiences better and your chamber a better organization.

 
At the end of the day, you want volunteers that are engaged and will move your agenda forward.  Be upfront with your volunteers and let them know you do these assessments to learn how you can create better volunteer experiences for those that come after them.
 
For resources on volunteer management go HERE.

Volunteer Excellence: Elevate the Volunteer Experience

I attended a seminar led by Lowell Aplebuam, CAE on volunteerism.

While we all have our idea of what works for us, I took the following ideas to heart and can see where we might all be able to expand on his suggestions.

Make it personal.  Reshape the volunteer experience for your organization by allowing your volunteers to give back, receive recognition and gain credibility.

You should think of the following on how to involve young professionals?

• Structures of inclusion (different levels)
• Executive leadership, starting early
• Empowering recruitment (peer to peer)
• What do they want to learn
• What can they contribute

Create a job description for the volunteer to set expectations:

• Micro volunteering is a great way to get the younger generations involved in your program of work - use them as content specialists - write a blog, etc.
• Create a quick volunteer role at an existing program - volunteer behind the registration desk, then recognize them and ask them to do more

Create micro opportunities to participate in your organization - what can they do?

• For a program
• For communications
• For social media - post three pictures on Instagram
• For outreach
• Be a photographer

Skills Based Volunteering - pick volunteers based on their skill-set vs they have no experience but you find a way

• Finance skill set could be your Treasurer
• Fundraiser
• Marketing expert
• Event planning
• Foodie can help with your events where F&B are involved

What is the appropriate balance for your board?  Are you keeping your retirees involved with your boards? They have the knowledge and expertise in the sector.  They also have:

• Time
• Talent
• Treasure (money)

Do you have a retired member coordinator?  These folks have been your supporters over the years why kick them to the curb?

The Volunteer Precipice:  The End of the Volunteer Path - he ended with the following three areas to think about if you think about resetting the volunteer experience (path to the chair) that has been around our chambers for so many years.

What are we losing?

• Organizational history
• Strategic fluency
• Key VIP connections
• Models of passion and loyalty
• Association operational mastery

What are the risks?

• Strategic overstep
• Burnout
• Ego
• Growth
• Creating the space for models of respect

Build a bridge for journey extension after the normal volunteer engagement.

• President's advisory council
• Foundation Service
• Volunteer first responders
• Diamond in the rough mentors
• New member orientation
• Story tellers/evangelists
• Thought leaders - research focus

At the end of the day, he left us with the idea of thinking about volunteering as a journey, not a position and make sure you recognize your volunteers on a regular basis!

Create a Job Description for the Volunteer to Set Expectations

Creating a job description is one of the easiest things you can do that will have a lasting impact for your chamber.

If you’re like me, you hate uncertainty, well if your volunteers don’t have any expectations of what is expected of them, their in the same boat you are.

What should be in that job description?

Explain to any potential volunteer what their responsibility is as a board member.  Legally, in a nutshell, we all know it’s:

• Duty of Care - competence to make good decisions on behalf of the organization;
• Duty of Loyalty - act in the best interest of the organization and not their self-interest; and
• Duty of Obedience - follow the mission.

In addition, the three things I always want to make clear in any volunteer job description are the following:

• You want their intellect;
• You want their passion; and
• You want their financial support (money).

Other things that could be spelled out in the job description could include, but not limited to:

• Attendance requirements;
• Recruitment responsibilities; and
• Advocacy participation.

That's a recipe for success for all involved!

3 Tips for Enhancing the Volunteer Experience

One of the challenges I hear all the time from chamber execs is the non commitment or lack of participation from the volunteers.

I attended a recent program by Lowell Aplebaum, CAE on this very subject although his session title was a little different.

The three things he focused on to elevate a volunteers experience in your program of work, and by the way, it also gives you a chance to see who might be a potential great volunteer in the future for your chamber, were:

Micro volunteering is a great way to get the younger generations involved in your program of work - use them as content specialists - write a blog, etc.

Create a quick volunteer role at an existing program - volunteer behind the registration desk, then recognize them and ask them to do more.

Micro opportunities to participate in your organization - What can they do?  Photograph your next event if they love photography.

The other thing he mentioned that I thought worth noting here is to make it personal, allow your volunteers to share their professional, personal, and family stories with each other and staff.

If you’ve had a chance to read a previous blog post of mine HERE, you’ll know I’m a fan of creating a job description for each level of your governance structure:

• Board
• Standing Committee
• Task Force

And in that job description you want to make it crystal clear that you expect their:

• Intellect
• Passion
• Money

In return, they’re getting recognition for serving on the chambers board, standing committee or a task force.

Always make sure you are thanking your volunteers publicly and often through your website, social media outlets and printed publications.

Your intended goal should be to have a list of potential board, committee, and task force members lined up to serve for years to come.

Make it meaningful and make it fun!

How to Keep Volunteers Engaged During Your Slow Season

Slow Season?  If your chamber is like most chambers, there is no slow season, right?

Yes, but, there are times throughout the year when the normal pace is slower than usual and this is a good time to remind your volunteers to stay engaged.

The key is to keep thinking ahead of the curve and use your volunteers to identify those emerging trends that the business community is going to be dealing with in the next three to five years.

Do you have an Emerging Trends Committee or Task Force?

You probably have a handle on what's happening today - that's being reactive to what is sent your way.

Use your volunteers to be pro-active by identifying the big issues that will need to be addressed, in your community, by the business sector.  Just to name a few:

• Economic development
• Transportation
• Technology
• Education
• The demographic shift of the workforce

If it's real work, they will enjoy the challenge!

For previous blog posts on volunteer management go HERE, HERE or HERE.

Volunteer Management

Volunteer management is not new.  In fact, I've written about it before HERE and HERE.

Some chambers have been around for over one hundred years.  Some close to two hundred years.

We are membership organizations and volunteer management is a key to a successful chamber.

I’d like to focus on three elements of successful organizations from my perspective:

• Transparency – in today’s age you must be transparent.  Be open.  You have nothing to hide.  Also, get that financial statement in your annual newsletter or report.  Show your numbers.  Your volunteers and members will appreciate you for that.

• Trust – many of us learned from our parents that if I can’t trust you, you have nothing.  That’s so true!  If you lose the trust of your board your days are probably numbered. So build that trust not only with your board but with all your members.

• Equal Partner – it has been stated that in the new association module equality is a critical step.  I totally agree.  You are an equal partner, not just a note-taker.  In addition, and I’ve said it before, make sure you are playing a role in the nominating process to build a strong board.

Remember, chambers have been around for a long time.  The one constant thing about our organizations are the volunteers.

While the CEO staff tenure is typically 3-5 years, shorter than the average tenure of a board member, it’s imperative to have a strong board of directors.

That’s what volunteer management is all about at the end of the day!

For a list of resources on volunteer management click HERE.

Culture Eats Strategy for Lunch

Chambers have been talking about strategy and strategic planning for years.

Yes, it’s important but I buy into the title of this blog.

You can have all the ideas in the world, but if you don’t have a culture to implement those ideas, you’ll end up spinning your wheels.

What do I mean by culture?  Staff and volunteers have to trust each other. My take:

• Staff and volunteers working together
• Staying true to your mission
• Transparency
• The ability to try new things
• Trust

I talked about failing forward in a previous post HERE and it’s important to support the concept (the CEO and Board).

My final comment on this is the last bullet above.  If you don’t have trust you have nothing.

For an interesting blog on culture in the workplace go HERE or follow them on Twitter @WorkXO.

Managing Volunteers

For most of us, each year we get a new chairman with their ideas and set of priorities that may or may not align with the current program of work of your organization.

I think we all can agree that if you have a challenging volunteer it can make for a long year.

We all (volunteers and staff) come to the table with different personalities, strengths and weaknesses.

Open communication is the key!  If you keep your lines of communication open and transparent, your organization will be better off for it.

There are resources available that may help with this volunteer/staff relationship.  I am especially fond of the work the Tecker International folks have accumulated on the subject matter through seminars and publications.

Don’t ignore it.  Address it with open communication.

For more information on the subject matter from Tecker International click HERE.

Managing Volunteers: Setting Expectations

As staff leaders, it’s important for us to set expectations for our volunteers.

Have you considered giving them a job description?

If not, I suggest you do.

Being selected to join a committee is an honor and a responsibility to support the organization goes with that commitment.

I suggest two things:

1. Create a job description and hand it out at your next volunteer orientation session.  Your volunteers will take your lead.
2. And after that, if they don’t commit, thank them for their service and recruit a new member to join your leadership team.

Remember, being on a committee is a resume builder for each of your volunteers.  They need to earn that honor.

I’ve said it before, set the expectations up front.  No surprises!  Let them know you want their intellectual capital, full participation and financial support.

Don’t accept anything less!

For additional resources on volunteer management go HERE and HERE.

Volunteer/Staff Partnership: Create a Memo of Understanding

I remember early in my career creating a “Memo of Understanding” between my chairman and me as staff.

This allowed both of us to truly understand our roles and how we would work together in the coming year to advance the mission of the organization.

The items below are a suggested starting point for your “Memo of Understanding.” It’s important for you to tweak it to meet the specifics of your chamber or management style.

Responsibilities of the Chairman:

• Attend all meetings
• Accepts and supports the board’s charge
• Plans board meetings and agenda with chief staff executive
• Leadership of board
• Appointment of all committee chairs
• Evaluates board efforts and communicates accomplishments to the board and chamber members

Responsibilities of the Staff Executive:

• Maintain contact with the chair
• Provide support to the board
• Prepare meeting agendas with chairman’s approval
• Create the minutes with chairman’s approval
• Prepare board/annual reports to the membership at large (if/when needed)

Make sure you go over this “Memo of Understanding” document with your incoming chairman, get acceptance and make sure each of you have a copy. I kept mine on my desk every day!

This is a great tool to avoid any misunderstanding between the two of you throughout the chairman’s term. Your relationship should be a true partnership in advancing the goals of the organization.

Create your Memorandum of Understanding today.  Your chairman will appreciate it!

Sample Memorandum of Understanding.

Two Reasons Members Join: Credibility and Recognition

There is no easier way for a small business to get instant credibility then to join their local chamber of commerce.

As chambers, we typically send a new member kit that includes the all-important “chamber decal” for the small business to prominently display in their store window or on an interior wall.

The recognition part comes from their participation in the chamber whether it be as a participant at your monthly luncheon, or volunteering on a committee.

What’s the biggest prize in the recognition area?

The Chairman of the Board.

That’s the top of the pyramid. Are you using it as a marketing tool to grow membership?

Volunteering for your local chamber of commerce is a resume builder for the small businessperson.

Make sure you’re picking the most talented leaders in your community to grow the organization and deliver the value your members deserve.

Start recruiting today!

Golden Handcuff: Do You Have One?

If you’re not familiar with the term, a “Golden Handcuff” is essentially a program, product or service that your member can’t do without.

It compels them to send in their dues check year after year after year.

If you are familiar with the term, the attached list is nothing new.

What program, product or service are you providing that is your golden handcuff?

• Insurance Programs (Workman’s Comp, D&O, etc)
• Credit Cards
• Certification
• Affinity deals with office supply stores
• Etc.

Let me give you one that you’ve probably never thought of – “Your Board of Directors.”

By show of hands, how many of your board members are non-dues paying members. That’s right, they’re all dues paying members. That goes for all your volunteers – committees, task forces, etc.

So the next time you’re asked if you have a "Golden Handcuff" – you can proudly say, YES, we have one, it’s my board.

What's Your Brand?

That is the $64K question.

Has your brand changed over the years?

Building a brand is important, it’s built over time, and you need to review your brand every five to ten years if you want to stay relevant.

Which leads me to my next question.

As I visit with the chamber community across the country, I’m always asked the following four questions.

1. Are Chamber’s of Commerce Relevant?
2. Are some more relevant than others?
3. Are all your members important?
4. Are some more important than others?

As you might have guessed, the answer is yes to all four. But, let’s not fool ourselves, some chambers are more relevant than others, and some members are more important than others.

Based on the Winston Group study, a question was asked – “What makes chambers relevant?” The top 4 answers:

1. Networking opportunities (41%)
2. Economic/community development (37%)
3. Issue advocacy/lobbying (16%)
4. Tourism/Community promotion (15%)

That being said, I’m quick to point out a conversation I had with a chamber CEO last year who stated, “If you’ve met one chamber, you’ve met one chamber,” which leads me to my next question.

What is your Chambers Value Proposition?

You’ve seen the equation: Benefits – Costs = Value.

What is your Chamber’s Golden Handcuff? What do you provide that every member wants to be a part of. That’s your golden handcuff, and that’s a question only you can answer.

I’m reminded of two books I’ve read and wanted to share two concepts that I keep “top of mind.”

The first, is by Jim Collins. The book is Good to Great, and it talks about how organizations make the leap. Mr. Collins refers to a concept called the “Hedgehog Theory.” And, in a nutshell, it’s a business model for lines of business. Think of three circles:

1. What do you do better than anybody else?;
2. What do you have passion for?; and
3. What do you make money at?

The book suggests to focus on where the three meet.

The second book, Kitchen Confidential, by Anthony Bourdain. Mr. Bourdain was the executive chef at Les Halles in New York.

He talks about why people go back to the same restaurant year, after year, after year for the same meal. I’m guilty. I went to Café Dalat, in Arlington, VA, for 15 years, and I order the same thing every time (without exception).

I’m so guilty, I go cross country to California and order the same meal at Lares, a Mexican restaurant, every year – that little tradition has been going on for 20 years.

Mr. Bourdain states that people order the same meal, from the same restaurant, because they know the quality of the meal will be the same every time.

I suggest the message to chamber leaders (volunteer and staff), is too never forget why your members join.

Your members will want you to innovate, push the envelope, create new products and services, but at the same time, you need to deliver the core goods that your members expect from your chamber.

As you look towards the future: show the value; communicate, communicate, communicate your brand; build partnerships/alliances; and never take a member for granted.