Killing Volunteers

When you read the title today you may think if has something to do with the University of Tennessee and a sports activity.  Being a Tennessee Volunteer that is the farthest thing from my mind.

What is on my mind is how leaders in volunteer organizations sometimes kill the spirit to serve through their words and actions.  Churches and organizations like the Salvation Army call for volunteers to serve in some capacity.   The Prime leader who encourages people to get involved is normally never the one to lead the volunteers on a day to day or event to event activity.  Instead they assign another leader for that task.

Way too many times, the assigned leader treats the volunteers like employees.  They are talked down to and given assignments that not any leader would attempt.  Then they openly criticize the person or persons before other volunteers individuals and when the number of volunteers diminish, they can not understand why they no longer get volunteers.  One verbal "You did terrible" will kill five "great jobs done".  Sometimes it just has to be overheard by the volunteer or if you are a volunteer who hears a leader talking about another volunteer, you may wonder, "What do they say about me when I am not around?"

Usually they assign blame in every direction except back at their leaders and techniques.

The main leader of an organization needs to make sure their leaders are well trained and sensitive to the feelings of the volunteers.  Understand that volunteers are NOT paid staff.  In reality, I have always hoped leaders never treat their employees the way some volunteers are treated.  We are not in the 50's where it was thought that yelling or talking down to employees made them stronger.

Volunteers are exactly that, volunteers who give time, effort, sacrifice, and money to an organization out of the goodness of their heart to serve and use their talents.  Never a doormat to build up another leader.

Therefore I encourage each leader to look at his or her organization and get the subordinate leaders trained in how to lead volunteers.  You may lose a few leaders in the process of training, but your volunteer core will thrive.  People naturally serve where they feel desired and needed. 

Just a thought for today!