Herding Cats
Managing Volunteers in the new
Millennium
Scott A. Myles, CSP
Past-President
Orange County Chapter
Mike F. Lorenzo, M.S., CSP
Vice President, Region II
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Goal & Objectives
 Goal – Understand and Equip your Chapter Volunteers
 Objectives:
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Learn new tools and techniques to recruit volunteers
Learn how to “spread the wealth” (not the money….the work!)
Implement strategies to grow and nurture your leaders
Recognize the differences between Generation Xers, The
Millennials, and the Baby Boomers
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Herding Cats
Managing Volunteers is like Herding Cats!
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Volunteers are Like Cats
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The 21st Century Volunteer
The New Breed of Professionals
 Generational Dynamics
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The “Greatest Generation”
Boomers
Gen X
Millennials
Generation @
Young Professionals
 Rigid scheduling to Availability
 Skilled to Knowledge Workers
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The New Breed of Volunteer
 Do you recognize people like these in your chapter?
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Is very busy, many obligations, volunteers for many organizations
Wants flexibility
Expects to be empowered
Does not tolerate disinterested people or volunteers
Is Tech Savvy
Wants to make a difference rather than a contribution
Does not like or want to be micromanaged
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Recruiting the New Breed
“Dating”
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First date – communicate the opportunity to join the team/tribe/chapter
Second date – listen to their interests – find a fit – share roles
Third date – ask them to consider going “steady”
Understand that “no” doesn’t always mean “never”
The “trick” is to offer them a small role in your “big picture”
NEVER>>>>>EVER>>>>>ASK THEM TO CONSIDER THE LEAD ROLE
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The Seven Deadly Sins
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Sin 1 – Expecting “Announcements” to obtain Volunteers
Sin 2 – Recruiting: Going at it alone
Sin 3 – Recruiting volunteers to make long-term commitments
Sin 4 – Assume that “No” means “Never”
Sin 5 – Recruit any B.I.C.
Sin 6 – Ask busy people to do busy work
Sin 7 – Leaders who know nothing about volunteer management
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Tapping into the (2) New Breeds
 Boomers/Xers/Generation @
 The “willing” groups
 They want to make a difference & change the world
 However, they are not committed
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Come late
Leave early
Work on their own schedule
Jump ship more often!
Knowledgeable about tech stuff but not necessarily good at
it!!
 Considering retirement!!!
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Tapping into the (2) New Breeds
 The Young Professionals
 They’re impatient
 They’re multi-taskers
 They think “digital”
 They’re tolerant
 They’re looking for causes!
 They’re team players….but…!!
 They don’t want to managed; they want to be
led!!!
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The Thirteen “Virtues”
How to Manage Lead your Leaders
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Discover what motivates your folks
Give them regular feedback
Offer special privileges and perks
Send volunteers to leadership conferences
Provide on-the-job training
Be available to your volunteer leaders
Provide free food
Provide tangible incentives
Have fun
Accountability
Positive gossip (aka - - - “networking!)
Huddles (aka - - - “Executive” Board Meetings!)
Thanking the families of your volunteers
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EMPOWERMENT
THE SIX RULES
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Rule One: Don’t take the football…pass it!
Rule Two: Label each handoff as delegation
Rule Three: Secure the handoff with a check-up
Rule Four: Break down tasks into manageable goals
Rule Five: Don’t take the football if you can’t handle it
Rule Six: Develop good handoff skills to avoid disaster
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Managing in the Virtual World
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It’s become a virtual world…whether we liked it or not!
You do not have to be a “techie”
What is the “Virtual Volunteer”
Why you should consider (use) Virtual Volunteers
How do you recruit Virtual Volunteers
How do you manage Virtual Volunteers
How do you release (fire) Virtual Volunteers
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Communicating in the Virtual World
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Use email as a follow-up tool
Use email to document your conversations
Use email as one of many tools to make an announcement
Use email for affirmation (aka thanks to an individual)
AVOID CONFERENCE CALL MEETINGS!
WEBINAR STYLE MEETINGS ARE BETTER!
FACE TO FACE MEETINGS ARE THE BEST OPTION!!!
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Managing Leading your Chapter
Leading is different from managing.
Leaders set the vision where an organization is going.
Management paves the road to get it there!
Sometimes you’re the Leader.
Sometimes you’re the Manager
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Managing your Chapter Leaders
The “Essentials”
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Passion – Where the power begins
Focus – The power of focused mission
Strategy – Keys for mobilizing the passion
Community – Building spirit!
Training – Development: A Valuable Tool for
Instilling Passion
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Managing your Chapter Leaders
The “Essentials”
Passion:
It’s vital, passionate people get things done!
It all begins with YOUR passion!!
Steps:
1. Develop your (team) annual goals (STAR Program)
2. Develop your (team) objectives
3. Organize your volunteers into teams
4. Generate team tasks
5. Manage your teams (build your community!)
6. Follow-up – Follow-up – Follow-up!!!
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Managing your Chapter Leaders
The “Essentials”
Focus:
The Power of Focused Mission!
The POWER OF ONE!!!!
Steps:
1. The new breed of volunteers are independent. Treat them as such
2. Old Model: All ships moving in the same direction . Older generation
volunteers want all other volunteers to follow command & control. Be
their commander!
3. New Model: A school of empowered minnows!
Your “new” volunteers all want to swim their own directions.
Tell them where the finish line is…let them figure out how to get there
Lead the ships and minnows in the preferred path!
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Managing your Chapter Leaders
The “Essentials”
Strategic Thinking: Keys for Mobilizing Passion
“We the People” “Ask not What…”
The keys:
1. Develop a Mission and a Mission Statement
2. Develop your Vision and Vision Statement
Typical Mission statement includes two semicolons, two dashes and at
least two business buzzwords.
Typical Vision statements contain only one dash but consist of at least one
“run-on” sentence.
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Managing your Chapter Leaders
The “Essentials”
Team:
 Team building exercises…seriously…
 Get to know you games
 Share at least one important fact
 Develop your leadership team into a family!
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Managing your Chapter Leaders
The “Essentials”
Training and Development
 Give training a context (ASSE Training!)
 Use role-playing in your officer training
 Use mentors
 Use staff meetings
 Use Case Studies (Chapter of the Year!)
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Managing your Chapter Leaders
The “Essentials”
Principles of Leadership:
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Take Command
Lead by Example
Listen Aggressively
Communicate Purpose and Meaning
Create a Climate of Trust
Look for Results, not Salutes
Take Calculated Risks
Go Beyond Standard Procedure
Build up Your People
Generate Unity
Improve Your People's Quality of Life
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Herding Cats
Managing Volunteers in the new Millennium
What did we learn today?
 Recruiting
 Generations
 The Thirteen “Virtues”
 The Six Rules of Empowerment
 Communication
 Be a Manager and a Leader
 The Five Essentials
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Herding Cats
Managing Volunteers in the new
Millennium
You’ll never be able to herd them
and you’ll only get scratched if you
try to do so….
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