10 secrets of a volunteer leader

©2012 Hight Performance Group, Inc.

10 Secrets of a Volunteer Leader

Presented by Cathi Hight

10 Secrets of a Volunteer Leader 1

Overview of Session In this session, we’ll explore:

The need for outsourcing leadership roles How effective volunteer leaders build

successful teams The challenges of being a volunteer leader Characteristics of successful volunteer leaders The 10 secrets of being a successful volunteer

leader What makes volunteer leaders successful

10 Secrets of a Volunteer Leader 2©2012 Hight Performance Group,

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The Need to Outsource Leadership Roles Staff resources are limited Program of work has to be executed We count on volunteer leaders to

Serve on our Board of Directors Act as council and committee chairs Coordinate events and activities Help with special projects and task forces


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How Effective Leaders Build Successful Teams They understand and communicate the

importance of our mission and goals They help to develop a succession plan They mentor new leaders and model

preferred characteristics They develop great teams They manage and produce results


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The Challenges of Being a Volunteer Leader Managing employees vs. volunteers The constraints of volunteer

leadership Knowing what’s in it for me? Understanding volunteer motivation


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Managing Employees vs. Volunteers Differences:

Volunteers are not paid to work—they receive motivational paychecks

Volunteers have a full-time job in addition to working for us

We can only enroll them in tasks they are willing to do or have time for

Accountability is harder to enforce

Similarities: Motivated by same

reasons to perform Want to feel

appreciated for their investments (time)

Respond positively to effective leadership

Need to know WIIFM


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The Constraints of Volunteer Leadership Limited time to lead or manage

volunteers Don’t always get to choose

volunteer team members Have full responsibility and limited

authority


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Knowing What’s In It For Me? Need to understand why you accept

specific leadership roles Should visualize end results or

outcomes for the team and for you Recognize what motivates you to lead Identify what resources and support

are available for you to be successful10 Secrets of a Volunteer

Leader 8©2012 Hight Performance Group, Inc.

Understanding Volunteer Motivation Recognize three psychological areas of

needs: achievement, affiliation and power **

Volunteers are motivated by specific aspects of these areas

Not all volunteers are motivated by the same aspects

Leaders should take time to understand what motivates individual volunteers


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Open DIALogue:Share your insights

What are other challenges you see for

volunteer leaders?


Characteristics of Successful Volunteer Leaders Experience in leading groups or teams Good interpersonal and communication skills Enrolls others in the vision and goals Coaches and mentors to bring out the best

in others Respected among their peers Organized and disciplined (they plan, follow

through and things don’t fall through the cracks)


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The 10 Secrets of Successful Volunteer Leaders1. Enroll others in the

vision2. Goals without

strategies create failure

3. People never argue with their own data

4. Listen to underlying messages

5. Understand what makes people tick

6. Share the power7. Delegate and manage

the process, not the people

8. Take time to celebrate accomplishments

9. Learn from the past10. Maintain your

personal balance


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Sharing Secrets (lessons learned) Enroll others in the vision

Paint the end result for the team Create a common destination Enroll—help others to buy, rather than sell—or tell

people what to do When possible, let the team design the vision

“Leadership is the art of mobilizing others to want to struggle for shared aspiration.” –Kouzes and Posner


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Sharing Secrets (lessons learned) Goals without strategies

create failure Don’t assume that

goals have game plans Without a map,

everything is harder and takes longer

Help team members define how to achieve goals, anticipate challenges and create contingency plans

People never argue with their own data Perception is reality Solicit feedback, ideas

and solutions Use collected data—

it’s always right in the contributor’s eyes

Create ownership to share the credit when things are successful and the blame when they aren’t


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Sharing Secrets (lessons learned) Listen to underlying

messages Team members tell us

the truth; and we don’t always listen

Listen for limited time or skills

Match team members to the right roles, responsibilities and limitations

Don’t set up a team member, you or the organization to fail

Understand what makes people “tick” Team members are

motivated by different needs

Take time to learn about their expectations and the best way to motivate them

Remember: WIIFM People love to serve

under leaders who have a special gift of understanding others


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Sharing Secrets (lessons learned) Share the power

The best use of power is to share it with others

A true leader understands there is more power in a team than in one person

Sharing leadership roles and enhancing skills in others helps develop succession-planning

Delegate and manage the process, not the people Delegation is an art--the

ability to match roles and tasks with skill sets

Let go of absolute control and develop trust

Provide a process for communicating status

Define expectations, roles and timelines

Provide support and oversight


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Sharing Secrets (lessons learned) Take time to celebrate

Don’t end a project and then jump into the next one

Slow down and “smell the roses” with the team

Be careful of team member burnout

Acknowledge successes Remember: the party

at the finish line is as important as the race

Learn from the past Take time to evaluate

the year or project Discuss best practices

and lessons learned Document and

incorporate lessons in records to share with the new team

List recommendations for going forward

Remember: history is apt to repeat itself if we don’t learn from the past


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Sharing Secrets (lessons learned) Maintain your personal balance

Balance your career, family, friends and community commitments

Manage the team’s vision, commitment, roles and accountability to the vision or purpose

Take responsibility to nurture your own soul, reach your own dreams and practice self-care

Leaders who are run-down and stretched to the limit can’t lead very well

Remember: team members learn from good role models


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Summary of Session We depend on outsourced leadership to

help accomplish our Program of Work Being a volunteer leader is challenging Volunteer leaders have lessons learned

to share with new leaders Successful volunteer leaders enroll,

listen, mentor and balance diverse needs


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Open DIALogue: Q & A

Share your insights and resources



Contact us for more informationor to share comments

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10 secrets of a volunteer leader

Government & Nonprofit