Comments on: How To Recruit Leaders In Your Volunteer Organization

By: Karin Hurt

Karin Hurt — Mon, 20 Feb 2017 23:30:48 +0000

In reply to Linda Parkhouse. Linda, Thanks so much. Love that you do thank you note and training!

By: Linda Parkhouse

Linda Parkhouse — Mon, 20 Feb 2017 16:34:12 +0000

This is a great post and the comments have added great insights to the conversation. At our church we a diligent to thank volunteers with personal notes of thanks from time to time and an annual volunteer party where they do nothing but enjoy the staff serving them.
One further thought, give volunteers high quality leadership training. We host quarterly leadership development events and provide an online leader development tool where they can access articles and videos to enhance their leadership as a volunteer and in the workplace.

By: Dan Black

Dan Black — Thu, 16 Jan 2014 05:43:06 +0000

Great thoughts, Karin!

I think sharing a big vision and showing the person how they can be apart of it can help us to keep volunteers. People want to be apart of something bigger than themselves.

By: letsgrowleaders

letsgrowleaders — Wed, 15 Jan 2014 03:43:22 +0000

In reply to Terri Klass. Terri, thanks so much. I so agree, that you can learn so much about leadership from volunteer roles. I think most denominations are dealing with a similar struggle to grow volunteers in an increasingly complex society.

By: letsgrowleaders

letsgrowleaders — Wed, 15 Jan 2014 03:41:05 +0000

In reply to Vlasta.

Viasta, I so agree with you… we always need volunteers in our day jobs. Great point… So glad to have you in in the conversation.

By: letsgrowleaders

letsgrowleaders — Wed, 15 Jan 2014 03:39:50 +0000

In reply to Jon Mertz. Jon, Such great points. Thanks so much. Making it easy is key.

By: Terri Klass

Terri Klass — Tue, 14 Jan 2014 14:38:54 +0000

Terrific post, Karin and one that I can totally relate to! I think another great benefit of volunteering in a leadership role, is being able to transfer those leadership skills and knowledge into our professional lives. Similar experiences in communication, dealing with conflict and difficult people and coaching can be helpful in both volunteer and business. I have written about this too and how volunteer jobs actually prepare us for successful leadership careers.
By the way, in our synagogue, we too are struggling to fill the bigger positions in leadership and have found smaller projects are more enticing for volunteers.

By: Vlasta

Vlasta — Tue, 14 Jan 2014 14:27:19 +0000

Karin,

when looking at the list it reminded me all the corporate initiatives (usually well intention without/with limited budget) and I wonder what would be reason to think differently about volunteer leader recruitment and any other leader recruitment…

BTW thanks for inspiring blog.
Vlasta

By: Jon Mertz

Jon Mertz — Tue, 14 Jan 2014 14:13:16 +0000

Great points, Karin. For organizations seeking volunteers, I know standards need to be set but they also need to make it “easy” for volunteers to get involved. Time is short and many want to find meaningful ways to give their time. Spending a lot of time trying to figure out how to volunteer will discourage and delay people from jumping in. I have been amazed on how challenging some volunteer organizations make it to find the opportunity to jump in and then figuring how to jump in. Thanks for giving some great ways to engage volunteers! Jon

By: letsgrowleaders

letsgrowleaders — Tue, 14 Jan 2014 11:56:24 +0000

In reply to bill holston. Bill, Thanks so much. You are doing amazing work at such scale. An important add... the experience matters so much. People want to do work that feels good while they're doing it. Namaste.