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Leading Successful Volunteer Projects Stacy Merrill Surla [email_address] ASIST Annual Meeting November 14, 2004

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Introduction

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Introduction <ul><li>Principles of Leadership </li></ul><ul><li>Duties/Practices </li></ul><ul><li>Case Study </li></ul><ul><li>Tools </li></ul><ul><li>Infrastructure </li></ul><ul><li>Medicine bag </li></ul>

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<ul><li>What makes a good leader? </li></ul><ul><li>Why run volunteer projects? </li></ul><ul><li>What problems are faced in volunteer projects? </li></ul><ul><li>What works? </li></ul>Ideas about leadership

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What is a leader? <ul><li>Leader = </li></ul><ul><ul><li>Director </li></ul></ul><ul><ul><li>Boss </li></ul></ul><ul><ul><li>Person in charge </li></ul></ul><ul><ul><li>Responsible party </li></ul></ul><ul><ul><li>Owner </li></ul></ul><ul><ul><li>Accountable </li></ul></ul>Principles

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What is a leader? <ul><li>Leader = Master </li></ul>Principles

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What is a leader? <ul><li>Leader ≠ Master </li></ul>Principles

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What is a leader? <ul><li>Leader ≠ Master </li></ul><ul><li>Leader = Servant </li></ul>Principles

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What is a leader? <ul><li>Leader ≠ Master </li></ul><ul><li>Leader = Servant </li></ul>Principles

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What is leadership ? <ul><li>Leadership = Ownership? </li></ul>Principles

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What is leadership ? <ul><li>Leadership = Ownership? </li></ul><ul><li>Leadership = Giving it away </li></ul>Principles

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Why volunteer projects? Principles

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Why volunteer projects? <ul><li>Volunteers = </li></ul><ul><ul><li>Save money </li></ul></ul><ul><ul><li>Provide ready labor </li></ul></ul><ul><ul><li>Give at least as much as they get </li></ul></ul>Principles

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Why volunteer projects? <ul><li>Volunteers = $ </li></ul>Principles

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Why volunteer projects? <ul><li>Volunteers ≠ $ </li></ul>Principles

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Why volunteer projects? <ul><li>Volunteers Get > Give </li></ul>Principles

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Staying on track Principles

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Staying on track <ul><li>Keep your eye on the goal </li></ul>Principles

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Staying on track <ul><li>Keep your eye on the goal </li></ul><ul><li>Remember: the goal will change </li></ul>Principles

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Duties and Practices

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Not motivational aphorisms (hopefully) Duties/Practices

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<ul><li>Ask constantly </li></ul><ul><li>Look for people who can give in their areas of expertise </li></ul><ul><li>Provide real opportunities for people to contribute </li></ul>Invite Duties/Practices

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<ul><li>Give ownership and control to others </li></ul><ul><li>Trust that things will work out (probably) </li></ul>Trust Duties/Practices

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<ul><li>Just muster the nerve to try </li></ul>Be bold Duties/Practices Our doubts are traitors, And make us lose the good we oft might win By fearing to attempt. - Measure for Measure

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<ul><li>You can do it with what you’ve got </li></ul><ul><li>You can do it from whatever position you’re in </li></ul>Lead from your strengths Duties/Practices

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<ul><li>Be the team’s muse of communication </li></ul><ul><li>Set up workable means for communicating </li></ul><ul><li>Don’t stop communicating </li></ul>Communicate Duties/Practices “ The time to communicate is… Now!” - Leo Surla

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<ul><li>Champagne in the fridge at all times </li></ul>Celebrate victory Duties/Practices

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Case Study

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ASIST website redesign <ul><li>Scene 1: Executive director (ED) approaches member X about forming a group to plan an ASIST website redesign. ED suggests locals they both know, and promises the support of the board. X thinks the project can be done. </li></ul><ul><li>X agrees. </li></ul>Case Study

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ASIST website redesign <ul><li>What have we got? </li></ul><ul><li>Achievable goal </li></ul><ul><li>Invitation </li></ul><ul><li>Giving ownership away </li></ul>Case Study Note: The leader in Scene 1 is the Executive Director

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ASIST website redesign <ul><li>Scene 2: X invites members to meet and discuss. A central place is chosen with access to coffee, books, and snacks. Group members meet regularly to brainstorm, offer expertise, practice new and existing skills, and socialize. Some are more active than others. Timelines, tasks, and limits are set. Activities are summarized in memoranda. Society gives free event registration. </li></ul>Case Study

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ASIST website redesign <ul><li>What do we have? </li></ul><ul><li>Infrastructure </li></ul><ul><li>Volunteers get more than they put in </li></ul><ul><li>Volunteers know more than leader </li></ul><ul><li>Leader stays on top of details </li></ul><ul><li>Work is voluntary – no punishments </li></ul><ul><li>Leader constantly invites </li></ul><ul><li>Leader gives tasks away </li></ul><ul><li>Appreciation, plus valuable perks </li></ul>Case Study

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ASIST website redesign <ul><li>Scene 3: The project wraps up, but stalls somewhat. Data collection, analysis, and brainstorming are done, but the 40-page report is not getting written. Meanwhile, X and volunteer Y manage to brief the Board on findings and recommendations. A memo follows and the project is miraculously complete. Board hires a contractor as suggested, and carries the work forward. Appreciation is expressed. </li></ul>Case Study

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ASIST website redesign <ul><li>What happened? </li></ul><ul><li>The goal was achieved </li></ul><ul><li>The goal looked different than the team thought it would </li></ul><ul><li>The team gave the project away </li></ul>Case Study

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Tools

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Infrastructure <ul><li>Plans </li></ul><ul><li>Schedules </li></ul><ul><li>Regular communication </li></ul><ul><li>Measures of progress </li></ul><ul><li>Specific tasks </li></ul><ul><li>Means for collaboration </li></ul>Tools

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Medicine bag <ul><li>Stickies </li></ul><ul><li>Wikis </li></ul><ul><li>Café meetings </li></ul><ul><li>E-mail </li></ul><ul><li>Instant messaging </li></ul><ul><li>Champagne </li></ul><ul><li>Chocolate </li></ul><ul><li>Perks & Honors </li></ul>Tools

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Summary

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Summary <ul><li>Leader = Servant </li></ul>

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Stacy Surla [email_address]