When Pay is Not Your Motivator Volunteer Commitment in a New Age North Dakota EMS Association June 6-7, 2016

Topics We Will Cover Finding The Core Strength of Volunteers Speaking the Language of Constituencies Creating Volunteer Ambassadors Enlisting Champions with Credibility Prepping Your Favorite PomPoms Innovating with Style

Find the Core Strength of Volunteers

What is core strength and how do I see it in myself and others? Two types of power –Positional and Personal Strength is derived from how we see ourselves If we don’t believe it, we can’t sell it We’ll know we have it by the “physical cues” The only way to have it is to be authentic If we lose it, we CAN get it back again Source – MOJO by Marshall Goldsmith

Grab and Go Strategy #1 Develop Your Personal “Strategic Plan” Take time to process the “value” of who you are as an individual: –What is your mission statement?(Why do you exist?) –What values drive you to do what you do? –What is your vision for your future? –What roles are you really good at? –To what area of growth or development are you committed? These answers will give you the “core strength” to risk asking questions – challenging the status quo

Speak the Language of the Constituency Groups

WIIFM

I Speak Volunteer – They Speak ??????? It may be English… but we don’t all speak the same language Listen for the clues of what is important – then translate your value to their currency Offer authentic assurances Make your case using their currency Resist being “put off” by priorities that may not coalesce with your own personal values Keep your eye on the prize

Grab and Go Strategy #2 Negotiate for What You Need Use the TALK method to secure a change in attitude : (Remember that taking the risk of getting a “no” answer isn’t easy – Reinforce your confidence in your “value” before taking this on….) TTell ‘em what you need AAsk for their reaction LListen as much as you talk KKeep it about the work REFERENCE: Julie Morgenstern – Making Work Work

Create Volunteer Ambassadors

Follow your own recommendation…. If you need someone to “sell” the volunteer program, “hire” a sales force Write a job description that promotes the promotion of the of your organization Give volunteers the tools to do the work Support and reinforce results You don’t need to do ALL the work – you just need to assure the work gets done

Grab and Go Strategy #3 Write a Job Description Write a job description for a program ambassador for the volunteer service Develop a set of scripts (including both head and heart descriptors) Send and/or go with the ambassador to deliver the volunteer message Give the ambassador tools to use in recruitment

Written Job Descriptions

Enlist Champions with Credibility

It only takes one!!!!! One happy volunteer can be the primary sales person for the volunteer services program Interview happy volunteers – use their comments and ask them to speak on behalf of the program Enlist happy employees who have derived benefit in work alongside volunteers Seek advocates for seat at the table

Grab and Go Strategy #4 Develop a “Fan File” Interview a dozen leaders in your agency asking them to “tell me something good” about volunteers working in their setting Document their answers Seek permission to use their quotes Include a signed quote (selected for best “fit”) on EVERY correspondence going out to your volunteers and prospective volunteers

Prep Your Fluffiest Pompons

You can’t sell it if you haven’t bought it! Look for multiple avenues of communication Put outcomes into the language of the recipients – money talks Look for high visibility volunteer placements to showcase volunteer benefit (sell administration) Tell, tell, tell – share the value proposition

Grab and Go Strategy #5 Practice the Three Ps Persistent, Positive, Pursuit 1.Develop a 60-second “commercial” that outlines program, features, stats, and impact 2.Deliver this “commercial” in every setting available within your organization 3. Teach the “commercial” to your volunteer core

Innovate

If “we’ve always done it that way” is the common mantra….consider this. Don’t just round up the usual suspects Go outside your comfort zone Be the very best at “failure” Collect ideas from volunteers Collect ideas from staff Consider research and demonstration in one area and, after evaluation – organizational roll-out

Accountability Evaluation Works

Reward Celebrate Recognize Honor

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