Description

no plagiarize, spell check, and check your grammar. Please use the references below. Ask at least one question in response to an original peer post that you would like the author to explore further.

As the volunteer manager, it is important to balance both the volunteers as well as the organization. Although Sally is a longtime volunteer, I am new to the organization and my relationship with her. After receiving negative complaints from other volunteers, staff, and clients, I would ask to meet with Sally privately for some feedback. I would be intentional to be questions-driven and seek to understand what may have triggered her frustration. If this appeared out of her character, I would highlight her past service record and remind her of her value within the organization. Although my knee-jerk reaction is to simply release her of any volunteer responsibilities with clients due to her tantrum, I would need to explore further her side of the story. Losing her could be a disservice to her and the organization as a whole. No matter what the root cause of her frustration, I would attempt to validate her concerns and have a solution-focused discussion. After validating her concerns and brainstorming solutions, I would challenge her to consider any personal ownership she may take regarding her inappropriate outburst. I would challenge her to consider apologizing to those she directed her anger at and discuss better ways for her to handle these situations in the future. Ultimately, my goal would be to better support her moving forward and prevent any future outbursts.

A coach is significantly different than a manager. When considering coaching, Connors (2011) stated, “recognize that the person being coached is not you. They may not have the same values, experiences, skills, and ideas as you do” (p.251). The volunteer may be from a different generation, background, education, or skillset. A volunteer manager must be intentional to build a relationship with their volunteer to better understand why they volunteer and what makes them continue to come back. Connors (2011) discussed effective coaching in the following factors: “caring, competence, encouragement, and patience” (p. 252). A volunteer manager must continuously utilize these four components when coaching a volunteer. A volunteer can become frustrated if they do not feel effective, if they don’t understand why their task is important, if they become discouraged, or if they have expectations on them that are unrealistic. Coaching a volunteer effectively can help support a volunteer’s retention.

Retaining volunteers is imperative for an organization’s return on investment. Going through the process of recruiting, orienting, training, and placing a volunteer, takes significant time and resources for an organization. Retaining strong volunteers can help prevent any loss for an organization. Rosenthal and Baldwin (2015) asserted that recognition can help “volunteers feel respected and valued for their contributions and feel a deeper sense of connection to the organization and its mission. This results in increased retention, improved quality of work and, ultimately, a more pleasant work environment” (p. 90). Helping volunteers feel valued and appreciated can help keep volunteers coming back.

Through the use of in-person and technological communication, recognition can be immediate! Organizations can send texts or emails to volunteers recognizing their efforts and successes! Lunches can easily be utilized to help show appreciation to committed volunteers. If an organization wants to see volunteers improve in a certain way, they can begin to provide positive feedback and recognition for those that are already embracing that positive attribute. No matter what Sally’s cause for frustration, rewards and recognition can help to highlight where she shines and help to minimize negative interactions.

References

Connors, T. D. (2011). Wiley nonprofit law, finance and management series: volunteer management handbook: leadership strategies for success (2nd ed.). Hoboken, NJ: John Wiley & Sons.

Rosenthal, R. J., & Baldwin, G. (2015). Volunteer engagement 2.0: Ideas and insights changing the world. Somerset, NJ: John Wiley & Sons.