Often, the normal approach is a Leader sends out an email (or Facebook, or BAND etc. post, or Group Text or Message), and then waits for families to respond. Then families don't respond. Then, Leaders experience frustration, upset, being disrespected.
In our approach, we are very successful with Troop Communication.
I offer you our strategy:
Context: I figure everyone is busy, just like me.
I am not always able to respond immediately when I receive something, and things get buried for me, too.
Exception: When there is something low-key like Disney on Ice, -- I don't do any of the things I describe below. Families can generate the communication for something that is no big deal.
Strategy:
This requires that I communicate with *enough time* to be able to do this process AND set clear boundaries of "DUE: (DATE)," in the subject line.
The most important part is that *I don't make them wrong.*
If I want people to communicate with me, they need to experience that they are safe to communicate with me. I am not going to criticize or complain. In fact, I will express my compassion for their life outside of Girl Scouts (release pressure and save face.).
This is important because if anyone is made to feel bad or guilty about late communication -- they might not be present to why they dread responding to me, but they will unconsciously resist that communication.
Girl Scouts is not usually a person's Center of the Universe - not even mine! And being respectful and warm in my tone (vs. entitled or resentful) goes a long way.
I once mentioned this strategy on one of the Girl Scout Facebook groups, and I was quickly criticized with "that's not my job," and "parents can...," and "I shouldn't have to..."
What is ironic, is that this person was *asking* for advice on how to have it work. Her automatic rejection of what works indicated that she missed the point, illustrated that she is not someone I would want to communicate with, either (righteous indignation is not fun), and was more committed to being upset than solving her problem.
This is what I did when I was on a Board of Directors for a school. This is how I manage the Volunteers for my Camp. This is what I do when I have any project.
Do I wish everyone would "just communicate with me, the way I want them to, on my timeline?" YES.
But do they? NO.
Will they ever? NO.
Am I empowered by accepting reality? Yep.
Everyone is busy, like me. Everyone has a life outside of Girl Scouts, including me (Hardly! Just kidding sort of!).
It takes me maybe an extra 10 minutes total. And saves me HOURS of being frustrated, upset, disempowered, feeling unappreciated.
Ultimately, I get to choose to empower myself, apply 10 minutes of proactive effort + a wonderful attitude, or wallow in my own martyrdom.
I pick empowered, proactive, and happy!
Thanks for your consideration,
Christine
If you are having a hard time with Volunteer Retention, it might be useful to receive some feedback from those Volunteers to figure out what the source of their disappearing is.
It could be a simple structure of time / date / location. Is there a quick need to address structurally? If yes, do it!
However, most of the time when I find that there are Volunteer Retention problems, because of some "enigmatic" or "illusive" reason--Then it's likely that there is something going on that puts people off-balance, and they usually can't explain why. They just know if "feels off."
When people can't put it into words, but they now it feels "off" they just go away. There is no point in speaking up because they aren't sure what to speak up about. Or, they might know, but don't have faith that their speaking up will make a difference.
This is a huge bummer all around because people, at the core of themselves, love to be generous and help.
What it takes to solve the illusive reason is a compassionate, authentic look at the source of the problem.
Please hear me saying this gently: It starts by looking at "Is the Leader / Leadership Team giving what needs to be given?"
This can be a hard thing to look at because the Leader and the Leadership Team are already giving so much of their heart and soul, that it can seem like "What else is there to give?"
But what is wonderful, is that on the other side of looking, is a pathway of empowerment.
Here are some examples of places to look:
Is there enough communication? or enough of the right communication?
It's easy to think that "everyone knows how it goes" because it's clear in our heads, or clear for the people who've been doing it for a long time.
Solution: Ask--especially of new people--"What do you wish you had known?" and take their advice. Ask, "When and how would work for you to receive this information?"
Do volunteers feel confident that they are set up for success?
Solution: Ask, "What else do you need to feel prepared for success?" Give them what they need. // Rock Star Level: Don't say "Do you feel prepared for success?" That is a yes/no question. People will often answer blindly, or be afraid of admitting a "no" because they don't want to be embarrassed, or are worried about criticizing others. Ask "what do you need" and if they need "nothing" they will respond, "nothing." But if they need something, they are safe to make their ask.
Is there enough personal ownership? It's a Girl-Led program, but we can also honor the gifts and strengths of the adults who are partnering with the Teen-Girls and Younger Girls.
Solution: Ask, "Do you feel like your skill sets are being used? Do you have something else to offer that we don't know about?" Listen to learn and match this person with their gifts.
In what ways are Volunteers allowed to influence the program and attitudes of other Volunteer Staff?
Solution: When you are creating the team, talk about what values are important, and match people to the values expressed by that team. Offer an evaluation and ask, "What qualities would you like to see next time?" Use that feedback.
Is there a connection between the Leadership of the Camp and 100% of the Volunteers? Do the Leadership and know about what the Staff is dealing with in real life?
Solution: Spend time listening to learn about what is important about their life. Find at least 5 things you like about that person, and express it! Being "seen" and "known" goes so far in feeling part of the community. Gottman says 5 deposits into the bucket get 1 correction back to Zero -- imagine how positive it would be if you connected and celebrated everyone more than 5 times!
Is it a culture of possibility -- "Yes! Let's do that! Yes! You can do that!" or is it a culture of "No, we can't because..." "That's impossible because..."?
Boundaries are good and important to set -- and what I'm talking about here is receptivity of the expression of each person's enthusiasm, passion, and good-shape-ness. If the culture is an "automatic veto" because of "this is how we've always done it" and that's become stagnant, or a Leader's inability to be flexible, adaptable, and welcoming, Volunteers get turned off and go away.
Solution: Try to be a "yes" as often as possible, and when you have to be a "no" take the time to explain and teach the "why." The "why" helps the Volunteer see the Leader's side, and keeps everyone on the same team.
Is whomever is making up the "Leadership Team" doing the same activities (team building) with everyone else?
Solution: Participate. Go first! Be "in the game." This is a great chance for Leaders to go first! Let's all make a fool of ourselves together! Let's build trust by revealing things about ourselves to each other.
Are the Leaders schelping with the hard work like everyone else? A unique perspective comes from being "boots on the ground."
Solution: Schelp. Participate. When I am the Event Leader, I try to make it my job to clean the bathrooms once and for sure take a shift at the dish pit! If the Leaderships doesn't have the energy for this, consider delegating the work that happens before the event in order to in good shape for hands-on participation at the event.
Is there a way for the adults to get to know each other's names? Contact information? Connect with each other before and after?
Solution: Offer a roster. Encourage participation on a Facebook Group. Require that people introduce themselves and share their passions. I keep a pinned post of "Introduce yourself, say your name, and something that makes you a Rock Star!" I tag people who still need to participate, so no one gets away with flying under the radar.
Finally, the worst poison is, I believe, an unconscious sabotage of amassing power -- are the same people in control of all of the things?
There is often a good heart and motivation with the people in control (want it done right, don't want others to be burdened, have a good agenda, expressing their favorite parts of themselves!) -- and when it's paired with an insatiable need (for authority, control, identity) or endless proving ("I can do it myself!" "No one is here for me."), or an innate shyness or being afraid to ask for help, bad at setting boundaries, or even just lack of practice or time, energy, and organization-- the situation becomes the place where people can't find their balance, or even worse -- feel attacked, undermined, shunned, or shamed.
Solution: The Red Hot Chili Peppers have the best advice, "Give it away, give it away, give it away now!" As the Leader or Leadership, Play a game to "Do less. Empower more." This usually takes more energy in the creation or set up, and it pays out in the long run.
*It also takes being authentic about your strengths and weaknesses, being brave to look at it and own it, and purposeful about your own growth.
Girl Scouts is a wonderful organization that creates leaders -- not just the young people under 18, but also the Adults who make it happen.
While all of these questions might not be fun to ask, but each root-of-the-problem is solvable, and make the questions worth asking. As heartbreaking as cancelling because of a lack of Volunteers, doing the Heart/Soul work to figure out the source of the breakdown makes it so that we are left empowered with a future of success.