Volunteers leading volunteers - navigating expectations and accountability
Courtesy of Anna Guest, Founder and CEO, Rising Tide Volunteer Solutions
Volunteer dynamics related to setting expectations and holding people accountable can be challenging at the best of times, and this becomes more nuanced in Lifelong Communities, where leaders of volunteers are often volunteers themselves, or may even be supervising paid staff. It’s a delicate balance to provide your team members with flexibility and autonomy, while also providing the vision and communication to keep everyone rowing in the same direction toward your collective goals. One of the things that can be most challenging and frustrating about leading volunteers is that the dynamics of authority and motivation can be murky. Making demands of volunteers isn’t a recipe for success, and because people are giving their time freely, the stakes are higher to tap into the power of each person’s intrinsic motivations, our positive relationships with them, and our connection over a shared cause.
In this article, you’ll find tips to proactively cultivate a culture that normalizes accountability and open communication in support of shared achievement.
Goal Setting and Clear Communication
Clearly defining the vision, goals, measures of success, and any parameters related to how things can or can’t be done is an important early step in effectively engaging team members and setting expectations that keep everyone working toward making a difference in your community. The goal is to provide the just-right amount of vision and guidance that allows our volunteers to work independently and efficiently and seek out our support when needed.
As a leader, taking the time to define your expectations of others is a critical step that we sometimes overlook. Sometimes we're not clear on what we do expect of others until it doesn’t happen and we feel frustrated or disappointed. Or we might assume others should understand our expectations without intuitively. Expectations may include things like: people will show up on time for their shifts or will let you know if they won’t be available on a specific day. Or when someone says they’ll do something, you expect that they will, and that they’ll communicate proactively if they have questions or problems. Acknowledging your own expectations of the people you volunteer alongside is a foundational step in communicating clearly and effectively with others.
Are the mission, vision, goals, and measures of success for your community initiatives clearly documented where team members can access them? Are these shared goals woven into and referenced in regular communications with volunteers?
If a volunteer is taking on a project, are the goals, measures of success, and any parameters discussed and agreed upon?
What are your own expectations of the volunteers and staff you work with? Have you communicated those?
Start Early with Open Conversations
When a new volunteer wants to get involved in your lifelong community, be really clear about the values, goals, and culture of your team and initiative. Be sure to share the overarching goals that you’re working toward, and if there are any specific deliverables that are critical to success that they will be responsible for, like reporting back on data or completing a task by a certain deadline. Taking the time to share why these things matter to the success of your age-friendly program.
You might include these questions in your conversation:
What is the process for making decisions in your community?
What can volunteers expect in terms of support and communication?
What should the volunteer do when they have questions or get stuck?
As a leader, how do you like to share feedback?
What motivates the volunteer about this work?
How would they describe their working style?
How do they like to receive feedback if it’s needed?
This type of conversation can help someone decide if the role really is something that aligns with their own goals, lifestyle, vision and working style. It can also open the conversation about where there might be room for flexibility so that people with diverse lived experience can be part of your work.
If you find yourself in the position of supervising a staff person as a volunteer, open communication can be even more critical to establishing an effective working relationship. Having an initial meeting with the staff person you supervise and a more senior staff person can help make sure everyone understands the chain of command and communication channels. It’s important that the senior staff person acknowledges the volunteer’s authority and chain of command and upholds that throughout the working relationship, as any issues arise with the staff person being supervised by the volunteer. It may also be helpful to openly acknowledge the dynamics that make this working relationship unique, with a volunteer in a supervising role, thus giving team members the chance to air concerns and ask questions. After setting initial expectations, having regular check-ins and cultivating a safe space for open dialogue and constructive feedback from both parties can support both the volunteer and staff person work successfully toward shared goals.
Assume the Best and Be Curious
When things don’t go according to our expectations, it can be easy to slip into blaming others, feeling resentful and frustrated. Taking a deep breath and a step back and reminding ourselves that we’re working with other volunteers who are also contributing out of goodness and positive intent can be helpful, you’re on the same team with the same goal of making a difference in your community. At the same time, maintaining a sense of curiosity can help you open the conversation with a fellow volunteer, or staff member, to learn more about what’s getting in the way of following through on something they have committed to. Understanding each volunteer's experiences, skills, aspirations, and challenges allows for tailored guidance and solution finding. By assuming the best and staying curious, we not only foster a culture of accountability but also create an atmosphere where feedback is seen as a tool for growth, making the volunteer journey collectively enriching for all.
If you’re in a position where sharing some feedback with a volunteer is needed, you might find these resources helpful:
Brene Brown’s Engaged Feedback Checklist is a powerful tool for preparing for accountability conversations. Prompting us to consider things like: “I’m ready to sit next to you rather than across from you; I’m willing to put the problem in front of us rather than between us (or sliding it toward you); I’m ready to listen, ask questions, and accept that I may not fully understand the issue; I am open to owning my part.” You can find the full Checklist here.
Similarly, having some words up your sleeve to help you begin a “difficult” conversation, can be really helpful to getting off on the right foot. In her article We Have to Talk: A Step-By Step Checklist for Difficult Conversations, Judy Ringer shares some helpful conversation openers like:
I’d like to talk about _______ with you, but first I’d like to get your point of view.
I’d like to see if we might reach a better understanding about ___________. I really want to hear your feelings about this and share my perspective as well.
I need your help with something. Can we talk about it (soon)? If the person says, “Sure, let me get back to you,” be sure to follow up.
Language can be tailored to your own style and situation, but having a place to start can make all the difference.
Cultivate a Sense of Interconnectedness
As leaders, sometimes take on the weight of the world, or at least our community’s success, and it can feel lonely. Gently reminding people that as a team you’re all part of an intricately connected ecosystem of success can be a way to proactively cultivate community and sustainability. Consider sharing this metaphor with your team:
Teamwork is like a symphony where every instrument, though unique in its sound, contributes to the harmonious composition. Each member plays a crucial role, much like the various sections of an orchestra. The success of the performance relies not only on individual musicians hitting the right notes but on the collective precision and synchronization that unite diverse melodies into a seamless masterpiece. In this symphony of collaboration, challenges are akin to musical variations—distinct, sometimes complex, yet integral to the overall arrangement. When every player understands their part and appreciates the interconnectedness of their efforts, the result is a symphony of success, where the beauty lies in the shared journey and the collective resilience to overcome challenges.
Ultimately, navigating expectations and accountability is about leadership, and courageously stepping into moments of discomfort, building the culture and container for open conversations, modeling a willingness to be self-reflective and vulnerable, and honoring the unique individuals who make your work possible.
Further Resources from Anna:
We are deeply grateful to Anna Guest and Rising Tides Volunteer Solutions for working with Lifelong Maine to develop these training materials. Special thanks to Sharon Kelley, Berwick for a Lifetime, Candy Eaton, Age-Friendly Sullivan, and Jean Saunders, Age-Friendly Saco, for meeting with Anna to share their wisdom, experiences and challenges working with volunteers
We also want to thank AARP Maine for their thought leadership designing these modules.