What if we were to add one more “R” to the not-for-profit trio of significant “R’s” – Recruitment, Retention, Recognition.  Adding a column titled “Rejection” might offer significant insights as the fourth guidepost for planning purposes. 

Curious as to why volunteers walk away from the status quo of organizations, I posted a simple statement on social media recently.  It read,  “I drop out as a volunteer when _________________________________.

Comments piled up quickly as former volunteers spoke their minds.

I’ve categorized their examples into four themes, which might give you some insight into the R&R&R + R world as experienced by formerly loyal folks.  You can mine for gold in these comments. Don’t let assumptions and biases cloud over the clues. 

Perhaps the basic question you and your colleagues might discuss is: “Do WE do this too?”

1.  “I am Taken for Granted – Unappreciated”

I drop out as a volunteer when....

• You have to BUY your own ticket to the Annual Appreciation banquet
• When it started to cost ME money…and the time took its toll on me physically because I was essentially working two jobs. When you volunteer with charities for children…you need supplies. As simple as markers and glue sticks. There was no reimbursement (Oh! It’s only $10 when you run a weekly group for a year, it starts to add up.) People like myself do not always do the long math, especially when it comes to bright eyes and big smiles
• It’s obvious by statements and actions I am no longer valued. An example –we’ll call you when we need something – the event is happening and no call to support the event
• When you do not get responses to your emails, except when they need something from you; when they dismiss your questions and concerns, but then want your help in rectifying the mess they created because they dismissed your concerns.

2.  When I am “Disrespected”

• They start taking advantage of you, expecting you to do the job of a full-time staff person (media professional). In my case they made demands, expecting me to pressure my media colleagues to promote their events. If they didn’t get the results they wanted, I was not trying hard enough! Media people have other skills sets.  They do not volunteer to extend their workday.
• When the rules for NPO’s aren’t being respected and adhered to. As a retired accountant I have a higher duty of care than others. For example tax reporting, payroll and gst/HST
• I was micro-managed. I was “in charge” of some duties but someone else constantly tried to take the reins. Example email received: “I know you are working on this but you should change everything we agreed to last time and I went ahead and checked out these 3 different options and here’s 2 other ways you could do this and you should look at x 2.”

3. When “Meeting Mandates” Stifle

• When you realize that you are surrounded by talkers and not doers. They promise they will do things but never do, and they put their own self gains ahead of those that the organization is trying to serve.
• Would you please sit on this committee? I agree to do it but the committee is never called to meet.
• I ask for direction or an additional short meeting to discuss an area of concern, and leadership says sorry, no time, it’ll work out fine, just handle it.  Ask three times over three months with no response - it’s clearly time to move on.
• I’m not being asked to engage.  I was on a Board having nothing to do but attend Board meetings and not being involved in decision-making. The Board President and CEO made all the decisions.

4. “A Simple Thanks” & Other Insights

•  A simple thanks would do. Doesn’t happen.
• When they ask me to donate a dang pie but don’t ask my husband to donate a dang pie.  I hate baking. I am not baking. You can ask the men.
• When it’s not fun anymore.
•  I drop out when the job is done.
•  Only once did I actually write a letter of resignation.  When I returned some gear two months later, others were surprised because they had not been informed (of my resignation).

DO WE DO THIS TOO?

“Strategy” is what you say you will do, what you actually do, and what never gets discussed.  Try asking some key questions around this added “Rejection” column.  For example,

• Who doesn’t seem to be as engaged any more?  Do we know why? 
• What don’t we do as well as we should?
• What frustrates our front line volunteers? 
• What alienates leadership volunteers?

The bottom line for me, as a strategist, is to apply curiosity to move forward, “Human to Human”. 

So the final question is, “Do your procedures and processes, your everyday interactions, power up your human connections?”

On behalf of all who answered my initial question, thank you for listening.

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Maggie Chicoine is a passionate speaker, facilitator, coach and writer.   She is original, experienced and above all, honest.  Her Company, The Idea Sculptor specializes in “Strategies to Think Ahead”.  Maggie is a long-term member of TBAVA, the Thunder Bay Association of Volunteer Administrators and a proud Legacy Leader Charter member of CAPS, the Canadian Association of Professional Speakers.   Reach her at maggiechicoine@gmail.com, 807 9393000, LinkedIn, Facebook or twitter.  Comments about this article are always welcome!