Volunteer Directors… Leaders in Volunteer Engagement

Volunteer Directors…Leaders in Volunteer Engagement Florida Association of Directors of Volunteer Services September 30, 2009 Facilitator: Betty Stallings

Agenda • Introductory Comments • Distinguishing between the Management and Leadership components of your position • Trends in Volunteerism and Pro-active Response/Adaptation BREAK • Using visioning process to design a vision for 2012 • Skill/process of influence/persuasion - info and dyad activity LUNCH • From Doing to Delegating • Empowering Busy Staff for Success in Partnering with Volunteers • Review, Wrap-up – What will be Different When I return…..???

Outcomes for Seminar Fun, Networking and… • Reminder of the leadership role of Director of Volunteer Services • Renewed clarity and energy about a vision for your volunteer program • A plan to influence a person or group who MUST be a champion supporter of your volunteer program • Exploring the Leadership Skills of Delegation and Empowering Busy Staff to be Successful at Partnering with Volunteers

The Leadership and Management Aspects of your Position • What is the difference in skill sets for managers and leaders? • How do you and others in your medical setting view your role? • What are some examples of leadership roles you have taken on (or need to take on) in your medical setting?

Pro-active Response to Trends • What are the most significant trends (both external and internal) that are impacting volunteer engagement within your medical setting? • How are you leading your organization to adapt and/or benefit from these trends?

Introductory Comments 2 KEY Leadership Roles of DVS: • Articulating the vision • Getting to “Yes!” – Effective Influence

Visioning Thoughts • Visioning is proactive, clear, exciting picture drawing you towards your future. • Visioning revitalizes and renews people when times are tough. (story of Wellness Community) • Leaders are future focused and have the ability to articulate a future that others will say “yes” to. • Visioning is a process you can use to evoke enthusiasm and be creative in problem solving.(story of raising money!)

General guidelines for a visioning process • Imagine the possibilities of the ideal volunteer program in 2012 • Leave behind the problems, barriers, limits of today • Abandon old assumptions.. Think, “What if…” • Turn off the left brain (analytical,orderly side) Don’t problem solve or analyze any ideas during this process • Allow the creative, intuitive “right brain” to engage in imaginative speculation. • Don’t focus on specific outcomes amount but how your volunteer program will better serve the mission of the hospital.

Individual & Group activity • What would be worth committing to over the next 2-3 years? • What words, symbols, pictures, metaphors, visions come to you as you imagine your volunteer program becoming the best it can be…..???? • Sharing of a few visions with the larger group.

Persuasion and Influence • Key Skills: • Asking good questions • Listening (not telling) • Strategy for getting to “Yes” by using marketing principles -see worksheet

Influence Strategy My GOAL: • What am I attempting to accomplish and what is the preferred outcome? • Who must I influence to support my vision/plan? (staff, auxiliary, Executive, my boss, department heads, etc….???) • What attempts have I made to influence this group/person and what was the outcome?

Influence worksheet What I need to know before trying to influence: • What response do I anticipate hearing? • What are potential sources or reasons for his/her/their resistance? • What do I need to know about him/her/them that is (would be) helpful in understanding his/her/their view, response? • What potential exchange am I offering them for accommodating to my interests?

Influence worksheet What I need to know (continued) • What barriers are there, if any, over which no one in the hospital has control/influence? • What are my sources of Power in this situation?

Influence worksheet New Strategy to Influence: • In what style or method of delivery should the request come? • Who is the best person(s) to influence him/her/them and why? • What are possible strategies or approaches to counter their resistance?

Outcome: • What can I reasonably expect to accomplish with them on the first (next) encounter? • How do I keep them “on board” if they are persuaded? • What is Plan B if I am unsuccessful?

DVS Leadership skills … • Pro-active response to trends • Visioning the future • Influencing those who must buy-in to the vision • Stop Doing….Start Delegating • Empowering Others to Partner Effectively with Volunteers

Effective Delegation • Why is it so difficult to do well? • Why is it so critical to do well?

4 ways to get the job done… Doing Directing Dumping Delegation

Definition of Delegation • Assigning mutually agreed upon results, • an appropriate means of authority and support to get those results, and • a follow-up system which allow you to inspect what you expect.

Cardinal Rules of Delegation(see handout) • Prior to delegation, assess the work assignment and the corresponding abilities and other work and personal priorities of the volunteer. • Give the assignment in terms of results. • Define the level of control/authority. • Communicate any guidelines • Make resources available • Determine criteria for success • Set up checkpoints. • Provide feedback/recognition along the way & at the completion of a project • Watch out for Reverse Delegation

Levels of Authority/Control • No authority for making unilateral decisions (self assignments) LEVEL 4 • The authority to recommend action/ self assignment LEVEL 3 • The authority for unilateral decisions (self assignment) provided regular progress reports are received LEVEL 2 • The authority for making unilateral decisions provided you alert supervisor to any major issue/problem LEVEL 1

Who’s got the monkey???

Delegation Activity Think of a time when a volunteer or staff did not come through for you. Is there anything you might have done that could have averted this disappointment?

Empowering your Busy Staff to Partner Effectively with Volunteers • Your Role in staff training… • Building Commitment to Your Volunteer Program • Identifying Resistance • Methods to encourage commitment • Building Competency with Staff to Partner Effectively with Volunteers • Designing Your Unique Training Program • 55-Minute Series and other tools to build commitment and competency with staff & leadership Volunteers

Role of Director of Volunteer Services Role of Volunteer Director is to empower all staff and leadership volunteers to effectively engage volunteers in meeting the mission of the organization. Questions: 1. Are you seen in this role and is it clearly spelled out in your job description? 2. Do you have access to staff to provide training in supervision of volunteers? 3. How much time do you currently allocate to enhancing staff and leadership volunteers’ competency in utilizing volunteers?

What are some symptoms/signs of staff/organizational resistance to full utilization of volunteers?

Building Commitment • What Builds Commitment (worksheet) • Conducting a Volunteer Program Assessment to uncover problems and build commitment for improvement • Hold a Retreat to Build Commitment (handout) • Staff/volunteer friendly systems (handouts)

Assessment of the Volunteer Program • Output statistics (time and value) • Customer Input (staff, volunteers, clients, administration, board – qualitative measures) • Standards based (Compared to some objective standards) • Outcome based (Impact of our work)

Visioning The Potential Impact of Volunteers – A retreat • 1. Visionary activity Imagine what your organization could accomplish with 100 new ideal volunteers • 2. Barriers to accomplishing this vision Barriers surfaced from staff, volunteers, administration, board, vol. manager, etc., keeping your from the above vision • 3. Solutions to the barriers Have all who contributed to the listing of barriers now discuss strategies, potential solutions and resources to address these barriers.

Building a Staff Friendly System See handout examples: Preparing and Welcoming Volunteers Request for volunteers Role of Staff in supervising volunteers

Building Staff Competency Through a Training Program 1. Determine staff and leadership volunteer training needs • Knowledge • Skills • Attitudes

Training Program 2. When are some occasions to provide the education? 3. What are some methods to provide the training/education? 4. How do you develop staff interest and involvement? 5. What are some resources to assist with the training? 6. What are some methods to evaluate the success of the training/coaching, etc.?

Summary of the 55-Minute Series Training Busy Staff to Succeed with Volunteers • Purpose of Series: Provides tools, training support to build commitment and competency among all staff/leadership volunteers who partner with volunteers

55-Minute Series • 12 Training Topics: Position Design Difficult Volunteers Recruitment Program Evaluation Interviewing Risk Management Volunteer Motivation Recognition Supervision Orientation/Training Delegation Performance Reviews

55-Minute Series • Electronic – Adaptable • Handouts with all modules • Trainer scripts for each module • Timed overview of training • Resources and websites for added info • Suggestions for workshop activities • Workshop evaluation form • PowerPoints Slides for all modules

Design of Every Training Module • Training Guide • Introduction to topic • Purpose and Learning Objectives of Training • General Notes to Trainers • Presentation Summary • Presentation Script (times for PowerPoint/Handout distribution) • Suggestions for Expanded Activities • Further Resources on the Topic • PowerPoint Slides • Handouts • Participant Evaluation Form

My Action Plan…………. As a result of attending this session today I plan to: • Devote more time proactive Leadership my volunteer program • Help my medical facility understand and adapt to trends in volunteerism • Attempt new strategies of influence to reach my vision • Do less, delegate more • Take time to train key staff who partner with volunteers as they carry out their work in our medical facility. • Others….

Volunteer Directors… Leaders in Volunteer Engagement