Why Volunteers
Quit...
First, instead of considering it a volunteer quitting, consider it your volunteers firing you. - by Mac Lake
Why Volunteers
Why volunteers quit.
First, instead of considering it a volunteer quitting, consider it your volunteers firing you.
I will never forget the first time I got fired! (Yes, I have been fired.)
I was a bag boy at Kroger. The manager would get frustrated with me because I was slow. I would put eggs on the bottom of a bag and pack the bags so heavy they were guaranteed to burst by the third step into the parking lot.
The straw that broke the camel's back was when I forgot I was on the schedule. The manager called me and told me I was late. As soon as I got there, he told me I was fired.
Looking back, I don't blame him. I was terrible. I wasn't doing the job well enough to ensure customer satisfaction, so he didn't want to deal with the grief of having me around.
The only thing worse than getting fired…is getting fired without knowing it.
You may not realize it, but your volunteers often feel better off without you when you fail to demonstrate good leadership. In essence, they fire you by walking away from the role.
You might not lose your job, but you'll cycle through volunteers quickly rather than building a strong, healthy team that is enthusiastic and committed to their role. Your volunteers choose to "let you go" because your poor leadership performance creates a grief they don't want to live with.
Why do volunteers fire us?
1) We don't create a culture they are proud to be a part of.
2) We don't communicate in ways that make them feel they are a part of the team.
3) We don't cast a vision that helps them recognize their significant contribution.
4) We don't maximize their strengths.
5) We don't provide ongoing development.
6) We don't ask for or listen to their input.
So, have you been losing volunteers…or excuse me, perhaps I should say, have your volunteers been firing you?
TAKE ACTION:
- Take a minute to review these six reasons volunteers walk away. What areas can you improve?
- Assess why the last three people left your team, and see what you can learn.
Talk about what stood out to you on your next 1:1 with your leader.
I will never forget the first time I got fired! (Yes, I have been fired.)
I was a bag boy at Kroger. The manager would get frustrated with me because I was slow. I would put eggs on the bottom of a bag and pack the bags so heavy they were guaranteed to burst by the third step into the parking lot.
The straw that broke the camel's back was when I forgot I was on the schedule. The manager called me and told me I was late. As soon as I got there, he told me I was fired.
Looking back, I don't blame him. I was terrible. I wasn't doing the job well enough to ensure customer satisfaction, so he didn't want to deal with the grief of having me around.
The only thing worse than getting fired…is getting fired without knowing it.
You may not realize it, but your volunteers often feel better off without you when you fail to demonstrate good leadership. In essence, they fire you by walking away from the role.
You might not lose your job, but you'll cycle through volunteers quickly rather than building a strong, healthy team that is enthusiastic and committed to their role. Your volunteers choose to "let you go" because your poor leadership performance creates a grief they don't want to live with.
Why do volunteers fire us?
1) We don't create a culture they are proud to be a part of.
2) We don't communicate in ways that make them feel they are a part of the team.
3) We don't cast a vision that helps them recognize their significant contribution.
4) We don't maximize their strengths.
5) We don't provide ongoing development.
6) We don't ask for or listen to their input.
So, have you been losing volunteers…or excuse me, perhaps I should say, have your volunteers been firing you?
TAKE ACTION:
- Take a minute to review these six reasons volunteers walk away. What areas can you improve?
- Assess why the last three people left your team, and see what you can learn.
Talk about what stood out to you on your next 1:1 with your leader.