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IOM Blog

April 2, 2015

Volunteers: Grow with Intent

We all have them at some point – those rock star, give all that they got volunteers that lead our organization to new heights.  They have the energy and drive to follow through on any commitment they make, and the results are top notch.  Many have their finger on the pulse of opportunities and/or warning signs in the community and become strategic advisors if not members of the board. Yet, these volunteers don’t just magically appear – they have an origin story, a path they have taken. Organizations that succeed in discovering them earlier, in empowering that growth, in turn have developed the very volunteers they wish to see lead.

So where to start? First, know the qualities you are seeking for the key volunteer roles that define your organization.  Yes, there are commonalities – honesty, integrity, loyalty, etc. but there are also unique traits that can often be ascribed to specific volunteer roles. Define those traits.

Next, create paths of volunteer discovery. Do you have a volunteer referral program, where current volunteers know the above traits you are looking for, and can pass along contacts that they meet for an invitation to get involved? Do you have an easy to access portal where new professionals, either to the field or to your area, can self-identify with what role they would like to take? And, are there opportunities throughout the year, so the person who wants to get involved doesn’t have to wait 11 months for the next ‘Call’. Finally, are you tracking the involvement of current volunteers. There may be a member who has helped plan local events, getting more and more involved – how are you tracking those efforts so they don’t fly beneath the radar, but are highlighted through data analysis of the roles they have played as a diamond in the rough?

Finally, share the stories of volunteers whose paths serve as an example for those just getting started. Short vignettes from your current super-volunteers – why they got involved, how, what impact it has made on their career – personal stories make an impression. By sharing their stories, you share inspiration for what a difference a volunteer can make for your organization, and for their field.

While there is no foolproof plan to discovering tomorrow’s leaders today, and we have always had volunteers step up and hopefully will continue to do so, focusing intent on the leaders that your organization needs and wants to see will increase your chances of finding those key players. Investing in the effort of volunteer discovery and growth will reap a stronger led organization down the road.

 

Avatar photo
Lowell Aplebaum, FASAE, CAE, CPF
CEO & Strategy Catalyst
Vista Cova, LLC

Lowell Aplebaum, FASAE, CAE, CPF is the CEO of Vista Cova – a company that partners with organizations on strategic visioning and planning, designing mission-focused governance models, and reimagining value and engagement. As an IAF Certified™ Professional Facilitator, Lowell frequently provides dynamic sessions to organizations - getting volunteers, members, and staff involved through experiential learning approaches.

After starting his career in the informal education realm, over the course of more than a decade, Lowell has worked inside associations on membership and value, volunteer leadership establishment and growth, professional development and learning, global alliance building, communications and marketing, online and in-person communities, operations, finance, HR, and staff oversight. After serving as the Chief Operating Officer for a medical association, Lowell founded Vista Cova – returning to his passion of facilitating for and partnering with volunteer leaders, members, and staff.

Lowell currently serves on the ASAE Research Committee and is a past Chair for the overseeing commission for the Certified Association Executive (CAE) credential. He chaired ASAE’s Task Force on CEO Pathways, and previously served as Chair for ASAE’s Component Relations Council. He is the creator of a master-level learning series, Through the CEO Lens, and Association Charrette – a co-creation retreat experience. He is the co-Executive Editor and Contributing Author for ASAE’s Component Relations Handbook, 2nd edition, and contributed chapters to the latest versions of Professional Practices of Association Management as well as Membership Essentials. He is a mentor for ASAE’s Diversity Executive Leadership Program and recently served as a facilitator for ASAE’s Centennial Recognition Task Force. His work on global efforts for associations includes experience across five continents, hundreds of volunteer groups, and all 50 states in the U.S.

Lowell also volunteers as a platelet donor and social media solicitor for the American Red Cross and is a member of the Board of Directors for Shepherd’s Table in Silver Spring, MD. Lowell has a B.A. in Sociology from Columbia University and utilizes the knowledge he gained from his M.A. in Education to volunteer and tutor students with learning disabilities. Lowell resides in Maryland where his 10-year old son and twin 8-year old girls keep the house full of laughter.

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