We all know that person. They are everywhere, and you don’t understand how they do it. It seems like they have their hands on everything. Their family and work life seem full (at least on Facebook), and they always volunteer for something. Then, you serve on a committee with them and find out. They may be everywhere, but they don’t get anything done.
Don’t be that person. Please remember this one thing.
“When you say yes to something, you say no to everything else.” - Author Unknown
Whether it’s your family, work, or volunteer life, you must know what you can and cannot handle. It is better to say no to something than do a job poorly. When you say yes, the group members rely on you. It is never acceptable to say I was busy with something else. When you say yes - it must become a priority.
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That’s how YOU avoid being that person, but what should you do as a leader?
This week’s blog continues last week’s topic of leading volunteers. Many of us have come across this in the past. Having that one person you think is so reliable and then finding out that she dropped the ball. She was scrambling like crazy at the end to get her task done.
If you are waiting until the end, it’s too late. Throughout the process, you must hold people accountable for tasks they have committed to completing. Have a backup plan and a backup person for every significant area. Regardless of the person’s expertise, they must have a team behind them, or you are risking your project.
We all want experts on our team, but we need to know their other commitments. It is okay to question them about that charity dinner you know they are involved with, their Little League coaching demands, or the department meetings they chair for the Township. Your job as a team leader is to know who can handle what. It is your responsibility to reduce risk. If you want Denise to tag along with Scott on the project, it is your decision. You are not questioning Scott’s expertise; you guarantee no loss of knowledge should something happen to him. Who knows, he could slip and break his leg and be unable to support his area. At least Denise will have been around taking notes.
Redundancy
As you fly in one of those big silver birds in the sky, most of us know the plane can fly with only one of those four engines. So why are there three additional engines?
Volunteer groups often have micro-management issues. Most groups comprise personalities who are leaders in other parts of their lives. Questioning whether they are reliable doesn’t go over very well. And working under a team leader goes against their grain. Allowing autonomy for their area of interest is essential, but they must also have a team below them. You shouldn’t give them the responsibility if they aren’t willing to put 2 or 3 more engines on the plane.
At the start of your project, you need to identify failure modes. Having contingencies built into the planning will ensure success. It is hard to admit out loud that one of the contingencies will be that Teri won’t get the job done.
How do you manage those egos in a volunteer group? Demand redundancy and accountability. Remind them that it’s your job as the project leader to remove roadblocks and reduce risk. And don’t ever be sorry for pointing out risks that you foresee.
Do you have a stump speech ready?
When you take the lead on a project, what will you say upfront to your group that shows you both trust them and will have their backs? If you are struggling with what you can say, how about something like:
“We all have ‘stuff happens’ moments in our lives. There are many things beyond our control that can happen in the coming months as we plan our event. Whether you get tied up with a new project at work or there is an illness in the family, something will happen. We don’t want to be in a position of demanding things from you while you have that added stress in your life. However, we still have a project to complete on time.
Although I trust that you will get your job done, and we pray that nothing gets in the way, we have to plan for the worst. Therefore each of you need to identify to this entire group who is on your team. Who are your engines number 2, 3, and 4?”
With an opening like this, you show you have trust but are realistic and compassionate to allow for slips and falls. The project leaders that don’t demand these redundancies are also the ones who back up everyone else. They are the ones that are walking around from 5 am to midnight on the day event like a zombie, putting fires out and not enjoying the success that is going on around them.
Every project has hiccups. Your job as a leader is to create a path to success that circumvents those obstacles. Look at similar projects in your area. Regardless of how successful it may have looked from the outside, you know something went wrong throughout the process. Please pick up the phone and find out what those leaders did during their planning to avoid being on the front page. I am sure they had plans, backup plans, and maybe more. Learn from the mistakes of others, not your own!
Completing an event or project is always a relief. Finishing one up and still having the energy to enjoy it is the goal. And that takes a lot of hard work today, but it will lead to a better tomorrow!