Volunteers do follow rules ... if they can understand them.

Two cases in point. A chapter board recently decided to not follow the national membership campaign because, well, the rules didn't make sense. One directive said the membership offer was x while the other said it was y. The other national org said create your calendar using these tools only they left out something and now we're "up the creek." Have you read your own rules?

The Mariner blog has been a bit quiet lately, but that doesn't mean the Mariner office has been. Quite the contrary.

Do ask, don't tell. Need to know something about volunteers or volunteering for your association? Go to the source - the volunteer.

An ASAE member is hosting an informal discussion on what demotivates chapters. The invitation was to all component (chapter) relations professionals who oversee chapter programs for national associations, not chapter volunteers. I doubt that the #1 demotivator will ever come up: the national organization.

Story 1: Can’t find No Volunteers

Two weeks ago, I was in need of a few helping hands. It was an immediate need. The job was short-term: a couple of hours. It could be done in the comfort of your home or office, or with peers over pizza and beer.

I made the first “error” I did a call for volunteer email blast.

I made the second “error,” a few reaches to “safe” people I knew.

Then I went outside the box. I did a search of members within 10 miles of the office. I didn’t include ones from my main volunteer list. I send each a personal email. I gave them options. Was specific about the commitment. I even addressed concerns like “but I’m not qualified.” I told them why I needed them. I began calling. Before I got to the third call, I had 7 commitments from “new volunteers” plus 8 additional replies that while they couldn’t due to schedules, please put them on the list for future opportunities like this.

I sent the new email with a note of who was coming to my regular volunteers and pulled in two for the party and two other regular volunteers formed teams in their office.

Mission accomplished. Lesson learned.