Volunteer Evaluations – How Did I Do?

Today is my first official day off the ASAE Component Relations Section Council. I’ve spent the last six years working on the council beginning with 3 1-year terms as member then 1-year terms as vice-chair, chair and past chair. I am excited to say this is also my official first day on the Executive Management Section Council.

Yes I’m a serial volunteer – and that’s because, just as the Decision To Volunteer study showed, engagement is tied closely to membership value. That doesn’t mean that all my volunteering has been roses. And so before I begin this new venture, I took the time to evaluate my past and set goals for my future.

First, the evaluation. On a scale of 1-10 I’d rate ASAE & the council:

Council Activities & Community
Fun – 9.5
Informative – 9.5
Educational – 9.5
Encouraged networking – 10
Encouraged professional development – 8
Has clear purpose and objectives – 8
Meets purpose and objectives – 8
Effective use of my time – 9
Effective support from staff/organization – 8*
Impact on membership satisfaction – 10

*This is where I have to say the * reflects largely the caring staff (yep especially you Wanda Little Coffey) and on the fact that ASAE continues to search for the right IT platform, willingly admitting that if at first you don’t succeed, try, try again.

Volunteer Management & Development
Orientation – 5 (actually has improved over the 6 yrs from a 2!)
Training – 5 (ditto!)
Recognition – 6 (getting better!)
Leadership:
Development – 3 (ouch!)
Training – 3 (ouch!)
Coaching – 5.5
Performance Evaluation, Mentoring & Coaching – 1.5
Reward – 8
Impact on membership satisfaction – 6

So, basically the community is super! The Component Relations Council is lots of fun, has a good agenda, accomplishes important objectives, and uses my time well. The biggest area of disappointment is the leadership development and management side — specifically the lack of performance evaluation, mentoring and coaching. I am not so egotistical as to think I was a perfect leader. As vice-chair I wasn’t sure what to do, did probably less than I could. As chair, I know that I sometimes stepped in before I needed to and I’m sure “under stepped’ in other places. As past-chair, I hope that I got out of the way without abandoning.

Still, I’d like to know how I did. I’d like a 360 evaluation. I’d like ASAE and my colleagues to help me identify where I am strong and where I can improve. I’d prefer this to happen along the way, but I’ll be satisfied to get the input now as I begin the next leg in the journey.

For the record, I know that ASAE is taking a whole new look at this – kudos to them. So here’s my offer – I’ll help you in the process … be a test and a test examiner. Take me up on it?

PS – to my fellow colleagues and especially Leslie White, David Lorms and KiKi L’Italien who’ve given me feedback – thanks and its welcome!