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The Difference is One
By
Joan E. Thompson |
A pastor recently
shared with me her frustration at “mobilizing” the
congregation for a study series designed to strengthen
members’ ability to work together successfully. She had
tried for many months to create interest in the program with
outside speakers and advocates of it.
But then a new member of the congregation who had
experienced the program first-hand in another church stood
up and began talking about the difference the program had
made in his own life. He was a volunteer, unsolicited and
unrehearsed, speaking from the heart about the program’s
effectiveness. His credibility soared beyond the pastor’s
because “it was her job to come up with new programs.” It
was not his “job.” So the program was perceived as coming
from “one of them.”
Never doubt that as a volunteer, you carry credibility that
the most articulate and well spoken staff member will never
possess. When you speak as a volunteer you are perceived as
speaking from your first-hand experience – with no vested
interest in how people act on your information.
That’s the same reason why an unhappy volunteer who shares
their displeasure about their service experience can create
more “negative press” than the National Enquirer.
Since you are volunteering your time, I expect you want your
service to be successful. If your expectations are not met,
or you experience problems that hamper your ability to
contribute successfully, consider taking that information to
a leadership volunteer or a volunteer-sensitive staff
member. Don’t let it fester and erupt outside the situation
where a bad taste may be left in someone else’s mouth. |
About The Author
Joan Thompson is the Executive Director for Mayflower RSVP,
Inc., a non-profit organization mobilizing Volunteer Service
Activities in Plymouth County, Massachusetts. She has
directed RSVP’s Retired & Senior Volunteer Program for
nearly 30 years, working with 200 public/private, health,
human service, and educational organizations to provide
meaningful volunteer service opportunities for members in
the RSVP program. She is a trainer in Volunteer Systems
Management for local and national organizations and a member
of AVA, the International Association for Volunteer
Administration. She may be contacted at RSVP’s Plymouth
County headquarters, (508) 746-7787 or MayflowerRSVP@Verizon.net.
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