Motivating volunteers to participate in the ministries of an organization remains a challenge for leaders. As a leader you know that without the work of volunteers, you are unlikely to succeed in ministry.
Jesus had no paid associates to help Him start the work of the church, yet He had loyal followers who were willing to die to support His ministry. And some did.
How do you motivate volunteers to support you in ministry?
Equip them. Before you ask people to volunteer be sure they have what it takes to get the job done. It is of little use to ask someone who, though willing and enthusiastic, has neither the gift nor training to do what is required.
When you ask an introvert to be a greeter, expect a short-term involvement. The opposite likely will be true if you ask the same task of an extrovert. Volunteers should have both the training and personality to match the work assigned to them. Therefore, even if you ask an extrovert to greet, they should receive training for how to greet well. Always clarify and train in order to get the desired results.
Clarify what you want volunteers to do. Few things are more discouraging to a volunteer than to be asked to do something without receiving clear directions and expectations for the task.
Bill Allison, author and missionary with Cadre Missionaries, writes:
“Don’t assume even with those volunteers who have served you long and faithfully. It is a huge relief to a volunteer when you tell them exactly what you expect them to do. Spell it out clearly and on paper at least once a year.
“Walk your volunteers through your specific expectations step by step. If you don’t take the time to clarify exactly what you want from volunteers, not only will you frustrate your current volunteers but you will add one more barrier to getting new volunteers for your ministry.”
Bill Allison. “Recruiting, Motivating and Retaining Volunteers in the Church,” 2003.
When you fail to clarify, you run the risk of volunteers coming up with their own directions and expectations, which often creates problems for the leader.
Give feedback regularly. The tendency is to give volunteers responsibilities, then leave them to get things done. If they need clarification or help, they know where to find you.
It’s very discouraging to be asked to do something and then never receive feedback regarding how you are doing. When it comes to offering feedback, Allison offers some suggestions.
“Answer these questions with honest, specific examples:
“When was the last time you verbally or in writing praised a volunteer for specific excellent work?
“When was the last time you skillfully and lovingly pointed out an area of improvement?
“Are volunteers equipped with tools and training to minister well?”
Be organized. Volunteers come to work. Therefore, it is disheartening when the leader is disorganized. Signs of disorganization include: tardiness, not having materials on hand, or failing to follow through on a promise to gather resources for the job.
Disorganization will discourage people from volunteering; in particular, you will find it difficult to attract high-quality volunteers.
If their workplace is disorganized and unreliable, and they aren’t paid to be there, why should volunteers put up with it on their freely given time?
Plan ahead, be on time, keep your promises, and be organized.
Encourage and spend time with your volunteers. The natural tendency of many leaders is to leave high functioning volunteers to do their thing and focus most of their time on problematic people.
“Unless you’re intentional, you’ll end up spending most of your time with your most problematic people and the least amount of time with your highest performing people,” according to Carey Nieuwhof, author and founding pastor of Connexus Church north of Toronto Canada.
Don’t wait for the annual appreciation event to acknowledge the work of your volunteers. Get in the habit of consistently looking for opportunities to say, “Thanks for being here” or “I appreciate what do around here.” You might send an email note of appreciation; or include an appreciation note when responding to a question or concern from a volunteer. Make it personal!
I am aware that social media provides many opportunities to show appreciation but that could feel distant. I’m not against social media (I have a Facebook page too). My point is to not use social media to take the place of the personal word of appreciation.
Most volunteers will work their hearts out to support the ministry you are leading if you will be intentional about motivating them. On a scale of 1 – 10, how motivated do you think your volunteers are? What can you start doing today to improve your score?
If you would like help in achieving your goals in any area of your life, call us at 208-880-0307 or email us at errol@errolcarrim.com to schedule a complimentary coaching session. To read Errol’s other posts, visit Christ-Centered Life Coaching.