Categories
motivation

What Motivates Volunteers

food and drinks inside the carton box
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In The Essential Drucker, Peter Drucker insisted that management increasingly needs to lead knowledge workers as if they were volunteers because their skills make them mobile. They can always go somewhere else to work. So, what motivates volunteers?

I’ve had the advantage of witnessing how my wife has effectively motivated volunteers in a ministry. Some of the factors that motivate volunteers are:

  • Cast a compelling, inspiring vision you want to be a part of
  • Get to know each volunteer
  • Provide training and educational opportunities
  • Publicly show appreciation
  • Correct behavior privately
  • Always consider The Golden Rule
Cartoon of a man tossing a donut to a teenager. The man says, "The youth have been great voluntters. Plus, they word for donuts!"

Perks such as doughnuts don’t hurt either. The bottom line is ordering knowledge workers around doesn’t work. An effective boss of knowledge workers leads instead of dictates. Knowledge workers are paid to think. Indeed, What motivates volunteers also motivates them.

Categories
Business motivation

The cure for sudden Incompetence

woman in white shirt showing frustration
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Peter Drucker asserted that people encounter sudden incompetence when they believe in a new role; they can continue doing what made them successful in the old role. This YouTube video summarizes his thoughts and the cure for sudden incompetence.

Making mistakes isn’t fun, but it’s necessary. What happens when mistakes occur and a person doesn’t learn but stubbornly does the same thing again?

At what point does someone become unteachable? That is when sudden incompetence occurs; a person in a new role keeps doing the things that gave them success before, but they no longer work. Yet, they refuse to learn and adjust to their new role.

The cure for sudden incompetence is to be humble enough to remain teachable regardless of experience or past successes. Be humble enough to remain a lifelong learner.

Categories
Christianity holiday

Be an Instrument of Peace

photo of man sitting on a cave
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 Some days, it feels more and more difficult to take Saint Francis of Assisi’s prayer at face value to be an instrument of peace.

"Lord, make me an instrument of thy peace." Francis of Assisi

Yet, there is a future of peacemakers. After all, the only thing warmongers achieve is death and destruction. We cannot live in a world where everyone is at each other’s throats, whether it is nations, communities of families, we need peacemakers.

This is my prayer as we enter the holiday season. May I be an instrument of peace. Where there is hatred, Lord, let me sow love.

Categories
motivation

What if I’m not in charge?

a woman standing in front of the group
Photo by Yan Krukau on Pexels.com

Is anybody totally in charge? Bosses have bosses. Even those at the top answer to a board of directors or a balance sheet. Many of us ask, “What if I’m not in Charge?”

A few years ago, I attended a conference where a speaker coached us on how to lead when we aren’t the boss. Clay Scroggins advised that we have more control than we realize, even when we aren’t the leader.

Sketch notes on "How to lead when you're not in charge"

I was delighted to learn he now has a video series by the same name.

Even if we don’t have the official title, each of us has control over ourselves and how we react to different situations. I have found that when I have relinquished that control, I have made it difficult for me to lead myself and have made it harder on my leaders.

We have more control than we realize, but that also means we must take responsibility for our own actions. What if I’m not in charge? I can start leading myself, for starters. And isn’t that the most important person to lead, after all?

Categories
Christmas holiday

It’s beginning to look a lot like Christmas

On this morning’s run, I felt compelled to take a picture of brightly decorated palm trees. Yes, my friends, it’s beginning to look a lot like Christmas, even in Florida.

It's beginning to look a lot like Christmas with decorated palm trees

This morning, I also heard that Christmas albums are already hitting the charts in mid-November. This reminded me of a workplace debate we had on the first of November on when it was appropriate to start with Christmas music. It looks like the people have spoken, and that time is now.

I shouldn’t be surprised. Some years back, at the beginning of November, I heard Christmas music at a convenience store.

Cartoon of Scrooge and the ghost of Jacob Marley. Marley says, "You will be visited by three spirits: The Ghost of Christmas Past, Ghost of Christmas present, and Ghost of Christmas Mall Music."

Why the rush? We love the memories and good feelings associated with the season. Besides, it’s getting darker, and we need more lights to help us see our way through the darkness.

So roll out the holly! And crank up the holiday music, everyone. It’s beginning to look a lot like Christmas… in mid-November!