Handling Difficult Volunteers

Divas, Donalds, and Drama Queens (or Kings)

Marjorie TrachtmanVANNW ConferenceJune 25, 2013

Success = Right Person + Right Skills

volunteers

You’re In The Driver’s Seat

When it comes to bad behavior, you have the power to:

• Prevent or encourage• Escalate or diffuse• Help or hurt morale• Cause stress or relieve it

Myth-conceptions

• Ignore the problem and it will go away• No one else notices but me• I can fix the person• I need to focus on the “good” inside• Confrontation will only make things worse• If I confront them they’ll leave and the program will suffer

• If I was a good person I’d be able to deal with the person

• If I push them out they’ll be mad at me –From Sue Vineyard, New Competencies for Volunteer Administrators

• If I push them out they’ll bad-mouth the program• Volunteers are “customers”

What Causes Problem Behavior?

• Unclear task definition/policies• Lack of supervision• Personality clash• Fear/insecurity• Wrong skill set for the job• Poor organizational fit

“I don’t like to be difficult, butit’s the only thing I’m really good at!”

Dysfunction Escalation Pyramid

Alarming!

Disruptive

Annoying

Avoidance Is Natural But Has Serious Consequences

Assessing The Situation• What’s the worst that could happen if I address the situation, and if I don’t?

• What am I afraid of?• Will this person listen?• What’s their motivation?• Do they have a valid point: Is there something I’m overlooking?

• How well have I communicated roles and responsibilities?

• What’s the best outcome or path forward?

1. What’s the worst that could happen if I address the situation, and if I don’t?

2. What am I afraid of?

3. Will this person listen?

4. What’s their motivation?

5. Do they have a valid point: Is there something I’m overlooking?

6. How well have I communicated roles and responsibilities?

7. What’s the best outcome or path forward?

Betty has been a volunteer for 15 years since the organization got started. She considers herself to be the resident historian and process expert. The new ED is updating office processes and procedures and Betty has not come onboard. She is argumentative and uncooperative, criticizing the ED and insisting on doing things the way she’s used to.

Despite red flags during the intake process, you gave John the benefit of the doubt and brought him onboard because you were desperate to fill an open position. Now he repeatedly oversteps his authority and puts himself in situations that open the organization to risk. He argues over every policy and does not comply when he thinks he can get away with it. When confronted he makes excuses and gets overemotional. Staff have repeatedly come to you with concerns about his conduct.

Management Escalation Pyramid

Review job descriptionReview policiesPerformance coachingMotivational feedback

Conflict managementPerformance improvement plan

Termination

Annoying

Disruptive

Alarming

Consider Your “Re” Options

• Review/Reorient/Reinforce: Go over policies, rules, expectations

• Retrain: Make sure they know the task and have the necessary skills

• Reassign: See if they do better with a different assignment

• Rest: Give them time away to recharge• Refer: Suggest another organization where you think

they’d be a better fit• Retire: Offer them a gracious way to step aside and move

on• Remove: Dismiss them from service

Having The Difficult Discussion

• Prepare the environment• Be clear and direct about the problem• Focus on:o the behavioro the impact/consequenceso the alternative(s)o the follow-up plan

• Stay calm and detached• Know the outcome you seek• If it helps, rehearse with a colleague• Follow up in writing

Prevention Is The Best Strategy

• Look for red flags during screening• Clearly communicate your organization’s culture and

expectations from the start• Have clear policies and procedures - including

disciplinary procedures - and follow them consistently• Develop clearly defined job descriptions• Maintain open channels of communication• Document, document, document!

Always remember who’s in charge!

Handling Difficult Volunteers

Divas, Donalds, and Drama Queens (or Kings)

Marjorie TrachtmanVANNW ConferenceJune 25, 2013