State your expectations. What is it that you want your team member or volunteer leader to do? How do you want them to do it? When do you want it done by? These are really important questions you need to answer before you talk to them. If you are unclear in what you want to see happen, they will be unclear on what you are expecting and it won’t work out the way you hope.
The one thing to do is don’t make this a checklist of things they need to do. Give them the idea of what you want to see happen and then let them dream on how to pull it off. The more ownership they have over the actual implementation of the action you want them to take, the more success they are likely to have because they are driving it, not be micromanaged by you.
Communicate clearly. After you have your exceptions clear in your mind, now you need to communicate them clearly to the volunteer leader or team member. This is best to do in person for starters. You can ask them to consider doing something via email but I have found that in order for someone to take on the responsibility of something, you need to meet up in person. That way they can ask questions and process it a little more with you.
An important part here is that you set deadlines together about when x, y or z is expected to be done. That way there is a time frame in place for it to get done by and there is no wondering on either party when it will get done by. After you meet up in person, you should follow up with an email clearly recapping the meeting and what was agreed upon.
Hold them Accountable. There have been times when I have asked a volunteer leader to do something and yet never followed up with them, encouraged them to do it or hold them accountable to make sure they were doing it. I know, this is 100% my fault! So it should be no wonder why those leaders didn’t do what we talked about.
If you want success for your volunteer leader, it is so important to keep checking in with them regularly, making sure they are doing ok with it and asking if there is anything you can do to help. The more you hold them accountable, encourage them and check in with them the better the chances are of that leader having success.
BONUS TIP: When asking a team member or volunteer leader to do something, make sure it is in their gifting and talents. It will be a complete lose/lose situation if you ask someone who isn’t gifted in administration to do an administrative task. Or it wouldn’t work out so well to have someone who doesn’t enjoy being up in front of people to have them get up and lead a game or give a message. Those rarely work out well. So make sure you help them by asking them to do something that is within their gift mixing.
Ministry is tough. That is why any kind of contribution and success a volunteer leader or team member can have is so important. They need to have successes of their own in order for them to have to want to stay in ministry long term. These three plus one bonus tips can go a long way to help you, team members and volunteers leaders be more effective. And, the more they feel like they are contributing and are effective, the more students you are going to reach and impact for Christ which is what we all want.
What do you think? How do you set up volunteer leaders and team members up for success? Share them below or on social media using #ymsidekick when you share.
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