At ASAE09, I had my first experience as a member of the official marketing section council. Here is my attempt to honestly and openly describe my very first experience.
First stop, the volunteer brunch. Good food. Mixed seating. A few words from our leaders John Graham, Velma Hart, and Robin Lokerman. Then reporting out from council chairs and leaders who wanted to share their accomplishments. Confessions:
- I felt like the experience reinforced a top-down hierarchy, with the leaders sitting on stage, and the minions reporting up to them.
- I admit feeling mildly annoyed as each council leader got up and said “we’re the best,” before launching into a recap of what they did. A friend of mine agreed, saying “why not have leaders congratulating OTHER groups for their accomplishments.”
- I was shocked and awed by the volume of cool stuff that people were doing. Wow!
So after that brunch, we moved into our marketing section meeting. The tone had been set at brunch–now we seemed to be in a competition to outdo the other section councils for next year’s brunch. Our stuff needs to be bigger. Our stuff needs to be cooler. Our stuff needs to be out there getting attention. Huh?! Confession:
- We have a problem of clarity. The 5-part mission statement of the councils isn’t the guide it needs to be.
- How is our effectiveness measured? I’m thinking the only measurements that matter are 1) section member satisfaction and 2) how many volunteers and participants section activities engage.
- Correct me if I’m wrong, but I think my job is this…Do cool stuff, get more people involved.
In conversations, I heard more than one person lament that my idealistic vision “would be great but it’ll never happen until ASAE changes their approach.” I couldn’t disagree more. We ARE our association. The change needs to come from us. We CAN be intentional about creating the type of organization we need. ASAE will support us because that is their mission. Optimistic–yes, and if we’re going to have a self-fulfilling prophecy, let’s make it a positive prophesy.
I need your help in all of this, of course. How can I best serve the marketing section council, and all members of ASAE? What kind of volunteer leadership do you want and need? If you’re an association person, but not an ASAE member, you’re feedback is even more important. What can I do to get your support?
Be honest, be open, and please, be optimistic.
- Bit.ly URL for this post:
- http://bit.ly/lxEaw
25 responses to "ASAE09 Confessions of a newbie volunteer leader"
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What do you want out of your volunteer leaders? Go ahead…boss me around.
http://bit.ly/lxEaw #socialfish #asae09
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Lindy,
Wow! Thanks for having the guts to say those things in a public space. Everything you said strikes a resonant chord with me. I served on the marketing section council a decade ago and actually chaired it too. It sounds like the volunteer brunch has not changed much in all that time, nor has the dynamic inside the council in which folk seem obliged to show whose thing is bigger and more powerful (a Corvette, anyone?). On the other hand, one of the best things that ever happened to me in those days was getting to meet some blazingly interesting and creative people (like Ann Oliveri, Rhea Blanken, Arlene Farber Sirkin, Kevin Whorton and others) who mentored me and served on or led the section council. I agree with your invocation to be honest and optimistic. To that, I would add a hearty dose of irreverent. It’s amazing how much you can accomplish – and how much fun you can have – if you don’t take yourself (or anyone else) too seriously. That includes “ASAE” (which I’ve heard many people over the years describe as a “staff driven organization”). So, be open, honest, optimistic and IRREVERENT! That all adds up to “fun with purpose.” Enjoy!
– Pat Jones
Whoops, sorry, Lindy! That “best” stuff was my fault. Since I’ve already sat through a bunch of the Leadership breakfasts/brunches in the past and (my opinion) felt that it was quite dry in the past, I was planning to add some levity to my report-out. I didn’t expect to start a competition amongst the councils/task forces/committees! The Professional Development Section Council is a wonderful group of people and has done some incredible things in the past two years, so I really wanted to put us on the map. We LOVE collaborating with other councils and committees. You may have noticed that I acknowledged that we got a Great Idea from the Component Relations Council (monthly Virtual Lunch Dates). I also didn’t have the opportunity to highlight that we are working with the Leadership Academy, as well as have some ideas to collaborate with the Technology Council. So, Lindy, please blame me personally for the “best” competition! It’s more about us all doing great things! It’s a great idea to suggest next year that the councils report out on other council achievements!
Maddie, I completely agree with your assessment of the volunteeer lunch. The meal was great, the company was better. I really felt that positioning the leadership on the stage with the big chairs was very negative.
The fact that the different groups felt they had to toot their horn on all the amazing acomplisments is a red flag that there is not enough cross communication and collaberation going on within the volunteer governance structure.
I would prefer more collaborative work prior to the luncheon. I would like more networking time at the luncheon without being subjected to feeling like a minion because of the physical layout of the room and leadership reporting structure.
Why wouldn’t we want this to be a celebration of the great work all the committee and section level volunteers have done? We hear enough from the top leadership throughout the meeting. Please celebrate the folks who may not be as visibile, but still provide an important contriubtion to ASAE.
Confessions of a newbie volunteer leader at #asae09 by @lindydreyer: http://bit.ly/iOxio
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RT: ASAE09 Confessions of a newbie volunteer leader http://bit.ly/lxEaw #socialfish <Awesome read 4 people sick of "pass the buck" attitude>
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I’d love to hear more on what they problems are with a top-down hierarchy. I’ve found it’s very easy to get things done when I know who is making the decisions and can ask them, or the level answering to them, what they need. It’s even nicer when they then take responsibility for outcomes, and many do.
When that structure is not in place, like in many churches and associations, the simple question “who is responsible for this?” can lead to a kind of “Dr. Livingstone, I presume?” search in which everyone remains lost in the jungle forever.
Seeing people who treasure community, harmony and equality try to get something (anything at all, ever) done has given me a new appreciation of the military, and of hierarchy. I think ASAE can often love process over results, but the fact that one usually knows exactly who to talk to to question that is GOOD, in my experience.
One would hope that if you ended up up front, you’d stand up and lead, and be strongly convicted that you are serving as the one others turn to to know where they all are going, together.
@lindydreyer brings the awesomesauce on role of volunteers – http://bit.ly/c0KCC #asae09
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“Do cool stuff, get more people involved.”
That pretty much sums it up I’d say. Thanks for sharing your impressions and feedback as a new volunteer. I wonder how many associations actively solicit that feedback…I know mine doesn’t. Yet.
@Pat – Irreverant. Love it! You’re absolutely right about the genius people on these councils. I feel incredibly lucky to have the chance to get to know them better.
@Helen – I love you PD guys. You have so much fun! Your council is very collaborative–I know from personal experience. Please know I’m not assigning any blame here, just suggesting a new course to plot.
@Sharon – Thanks for backing me up on this. I appreciated hearing from John, Velma, and Robin–and I appreciated the brevity of their remarks. And yet, in a room full of leaders, there must be a better way to celebrate the year’s accomplishments.
@John – I agree that it’s good to know who to turn to. And in this case, for a lot of the work we do, the person to turn to was in the audience, not on the stage. I think we need to unlearn our tendencies to look for a singular leadership voice–those behaviors were born in an age when group forming and communication required centralization. Now we have the tools, we have the know-how, and hopefully, we have the desire to lead together from the edges.
@Scott – Thanks for validating my pithy maxim. I hope you do ask your new volunteers what they think. For me, it was scary to write this post because I have a lot of love for the people and the accomplishments of the councils. I hope my feedback is viewed as constructive and not disrespectful.
@ewengel @kikilitalien @MemberClicks @jmoonah – Thanks for tweeting my post on my volunteer experience! http://bit.ly/c0KCC #asae09
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Also, great comments on the volunteer post from @patjonesDC, @heleeene, @skneebone and @scottsherrin http://bit.ly/c0KCC #asae09
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Awesomesauce. I love the truth here.
In that vein, I’d also add two issues that are part of what you’re saying and I think deserve more attention: ego and power.
Ego is really wrapped up in the volunteer experience, and I think that’s partially why things played out as you describe them. Maybe it’s inevitable, or maybe it’s so entrenched it will be hard to reverse, but I think it’s having a negative effect. Being on the Board or on the Council or Chair of the Council is maybe too much about individuals being successful and cool than it should be. It distracts them (us) from what you’re talking about: engaging people and doing cool things. Something to think about.
And power relates to the whole volunteer or staff “driven” argument. I don’t think it’s either/or, but I do think we need to be honest about the power staff has in this equation. I know it’s “our” association, but “we” have very consciously given tons of power to staff, so let’s not pretend they don’t have it. Let’s be clearer as a system when we negotiate what’s going to get done. I think we’ll be more effective.
One more thing: your point about clarity was awesome, and I don’t want it overlooked. Didn’t Shirky say something about that? Replace control with clarity.
Awesome post.
@jamie – Thank you for picking up on the clarity point. Shirky’s comment on clarity as a substitute for control was my A-HA moment for the entire meeting. I’m still processing how it applies in so many different situations, including my volunteer experience.
On your point about ego–I find letting go of my ego and making a habit of turning the spotlight on others is the hardest thing, and yet the most rewarding in a lot of ways. This is where better volunteer training could have a big impact. If we set the expectation in the beginning that “it’s not about me,” maybe we can focus on using ego to get others involved rather than trying to do it all ourselves.
I also agree that the power pendulum isn’t about staff versus volunteers. In my experience, we have an organization that very rarely says no to its members. While we need to recognize the power and influence that we’ve (rightly) given to staff, we also need to take responsibility for the power and influence that we retain and be intentional with how we use it.
Lindy –
First, I just wanted to congratulate you… this is an excellent post – fair, well-written, honest. Bravo.
Second, this power theme has been swirling around my head for the last month – completely unrelated to work, in my case, though it applies well here. While I don’t know that I’ve always thought of ASAE as a staff-driven organization, I do think that you are on point regarding our responsibility to create the organization we need. Power is there for anyone who chooses to take it. If the prevailing feeling is that ASAE staff holds the power, and not its members, I would say that is our fault. Velma said it well in her closing remarks – it’s easy to sit on the sidelines and criticize. It takes leadership to step in and make things happen. (OK… I’m paraphrasing, but that was how I interpreted it…) The power is in your hands, my hands, and every other member’s hands.
@Kristi – Thank you for your thoughts on power. The idea that “power is there for anyone who chooses to take it” is really interesting. Part of my “do cool stuff, get more people involved” mantra has to do with helping a broader group of the membership feel empowered to step in and make things happen. For example, how many folks know that even if you’re not officially appointed to a council, you can still actively participate? This isn’t a secret club…it’s where the work gets done.
Lindy:
Love your short mantra, but my add a third role for volunteer leaders: make it easy for others to do cool stuff … which I guess is a part of your statement regarding getting people involved.
I don’t think I’m completely unique as a person who once sat on councils and the like, but have tried to get out of the way for others to take on more leadership. And there’s probably an even larger core of folks who have yet to contribute. We need to make it much easier for people with ideas and skills to contribute them to the strategic direction ASAE & the Center has outlined.
I have served in a volunteer capacity with ASAE for several years, including as a section council chair. I have really enjoyed my volunteer experiences, the opportunity to contribute, the knowledge gained, and the business and personal friendships forged. When I headed my council several attempts were under way to foster more collaboration and cross-talk among the various sections but even though I am not as close to this as I once was, I don’t see thee efforts as having been highly successful. The most successful collaborations (eg, last year’s “secret session,” this year’s room 711) seem to sort of bubble up. Maybe that’s the way it should be, rather than top-down. We certainly have a suite of electronic tools to make this happen. What I would like to see however is a BOD that is representative of the membership and not just CEO’s, who as a group form a minority of the ASAE membership. There has been some progress in this direction, and congratulations to Velma for being something of a pioneer in this regard. This is a trend that needs to continue and may indeed foster more of those collaborations we are seeking.
This is a great thread on the volunteer experience. Jamie’s post especially resonates with me.
It’s great to have a brief update from the leadership, and I really appreciate the time they give to our organization. I do feel their presentation is redundant with the information we receive in the general sessions. It might be worth exploring how we better utilize our time at the volunteer luncheon.
The ego portion of the equation cannot be overlooked. I really like Jeffrey’s comment that we should really make it easy for other people to do cool stuff, reaching out more from whichever council or committee we currently serve on.
Clarity as substitute for control……I’m with you Lindy. I’m still processing how this applies to my experiences with ASAE as well as when I wear my executive hat.
More great comments on volunteer post from @kristildonovan, @jcufaude, @barbarahyde, and @skneebone. http://bit.ly/lxEaw Thanks all!
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Lindy – and actually all those who have chimed in – this makes for a great report back to ASAE and — this is very important to me — to all associations. Decision To Volunteer told us what we already knew – that volunteers want to make a difference – a difference that can be seen and felt. Yet, too many assns miss that.
I disliked the volunteer breakfast mostly because we all should have been talking to each other from the mic – not to the leaders seated on the dais; we should be collaborating and sharing across components.
But aside from all that, I just have to say that for all the warts volunteering for ASAE has been fun and rewarding. I just completed by service on the Components council as past-chair and joined the Exec Mgmt Council and i’ve helped out in some fun ad-hoc roles like blogger for Acronym, on the team for Components online course, hand book and DTV.
Awesome post and reassuring to know I’m not the only one who finds it very difficult to figure out how to be tapped as a volunteer at ASAE. I’ve filled out and submitted the form on the website….but beyond sitting here waiting for someone to contact me about doing anything, I have no idea how else to get involved.
Granted, I’ve only been a member for a year so my learning curve is a lot steeper than people who’ve been involved for years…but maybe my experience as a new member is relevant? From a new member perspective, ASAE feels very ivory tower and clique-y for the organized stuff like councils, etc, but stuff like the listservs and Acronym are great.
Hi Lindy,
Nice article. I would be curious to know from ASAE what they thought the purpose of the breakfast was. Was it to give us heads up? Was it a perk? Was it to network? It’s been the same way for a while – and I wonder if they do it that way because it’s how it’s been done.
I sat in the back of the room by the door and could not see the leaders in their thrones. Add to it, when folks lined up at the mics, all I saw were backs of people at the mics. Unable to see front of the room for what? An hour?
Not sure what goal that experience achieved. I definitely did not feel like an important contributor to ASAE as a result.
They’ve done open lunches before. Usually volunteers just sat at tables with their teams. In fact, some just took food back to their room. Very little co-mingling. Usually at that point, the teams have new members – and team needs to rebuild.
I’m very excited about Velma this year. She and I had a brief chat re the luncheon and she saw the need for change as well. Will be interesting to see what happens.
Thanks for sharing your first time point of view. I wonder what our own association first time volunteers would say about their experiences?
@Maggie I thought I’d share how I got involved with volunteering for ASAE. It might help you as you look for a landing spot.
I first volunteered in an ad hoc capacity with the component relations section council. I then attended Great Ideas Feb. 2007 with the express purpose of networking with the component relations section and to see how I could get involved. I filled out the annual call for volunteers form, then I contacted Wanda Little Coffee directly to let her now about my interest.
Be persisent, but I think the most important part is the networking and personal contact.
I hope this is helpful!
Thanks Sharon–that is very helpful! You make a good point about being pro-active–filling out the form but also contacting people directly. I tend to be a little slack on that second piece