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| Path: Main Street : Resources & Library : Research Articles : Feature Article |
How to change bad habits in your organizationby Bruce Raymond
February 18, 1998; Canadian FundRaiserIt is common knowledge within every group of volunteers that no matter how well organized your campaign, service program or event is, there's always room for improvement. Many volunteers, however, are hesitant about suggesting changes to established routines, particularly if the paid staff member or a volunteer chair is set in his ways. There is often a tendency for the volunteer to fall under the spell of the belief that the paid staff must always know best, or they wouldn't be paid.
Making suggestions for change is very difficult when the person who you have to approach with your idea has "seen it all before, done it all before, and heard it all before."
Let's use an example. Say, for instance, that you feel your organization has been paying too much for its printing, but the printer has been doing all the printing for decades, stoutly maintaining that he has been doing so at cost. Let's assume that the printer is well plugged into the management structure of your organization through some personal relationships or because of past favours. What to do?
First, gather your facts together objectively, which is to say, pretend you are opposed to changing printers. Look for all the reasons why you shouldn't change, including the financial considerations. If, after doing so, you still believe that your reasons for change are stronger than the reasons for non-change, then go to the next step.
The next step is to present your findings in writing to the person whose decision is key to the acceptance of your idea. You might preface your suggestion with a phrase such as, "I know you are always looking for efficiencies within our organization, ..... ". Even if that person has never indicated that he was looking for efficiencies, he will probably want to be credited with any new idea that comes along.
Once that has been done, follow up on a regular basis until the idea is either rejected or accepted. A committee may well have to study your idea. Whatever. But the amazingly little-known key to acceptance of a new idea is always the same in any business or organization, volunteer-driven or otherwise: Give someone else the credit! You may not appear to benefit personally in the short run, but in the long run you will, believe me!
Bruce Raymond has been active as a volunteer leader in the charitable sector, most recently serving as president and then chairman of the Variety Children's Charity. This article is based on material from his forthcoming book, "Seven Golden How-To Rules for Volunteers, or How to get the most out of doing for nothing what you wouldn't do for money". For more information, call (416) 485-3406, or fax (416) 487-3820.
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