pic for volunteering

Walking into the celebration this weekend brought back a whirlwind of memories and emotions. From the smell of the hallways to the loud voices of the hundreds of people there to say goodbye to our executive director, I felt home again. By far, this was my most meaningful volunteer experience of my career- president of this temple. And although I offered countless hours working with gifted volunteers and professional staff, what I learned and what I gained from this role was beyond measure. This extraordinary opportunity added critical skills to my leadership toolbox enhancing the way l lead today.

How did volunteering grow my leadership?

 What leadership skills can we build through a volunteer experience?

THE IMPORTANCE OF CLEAR AND OPEN COMMUNICATION

As a volunteer as well as in our leadership, our message is only as strong as our choice of words and non-verbal cues. No matter the information I needed to disseminate, whether in written or spoken form, it would never be received without clarity.

  • Think about the meaning of your words before presenting them.
  • Choose the best tone to be heard. When we are condescending, no one will be open to our ideas.
  • Keep emails and written documents clean and free of grammatical errors. Be a detailed proofreader.
  • Share the whole story, not just pieces. Omitted facts can trip up the best of leaders.

THE ABILITY TO INFLUENCE OTHERS

Before rolling out any project or plan, make sure to have all your ducks lined up. That means, take time to speak to all the stakeholders and be open to their initial feedback. Sometimes the meetings before or after the real meeting can be the most influential. Get the key people to support you before diving in. I learned how to do this the hard way, which ended up costing me extra time to explain and explain.

THE NEED TO ADD COMPASSION

Compassion is our ability to help others with challenges they may be facing. Our executive director was great at this and helped many in the community deal with difficult times and issues. Watching her show empathy towards their struggles and then having compassion to work things through made her the face of our congregation. Having compassion encourages people on our teams to share the truth.

[Tweet “Adding compassion to our leadership creates truthful teams.”]

THE BEST WAYS TO LISTEN

Listening is probably a leader’s most precious gift. In my volunteer position, I spent countless hours listening to the different perspectives of an issue. Everyone has an opinion and everyone is deserving of being heard. And besides, that one suggestion could be the best solution.

  • Be willing to turn over and consider all possibilities.
  • Ask for input and ask follow-up questions about it.
  • Try not to jump to conclusions or blurt out, “We’ve done that before and it doesn’t work.”
  • Listen fully to what is being shared without interrupting or finishing someone’s sentence. (This can be tough when we think we know what they are going to say.)

HOW TO BE A STRONG TEAM PLAYER OR LEADER

Each person on our team is important and can add a valuable contribution. Having that mindset empowers individuals to want to put their best foot forward even when their suggestion isn’t the one the team chooses. In the beginning of my volunteering at this organization, I was insecure and felt my ideas had to always be used. What I learned was that sometimes I needed to put a team member’s suggestion into action, and that was the best decision.

[Tweet “A leader draws upon the suggestions of their co-workers and colleagues.”]

WHY TRANSPARENCY AND TRUST RULE

Number one lesson for all leaders- cultivate an environment of trust. When team members feel safe and trust one another transparency and accountability will follow. Getting to know what was important to the professional staff as well as the volunteers on my board, helped me be a stronger leader.

  • Find out about your team member’s families.
  • Discover the hidden talents and interests of the people you connect with.
  • Share your dreams too.

HOW TO KEEP CORE VALUES FRONT AND CENTER

One of the keys for impactful leadership is knowing what values drive us and how to integrate them into our daily routines. The executive director valued people and always made sure to consider how others might react to a change. When she worked with all the volunteers she allowed us to vent our concerns. As she valued belonging to a community and establishing meaningful relationships as foremost, all her choices flowed from there.

How has volunteering helped you grow your leadership? What leadership skills have blossomed from your volunteer roles?

(Image Credit: Pixabay Shane Gaughan)

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