Chapter Succession Planning: Engage Your Volunteer Community

Chapters that have trouble finding and keeping competent board members put themselves in peril. They end up keeping the same old people in positions of power for way too long. Volunteers get burnt out. Other members get turned off by the exclusive “country club” power structure—the place where good ideas go to die.

Peggy Hoffman, President and Executive Director of Mariner Management, joined us for a webinar on chapter success planning. She identified three issues that need to be addressed if you wish to reenergize your chapters and improve succession planning. She also shared many strong ideas your association can implement to engage your chapter volunteer community.

The Old Volunteer Model is Still in Operation – But Doesn’t Work Well

The old volunteer model is focused on the top of the volunteer pyramid—the titled positions. This model is focused on what we (the association) needs:

Volunteering is a Drudge at the Chapter Level – If You Do it the Old Way

Members, not wanting to rock the boat, keep doing things the way they’ve always been done. Consequently, meetings suck the air out of the room, and suck the excitement out of the volunteer. Peggy says we need to make volunteering fun and enjoyable again.

Start by lightening the load for chapter volunteers. We’ve explored this before on our blog—how to decrease the time chapters spend on dues processing.

Provide coaching on creating dynamic meetings. Peggy suggests mixing up meeting venues. Hold them at places people want to visit.

For example, one of her groups, Maryland Recycling Network, held a board meeting at a Coca Cola plant because they wanted to go behind the scenes and see their recycling operations.

Chapters are graded on creating strategic plans, but can you also grade them on how they’re building their volunteer community? Succession planning involves making it look so enjoyable to be at the board (or committee or team) table that other members want to be at that table too.

Succession Planning is a Grind

Peggy suggests shifting from succession planning to talent development, because that’s what it is. It’s not about putting together a slate. It’s about pulling together folks into a community—and she’s seen this strategy revitalize organizations.

Change the vernacular. Shift from “nominating committee” to “talent council.” Shift from “nominating committee chair” to “chief talent scout.” Recruit a team of scouts who connect people with all the different ways, big and small, they can get involved. Everyone involved in chapter leadership should be scouts.

HOW ELSE CAN CRPS HELP THEIR CHAPTERS?

1. Be an active partner in recruiting members to serve on chapter boards. When you’re welcoming or onboarding a new member, or when you’re talking to a member at a show or conference, say to them: “Hey, have you looked at your local chapter? Have you looked at the leadership? Do you know the president? Can I make an introduction for you?”
2. Ask a national board or committee member completing their term to consider serving at the local level.
3. Ask national leaders to recruit colleagues or employees in their companies to sit on chapter boards. They could make it part of their professional development plan.
4. Make a personal introduction of a potential leader to a current chapter leader. Be a matchmaker, especially at national conferences.

Make volunteering more compelling. Don’t talk about the titles that need filling, instead talk about the opportunity for them to be part of a really vibrant community. Can you help chapter leaders think about the excitement that a volunteer role produces in their lives—something they can share with others? One of Peggy’s groups created short videos in which volunteers answered questions about the value and impact of volunteering in their lives.

Help chapter leaders practice “the ask.” Teach members how to frame the conversation about volunteering, how to invite someone to volunteer, and how to follow up on that conversation. Peggy suggests finding out what a member is interested in, what they like doing, and which chapter activities are important to them. Then, match their interests to a volunteering opportunity.

THE BLOSSOMING OF A NEW CHAPTER VOLUNTEER

Peggy follows this process with new volunteers:

• Engage the member and bring them into the chapter community.
• Connect them to a person, resource, or activity.
• Orient them to what they need to know to be successful in their new role. Help them set goals. Establish expectations and metrics for success.
• Monitor their work. Check in with them, give them gentle reminders, and keep them in the loop.
• Mentor and coach volunteers in new roles.
• Recognize and reward them appropriately.
• Give and get feedback.

If chapter succession planning is a challenge, shift your focus. Engage your volunteer community, develop their talent, and watch them blossom.