The last few weeks I have had the opportunity to volunteer with a few organizations and have been reminded that volunteering is FUN! Especially when the leadership is in tune with the needs of the volunteers and is willing to make changes to ensure that the volunteer experience is full of meaning.

A few weeks ago, Steph introduced our friend Molly. She is involved with an organization called NeighborWorks, which is actively involved in our community. Currently Molly is leading a team in surveying a neighborhood to address housing and community needs. Molly modeled fun and adaptability extremely well. We returned from a survey assignment having experienced very few successes. She listened carefully to our observations and then spent the next week adjusting the process so that our investment would be more profitable. When we returned the following Saturday, she had an improved approach, new survey tools, and encouraging words that empowered us to head back out onto the streets.

As a leader, Molly could have played the “well, that’s how it is card” and we would have remained gloomy and drifted off, but instead she challenged the system and committed herself to providing what was needed for us to be successful. And we were! Thanks, Molly, for modeling great leadership skills in mobilizing volunteers in a manner that supports satisfaction and retention.