Time To Give Something Back!

Dear Jill,

I’m an independent consultant and have spent many years building a healthy practice. I’ve been approached several times by professional associations to take on volunteer roles, but have chosen instead to focus on my business. I’m at a point now when I’d like to volunteer, but am not attracted to the roles I’ve been offered. I’m afraid to make a commitment to something that I won’t enjoy. How can I be sure that I make the right choice?

Thank you,
Ann

Dear Ann,

It sounds like you sincerely want to volunteer and also to avoid making a mistake. Please know that many people experience similar concerns about long-term volunteer commitments and sometimes even about one-hour shifts! Hopefully this won’t inhibit your moving forward. Try to keep the following in mind:

1. It’s very important to enjoy volunteer work—the right opportunity can bring incredible fulfillment!

2. It’s often fine to “test out” a role, before making a firm commitment. It’s even okay to step down from an accepted role, if it really isn’t working out. (It might be helpful in such a situation to offer your assistance in finding a replacement.)

I encourage you to approach finding the right volunteer opportunity as an exciting adventure. The most fulfilling experiences often involve causes to which you feel a personal connection. It also can be very meaningful to volunteer in roles quite different from your daily work.

You can start by learning more about where friends and colleagues volunteer. If you aren’t drawn to these types of opportunities, then cast your net wider. United Way sponsors a great web site which lists volunteer opportunities in people’s local communities—visit www.volunteersolutions.org to learn more.

I feel confident that you’ll find just the right opportunity, Ann, and thanks in advance for offering your service!

Building Team Morale

Dear Jill,

I manage a project team that’s been together for about two years—six months longer than originally planned. We’ve run into technical problems and are experiencing delays, budget issues and lots of tension. While we’re making progress with systems challenges, I’m concerned about the team’s morale. People are finding fault with each other and arguing over petty things. Do you have any suggestions to improve this situation?

Thanks,
Heidi

Dear Heidi,

It’s very natural for a team to enter a stage of “storming”—conflict—when the chips are down, especially over a prolonged period. It sounds like you’re addressing technical-related problems, but need a strategy to rebuild team spirit.

I suggest you help the team to reflect on their current situation and what they’d most like to have happen. Then engage people in creating a multi-faceted plan to boost their spirits. Start by asking team members to record their responses to the following questions:

1. How would you describe our team’s current situation?

(Sample response: We’ve given it our all for a long time and now we’ve had it! We’re starting to take things out on each other.)

2. What would you like our team’s situation to be ideally?

(Sample response: We’ve worked through our technical issues and we’re on track. We’re relieved and feeling more positive. We’re enjoying working together again.)

3. What do we have going for us that will help us to reach this goal?

(Sample response: We’re a talented group. We’ve worked through these kinds of issues in the past. We’re all great people and we really like each other.)

Invite team members to share their responses to the first question, followed by the second and third. Then share your own perspective, praising team members for their dedication and perseverance. Describe positive qualities that you’ve observed in the team and communicate your confidence that they’ll be successful. Then engage the team in brainstorming a list of activities to lift their spirits. Create a plan together to be implemented throughout the remainder of the project.

Finally, take private time to develop your own personal plan of morale-building treats. As leader, you play a key role in nurturing your team, and to do this effectively, you must first nurture yourself!
If you have a question about a leadership or team issue in the workplace, please write to AskJill@womenandbiz.com.