|
One of the great things about my job is the
opportunity to work with staff and volunteer leaders all over the world.
Anyone who has traveled outside the U.S. knows the excitement of new
countries, new languages, and new customs. Among all of the aspects of
international travel the most interesting -- and challenging -- just
might be dealing with the different currencies. Whether its rubles, francs, pounds, marks
or rands, it's always difficult to try to quickly calculate the local
currency into dollars. You often find yourself walking away from a
transaction muttering about being "taken" by the local
newsstand or ticket counter. Most of the nations in Europe are trying to make things easier by adopting the Eurodollar, which is becoming the accepted currency in many countries. Other countries are holding out, afraid of losing their "national identity." What does all this have to do with leading volunteer organizations?
Plenty. You see, we've got a big problem in trying to communicate with
our members, and trying to get them to "buy in" to our
programs. The problem is we're dealing in the wrong currency. In the 70's and 80's, money was the
currency we all dealt in. How much does it cost? Can I get it cheaper
somewhere else? What do I get in return for my dues dollars? So we spent
our time telling members and supporters what they could get for their
money. In the 90's, we entered the information
age. All of a sudden, the cost was secondary to the information.
Our reaction to this need for information was to jump on the bandwagon and start promoting the "latest information in the profession/industry," and the ability to get information from "the only organization that specializes in what our members do." Here's the challenge of today. Information "inflation" has set in. Our members, potential members, and other customers are overwhelmed by information from every imaginable source. They get information from the internet, from their e-mail, from the media, from their trade and professional organizations, etc. It's getting to the point where people are throwing up their hands and yelling "ENOUGH ALREADY." When there is an oversupply of any currency, its value drops. So what's the new currency? It's "TIME". TIME has replaced money and information as the thing people value most. How
much time will it take to get the information? How much time
will it take to process my order? How much time do I have to put
in to get something out of this organization? I don't have the time
to participate? How much time did I waste the last time I
did participate? It's gotten to the point where people would
rather write checks and make a financial contribution than commit their
precious time. Communications technology and computers have created the
24-hour workday for many people. Instead of coming home and spending the
evening with their families, millions of people now come home and, after
a short break, turn on their home computers or laptops and go back to
work! The global marketplace means that someone, somewhere -- Australia,
Europe, Asia, etc. -- is awake and working, waiting for our members to
contact them. In this work environment, family time and
leisure time become even more valued. Think about it. People have three
choices now:
Guess which choice is last on the list? What are we to do about this situation?
Giving up isn't an option, so let's look at some opportunities. 1) Get with the program, and deal in
the appropriate currency. Start off by showing some empathy for your members and prospective
members. If everything of value in your organization requires a
commitment of time, you're in trouble. Let members know you understand
how busy they are and talk to them about some of the benefits of
membership that don't require physical time away from their jobs and
families. Highlight publications, advocacy, web sites, cost-reducing
programs like insurance, etc. If we constantly preach the old "You
only get out of an organization what you put into it," we're just
reinforcing what they are already worried about – they don't have
enough time to get something worthwhile out of their membership. 2) Find
some way to break down the big jobs. Of course we want our members to "get
active" in the organization, but to many people "getting
active" means taking on a big, time-consuming job. Try to break
down some of these leadership roles into smaller jobs. Consider
job-sharing or co-chairs. Ask people to take on part of a job or event
instead of the whole project. Put definite time limits on how long a
person needs to commit, so they can plan. 3) Try to give options on everything, and
communicate those options. People are willing to pay to get what they want quickly. Whatever product
or service you offer, try to offer several ways to access them. Give
members and other "customers" the option of mail, fax, email,
web site, overnight, etc. Too often we say "we'll get it to you
right away," and to us that means the There are several other ways to deal with
this issue of time, but the important thing is communicate that
empathy. Let your members know that you fully understand their daily
challenge of making the best use of their valuable time. They want to
know if their organization really comprehends their concerns -- it's a
challenge, but it's also an opportunity. You can probably get your members to
"buy in" to just about anything in your organization. You just
have to be sure you're dealing in the right currency. |
