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Stuart  Garland    Handling  Volunteer  Performance  Issues  National  Volunteer  Management  Conference,  2019  

   Handout  1  The  4  Key  Concepts  of  Handling  Volunteer  Performance  Problems    

 1.  It  is  important  to  determine  if  there  are  inadequacies  in  your  volunteer  programme  that  are  impacting  the  number  of  volunteers  displaying  performance  problems.    

2.  It  is  important  to  understand  the  range  and  types  of  performance  problems  that  are  most  likely  to  occur  in  volunteer  programmes.  

 3.  Use  constructive  rules  of  approaching  difficult  volunteer  performance  issues  and  explore  options  for  diminishing  the  problem  or  supporting  changed  behavior.    

 4.  When  all  options  fail,  or  when  an  infraction  is  extremely  serious  (one  listed  in  policies  as  cause  for  immediate  dismissal),  it  may  be  in  the  best  interest  of  the  organisation  and  the  volunteer  to  dismiss  the  volunteer  from  his  /  her  position.    

         

Stuart  Garland    Handling  Volunteer  Performance  Issues  National  Volunteer  Management  Conference,  2019  

     Handout  2  The  link  between  volunteer  programme  elements  and  performance  problems    

Element   Performing  Well  

Needs  Work  

Suggestions  for  Improvement  

Role  Descriptions        

Recruitment        

Placement        

Volunteer  Policies  /  Procedures        

Delegation  to  volunteers        

Accountability  of  volunteers        

Organisational  Support        

Mutual  Performance  Reviews        

Timely  Feedback  System        

Volunteer  Input        

Volunteer  (and  staff)  Orientation        

Volunteers  Training  /  Coaching        

Recognition        

     

Stuart  Garland    Handling  Volunteer  Performance  Issues  National  Volunteer  Management  Conference,  2019  

 

   Handout  3  Range  and  types  of  volunteer  performance  problems    Range  of  performance  problems:    

From  bothersome  to  dangerous    or  seriously  impacting  clients,    staff,  or  programmes.  

From  unusual  behaviour  to  an    ongoing  pattern.  

From  behavior  stemming  from  inability  to  carry  out  the  work  to  irritating  personality.  

From  normal  behaviour  to  behaviour    that  “pushes  your  hot  button.”  

 Types  of  performance  problems:    

Lacking  skills,  background   Controlling   Breaking  Policy  

Lacking  respect   Founder  Syndrome   Personal  Problems  

Undependable   Out  of  bounds   Very  dependent  

Confidentiality  breach   Misrepresenting  organisation   Resisting  change  

Behaviour  offensive  to  others   Too  long  in  position   Lost  interest  

Burn  out,  martyr  behavior   Unfriendly  to  new  volunteers   Over  Performance  

Stuart  Garland    Handling  Volunteer  Performance  Issues  National  Volunteer  Management  Conference,  2019  

     

Handout  4  The  rules  of  constructive  confrontation    

1   Don’t  attack  the  personality  focus  instead  on  performance.  

2   Be  specific.  Do  your  homework  and  have  specific  examples  of  behaviour  concerning  you  

3   Don’t  say:  “You  always  do  it  that  way.”  

4   Keep  conversations  private.  

5   Make  the  intervention  timely  but  do  not  approach  until  you  are  rational  and  calm.  

6   Reiterate  expected  behavior  using  “I”  not  “you”  language.  

7   Get  agreement  on  the  problem.  Allow  the  volunteer  to  explain  from  his  /  her  perspective.  

8   Determine  a  shared  commitment  for  finding  a  solution  to  the  problem.  

9   Agree  on  a  plan  (both  parties)  to  solve  the  problem.  

10   Arrange  for  a  follow-­‐up  meeting  to  determine  if  the  issue  is  resolved  or  needs  alternative  solution  options.  

 

Alternative  Solution  Options  –  The  5  “R’s”    

R1   Re-­‐assign  to  a  new  volunteer  position  within  the  organisation,  if  appropriate.  

R2   Re-­‐train  /  re-­‐coach  or  mentor,  depending  on  whether  the  volunteer  received  adequate  preparation  to  handle  the  position  in  the  first  place.  

R3   Re-­‐engergise  -­‐  provide  a  more  motivating  environment  for  the  volunteer  if  s/he  has  lost  interest  in  the  role  or  task.  

R4   Refer  the  volunteer  to  a  Volunteer  Centre  or  www.volunteer.ie  where  the  volunteer  might  find  a  position  better  suited  to  him  /  her.  

R5   If  the  volunteer,  due  to  age  or  disability,  is  no  longer  able  to  carry  out  the  work  and  no  other  position  is  appropriate,  retire  him  /  her  with  style  and  appreciation  for  past  service.  

Stuart  Garland    Handling  Volunteer  Performance  Issues  National  Volunteer  Management  Conference,  2019  

     

Handout  5  Releasing  a  Volunteer    Procedures    1.  Procedures  that  address  standards  of  volunteer  conduct,  grounds  for  dismissal,  and  written  policies  dealing  with  problem  situations  should  be  covered  during  orientation  and  training  with  the  volunteer.  

   2.  If  alternatives  have  been  explored  and  tried  and  none  have  been  successful,  a  standard  process  should  be  initiated:    

Forewarning  /  notice  -­‐  The  volunteer  is  notified  by  his/her  supervisor  that  there  is  some  serious  concern  about  his/her  behavior.  You  may  need  to  suspend  the  volunteer  while  an  investigation  is  underway.  You  would  very  rarely  fire  a  volunteer  on  the  spot,  unless  there  is  obvious  danger  to  clients  and  the  organisation  if  the  volunteer  continues  the  behaviour.    

Investigate  to  determine  whether  the  volunteer  has,  indeed,  broken  the  rules  or  if  there  is  adequate  evidence  that  s/he  should  be  dismissed  from  the  position.  During  this  phase,  it  is  important  to  determine  whether  the  organisation’s  management/staff  could  be  linked  to  this  problem,  in  addition  to  the  inadequacies  of  the  volunteer’s  behaviour.    

Assuming  that  alternative  solutions  to  dismissal  have  been  explored,  and  that  there  is  clear  evidence  for  dismissal,  the  dismissal  process  should  commence  quickly.    

The  Release  Meeting    

Meet  in  private.  Be  quick,  direct,  and  absolute  in  announcing  your  decision.  There  should  be  no  further  discussion  at  this  point.  

Allow  the  volunteer  to  resign  to  “save  face”  and  to  help  prevent  the  volunteer  from  spreading  bad  PR  into  the  community.  

Notify  all  others  in  the  system  that  needs  to  know  that  the  volunteer  will  no  longer  be  carrying  out  that  role.   Keep  written  records  of:    o Deficiencies  in  performance.    o Attempts  to  correct  the  behavior  (counseling,  coaching,  warnings,  evaluation  forms  given  to  volunteer).  o Any  signed  documentation  from  those  who  can  verify  the  behavior.  

  Follow-­‐up  with  a  letter  to  the  volunteer  reiterating  the  decision  and  sharing  departure  information.  

 

       

Stuart  Garland    Handling  Volunteer  Performance  Issues  National  Volunteer  Management  Conference,  2019  

           

Handout  6    

Managing  volunteer  conflict  using  the  CUDSA  model  

When  you  are  in  a  conflict  situation,  in  the  heat  of  the  moment  it  can  sometimes  be  difficult  to  remember  what  to  do.  There  are  a  number  of  acronyms  that  may  help  you  to  remember,  this  one  is  called  CUDSA.  

Confront  the  behaviour   Understand  each  other's  position   Define  the  problem   Search  for  a  solution   Agree  upon  the  best  solution  and  put  into  practice  

 Activity   Explanation   Example  Confront  the  behaviour    

Concentrate  on  the  behaviour  not  the  person.  Ask  then  to  modify  their  behaviour  so  that  you  can  talk  about  the  issue.  

I  feel  uncomfortable  when  you  say  (x).  Please  can  we  discuss  this  calmly  so  that  we  can  get  to  the  problem.  

Understand  each  other's  position  

Take  the  time  to  understand  the  other's  position.  Is  it  a  real  issue,  or  is  it  based  on  misunderstanding?  Have  you  got  all  of  the  information,  or  only  part  of  the  story?  Respect  their  position  and  ask  them  to  respect  yours.  

Please  tell  me  slowly  what  you  think  the  issue  is.  Please  then  listen  to  my  reply.  

Define  the  problem    

Get  into  the  detail,  but  try  not  to  react  by  becoming  defensive,  sulking,  aggressive  or  other  negative  behaviour.  Repeat  back  to  the  other  party,  your  understanding  of  their  side  of  the  story.  Stay  in  adult.  

I  understand  that  you  feel  (x)  and  that  you  have  an  issue  with  (y)  and  that  the  reason  behind  this  is  (z)  Is  this  correct?    My  position  is  (w)  

Search  for  a  solution    

This  involves  cooperation.  Search  for  a  win-­‐win  solution  wherever  possible.  The  best  solution  is  one  where  each  party  feels  that  they  have  gained  at  least  part  of  their  point  if  not  all.  

I  suggest  that  I  will  agree  to  (x)  if  you  are  happy  to  give  me  (y)  This  way  we  both  gain  something  positive.  

Agree  upon  the  best  solution  and  put  into  practice    

Get  an  agreement  -­‐  even  if  it  is  an  agreement  to  differ.  Make  sure  any  agreement  is  stated  clearly  and  unambiguously.  If  necessary,  write  it  down.  

In  these  (x)  circumstances,  I  agree  to  (y)  and  you  agree  to  (z)  If  things  substantially  change  then  we  will  review  this  agreement.