Leadership in Volunteer Programs: Book review

January 2009 | Tom McKee, Volunteer Power

To be honest, I would not have chosen to read this book, except that Susan Ellis and Cara Thenot from Energize Inc., asked me to read the book and give them feedback. And I said yes. But when I picked it up and looked at the cover, I questioned, "Why do I want to read speeches that were presented in the 70's, 80's and 90's by someone who was born in 1931?" (Wow – there must be an interesting point here – "don't always judge a book by its cover." Sorry, just couldn't resist that comment). The world is radically different today and even the world of volunteer leadership has changed in the 21st century.

If I had not been asked to read this book so that I could write a review, I would not have read it. And that would have been my terrible loss. I am so glad that I read Leadership in Volunteer Programs: Insight and Inspiration from the Speeches of Marlene Wilson.

Marlene Wilson captures me with her questions, her stories, her years of insight and her faithfulness to our profession and her tried-and-true nuggets presented accessibly. Often, that's the kind of advice leaders find most valuable. I especially applaud the way Wilson urges all who lead volunteers to move beyond thinking of themselves as managers to thinking of themselves as leaders – those who develop vision for volunteer programs and impart that vision throughout an organisation. She was hitting this note at the end of the 20th century, yet it is so relevant to 21st century leadership where our volunteers not only don't want to be managed, they demand to be empowered (especially the under 30 crowd). We not only need this kind of leadership in our volunteer programs, but in our movement. To develop these leadership insights, Wilson mines leadership literature and her own experiences to dispense advice that resonates with principles of leadership gurus such as Max DuPree, Tom Peters, Steven Covey, Robert Townsend and Warren Bennis.

Marlene Wilson does not fit the typical mold. Who else in our field started one of the first volunteer centers in the US (Boulder, Colorado in 1968), founded the first of its kind volunteer management certificate program (University of Colorado in 1972), worked as an editor and chief of Volunteer Journal (until 1978), served as a college professor (University of Colorado), wrote a best seller volunteer management book The Effective Volunteer Manager (sold over 150,000 copies), delivered hundreds of keynote speeches about volunteerism, and became a significant leader in the early years of the whole volunteer management/leadership movement? In addition she was volunteering in her church and organisations. Visionary Leadership in Volunteer Programs: Insight and Inspiration from the Speeches of Marlene Wilson is intended to be a culmination of her previous works, communicating her wisdom as our profession is struggling to re-define and rediscover itself in the 21st century. After the demise of the AVA (Association of Volunteer Administration) and the efforts to establish a new association, Wilson's historical insight presents a strong foundation for us to build upon.

Wilson played a significant role in facing great challenges and change as she helped the baby profession of volunteer management grow and mature through it all. In reading these speeches I gained a new perspective about the history of volunteer management and some of the significant issues that our leaders faced in the 20th century. But she did not present the problems of volunteer management without offering solutions. Wanting people not just to hear but also to apply, she opted to be "a motivational teacher," not just a motivational speaker, which makes this book practical to a broad range of readers. She put forward her solutions in digestible chunks of hard-earned wisdom, served in a collection of the keynote speeches that she gave over the past three decades. Bringing those speeches into the 21st century, she summarises her philosophy of volunteerism in two final chapters:

• A Philosophy of Volunteerism – What I Thought at the Beginning of My Career (a speech delivered in 1977)
• What I still Believe (Written in the Spring of 2008)

Not all books of speeches read well; however, Wilson's speeches are easy and a fast read because she is a story teller. One of my favorite stories describes being picketed by a carpenter's union at the Volunteer Leader's conference held at the University of Michigan in the mid-1970s. Marlene tells how they had to break through the picket line to get to the assembly hall. She says,

We were called "scabs" and several other choice epitaphs. It was extremely upsetting to us "nice folks who just like to help others." The picketers marched into the hall and took over the microphone. We sat there horrified. It seems that some volunteers had helped build homes for elderly people in Florida and these carpenters claimed that volunteers took jobs away from people. That is why they were picketing. Finally, a hand went up from the audience and a young woman asked if they were open to questions. When the spokesperson said "yes," the young woman said, "Are all of you who came here tonight being paid to do this?" The answer was, "Of course not!" "Then," she said, "You are all volunteers. You happen to volunteer for a cause you believe in, and so do we." With that the picketers laid down the microphone and quietly left. That person was Energize, Inc. President Susan J. Ellis, then a new volunteer program manager for the Philadelphia Family Court.

As I read this story, I was reminded of the strength and weaknesses of volunteerism. Volunteerism is driven by passion, and passionate people often do great things. But they also sometimes do impulsive things. And that is what we as volunteer managers deal with when we try to mobilise the power and passion of volunteers. Marlene helps us to understand how to mobilise that passion.

Following are some of the insights from Wilson's book that I loved. These are to give you a taste of her style:

On understanding our past

Engraved above the entrance to the University of Colorado's Norlin library is a quote by former university president, George Norlin, "He who knows only his own generation remains always a child." These words remind me how important understanding the past is to informing the future. I was blessed to become involved in the profession of volunteer administration in its infant years and have a front row seat during its exciting evolution. As a frequent keynote speaker for volunteer organisations from the 1970s to the 1990s, I spent a lot of my time thinking about emerging trends, and current issues. In 2008, it is unclear what will emerge as our new national professional association. I hope that, by sharing some of the history of volunteer administration, current and future leaders of the profession can learn and make more informed decisions about the future.

On progress

I recently read this observation on progress by author Morris Mandel: "After several thousand years, we have advanced to the point where we bolt our doors and windows, and then turn on our burglar alarms – while the jungle natives sleep in open-doored huts." Ironic, isn't it – what we call progress! So far, it has been difficult to find good news among all the headlines graphically reminding us of problems abroad and disaster at home. The encouraging word is becoming a rare and precious commodity.

On the definition of volunteer

The traditional definition, as stated in the excellent book, By the People by Susan J. Ellis and Katherine H. Campbell, has been: To volunteer is to choose to act in recognition of a need, with an attitude of social responsibility and without concern for monetary profit, going beyond one's basic obligations. The key elements are:

• Free choice
• Social responsibility (benefiting others)
• Without personal economic gain

That's the definition of the word, but there's a more esoteric aspect of volunteerism that is difficult to define. You have to experience it. It is the wondrous phenomenon of people helping people, often with anonymous acts of kindness that ennoble the human spirit. At its best, volunteerism creates hope in the hearts of the receivers and meaning and purpose in the lives of the givers. The end result is a more caring and civil society.

Volunteerism is love made visible and it changes lives, changes communities and can change the world. And this, my dear friends, is what keeps us doing what we're doing and loving it passionately!

On the temptation to become a specialists or a generalists

Finally, in looking at our challenges as we consider this broad and increasingly complex issue of diversity, I am reminded of the dilemma of deciding whether to become specialists or generalists as defined by one sage:

A specialist is someone who knows more and more about less and less, until they know practically everything about almost nothing.

A generalist is someone who knows less and less about more and more until they know almost nothing about everything.

Versatility and flexibility are the keys and the view from our parasail suggests we have never before in history had a richer, more extravagantly luxuriant variety of cultures, talents, ages, professional skills and opportunities to truly make a difference in this field called volunteerism.

On the whys of volunteer management have stayed the same in a world of change

At the same time, the knowledge, information and application of these principles have changed dramatically over the years. In other words, my whys have stayed the same – but the whats and hows have needed to change with the tides and trends of change. I honestly think this is what has provided my "staying power" all these years.

Let me share a few of these powerful principles with you – knowing the real value will be to encourage you to make your own list.

• Volunteers are not paid – not because they're worthless, but because they're priceless!
• People must be as important as programs, products or profits.
• People become committed to plans they help make; so plan with, not for people.
• Mission motivates – maintenance does not.
• Integrity is the leader's most powerful asset.
• Avoid the trap of becoming either a specialist or a generalist.
• Be yourself – no one else is better qualified.
• The key to wise leadership is effective delegation and the key to delegation (and motivation) is getting the right people in the right jobs.
• Motivation of others is critical to your success.
• To become advocates and innovators, develop the 3 Cs:

• Curiosity
• Creativity
• Courage

• I can't help others if I don't stay well myself. So take care of me!
• It is important to keep the soul in our work.

These principles are the "why" of Marlene's philosophy of volunteerism. And these dozen principles summarise Visionary Leadership in Volunteer Programs: Insight and Inspiration from the Speeches of Marlene Wilson.