Motivating Volunteers You Lead

I ran across this blog post from Michael Smith. It's very interesting to those of us who lead people.  Here it is...


Just recently I was able to listen to my boss, Mark Marshall, give a presentation on "Motivating Volunteers You Lead." In that talk he listed four questions that every volunteer you lead is asking. The questions are:

• What am I supposed to do?
• Will you let me do it?
• Will you help me when I need it?
• Will you let me know how I am doing?

Not only are the volunteers within the organization asking these questions but also anyone you lead.


From the very beginning of trying to fill a position and throughout a lead/follower relationship, paid or volunteer, any leader would be wise to keep these questions near and refer to them often.  The questions can help us who lead to:

• Communicate the expectations of the task.
• Empower those assigned the task.
• Support  the volunteer or staff when help is needed.
• Stay out of the way when we are not needed. 
• Evaluate honestly the performance.

Are there other questions that should be added to the list?