Your volunteers are pushing boundaries. How do you regain control and maintain harmony in your organization?

First impression: When volunteers push boundaries, this is symptomatic of burnout or some unresolved personal issue. Discuss with them if they wantvto talk about, 'Is anything impeding your outlook ?,' or some other mock version thereof. Remind the subject volunteer(s) as to the scope of their assigned goals, or tasks. Explain how the mission has objectives as priorities to be met vis-a-vis the organizational budget allocation process - but in simpler terms. Emphasize how there contributions to the cause have been appreciated and accounted for. After giving them a very rational earful, monitor their continued behaviors, performances, their interactions among the other volunteers. Attempt to maintain them if marked improvement should occur.

I completely agree. I’ve been in a similar situation as a volunteer, where the issue was initially addressed as suggested. However, I still lost the motivation and drive I once had because nothing happened afterward. The aftermath is just as important to ensure the issue is fully resolved and the volunteer remains motivated. Reintroducing the purpose and keeping the volunteer actively engaged are essential to making them feel included and valued, preventing any feelings of exclusion.

Lean into the volunteers need to contribute, create an opportunity for them to align with your goals and applicable role.? Win-win

Assess the Situation: Understand the specific boundaries being crossed and why it's happening. Reinforce Expectations: Remind volunteers of their roles, responsibilities, and organizational guidelines. Open Communication: Have a respectful discussion with the volunteers to address concerns and listen to their perspectives. Provide Clear Guidance: Offer concrete examples of acceptable behavior and actions, ensuring clarity on limits. Offer Support and Training: Provide additional training or mentorship. Set Consequences: Establish and communicate consequences for continued boundary-pushing to reinforce accountability. Foster Collaboration: Encourage teamwork and inclusion Monitor Progress: Regularly check in

There is a delicate balance to maintain between boundaries and inclusion. And it's far more difficult to engage and enforce boundaries if they have not been set upfront and managed. When these boundaries are crossed, the matter needs to be addressed immediately, and with empathy and directness.

Ensure that volunteers feel heard, that their suggestions are considered and that feedback is given. Any less than that and you risk apathy, dissolution or contempt.

Volunteers should be provided with channels to provide feedback and concerns. And they should be able to have confidence that their voice will be heard. They should understand that their suggestions may not always be implemented but when they are implemented, give them the recognition and credit because that helps you build credibility with the volunteer base and shows them that you are listening.

Training should always be reinforced, not just when an issue presents itself. If we are only falling back on training in the middle of a conflict, that training becomes seen as a bit of a weapon.

This is important. And too often, I have seen leadership roles given to whoever will take the job, because we're all overloaded and burned out and it's an easy solution at the time. But this just creates more issues, often leading to mismanagement and micromanagement. We should be taking the care to identify leaders that we can trust, empowering them to fill the role, and then let them do their job.

People will often self organise. Creating a space for individuals to freely express their interests and share their experience is one of the best ways to foster growth.

Policies should be reviewed annually. Engage volunteer feedback along with all other information to determine what is working well, what is not working at all, and what could work better with some adjustments.

Out of petty cash, pay their transit fares, or next meal. Out of your pocket, knowledge of their interests makes a difference: A personal thank you remembrance within a group or with individuals is heartfelt. Execution of this can be anytime. Not just at specific holidays.