How to deal with difficult volunteers

This is the most difficult part in any #volunteering engagement.Dealing with difficult volunteers can be challenging, but it's essential to address issues promptly and professionally to maintain a harmonious volunteer team.?

Who is a difficult volunteer?

A difficult volunteer is someone who presents challenges or issues within a volunteer organization or team. The difficulty may manifest in various ways, and it's important to differentiate between occasional challenges and consistent problematic behavior. ?A volunteer is termed difficult when they have consistent negative attitude, he/she frequently expresses negative or pessimistic views, complains, or brings down the morale of the team. This disruptive behavior creates conflict and tension within the team which then hinders productivity and collaboration.

A difficult volunteer may exhibit other characteristics like: Insubordination where he/she refuses to follow organizational policies, guidelines, or instructions and acts independently or against the organization's goals. He/she Lacks Commitment, is unreliable and frequently absent (without notice).

A difficult volunteer violates boundaries by harassing and discriminating the rest and most often breaches confidentiality. They overstep authority and may make decisions and take actions beyond their assigned roles without the requisite permission. They constantly advance their agenda and not that of the organization.

A difficult volunteer is disrespectful, rude and unprofessional towards others (staff, volunteers, clients). They are inflexible and unwilling to adapt to changes or work collaboratively with others.

Addressing difficult volunteers is important to maintain a positive and productive volunteer environment. However, it's equally important to approach these situations with empathy, understanding, and a focus on resolution, aiming to help volunteers overcome challenges and contribute positively to the organization when possible.?

Here are some steps to help you handle difficult volunteers effectively:

1. Open Communication by Initiate a private conversation with the volunteer to discuss their behavior or concerns. Encourage them to express their thoughts and feelings.

2. Listen Actively, Give the volunteer an opportunity to explain their perspective. Actively listen and ask open-ended questions to understand their point of view.

3. Empathize, Show empathy and understanding, even if you disagree with their viewpoint. Acknowledge their feelings and experiences.

4. Establish Boundaries, Clearly communicate the organization's expectations and code of conduct. Ensure that the volunteer understands what is acceptable behavior.

5. Offer Constructive Feedback, Provide specific and constructive feedback about the issues you've observed. Focus on their behavior rather than making it personal.

6. Conflict Resolution, If the issue involves conflicts with other volunteers or staff, mediate a discussion to find common ground and resolve the conflict.

7. Set Expectations for Improvement, Work with the volunteer to define specific actions they can take to improve their behavior or address the issue.

8. Provide Resources,Offer resources, training, or support to help the volunteer overcome the difficulties they're facing.

9. Follow Up, Schedule a follow-up meeting to discuss the volunteer's progress and whether the issues have been resolved.

10. Document Incidents, Keep records of problematic behavior or incidents. This documentation can be helpful in case more significant action is required.

11. Involve Supervisors or Leadership, If the issue persists and you are unable to resolve it one-on-one, involve higher-level staff or supervisors to help address the situation.

12. Progressive Discipline, If the volunteer continues to exhibit problematic behavior despite interventions, you may need to implement progressive discipline, which can include verbal warnings, written warnings, suspension, or, in extreme cases, termination of their volunteer role.

13. Termination as a Last Resort, Termination should be a last resort, used only when other interventions have failed and the volunteer's behavior is causing significant harm to the organization or others

14. Confidentiality, Maintain the confidentiality of the volunteer's discussions and any actions taken to address the issue, as long as it doesn't conflict with safety or legal obligations.

15. Learn and Adapt, Use difficult volunteer situations as learning opportunities. Assess your organization's policies and procedures to see if any changes can help prevent similar issues in the future.

We #grow by giving

#Steppingup