Effective Stewardship of New Leaders

When your organization is entirely dependent on volunteers to lead and perform essential functions, both systems and culture play important roles in helping new people successfully step into leadership roles. Position descriptions and established operational procedures are instrumental in the transfer of expectations and knowledge, but there may be obstacles present that stymie newcomers and prevent them from sticking around.

New members of organizational boards or committees sometimes quit in response to existing member dynamics or when there is a lack of receptivity to change, despite having a deep commitment to the organization and its mission. Here are 5 common stumbling blocks that rising leaders face and some recommendations to remove these barriers.

Challenge: When new ideas are stopped or neglected by current leadership, it can feel discouraging or dismissive of new leaders.
Solutions: Learn to listen and consider new possibilities. By being open to new ideas and fostering a willingness to try new things, the organization can be most adaptive to continuous evolution. This could be as simple as trying ‘old’ ideas again. Just because the club tried something ten years ago and it didn’t take off doesn’t mean it isn’t worth trying again. Closing off possibilities is not helping new leaders lead. Things are different than they were a decade ago, so the outcome can’t be predicted.

Challenge: Long-standing tensions among leaders within the organization spill into the business meeting setting, causing discomfort for others. This has the effect of disinclining newcomers from continuing or volunteering to be nominated for roles in elections.
Solutions: Keep it professional. Some one-on-one conversations may come in handy to squash drama before it takes a seat at the table.

Challenge: Leaders with lots of experience may inadvertently stifle new voices by sharing or demonstrating their immense knowledge and skills. A few examples include a leader taking a tool from newer volunteer’s hands instead of teaching them how to wield it, or discounting someone’s suggestions in an A.T. management meeting for not having read the A.T. Comprehensive Plan.
Solutions: You might have discussions with existing leaders about the dynamics at play, especially if they don’t understand how they are being perceived. Consider also encouraging new leaders and advocating for their perspectives or autonomy. In the examples, solutions include offering trainings in field leadership to learn how to verbally articulate proper tool use, and suggesting the group review a relevant resource together so that everyone is fully informed in the discussion.

• • “See one, do one, teach one” is a medical school adage that can help different types of learners get comfortable with new skills.

Challenge: Poor agenda development and meeting management that hinders decision-making often results in new leaders questioning the purpose and if their time and participation is valued.
Solutions: Don’t forget the benefits of a clear agenda and focused intent for each topic. Make it clear that you want people to be heard and to treat one another with respect. When passions run high around certain topics, set time limits for comments and apply them consistently, along with clear expectations for conduct. Consider using the tools found in The Keys to Effective Club Meetings.

Challenge: The tone of communication is often appropriate in an organizational setting, but sometimes it shifts, especially in email.
Solutions: Acknowledge that addressing tone can be hard. Sometimes tone-checking signals a power dynamic (as in leadership ‘doesn’t like the tone’), but it’s also part and parcel of steering back conversations and communication dynamics toward shared goals of supporting the organization, productively, together. Address the subject with people in a friendly way.

• • As much as possible, strive for in-person meetings. They’re so valuable compared to virtual gatherings.
  • Consider having/using community agreements or rules of engagement to convey how best to be together.

Bonus Tip: Focus on the why! Recall that people are inspired to volunteer and to lead when they are aligned with the goals and mission of the organization. If there are missteps or mismatched expectations, ask people to reflect on why they support the cause. There are many paths to reach an outcome, and people’s ultimate goal is often the same. By revisiting the shared purpose, you can create a compass that helps guide how you move forward together.

“If you want to go fast, go alone. If you want to go far, go together.”