Hot
Topic Archive
November
2006
Volunteer Management: the Steve Irwin way
 By
OzVPM Director Andy
Fryar
Like
many people, I was shocked with the sudden death of
Australian wildlife crusader Steve Irwin recently.
His untimely death struck a chord with a vast array
of people from many countries, all ages and every
walk of life.
So
what's all this got to do with volunteer management?
Well
I have to say that as I sat and watched Steve's memorial
service, being beamed live from Australia Zoo, I sat
in awe of the fact that this seemingly normal bloke
from Queensland was being mourned, and his life feted,
by the Prime Minister of Australia and many of the
world's biggest celebrities. How is it that an estimated
300 million viewers worldwide would watch his memorial
service? After all, wasn't this just a guy who wrestled
Crocodiles?
Well
of course the answer to that is 'no'. While Steve
may have started his career wrestling prehistoric
reptiles, he represented so much more than that -
and as we celebrate International Volunteer Manager
Appreciation Day on November 1, I believe that there
are lessons we can all learn from his example about
how we, as volunteer resource managers (VRM's), can
also make a lasting impact on what it is that we do.
So
here are the qualities that Steve demonstrated which
I believe we can all learn from:
Passion
& Belief - Love him or loathe him, you
can't deny he was passionate about what he did for
a living. Being passionate about what it is that you
do is critical to not only enjoying our work - but
to making a difference of any lasting significance.
Passion of course comes from having a well grounded
belief in what it is that you set out to achieve.
As VRM's, it is critical that we understand we make
a difference every day to the way our volunteers are
able to go about their work, serving those causes
in our communities that so often don't come with government
funding. We also need to understand that we directly
impact the lives of the volunteers we work with.
Helping
others catch the vision - What was perhaps
even more impressive about Steve Irwin was his ability
to have others catch the same vision that he held.
I've heard many testimonies now from people who had
spent just a single day with him, but who swear it
was a day that would change their lives forever. For
volunteer management to continue to progress, both
within our own agencies and more broadly, we too need
to find ways to inspire those we come into contact
with to take a journey with us.
Surrounding
yourself with success & knowing your limits
- While Irwin would not hesitate to jump on the back
of a giant lizard, he did have a good knowledge of
what he could and could not do well. To that end,
he surrounded himself with successful people - others
who could compliment his strengths with their own
expertise. As VPM's, we too need to understand that
we cannot be everything to everyone. We need to delegate
tasks to those better prepared than us to tackle the
parts of our jobs we can't handle. It's not a sign
of weakness, it's a sign of maturity.
Understanding
the importance of research - One of the facts
that was revealed in the aftermath of Steve's death
was the incredible amount of time he spend conducting
and assisting with research into Crocodile habitats
and life cycle patterns. As VPM's I think we often
place too little emphasis on understanding the nuances
of what it is we do. Demographic trends, new data
on recruitment, motivations for Generation's X and
Y to volunteer, latest theories on leadership. These
and many other forms of research are critical in helping
us to further our careers individually and our profession
more globally.
Wrestling
Crocs is not always pretty! You only had
to watch one of Irwin's documentaries to realise he
took a 'warts and all' approach to film making. After
all, when you are jumping on the back of a crocodile
on a mud flat, chances are you are going to get pretty
dirty. For those of us dedicated to trying to make
volunteer management a more recognised and valued
field in which to work, we too also need to understand
that things won't always be 'nice and clean'. Whether
dealing with errant volunteers, having to take the
hard line in the development of a new policy or having
to stand our ground against a line manager, politician,
colleague or funder, things may at times not always
be as pretty as we'd like. Sometimes the harder we
have to fight and the more times we get knocked down
- the stronger and wiser we become.
He
spoke his mind - Associated with the point
above, Steve always spoke his mind. And I don't write
that suggesting he was arrogant and argumentative,
because he was just as likely to be crying his eyes
out over a sick koala. The lesson for us is to find
ways to feel comfortable about sharing what it is
we are feeling - our frustrations, our excitement
and our successes.
An
ability to see the bigger picture - Another of Steve's
strengths was to be able to see beyond the here and
now, and project his thinking ahead. Whether relating
to the possible extinction of a particular kind of
Australian marsupial or using his remarkable business
acumen, he was a genius at being able to think one
step ahead of the game. We too need to learn to find
ways to break out of the busy work cycles so many
of us get caught in and take some time to think about
where our programs - and our profession are heading.
Creating
a legacy - Finally, out of being able to
see the bigger picture, Steve Irwin was able to create
a lasting legacy beyond his own life. His foundation,
'wildlife warriors' will continue to serve ecological
ends long after he is gone. And in the same way that
his father influenced him, his daughter Bindi looks
set to continue the environmental message her father
started. The transferable quality here of course is
that in volunteer management, we always need to be
finding ways to leave our jobs, our programs and our
profession in a little better state than we found
them in. If we are all dedicated to doing this the
impact can only be incremental and of great impact.
So
as we celebrate International Volunteer Managers Appreciation
Day, let's take a step back and consider some of the
lessons above. Why not make this year's IVMA Day a
milestone day where you vow to make a difference between
now and next year? Go on - set some goals and pop
a note in your diary to check back in with yourself
next year to see just what a difference 12 months
can really make!
Crickey ...let's
be sure volunteer management doesn't become an extinct
species!
Happy
IVMA Day folks!
Let's
hear from you
~
If you have set a goal for yourself - why not go on
record and share it now?
~
Are there other qualities we have missed in the article
above? Share them.
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