Q&A: How Do I Transition a Volunteer Off of My Team?
Q:
We expect that our volunteers will actually show up. So how do I transition someone off of my team after they consistently stop showing up?
[from a recent One-Day Workshop]
A:
If there is one predictable thing about people, it’s that people are pretty unpredictable. The lovable goofball turns out to be a stellar leader. The steady personality ends up taking you on a roller coaster ride. The brand-new bought-in volunteer flakes out three weeks into serving.
So what happens when the predictable situation happens at an unpredictable moment? What do you do when a volunteer simply stops showing up to serve?
Here are four principles:
1. The best offense is a good defense.
Write this down, kids: I just made the rare sports reference.
One of my favorite quotes that can be applied in multiple scenarios comes from Pastor Mark Dever: what you win them with is what you win them to. In this scenario, how we onboard our volunteers can impact their longevity and dependability. They need to understand the why of their team, the details of their serving schedule, and what needs to happen when they are ready to step away. (Spoiler alert: eventually, every volunteer will step away. Let’s prepare all of us for that moment.)
[For more curated articles on this topic, see Volunteer Culture: Equipping]
2. Assume nothing.
Let’s say a volunteer doesn’t show up for a few weeks. To go back to point #1, if we’re being proactive that shouldn’t even happen. You should know after the first absence what’s up and if everything is okay.
But if absence #1 turns into absence #4, you need to have an honest (preferably face-to-face) conversation. Don’t leave anything to chance. Don’t assume answers when you haven’t asked the questions.
[Related post: The Reason Our Volunteers Disengage]
3. Prioritize pastoral care over a filled roster.
Repeat after me: my smooth-running team is not the ultimate goal of my ministry.
I know that’s painful for some of us to say, but it’s true. Don’t overlook people in your effort to build a team of people to serve other people. If you’re having those honest conversations (point #2), you may discover that a volunteer is caring for an aging parent. Or dealing with a work crisis. Or simply exhausted. Care for their souls before you ask them to get back in the game.
[Related post: How to Help Your Volunteers to Grow Spiritually]
4. Help them discover what’s next.
This is where your active listening comes in. You have to really hear what’s going on so you can really help them take their next step:
- Maybe they love their role, but they’re distracted by life situations. Encourage them to take a break, with a planned time to check back in and see when they’re ready to re-engage.
- Maybe they love the idea of serving, but your team is not a good fit. Help them find a ministry team that is a great fit, and personally introduce them to the ministry leader with your glowing recommendation.
- Maybe they’ve turned apathetic towards the role, and not sure if they want to serve anywhere. Walk with them, showing patience along the way. It could be they need a reinvestment of the why, and it could be that they just need someone to care about them for a while.
[Related post: How to Help a Volunteer Step Away Gracefully]
Not all of our people are going to make predictable moves. And that concept is totally predictable. Let’s get out in front of situations like this so we’re ready to care for those volunteers when the day comes.
Want to submit a question for a future Q&A post? Ask it here.
