Q&A: Who Should Lead Your Onboarding Training?
Q:
Do you empower volunteers to lead your guest services training or do you only have staff do that?
[Question submitted in a recent One-Day Workshop]
A:
This is a question I receive fairly often, whether we’re talking volunteer onboarding, a newcomers class, a team huddle, you name it. The sentiment is, what must we own, and what may we offload? Let me give a case for each, and some cautions for both:
The case for a staff-owned teaching role:
There is something to be said for getting the download from the Grand Poobah of the ministry. In most cases, they should be the chief visionary, the resident expert, and the go-to person for all things fill-in-the-blank. Hearing from the leader means you’re hearing their heart. You’re picking up their nuances. You’re getting to know them and their expectations as you step into a volunteer role.
Add to that, hearing from a staff member helps you to enter into (or continue) that pastoral relationship, so that foundation is built as they shepherd you in the future.
If there are cautions, a staff-owned role means that a staff member is tied up for the hour or so of onboarding and can’t do other things. They are not equipping the saints for the work of the ministry. They become a bottleneck to momentum.
The case for a volunteer-owned teaching role:
Some of our best onboarding facilitators have been those who don’t do it because of a check, they do it because they love it. Hearing from a fellow volunteer means you’re hearing from someone who has sat in your seat. As a potential volunteer, it’s easier to see your future self reflected in them. They’ve felt your initial butterflies, they’ve progressed in their skills, and now they’re leading others.
If there are cautions, it’s that a volunteer may be called upon to answer questions that are outside of their wheelhouse or area of expertise. They may or may not have a teaching gift (something that can certainly be true of a staff member as well).
Making the call
If you’re a leader, I think a volunteer-led role could be a huge win for your ministry. It frees you up. It equips the saints for the work of the ministry. It expands your leadership and replicates the vision into other people who can lead alongside you.
To ensure a win here, you need to have a standardized onboarding curriculum so they know the expectations and know how to fulfill them. You need to check in often – don’t just dump the task and run. You need to let them speak into the curriculum so they are utilizing their skill set and bringing their strengths to the table.
Who do you have on your volunteer team who might be your next onboarding facilitator?
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