If you want a fully engaged audience, spend time planning this part, too Have you experienced this? You’re leading an online orientation for prospective volunteers – or perhaps it’s a volunteer training – or even a staff meeting – and the energy in the room never...

Or, why it’s better to invest in what you need than improvise with props When the pandemic first hit, my stepdaughter, Ali, had to make a video. As a veterinary resident, part of her job involved teaching, and that responsibility did not end with the shut-in. Ali was...

Why I love this practice and know it’s worth the commitment Of all of the trainings that I have offered since starting Twenty Hats, I am proudest of the two Volunteer Manager Leadership Circles that I initiated. A Leadership Circle is a common practice for business...

Thoughts on where to start to diversity your volunteer program There is a well-known expression in the organizational management world, 'Every system is perfectly designed to get the results it gets.' I keep returning to that quote when I read Lisa Joyslin’s post on...

Our volunteers have lost a great deal – but how about you? With so much occurring, it’s easy to keep our heads down and get lost in the implementation of all these changes.  Feeling productive offsets the disruption. We can point to things we have actually accomplished.

Volunteer manager turnover is not a problem — it's something to plan for and even support. When I first began working in nonprofits, I was lucky to report to a CEO with some very clear policies. One was the “Oops” policy, meaning that that errors are natural and not to be punished. What a relief to own your mistakes without fear of reprisal.