by John Carroll

In my work with several charitable organizations, I’ve been asked if and how it would be appropriate to "fire" a volunteer. Sounds a bit odd, doesn’t it?

After all, someone has chosen to give his or her time, energy and effort, perhaps along with financial support, to back a worthy cause. That’s an admirable gesture. How could anyone tell such a person to stop giving to the organization, particularly when this and most other organizations are constantly seeking additional help and support?

The answer is simple, though not necessarily easy. You would do this with the same resolve, the same process and with the same care and handling as you would (and should) with a paid associate, staff or team member.

"This is an entirely different issue," one might protest. "You can’t just fire a volunteer." My response: if you can’t fire a volunteer, you shouldn’t be in a leadership position in your organization.

How can I be so simplistic when it comes to treating people properly? Simply put, if you’re considering firing a volunteer, that situation is likely already having a negative impact on other people in the organization. If you put the feelings of a single person above the needs of the organization, you either need a fresh view of the big picture or a change of scenery (as in a move to another opportunity) for yourself.

Who is responsible for the situation that calls for inviting a volunteer to leave? Start with those responsible for recruiting, orienting and assigning that volunteer, and include those in top leadership of the organization. Rather than putting energy into assigning blame, however, focus on where the system failed, leading to the situation at hand.

For example, I have worked with numerous volunteer Boards. In that work, I’m constantly asked what to do about Board members who can’t find the time to attend Board meetings. They either have a schedule commitment in direct conflict with the Board’s scheduled meeting time or they just don’t seem to make it to meetings, without even a phone call to excuse themselves from the meeting. These are the same people who contribute nothing to the goals and objectives of the organization, i.e., Board members in name only.

In these situations, the organization usually has an attendance policy in its by-laws. A typical policy holds that failure to attend three consecutive Board meetings can result in expulsion of that member from the Board. The inevitable question is, "Should we follow through on our by-laws and remove this person from the Board?"

Consider the numbers. On a Board with 15 members, let’s say you have three such regular no-shows. That’s 20 percent of your Board that doesn’t support you in any way, not even in your meetings. Can you afford to work without the valuable resource of a full Board? Can you further afford to send a message to the rest of the Board that regular non-attendance is acceptable? Your answers to these questions will tell you whether to enforce the policy.

What is the root cause of this condition? It’s likely back upstream where someone is invited to be a Board member in the first place. Here’s how it often works: a Board member is named to the nominating committee and mentions the name of a friend or colleague. That Board member is now responsible for asking the nominee if he or she is willing to serve. Here’s how the "recruiting conversation" is likely to go:

Board member: "How would you like to serve on the Board of ABC Ministries? I serve on the Board, and I think it’s a fine organization and a worthy cause."

Prospective Board member: "What’s my obligation? How much time will it take?"

Board member: "Oh, it’s not much. You’ll have a Board meeting once a month, which lasts about 90 minutes. Other than that, it’s pretty much what you choose to do."

Prospective Board member: "That’s it? All I have to do is come to a Board meeting once a month? Yes, I guess I could do that."

In a volunteer organization (or any organization, for that matter) it’s critical that you help your members see a clear picture of exactly what will be expected of them. A printed job description detailing the role of the Board member is a good start. A Board member handbook is even better, when it contains the job description, by-laws and information on the history and mission of the organization.

Many organizations benefit from a strong cross-section of professional and business skills among their Board members. Therefore, a CPA or accountant, a banker, an attorney, and a technology professional are often welcome members. Make it clear to them in the invitation that their professional expertise will be a valuable addition to the Board and the organization. That will help form the expectation that their contribution will go beyond mere attendance at monthly or quarterly Board meetings.

Perhaps you expect Board members to stick to the three Gs: give, get or get off. While that may sound a bit rigid and tough, it can certainly help a prospective Board member to understand there’s more to this commitment than showing up for a few meetings. If that’s the expectation, be sure it’s communicated in advance and becomes part of the basis upon which the prospect makes his or her decision to join.

One Board where I serve will take the extra step of having a member ask the prospective new member for an early indication of willingness to join. At that point, the prospect receives a Board member handbook, outlining expectations for participation in both Board and committee meetings, as well as fund-raising and giving opportunities. Only after these steps are taken and the prospect agrees does the name come up for final Board approval.

Let’s return to the task at hand. You have one or more Board members who contribute little or nothing and haven’t been to a Board meeting in recent memory. Before relieving that person of his or her responsibilities, have a one-on-one discussion. Check to see if someone or something has distanced this person from the organization. Find the cause of this person’s lack of participation. Often this person will admit to the fact that he or she had no idea of the commitment involved and simply cannot live up to the role of Board membership.

At that point, you have the opportunity to apologize for the gap in communications. Invite the person to resign. Thank him or her for the time and effort invested, even if it was minimal, and take your leave. Now you can begin to identify a person to take that newly opened spot on your Board. Use the steps above to create proper expectations and insure that you don’t repeat the same mistake in recruiting.

By taking these steps with each non-participating Board member and improving your recruiting process, you’ll be sending a clear message to reinforce your expectations of the remaining Board members. You’ll also have a stronger, more supportive Board.

John Carroll is President/CEO of Unlimited Performance, a Mt. Pleasant, SC, firm focused on organizational and individual performance improvement. He is the author of Sales Illustrated: 68 Sales Lessons from Everyday Life. Contact him at 1-877-755-8844 toll-free, email at jcarroll@uperform.com, or fax at (843) 881-6746.

© 2000 John Carroll. All rights reserved.