Leading Volunteers with Agility

Where to go for the presentation

Mike’s blog: http://www.leadingagile.com

Who is Mike Cottmeyer?

• Have been on the VersionOne service team for about 8 months

• Senior Project Manager for CheckFree Corporation in Atlanta, GA

• Certified Scrum Master, PMP, DSDM Agile Project Leader

• Leader in lots of volunteer organizations

We are all volunteers

• You can pay people for their time

• You can pay them to show up

• You can’t pay them for their passion and enthusiasm

• You can’t make them want to be there

Are we pulling in the same direction?• Only 37% have a clear

understanding of what their organization is trying to achieve

• Only one in five was enthusiastic about their team's and organization's goals

• Only one in five said they have a clear "line of sight" between their tasks and team goals

Are we?

• Only 15% felt that their organization fully enables them to execute key goals

• Only 20% fully trusted the organization they work for

Soccer anyone?

• 11 players on the field would know which goal is theirs

• Only two of the 11 would care

• Only two of the 11 would know what position they play and know exactly what they are supposed to do

• 9 players are competing against their own team

It is up to us to create the kinds of organizations that people want to work for

What groups do you support?

• Hope Springs School• Boy Scouts of America• My Church• APLN and APLN Atlanta

• Project Manager working in matrixed organizations for the past 8 years

What are the common problems?

• The same few people do all the work

• The same few people contribute financially

• The same few people are engaged in problem solving

• The same few people bother to show up

What are the common responses?

• We get angry• We make

compliance rules

• We ask people to leave

Workshop #1

• What kind of problems do you have getting people involved in the mission of your volunteer organization?

• How does leadership typically respond to these challenges?

How’s it working out?

No way!

What’s really our objective?

• Passionate individuals

• People that share our vision

• People that want to do their part

The same principles that build great software teams build great volunteer organizations

Agile Value System

• Empowerment• Self-Organization• Trust• Accountability• Teamwork

Empowerment

• To give official authority, to enable, to promote self-actualization

• It’s your job as the leader to create the environment where great things happen

• Set the context

Self-Organization

• Who works in the gaps between tasks on a plan?

"Simple, clear purpose and principles give rise to complex and intelligent behavior. Complex rules and regulations give rise to simple and stupid behavior.” Dee Hock, Founder and Former CEO of Visa International

Trust

• Expect the best out of people

• Elevate the individual, give them respect

• Create opportunity for relationship

Accountability

• Measure results, not processes or steps

• Focus on value• Inspect the process • Create a culture of

accountability

Why Teams Work

• Develop a culture and norms

• Know each others strengths

• Efficient communication• Predictable throughput• Regular delivery

Workshop #2

• Brainstorm other agile philosophies or practices we could use to lead our organizations with agility?

Discuss with your table, use flip chart and sticky notes to collaborate on ideas. Be prepared to share a finding with the room.

Ten principles to lead your volunteer organizations with agility

Have a compelling vision

• A well crafted vision gets people excited, inspires them, and shows them what is possible

• If possible, let your team influence the vision of your organization

Provide opportunity to get involved

• Make it simple and clear what people can do to help

• People want to know how their contribution supports the goals of the organization

Give people simple guidance

• Give people a few guiding principles to getting their job done

• Let them know that you will stand behind their decisions

Get out of the way

• Let your team decide how the work will get done

• Sometimes it won’t happen exactly the way you want it

• If it furthers the goal, let it go

Follow-up

• Follow-up communicates that their contribution is important

• Assess the impact of missed committments

Accountability for results

• Your volunteers are making a valuable contribution

• Hold the team accountable for what was delivered, not how it was delivered

• Create culture where outcomes matter

Okay to make mistakes• People will take

initiative if it is safe• People taking

initiative is critical to running a successful volunteer organization

• Don’t make your team be perfect in order to contribute

Give praise• People need

encouragement• Yours might be the

only organization that tells them they are doing a good job

• Don’t take your volunteers for granted

Check your ego at the door

• This is not about you

• The team is not there to validate you as a leader

• Realize that you are there to build the team and give them opportunity to contribute

Have fun

• People don’t want to spend their free time working with a bunch of grumps

• Your attitude matters

Take responsibility

• We want empowered, self directed, motivated, volunteers working toward common goals

• Giving people the means to serve is a powerful contribution

Workshop #3

• What are some other ways we can turn principles and practices into specific guidance to help others lead with agility?

Discuss with your table, use flip chart and sticky notes to collaborate on ideas. Be prepared to share a finding with the room.

Take the time to lead your team

Lead with agility

Where to go for the presentation

Mike’s blog: http://www.leadingagile.com

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