This is the fourth and final article in a series of articles on the Changing The Paradigm Research by the Points of Light Foundation. In 1991 The Points of Light Foundation interview over 400 people in more than 20 organizations in 5 regions of the United States. From those interviews they identified 11 characteristics of organizations that were highly effective in the involvement of volunteers (Allen, 1995). These eleven characteristics were combined into 4 overall principles. This month's article deals with the fourth paradigm principle.
The two characteristics contained within Paradigm Action Principle #4 deal with ability of an organization to engage in continuous improvement.
Learn, Grow and Change:
"Have you ever watched a small child move forward from a sitting position? They simply lean forward even with their legs in front of them and move out over their feet into a crawl. They are incredibly flexible, and can get through small spaces, change direction, and adapt quickly to new environments. As we get older, we get less flexible, both in bodies and in our points of view. As organizations, we need to avoid this loss of flexibility. Change is with us always, and we can let it run over us, or we can work with it. . . we must seek to be flexible and adaptive in the face of ever-increasing changes." (Brinckerhoff, 1994, p. 223)
The focus of the fourth action principle is at the very heart of the Paradigm Research. "That is, how to continually identify and change paradigms (attitudes and perceptions) that may limit an organization's ability to engage volunteers and communities in the solving of serious social problems." (Phillips, 1995, p.1) Our colleagues in the for-profit world began to work with continuous improvement, customer centered service and total quality management long before the non-profit world. All of these "movements" are about creating an atmosphere that not only deals with change, but actually fosters change by creating structures and process to continually assess the trends, markets, and environmental conditions that impact the organization.
"To learn, grow and change, leaders, staff and volunteers must be willing to:
Certainly the volunteer world has changed. Financial and human resources are stretched. There is greater competition for volunteer resources. Demographics have changed, with an increasing senior population and a growing teen population. Potential volunteers are work full-time or more than full-time. There have been shifts in motivations, interests, and commitments. Organizations that continue to attract and mobilize volunteers have had to restructure programs, adapt to new service hours and diversify opportunities to fit the realities of the new volunteers. It's a buyers market and volunteers can pick and choose where they will go and what they will do. Today's volunteers have new expectations and new perspectives. They want something new, something they are a part of. The key to attracting and retaining volunteers today is an organizational openness to change-to becoming a learning organization that seeks continuous improvement based on the feedback and participation of all stakeholders.
Peter Senge, in his book The Fifth Discipline Feedback emphases that change is more than redesigning the formal structures and processes of an organization. Real change happens when the patterns of interaction between people and processes are addressed. The learning process includes clarifying role, defining expectations, and evaluating achievements. Volunteers and staff must have opportunities to explore insights, test experiences and examine current norms and traditions.
A formal assessment process can offer an excellent opportunity for the type of self-reflection that can create options of change. There are several ways to approach a self-assessment:
Any of these processes will help you gather candid, perhaps anonymous, information about the perceptions of staff and volunteers regarding volunteer involvement. These will help you identify current paradigms in your organizational culture. Check your paradigms against the Paradigm Action Principles and use this as your framework for creating a new paradigm for highly effective volunteer engagement. "The Action Principles from the Changing the Paradigm Project serve as a framework for identifying key action areas to learn from and about volunteer experiences." (Phillips, 1995, p.9)
One of the greatest changes in our country today is the pluralistic nature of our population. Yet volunteerism continues to be a white middle class activity. A learning organization must deal with the issues of diversity and inclusion in today's society. This is more than awareness of diversity in all of its forms. Inclusiveness is the action that builds pluralism. We are not tapping into the wealth of resources in our communities until we proactively engage volunteers who represent the all facets of our rich communities and the populations we serve. "A diverse volunteer pool ensures an agency's relevance by involving individuals connected to the community's issues and needs. These individuals may bring a new awareness in responding to clients or suggesting alternative approaches to discovering resources." (Phillips, 1995, p.11)
Inclusiveness is included in this action principle because it forces us to look at change - internal organization change. To be inclusive we must examine our internal structures, perceptions, and paradigms.
"Embracing inclusiveness is not a mystical process.
(Phillips, 1995, p.12)
Inclusiveness requires change management, which requires an openness to change. Paradigm research shows that volunteers are attracted to organizations that display a willingness to improve, expand and embrace new ideas and new approaches. Organizations that invite both volunteers and staff to actively participate in continuous learning and improvement are more likely to engage volunteers in highly effective ways. Think about you own life experiences. Were you drawn to the exciting, learning opportunities in your life? Did you flourish in a situation where you felt safe to try something new or to take a risk? Volunteers can do the same old, same old in lots of places. Engage new people, diverse people and be open to the changes they will bring. You will find an energy that is invigorating and inviting.
References:
Brinckerhoff, Peter. (1994). Mission based management. Illinois: Alpine Guild, Inc.
Merrill, Mary V. (1995). Combine Inspiring Leadership and Effective Management: The Underpinnings of a Strategic Volunteer Program. Washington D.C.: The Points of Light Foundation.
Phillips, Mary D. (1995). Learn, Grow and Change: Creating Openness to Change and Inclusive Community Involvement. Washington, D.C.: Points of Light Foundation
Points of Light Foundation, (1995). Changing the Paradigm: Volunteer Involvement Self Assessment Kit. Washington, D.C.: Points of Light Foundation
Senge, Peter, Art Kleiner, Charlotte Roberts, Rishard Ross, & Bryan Smith. (1994)The Fifth Discipline Field Book: Strategies and tools for building a learning organization. New York: Doubleday.
Vineyard, Sue & Steve McCurley, (1994 rev. ed.). Managing Volunteer Diversity. Indiana: Heritage Arts Publishing.