Download Leading Volunteers against Opposition Austin Constitution Meetup

Leading Volunteers against
Opposition
Austin Constitution Meetup
Jon Roland
Jan. 19, 2011
The Problem





Have or need volunteers, but have no money to
pay or perhaps even reimburse them.
There is a clear course of action they can do.
Goal is achievable with enough work by enough
volunteers.
The effort has a working deadline.
There is active opposition, not just inertia,
ignorance, resistance to change, or despair.
Preparation

Research problem.

Develop solution (goal).

Develop plans of action to achieve goal.
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Develop arguments to recruit volunteers.
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Identify prospects.

Make presentation.

Get commitments.
Identifying prospects

Those with a history of activity on similar things.

Those with some background of knowledge.
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Self starters who don't require daily urging.

Those who offer suggestions, but not diversions.

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Those who may support the tactics even if not the
goal.
Those who want to make a positive difference.
Approaching prospects

Start with people already known.

Publish to a wide audience.
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Presentations to existing groups.

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Take them as far as they are ready to go at each
encounter, repeat encounters until ready to
commit.
Ask them to commit some definite amount and
kind of effort.
Motivational types

Achievement/Professionalism

Influence/Recognition

Affiliation/Altruism
Achievement motivated

Respond to recognition that:

Challenges their skills, learn new ones
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Quantifies their success

Offers tangible rewards

Tells others of their achievements
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Is connected to jobs with clearly stated goals

Recognizes them to general public

Recognizes them to affiliated groups
Power/influence motivated

Respond to recognition that:

Can be used to persuade or recruit others to
cause

Can be used to broaden public's knowledge

Quantifies specific accomplishments

Have opportunity to interact with players

Names an achievement in their honor

Provides recognition by top people

Allows them to be “promoted”, direct others
Affiliation motivated

Respond to recognition that:

Provides appreciation from persons helped

Provides a symbol identifying them with
success

Offers social opportunities

Provides appreciations from those they admire

Recognizes their efforts to their peers

Is fun with others
Motivators

Positive feedback, constructive private criticism
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Regular rewards and recognition
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Send to meetings of similarly committed persons
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Provide training, clear tasks with short-term gains

Be available to them
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Free food and fun (potluck if no money)

Appoint those committed to volunteers
Obstacles

Goal is distant, complex
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No clear, easy path forward
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Diversions
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Alternate activities
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Displacement
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Distraction

Misinformation
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Personal challenges
When the goal is distant
Reinhold Niebuhr put it best: "Nothing that is worth
doing can be achieved in our lifetime; therefore,
we must be saved by hope. ... Nothing we do,
however virtuous, can be accomplished alone;
therefore, we are saved by love. No virtuous act is
quite as virtuous from the standpoint of our friend
or foe as it is from our standpoint. Therefore, we
must be saved by the final form of love, which is
forgiveness."
When the goal is complex

All real political reforms are complex, obscure

It is not necessary to fully understand, to act

Support those who best understand
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Take one small step at a time
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We can learn as we proceed
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We may pick up others along the way
Opposition
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Has captured most decisionmakers, players
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Has cut off most approaches, opportunities
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Has deprived us of resources, skilled people
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Has funded agents of provocation, distraction
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Has spread propaganda, misinformation
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Has suppressed our leaders, messages
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Is impersonal systems rather than individuals
When the public
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Won't learn or think
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Is distracted by unimportant things (“circuses”)

Are afraid of losing what they think they have

Want to “ghost dance”
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Refuse to be led, insist on their own programs

Lack basic understanding and critical skills
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Prefer hopelessness, and other excuses
George Washington said
“Let us raise a standard to which the wise and the
honest can repair. The event is in the hands of
God.”
We are not responsible for outcomes, only for
making our best efforts to do our duty.
End