Redirecting Volunteer Behavior Process Flow Worksheet

Transcription

1 Redirecting Volunteer Behavior Process Flow Worksheet Redirecting Volunteer Behavior is a 4-step process for working with volunteers to improve the way they are performing or interacting with others in your organization. Before beginning the Redirecting process, you should be able to answer these questions: Questions to Ask Yourself Your Answers What is the behavior at issue? How does this behavior affect other volunteers? How does this behavior affect the program s ability to serve its clients? How does this behavior affect you, personally? What do you think is the root cause of this behavior? Are you aware of any organizational or environmental causes that may be outside of the volunteer s control? When you are ready to begin Redirecting Volunteer Behavior, go to Step 1 Trainer s Handouts Page 9

2 Step 1. Discuss Privately Begin by discussing the problem with the volunteer. Conduct the discussion in a private setting State the problem. Explain how it affects you, your program, and other volunteers Get the volunteer s viewpoint about the challenging behavior. Often, the volunteer is not even aware that there is a problem! Determine if there are external causes (personal life, work environment, misinformation, triggering incident, and burnout). Here are some questions to help you through this part of the discussion: Were you aware that (your behavior) is causing problems for us? You didn t have issues like this before. What has changed? What else is contributing to this problem? Is there anything about the work itself that is interfering with your ability to do the job? Do you believe that more information or training might help? Was there a specific incident that upset you? Are there new demands or procedures that are bothering you? Are you getting frustrated with the same-old, same-old routine? Could there be something in your personal life that is contributing to the problem? Go to Step 2 Trainer s Handouts Page 10

3 Step 2. Mutual Problem Solving In this step, your goals are: To gain agreement that a problem exists, and that it needs to be solved To get the volunteer s ideas about: o What others can do to solve the problem o What the volunteer can do to solve the problem Here are some questions you can use during this part of the process: Can you see that we have a situation here that is unacceptable, so we need to find a way to solve this? What do you think others can do to modify this situation? Even if none of the others could make those changes, what could you do personally to improve the situation? Go to Step 3 Trainer s Handouts Page 11

4 Step 3. Agree on a Timeline for Corrective Action In this step, your goal is to: Agree on a series of goals, based on your findings in Steps 1 and 2. Explain how and when you will follow up Here are some questions that will help you in this step of the process: Can you see that we have a situation here that is unacceptable, so we need to find a way to solve this? I think our primary focus should be on working on the items that you yourself can control to improve the situation. (List the changes from last question in Step 2) Will you be willing to commit to working on these with me? I want to meet with you again on (name the date) to make sure this situation is progressing in a way that is beneficial to the program. By then, here s what I want you to do: (List action items for volunteer) And also by then, here s what I will do: (List action items for supervisor) Does that sound like a fair plan? Go to Step 4 Trainer s Handouts Page 12

5 Step 4. Follow Up and Recognize Achievement In this step of the Redirecting Challenging Behavior process, your goals are to: Follow up as promised Recognize achievement to date Reinforce the continuing importance of maintaining improved behavior Adjust the improvement plan, if necessary Set the stage for additional follow-up Here are some questions to use in this part of the process. Since we had our discussion, what changes have you implemented? Can you see the positive impact that these changes are having? What additional changes are you planning to make? Is there anything I can do to help? I want to thank you for your effort in making these changes. They are very important to us. I ll stop by again in the near future to check back with you and make sure things are continuing to progress. End of process. Trainer s Handouts Page 13