It’s great to volunteer. Whether it be for a charitable organization or your local community, pitching in can feel good by helping others. However, just because an organization exists doesn’t mean it is run efficiently. In fact, most volunteer organizations are run by average people in the community. Many of them are not adept at time management.
Here is an interesting idea. Try becoming good at time management yourself and offer to assist organizations with this skill. It’s a known fact that funders and foundations look for organizations that are run well. Time management can make the difference in getting an organization to that point. This could mean more funding for that organization. If the organization does not receive funding, it may help them start.
The wrong approach would be to join an organization and pitch this concept while new. It’s better to get to know the people first. This will require you to spend some time with the organization. But, you would have to do that when organizing a time management program anyway. Start by offering to do the tasks that no one else wants to do. This shows them your willingness to be a team player.
As you do a good job on these tasks, you can begin to volunteer for leadership positions. You can use your stealth time management skills at this point to show that it works. When you are successful with this, the organization may be more receptive to implementing it throughout. You will be looked upon at that point as the one responsible for overseeing this task. It’s a good idea to have a grasp on these techniques before making your pitch.
There will be some organization who resist for one reason or another. People don’t like change, and when you come in as the new kid on the block, recommending a different way of doing things, people get threatened. Sometimes, they come around to what you want to accomplish. When you pitch the idea that they have a better chance of receiving funding with a good time management program, this could be what brings them around.
There are going to be a few organizations that won’t change no matter how hard you try. If this is the case, it’s best to simply move on and work for organizations with a more open-minded leadership style. You will eventually find the right place, and they will appreciate your efforts to make them more efficient.
– Scott Blessing