Institute Webinars: Success Tips for Leading Volunteers

During a recent Institute for Organization Management webinar, faculty member and author Hardy Smith, IOM unpacked five field-tested strategies for leading volunteers with less stress and greater impact. He offered clear, actionable guidance on building a simple, written volunteer plan—defining purpose, tasks, skills, headcount, and backups—so leaders can recruit intentionally, train effectively, and deliver consistently strong outcomes.

The session emphasized that great volunteer programs don’t happen by accident; they’re designed. Hardy walked through role-specific recruiting (with referrals), expectation-setting and job descriptions, right-fit matching based on skills and personality, and practical onboarding that equips volunteers to succeed. He also showed how to create a positive volunteer experience—by understanding each person’s “why,” tailoring recognition to individual preferences, building peer connections, and using quick pulse surveys—so organizations shift from recruit–train–replace to recruit–train–retain.

Trends and generational dynamics were central themes. Drawing on “Bowling Alone” and current engagement patterns, Hardy explained how flexible, hybrid, and micro-volunteering, career-building motivations, and communication preferences are reshaping volunteerism—especially among Millennials and Gen Z. His message: your mission can remain constant, but your approach must adapt. Practical tips covered crafting short, purpose-driven roles, offering skills-building opportunities, and aligning communication and recognition to the volunteer, not the organization.

Common pitfalls—and how to avoid them—rounded out the discussion: treating volunteers as “free labor,” vague roles and weak onboarding, delegate-and-forget leadership, lack of follow-up, failing to track volunteers in a usable database, overloading high performers (burnout), and launching programs without staff buy-in or clear staff ownership. Hardy stressed consistent communication, timely feedback, and documenting processes so success is repeatable—and reminded attendees that board members are volunteers too and benefit from the same best practices.

Packed with real-world examples and ready-to-use tools, this webinar is a must-watch for chamber, association, and nonprofit leaders who rely on ambassadors, event crews, committees, and boards. By applying Hardy Smith’s strategies, you can strengthen volunteer pipelines, boost retention, and channel energy where it matters most—advancing your mission.

Learn more about the Institute for Organization Management. If you have any questions, please email us at iom@uschamber.com.