Leading volunteers is not always an easy job. Unlike employees, they are hard to fire and they may or may not be motivated enough to give their best efforts. But sometimes the magic happens, and you get the best people with the best skills supporting you in a volunteer capacity. That’s what happened last week, and I want to share some of the lessons for the rest of you.
Nikki (left) has been my co-director since the original event in 2013
Last weekend I participated in an event that has been going for four years now. The Light Up the Night 5k race was held Friday night at 11:59pm to benefit the Carpenter’s Cabinet, a local food pantry supporting those in need. I started the race four years ago with my co-director as a way to get people more active and to partner with a local charity as part of a local outreach effort at church. It is always a great event supporting a worthy cause, and every year the planning team and I pick up new ideas, tips, and strategies to make the race better. This year was no different. Looking back, I actually see some crucial leadership lessons that are worth sharing. Oh, and in case you are wondering, these can work with your employees, too!
It’s a new year, and many of you SHRM chapters and state councils out there will be looking for content to engage your members this year. I’m yet again volunteering on the board of NASHRM, my local chapter, so this is near and dear to my heart. I’ll be hosting a SHRM Chapter Volunteer Leader Series occasionally as a way to give content ideas (as I am today), offer advice on board leadership, and more. I’m working to republish the free Rock Your Chapter eBook, and these are updates I expect to include in the new version. And now, with no further delay, the content…
Note: I’m hooked on The 100. Great sci fi show, if you’re that kind of geek.
A consistent challenge I have observed for the last six years of working as a volunteer board member is finding good content for our members. The Programs team works hard, but they, like virtually all SHRM volunteers, have full time jobs, families, and other responsibilities. So I wanted to pull together 100 programming ideas to consider in the coming year. One of the great things about SHRM chapters is that you don’t always have to bring in world class speakers (but you can if you have the budget, of course). You can pull in a local subject matter expert to share about things they know and are passionate about, and your members will benefit. Keep that thought in mind as you read through these. If any of them strike you, try to think of people you know that could share on the topic. And these are just starter ideas–take them where you wish!
Also, if you’re a SHRM chapter/council volunteer and have requests for the series (or speaking opportunities), email me.
100 SHRM Chapter Seminar Ideas
No, really, please use the 401k: how to drive engagement in retirement plans
Get outta here: how to prepare your employees to retire
Nuke the paper: how to reduce clutter in your HR processes
You want what?!? The role of influence in HR
Small but mighty: how to run a great (small) HR department
Yours is bigger, but mine is better: how to succeed with a small team
Best practices for establishing efficient, yet lawful, HR processes
Just Hand Over the Handbook and Nobody Gets Hurt: moving from static to active HR
10 Things I Hate About Your Career Site
6 tips to “wow” employees with HR communications
How to make succession management a success
Face the Fear: How to Demonstrate Positive HR Practices
20 small ways to revolutionize your leadership
First, Admit You Have a Problem: How to move to proactive HR
Bite me: how to handle aggressive employee behaviors
Open Up: what level of transparency makes sense for your business?
Way to go, Sherlock–How to investigate the workplace
Branding: What it is and Why you need it
Great HR is Invisible (hat tip to Frank Roche)
Oh no you didn’t–how to mediate employee conflict
Did you see what she’s wearing? How to create a common sense dress guideline
Yours, Mine, Ours: how to integrate after a merger or acquisition
Hello, Sweetheart: how to deal with workplace romance
Why does everyone look like me? How to develop a diverse workforce
3 key ways to recruit minority candidates
Top 5 laws that apply to recruiting and selection
Avoid the Noid: how to keep bad candidates from getting in the door
Hands off: supervisor training essentials
4 benefit trends to capitalize on
Oops: 7 ways to ruin your high potentials
In Case of Emergency: how to create crisis plans
The Walking Dead: how to identify and remove disengaged staff
Radio for backup: How to build a team you can depend on
The Lowdown on Leadership Development
10 things marketing can teach us about smarter HR practices
Say it like you mean it: how to deliver great presentations
A vs B: how to compare and contrast vendor options
How to keep people awake in training (without using coffee)
Email: Corporate Comms or Strategic Engagement Driver?
Whoops! How to handle workplace safety issues
Yo Mama! How to recruit a candidate’s family
Congratulations! Key ways to keep new parents engaged
Sigh. How to make your meetings engaging and powerful
13 insights you can get from HR metrics
The Next Generation: Moving from metrics to analytics
He Said What? Why you need to train your supervisors
8 ways to identify high potential employees
3 methods for cutting HR costs
12 points to consider in your change management planning
All together now! Developing strong collaboration practices
How to disengage your employees in 5 stupid ways
Flexibility: What it looks like and how it boosts your business
Agility: how an engineering term can help HR
Close the gap: Knitting together employees and leadership
Don’t motivate, inspire (hat tip to Chris Ferdinandi)
Creating a passionate, productive workforce
Show me the money: calculating the value of your talent practices
Back to the Future: HR practices in 2020
What would HR have looked like 300 years ago?
15 critical HR skills for today’s practitioners
Go Pro: how to become an HR pro in 3 easy steps
4 (not so easy) ways to make candidates love your brand
You Break It, You Buy It: how to handle careless employees
Ah, ah, achoo! Creating Sick Leave Policies that Work
4 Employee Perks that Won’t Cost a Dime
Why Voluntary Benefits are the Best Benefits
Get Well Soon! How to drive wellness initiatives
HR as a Conductor of the Organizational Orchestra
School’s Out for Summer! PTO, Vacation, and Employee Leave Best Practices
3 Reasons You Should Quit Relying on Talent Technology
Once Upon a Time: How storytelling makes your communications better
There’s a Monster In My Closet: dealing with irrational leadership
4 Things Your Assessment Provider Won’t Tell You
3 Questions to Ask Your Talent Acquisition Vendor
6 Ways to Know if An Employee is Lying
Personnel to Human Resources: How to be a strategic business asset
How to manage the email monster and get more done
3 easy ways to turn managers into leaders
Bert and Ernie: How to leverage friendships for engagement
Cookie Monster: How to drive healthy employee behaviors
Oscar the Grouch: How to manage negative employees
Big Bird: How to demonstrate executive presence
How to reward innovation without breaking the bank
7 tips for empowering employees
Culture Shock: Preparing expatriates for new assignments
Anylearning: How to encourage employees by offering non-work related training
Intermittent what? How to manage employees on FMLA leave
A Pile of Shift (Workers): Managing a 24-hour workforce
Make my day: How to negotiate like a pro
5 things HR can learn from finance
How to create a strategic partnership with your CFO
6 things HR does that drives employees crazy
Anything you can do I can do better: Ensuring gender equality in the workplace
8 ideas for revolutionizing your HR service, starting today
With Great Power Comes Great Responsibility: How to prepare employees for greatness
Say Hello to My Little Friend: Weapons at work, how to handle it, and what’s legal
I’ll Be Back: How to deal with boomerang employees
Life is like a box of chocolates: Predicting employee performance before they’re hired
Frankly My Dear, I… Want to know how to handle profanity at work
ET Phone Home: How to communicate based on employee preferences
I’d love to hear your thoughts on some of these. Which ones would you like to hear? Which ones would bore you to tears? :-) Anything you’d add to the list?
SHRM Chapters are local SHRM (Society for Human Resources Management) affiliates that live out SHRM’s mission on a local scale. I’ve been serving on the board of NASHRM, my local chapter, since the middle of 2009, and at the end of this year I am stepping down from my position on the board to focus on some other priorities in my life (family, work, etc.).
For those looking to have an impact on their profession on a local level, SHRM chapters provide a great way to jump in, get some volunteer credits, and develop a strong local network for career and professional development opportunities. (If you’re already volunteering with a SHRM chapter, be sure to check out the free SHRM Chapter Leadership guide.)
This post has some ideas for why you should think about, and maybe even join, a local SHRM chapter… Enjoy!
Wouldn\’t it be nice if there was something to make this HR thing easier to do? Maybe if there was some sort of way to meet other professionals, share ideas, and trade best practice tips, then we all would feel less like we\’re treading water and more like we\’re making a difference. Wait a minute, there is a way to do that, and it\’s your local SHRM chapter!
Now, before I get into the meat of the post, I’d like to say that not all SHRM chapters are great. Some of them just plain suck. And you know what? This post may or may not be for you. If not, check back later. Or read something inspiring. On the other hand, some chapters really do rock, and this post can help you leverage that for your own career. Continue reading →
