Volunteers are better engaged when they receive meaningful recognition, acknowledgment and appreciation. Secret #1: Support Meaningful Contribution Secret #2: Minimize Poison Words; Maximize Power Words Secret #3: Deepen What Goes Well Secret #4: Acknowledge Good Intentions Secret #5: Listen Attentively Secret #6: Offer Useful Feedback Secret #7: Randomly Appreciate

1. 7 Secrets of
Volunteer Recognition
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2. Why do people volunteer?
This is what they say:
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3. Make a contribution 93%
• Use skills/experiences 78%
• Previously supported 59%
• To be with friends 50%
• Discover strengths 48%
• Meet new people 46%
• Improve job opportunities 22%
• To meet religious beliefs 21%.
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4. Engagement
Heightened emotional and
intellectual connection for the cause
(values), organization, role, or
specific people which influences
extra effort and commitment.
Adapted from Gibbons work
on Employee Engagement
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5. 5

6. #1: Support Meaningful
Contribution
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7. Define
Volunteer Strengths
=talent, knowledge & skill 7

8. Adaptability Friendliness
Ambitious Helpfulness
Cautious Imagination
Compassion Logic
Confidence Methodical
Creativity Organization
Decisiveness Persistence
Discipline Sociability
Enthusiasm Tolerance
Fairness Tactfulness
Focus Understanding

9. Acknowledge volunteer strengths:
• Thank you for demonstrating your . . .
• Please help us with your . . .
• Your . . . makes a positive
difference by . . .

10. # 2: Minimize Poison Words
Maximize Power Words
WOW

11. When we use affirmative
and appropriate words and
phrases we are more likely
to evoke POSITIVE
reactions from people. 11

12. Decrease Increase
1. You 1. I
2. good/bad 2. useful, helpful
3. right/wrong 3. appropriate
4. should, must 4. want to,
choose to
5. but 5. and 12

13. Emphasize the Positive
Losada Zone
Losada concluded for every one
negative comment between 2.9013 to
11.634 positives are required to
maintain a stable relationship.

14. #3. Deepen What Goes Well
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15. Martin Seligman describes 4 ways
We respond to accomplishments:
• Active and Destructive
• Passive and Destructive
• Passive and Constructive
• Active and Constructive
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16. Active and Constructive
• Tell me more?
• Who taught you that?
• How did you develop that . . .?
• How do you feel when you . . .?
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17. #4. Acknowledge Good
Intentions
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18. 1. I know you wanted this to work.
2. I see you did your best.
3. You put a lot of energy into this.
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19. #5: Listen Attentively
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20. Apathy Sympathy
NOT
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21. . . . seeking to understand
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22. #6. Offer Useful Feedback
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23. A) Acknowledge when all is going well.
B) Make a Request when almost all is
going well and you want change.
C) Use Seven-Step Feedback Model
when there is a serious problem.
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24. Acknowledge
1. Express appreciation for what was said
or done that supported or helped you.
Example: I appreciate your position.
Thank you for telling me you agree.
2. Describe any helpful or notable
strengths, skills or attitudes.
Example: I like your ability to stay calm
when I’m feeling worried. 24

25. Make a Request
3. Make a suggestion.
4. Give two reasons for the suggestion:
• what it will accomplish (the benefit).
• what it will solve (prevent).
3. Make an encouraging statement.
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26. Make a Request Example
Example: I suggest when you listen say
something like ‘Right’ (suggestion).
Then the speaker will know you’re
paying attention (benefit). It will also
help you not miss any important points.
(prevent). You already demonstrate
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wonderful care and support to others.

27. Seven-Step Feedback Model
1. State the problem
2. State situation-related consequences
3. Probe to identify the cause of the problem
4. Listen actively
5. Ask the volunteer for solutions
6. Develop a concise action plan with the
volunteer
7. Summarize and set a time for follow-up
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28. 7. Randomly Appreciate
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29. Meaningful Appreciation
•Action that made a difference.
•Your desire/need that was met.
•The pleasing emotion.
M. Rosenberg
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30. Meaningful Appreciation Example
1. Action: Thank you for getting that
summary to me as soon as you did.
2. Your need: I needed it as soon as
possible.
3. Emotion: I felt so relieved and
grateful when you managed to meet
my request
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31. Patricia Morgan lightens
your load, brightens your outlook
and strengthens your resilience.
Contact her for your
next event at
403—242-7796 or
patricia@SolutionsForResilience.com
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