While most volunteer leaders are quite talented in their regular field of endeavor, a large number are untrained regarding leadership, and too often believe whatever they are told by supposed experts. Many consultants portray themselves as experts, and use fancy jargon, etc., to convince these leaders that they are proficient and expert, while that may not be completely true. Simply stated, leaders must be very vigilant and careful to avoid the trap of "buying into the hype."
In previous articles I have written about what an organization should look for when selecting a consultant, or, for example the qualities to look for in selecting an Executive Director, or the trials and tribulations of volunteer leader/ paid staff relations. However, the common thread between these situations is that many volunteer leaders "buy into the hype," and begin to believe the techno-jargon and cliches. Leaders must come to understand that technical and intelligent sounding terminology is simply rhetoric, and what makes someone effective at what they do, is not usually what they say, or the terms they see, but rather the way they analyze situations, approach things, and proceed with action in an orderly manner.
A good rule of thumb for a volunteer leader is that if a so-called "expert" cannot explain something without resorting to techno- jargon, in most cases this is an expert to avoid. If an individual cannot explain something clearly and succinctly, how is that individual going to be able to relate and deal with most of the organization's leaders, and especially its members. Leaders must realize that there is generally no need to completely reinvent the wheel when some revision, tweaking, adaptation, re-thinking, vision, planning, and evolution will do. Very few organizations have been successful totally reinventing themselves via a revolutionary approach, although there have been a handful of exceptions. Most successful approaches have used the evolutionary approach, maintaining the organization's missions, goals, and strengths, while revising those portions that need to be evolved, in order to be relevant in our ever-changing society and world.
I have, for example, seen many organizations spend an extraordinary amount of time, effort, and resources (both human and financial) looking at making "revolutionary" changes to governance. While certain governance systems may, at time, work better for certain organizations than others, changing the governance system rarely engages more members, nor raises more revenues. Invariably, these governance changes are costly, and more often than not, inefficient and inappropriate for that organization. Yet, someone, representing themselves as an "expert," presented this change as necessary to go on to the "next level" and too many leaders "bought into the hype." In my three decades in this industry, I have observed that the vast majority of governance alterations and revamping, are themselves revamped within a relatively short period of time.
The next area that leaders often "buy the hype" is when they are interviewing either Executive Director candidates or Management Company candidates. Since many volunteer leaders do not have a clear enough picture of the vital needs of the organization, they search for a savior to "save the organization" that these leaders care deeply about. Unfortunately, caring and dedication, without understanding, vision, training, and a plan, are extremely limited in their possible scope.
As in most obstacles facing organizations, what most organizations need first is a professionally created and run, recurrently and consistently followed-up leadership training program. The most successful organizations emphasize leadership training, while those that depend more on jargon and hype usually face many challenges.
Richard Brody has over 30 years consultative sales, marketing, training, managerial, and operations experience. He has trained sales and marketing people in numerous industries, given hundreds of seminars, appeared as a company spokesperson on over 200 radio and television programs, and regularly blogs on real estate, politics, economics, management, leadership, negotiations, conferences and conventions, etc. Richard has negotiated, arranged and/ or organized hundreds of conferences and conventions. Richard is a Senior Consultant with RGB Consultation Services, an Ecobroker, a Licensed Buyers Agent (LBA) and Licensed Salesperson in NYS, in real estate.