I've been spending a lot of time working on my volunteer pursuits this month and something that has hit me big time this month is the issue of dependability.
In the non-profit or volunteerism world, dependability is a huge commodity. Finding someone who is trustworthy and dependable is key to getting projects done. But often someone will say they will step up to run a project but either can't do it or decide that it's too much work. It's certainly easy to say you'll step up to run the school carnival...but it is a whole different ball of wax to actually do it and not do a half-assed job. Way too often, I have come across people who have grand ideas but lack the ability or drive to execute.
School PTAs are prime examples of this. Sitting in a meeting, its hard to not step up to a position when the President or Principal asks for volunteers. Especially when that call is put out and no one else is jumping at that chance. I know for me, I feel badly that the school is going to miss out on making money or the kids will miss out on a fun event because no one stepped up to run the project. So, I raise my hand. When I say I'm going to do something, I rarely let anything get in my way of getting the job done. How many sleepless nights have I spent on projects for my girls' schools? Too many!
I guess I've been burned enough times to not expect people to follow through anymore. Sad, but true. I have a fantastic group of women on my Girl Scout Service Unit management team, but I've been slow to really depend on them. Our Service Unit oversees 40 troops in our local area. Recently, we had a huge snafu in a schedule leading up to our Girl Scout cookie selling season and I was up until late into the night working on fixing this for Girl Scouts. The next weekend was a big event for over 200 girls that we were putting on. At our last planning meeting before the event, all of these ladies insisted on taking jobs off my plate, so much so that I finished all the tasks I needed to do for the big event a couple of days ahead of my planned schedule. I was SO thankful to not be stressing out leading up to the big event. That wouldn't have happened if it weren't for these amazing volunteers who stepped up to help me.
To me, your word is golden. If you step up for something and don't follow through, it reflects on your character. I'd rather someone step up to a job, then tell me that they either need to step down or need help or even need a smaller position, than desert the position and all the people who were counting on you. It's all too easy to abandon the job in a volunteer setting because there is no penalty, like docking your paycheck But the effects of that are felt by the people who are left holding the bag, especially in an organization like a PTA or Scouts because the people who are being let down are children.
Be honest and open about your limitations. With yourself and with others.
Sunday, January 24, 2016
Saturday, January 16, 2016
It takes work...
If things are going to be different, it's going to take some work.
Two weeks into the new year, and I'm back into the thinking that things have to be different simply because it's a new year. Well, that's the kind of thinking that leads to depression about being in a rut. I know because in the past, right around the new year, I would get down on the fact that the more things change, the more they stay the same. Every year, we make resolutions (or resolve to not make them!) and then by mid January (for me anyway) things go back to being the same as before. It's as though we think that just because a number changed on the calendar, things will change because we simply will it.
Well, that's not how it works. It's only taken me 43 years to be able to articulate this.
Something else I've learned and see the wisdom of: breaking things down into steps and smaller goals to be able to tackle them. Of course, there are all sorts of other blogs, coaches, self-help books to tell you this. And I have read quite a few of them, have some of those books on my shelves. I know this fact...but it doesn't mean it automatically translates into following said advice.
I also know of the advice of declaring to the world what your goals are and that is supposed to be some sort of pressure to keep trying. By sharing goals with others, they are supposed to keep you accountable. Been there, done that, too.
But, doesn't mean I shouldn't try it again. So here goes:
My goal this year is to get back to writing and update this blog more often. I think every other week would be great, but the ultimate goal is to write once a week.
The long term purpose for this is to write for a living. To be paid to write, which is what I really love to do.
You'd think that if I loved it so much, I'd do it more. I don't know why I don't. I claim I don't have time. And yet, I have the time to keep up with my favorite TV shows. Really that's my downtime though. I get home from work or meetings and plop down on the couch and turn on the TV. I need to just grab my laptop and write before I do that.
So dear readers (all 5 of you, haha!), if it occurs to you, shoot me a message to encourage me to write. Especially if I haven't posted in more than a week.
After all, isn't that the point of publicly sharing my goals with the world? See, it's all up to you, really.
;-p
Two weeks into the new year, and I'm back into the thinking that things have to be different simply because it's a new year. Well, that's the kind of thinking that leads to depression about being in a rut. I know because in the past, right around the new year, I would get down on the fact that the more things change, the more they stay the same. Every year, we make resolutions (or resolve to not make them!) and then by mid January (for me anyway) things go back to being the same as before. It's as though we think that just because a number changed on the calendar, things will change because we simply will it.
Well, that's not how it works. It's only taken me 43 years to be able to articulate this.
Something else I've learned and see the wisdom of: breaking things down into steps and smaller goals to be able to tackle them. Of course, there are all sorts of other blogs, coaches, self-help books to tell you this. And I have read quite a few of them, have some of those books on my shelves. I know this fact...but it doesn't mean it automatically translates into following said advice.
I also know of the advice of declaring to the world what your goals are and that is supposed to be some sort of pressure to keep trying. By sharing goals with others, they are supposed to keep you accountable. Been there, done that, too.
But, doesn't mean I shouldn't try it again. So here goes:
My goal this year is to get back to writing and update this blog more often. I think every other week would be great, but the ultimate goal is to write once a week.
The long term purpose for this is to write for a living. To be paid to write, which is what I really love to do.
You'd think that if I loved it so much, I'd do it more. I don't know why I don't. I claim I don't have time. And yet, I have the time to keep up with my favorite TV shows. Really that's my downtime though. I get home from work or meetings and plop down on the couch and turn on the TV. I need to just grab my laptop and write before I do that.
So dear readers (all 5 of you, haha!), if it occurs to you, shoot me a message to encourage me to write. Especially if I haven't posted in more than a week.
After all, isn't that the point of publicly sharing my goals with the world? See, it's all up to you, really.
;-p
Sunday, January 10, 2016
Why do I do this to myself?
That is the question that Maya asked me the other night as I was stressing out about a spreadsheet I had to submit to Girl Scouts about troops in my area and where they wanted to have their cookie booths. See, I'm the Service Unit Manager (or SUM for short) for the area and I oversee about 40 troops leaders. This is a volunteer position, in addition to being an actual Troop Leader for Nadia's troop. Well, as SUM, I help Girl Scouts of Greater Los Angeles (GSGLA) oversee things like troop registrations, Fall nuts and candy sales, and Spring cookies. Usually it's not too much work, but this past week has been the exception. Cookie sales are starting up, and as the largest fundraiser for most troops, it's very important for it to run smoothly.
It did NOT run smoothly this past week.
Selling Girl Scout cookies in front of grocery stores is usually the fastest and best way to generate sales. So those locations, and the best days and times, are coveted by troops, especially if there are large fundraising goals by the troop. For instance, if a troop wants to take a trip with the money they raise. Nadia's troop is thinking about going to a dude ranch for a weekend. One that was recommended to us costs about $200 for the weekend per girl. That means, if we are to cover it with our sales, each girl in our troop would have to sell about 200 boxes of cookies to cover her trip. Actually a little more than 200 boxes as we get to keep $0.95 per box of cookies sold. It's easy to sell between 100 and 200 boxes of cookies at just one 3 hour booth.
Anyway, so back to booth locations. The ones at the big stores like Ralphs are coveted, especially on the weekends and during daylight hours. So there is an online program that has all the locations that opens up at a certain time for booth sign up. And this past week, that was on Thursday night at 6:30pm. It's a mad rush to grab up those good spots! The system can crash or lag due to hundreds of troop leaders trying to get online and grab up that Saturday 2pm-5pm booth spot at the large Ralphs grocery story on Ventura Blvd. Those spots can be gone in a matter of seconds.
Well, guess what locations were not in the system at 6:30pm on Thursday night??
OH THE MADNESS! OH THE PANIC (MAINLY ON MY PART)! OH THE HUMANITY!
I don't know how to share the fiasco that ensued without explaining why this was a big deal. On the first night of booth sign ups, you are only allowed to sign up for booths in your immediate Service Unit area. Service Units are divided up by zip code. So, a troop in a zip code neighboring us cannot sign up for booths in our Service Unit on that first night. For our Service Unit, this is a big deal because our grocery stores are really busy and are in a higher income neighborhood. Neighboring Service Units want to come to our grocery stores to booth, The fact that they weren't in the system for the only night that they are reserved for us was a huge deal.
Yes, Girl Scout Cookies Season is SERIOUS BUSINESS, GUYS.
As SUM, I knew this wasn't fair to the troops in my area. So I did what I felt was necessary - had to do a private booth sign up session before the next time the booth scheduler program would be open. All the prime locations were going to be in the system on Saturday night, but it would also be open for any troop to sign up for slots. So, at 8pm on Friday night, I had a private booth sign up session via email.
My email BLEW UP at 8pm! It was first email, first served, and I had 40 troops emailing me exactly at 8pm. I had to go in the order it was received, down to the seconds. Oh but then came the joy of scheduling all the choices that came in. I had 4 charts with locations and dates and times, and two spreadsheets with all of the choices. I had to do all those by hand because it was just easier to have it all spread out on the dining table. Then had to transcribe it all into the final spreadsheet. It was 1am when I finally finished that and sent it to GSGLA. I think I'm still recovering from that evening.
But the WHOLE point of this post came from Maya. Everyone in the family knew of the stress I was going through over this mess. She came out of her room around 11pm and sat down at the table with me. Just to keep me company. After listening to my endless sighs, she asked me, "Why do you do this?"
At various points throughout this fiasco, I had asked myself this too. But it's always the same answer: because I believe in the cause. In this case, it is Girl Scouts. And the biggest problem with Girl Scouts is that there aren't enough leaders. We have girls on waiting lists for new troops to start or for existing ones to have openings. We have a lack of leaders. So, I volunteer because I want to help leaders who have stepped up. Because leading a troop is not easy. It isn't all crafts and cookies all the time!
If not me, who?
My last 4 days of winter vacation was stressful and a blur of dates, times, and troop numbers. But in the end, if I helped a troop earn money to go on a trip or do a service project, then I feel that it is worth it.
It did NOT run smoothly this past week.
Selling Girl Scout cookies in front of grocery stores is usually the fastest and best way to generate sales. So those locations, and the best days and times, are coveted by troops, especially if there are large fundraising goals by the troop. For instance, if a troop wants to take a trip with the money they raise. Nadia's troop is thinking about going to a dude ranch for a weekend. One that was recommended to us costs about $200 for the weekend per girl. That means, if we are to cover it with our sales, each girl in our troop would have to sell about 200 boxes of cookies to cover her trip. Actually a little more than 200 boxes as we get to keep $0.95 per box of cookies sold. It's easy to sell between 100 and 200 boxes of cookies at just one 3 hour booth.
Anyway, so back to booth locations. The ones at the big stores like Ralphs are coveted, especially on the weekends and during daylight hours. So there is an online program that has all the locations that opens up at a certain time for booth sign up. And this past week, that was on Thursday night at 6:30pm. It's a mad rush to grab up those good spots! The system can crash or lag due to hundreds of troop leaders trying to get online and grab up that Saturday 2pm-5pm booth spot at the large Ralphs grocery story on Ventura Blvd. Those spots can be gone in a matter of seconds.
Well, guess what locations were not in the system at 6:30pm on Thursday night??
OH THE MADNESS! OH THE PANIC (MAINLY ON MY PART)! OH THE HUMANITY!
I don't know how to share the fiasco that ensued without explaining why this was a big deal. On the first night of booth sign ups, you are only allowed to sign up for booths in your immediate Service Unit area. Service Units are divided up by zip code. So, a troop in a zip code neighboring us cannot sign up for booths in our Service Unit on that first night. For our Service Unit, this is a big deal because our grocery stores are really busy and are in a higher income neighborhood. Neighboring Service Units want to come to our grocery stores to booth, The fact that they weren't in the system for the only night that they are reserved for us was a huge deal.
Yes, Girl Scout Cookies Season is SERIOUS BUSINESS, GUYS.
As SUM, I knew this wasn't fair to the troops in my area. So I did what I felt was necessary - had to do a private booth sign up session before the next time the booth scheduler program would be open. All the prime locations were going to be in the system on Saturday night, but it would also be open for any troop to sign up for slots. So, at 8pm on Friday night, I had a private booth sign up session via email.
My email BLEW UP at 8pm! It was first email, first served, and I had 40 troops emailing me exactly at 8pm. I had to go in the order it was received, down to the seconds. Oh but then came the joy of scheduling all the choices that came in. I had 4 charts with locations and dates and times, and two spreadsheets with all of the choices. I had to do all those by hand because it was just easier to have it all spread out on the dining table. Then had to transcribe it all into the final spreadsheet. It was 1am when I finally finished that and sent it to GSGLA. I think I'm still recovering from that evening.
But the WHOLE point of this post came from Maya. Everyone in the family knew of the stress I was going through over this mess. She came out of her room around 11pm and sat down at the table with me. Just to keep me company. After listening to my endless sighs, she asked me, "Why do you do this?"
At various points throughout this fiasco, I had asked myself this too. But it's always the same answer: because I believe in the cause. In this case, it is Girl Scouts. And the biggest problem with Girl Scouts is that there aren't enough leaders. We have girls on waiting lists for new troops to start or for existing ones to have openings. We have a lack of leaders. So, I volunteer because I want to help leaders who have stepped up. Because leading a troop is not easy. It isn't all crafts and cookies all the time!
If not me, who?
My last 4 days of winter vacation was stressful and a blur of dates, times, and troop numbers. But in the end, if I helped a troop earn money to go on a trip or do a service project, then I feel that it is worth it.
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