Dependability

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.