I blog, therefore I am ... (bored)

I have often been referred to (with varying degrees of fondness/condescension/annoyance) as a "magpie", due to my attraction to anything Shiny! or New! in terms of my interests and activities, and the speed with which I become bored. To be honest, I have always seen myself more as a grown-up toddler: I frequently rush between one activity and the next, falling over now and then, and becoming instantly frustrated if I can't understand something. 

Today it occurred to me what an under-utilised resource we "toddler-type personalities" often are, in any organisation. Exasperating and exhausting? Certainly. And like all toddlers we can get into an awful lot of trouble in a very short while. But surely if our boundless enthusiasm could be channelled safely and effectively, everyone could benefit.  
Not surprisingly, this reminded me of the research I presented last week on motivating and retaining volunteers, because it is a truism of any volunteer organisation that

"10% of the people do 90% of the work"

So once again I went looking for other opinions on the subject, and almost immediately found a guide called "Managing High Achievers" which explains how to make the most of those who fall at the upper end of the performance curve:

"Actions to motivate a person with high need for achievement are:

Keep job tasks interesting and challenging

Stress concern for realistic goal setting and the value of goal achievement

Demonstrate an appreciation for careful planning and anticipation of obstacles

Provide enthusiastic and constant feedback on progress

Provide rewards and recognition for achievement, which the person values.

Actions that de-motivate a person with a high need for achievement are:

Fail to keep score and provide feedback

Setting low level goals

Allow little opportunity for independence and initiative - keeping the person on a leash.

Failing to delegate effectively for a high achiever."

It is simply common sense to make the most of what those 10% (the "high achievers") can offer as volunteers, and to try and avoid the demotivating factors listed above.
For example, during my years as a volunteer in the Open Directory Project, I was fortunate to be able to indulge my toddler tendencies by gradually gaining permissions to edit anywhere in the directory, and that freedom and variety is something that appeals to many editors, I know. So the "motivating actions" quoted above are more than just theoretical, and it's a shame they are not more widely applied.

Pastures new

Since leaving the Open Directory Project (as documented in the previous two posts) I have been looking around for different places to volunteer, and of course there is no shortage of opportunities.
One friend of mine is a district leader in Girl Guides Australia, so she was delighted to hear I suddenly had a lot more free time, but leading groups of teenage girls in singing or abseiling is not really my cup of tea. Incidentally, when I mentioned the research I referenced earlier concerning retention of volunteers, my friend readily agreed that this was definitely a big problem in her organisation, saying that in fact she devoted a lot of her time to ensuring that troop leaders did not take on too many responsibilities at once, and that they continued to have fun. (Clearly I should have spoken to her ages ago!)

Another 2 friends are voluntary tutors in a free adult literacy programme with the clever name of "Read Write Now!" (Their website is currently under construction, but this government page outlines the programme.)
This sounded much more my sort of thing than did girl guiding, so I immediately wrote away for an application form. Having reviewed many thousands of applications from prospective volunteer ODP editors, I chuckled at the irony of the shoe now being on the other foot.

Once your application form is received you will be contacted by a co-ordinator in your region, who is also a volunteer, to arrange an interview. At the interview the co-ordinator will discuss with you your interests and abilities and the program's expectations of tutors. If both you and the co-ordinator decide that Read Write Now! is the right volunteering organisation for you, you will be invited to take part in a stimulating and thoroughly enjoyable training program.

This highly-personalised selection process obviously requires considerable commitment from the co-ordinator, but in a small organisation it probably also increases the chance that the new volunteer will contribute effectively. Thinking back to the ODP (never far from my thoughts at the moment), I found it interesting to speculate on the advantages of such an approach, if the sheer number of applicants did not make it completely impracticable.

A wandering mind (almost-random thoughts from an aging brain)

In my last blog entry (imagine, two in one week!) I referred to my years as an editor in the Open Directory Project. Over that time many people have asked me what I found so absorbing about it, and it's difficult to answer that without rambling on a bit. So I've learned to reply with a simple explanation and then see if they want to know more. Depending on where I think their interest lies, I might mention the immense variety of previously unknown subjects about which one can learn while editing. For those who value orderliness, there is an undeniable appeal in categorising websites so that they can easily be found by web surfers. For gregarious types, there is the opportunity to be part of a huge worldwide community.
For me, and fortunately for many others as well, one of the most satisfying roles is answering questions from newer editors (called "newbies") and helping them understand the often confusing way such a large and complicated structure works.

I can see now that my comments in the last entry could be ambiguous for those unaware of my own record in the directory, so I'll provide a little further explanation. I have always been a strong advocate of a "mentoring" system where newbies receive personalised assistance while they settle in and find their feet, and I have frequently expressed the hope that more experienced editors would take on this rewarding and supportive role.
But this was the first time I had actually looked for evidence that it is not just a friendly way to welcome people, but in fact essential to the ongoing health of any volunteer organisation. So on finding that proof I couldn't resist posting about it, even though I am no longer doing it myself. Which brings me to my third "random" thought.

Naturally, people have wondered why I resigned. Quite simply, I realised I was spending far too much of my time on just one of the activities I enjoy, and I felt I needed to regain some balance. It is too easy to over-commit yourself to something you feel passionate about, and by the time I left I was spending several hours each day answering questions from editors and helping them understand the directory's policies and guidelines. Time-consuming, certainly, but necessary for precisely the reasons already stated.

The trouble is that I have always had difficulty with moderation, being an all-or-nothing person at everything I do, so I left because I finally realised I was leaving too many other things undone in favour of the ODP. Fortunately, there are many wonderful editors who are equally passionate about editor retention, and I have no doubt that all "my" newbies have been gathered under someone else's wing by now. I wish them, and their mentors, all the very best.

Incidentally, one of the other ways I spend my time is in slowly completing a post-graduate course in Forensic Medicine (by distance learning through Monash University in Melbourne). Last year's subject was "Medical Evidence", covering such topics as "hearsay evidence" and "burden of proof", both very important concepts in relation to serious accusations, of course. Making unsubstantiated claims about another person is something we see every day, and it sells a lot of magazines! But we all need reminding that negative comments should never be based on rumour, innuendo, or mischievous misinformation. This is the basis of the famous Triple Filter Test attributed to Socrates, a copy of which was sent out this week to all members of the Volunteer Bushfire Brigade to which I belong.