All Volunteers Must Be Paid
by Bill Allison

What? Paid volunteers? Isn't that an oxymoron... like "jumbo shrimp" or "honest politician" or "Microsoft Works"?

The fact is that all volunteers must be "paid"—make no mistake about that. However, volunteers aren’t usually paid with money (hence the name "volunteer"). Nonetheless, volunteers ARE "paid" with a different—but very real—kind of capital. I think of it as emotional capital. And those who don't understand that volunteers need to be paid in emotional capital will soon find themselves lacking volunteers. It's a fact: If volunteers don't get as much—or more—out of their volunteering than they put into it—they will go where they will get a better ROI (return on investment).

Sometimes this emotional capital can be connected to something tangible volunteers receive as an act of appreciation for their service. But note well that—from the volunteer's perspective—the real value of any tangible expressions of thanks has very little to do with the token of appreciation itself. What really matters is the emotional capital they feel. That is, giving a volunteer a token of appreciation creates emotional capital only if you really care for and appreciate the volunteer all year long. Otherwise, it feels fake and empty. It’s like being indifferent (or worse) to your mother all year long, but then giving her a nice gift and kind words on Mother's Day. That just doesn't fly with most mothers—or volunteers.

So, don’t think for a moment that volunteers don’t need to be “paid.” They do! For twenty practical ideas on ways you can “pay” volunteers GO HERE.

Tell your friends about this issue!

FREE: Links for Loving On Volunteers…

* For a book that can equip volunteers to own ministry GO HERE.

* For three tools for turning pew potatoes into passionate participators GO HERE.

* For twenty practical ideas on ways you can “pay” volunteers GO HERE.

* For three reasons volunteers don’t show up for training GO HERE.

* For why volunteers are really so much more than “just volunteers” GO HERE.

BRAND NEW!
DOWNLOADABLE TOOL FOR TRAINING VOLUNTEERS
Grow, Minister & Lead—Book 2: The Next Level

Contents Chapter 1 You, as a Volunteer in the Church, Can Change the World Taking Your Growth to the Next Level… Chapter 2 Grow Your Attitude Chapter 3 Grow Your Actions Chapter 4 Grow Your SMART Plan Taking Your Ministry to the Next Level… Chapter 5 When Your Ministry Suffers from Program-itis? Chapter 6 When Your Definition of Success Is Off... Chapter 7 When Your Evangelism Events Aren’t Working? Taking Your Leadership to the Next Level… Chapter 8 Leading You Chapter 9 Leading Those Who Lead You Chapter 10 Leading When You Want to Quit Each of the ten training sessions in this book comes with stimulating application pages that are excellent for personal use and small group study. For more information about downloading this training tool GO HERE. Don’t miss the special discount available only for Cadre Connection readers until March 20, 2007 (use coupon code: nextlevel). Note: The physical book will be available in April. Product Details (Store)

Recruiting, Motivating, and Retaining Volunteers

Contents:
* FIVE proactive steps for recruiting great volunteers
* TWELVE powerful ways to motivate volunteers
* SEVEN practical ways to retain excellent volunteers

For more information GO HERE.

Cadre Training—Live at Your Church!

Here’s how you can bring Cadre training to the volunteers in your church:
1. To figure out what training your church needs GO HERE.
2. If you think your church is too small GO HERE.
3. If you think you can’t afford it GO HERE.
4. Contact rennie@cadreministries.com for a certified trainer—or for information about becoming a certified Cadre trainer.

To SEE how much fun hosting a Cadre training at your church can be...
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Cadre: We're like Starbucks for volunteers in the church!

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