ACTIVE commitments have more staying power than those that are made passively.
It can be frustrating when trying to drum up some volunteers - and the bulk of the work continues to land on the same few shoulders. This road is sure to lead to burnout.
An interesting study found that the number of people who agreed to volunteer didn't change whether it was an active or passive response but the difference was who actually showed up. And in the end, that is what counts!
ONLY 17% of those who passively volunteered ("said" yes or raised their hand) showed up while 49% of those who actively volunteered came as promised.
The obvious observation, then, is to try to get ACTIVE commitments. What does that look like? The study found that when commitments get written down, the individual is connected more strongly with a judgment on themselves. So it becomes more difficult to shake off, ignore or downplay their commitment.
Have a sign up sheet! Then circulate that list as a reminder!
In our experience, the same goes for acknowledgements. Passive thank you's to those who have volunteered are "nice." But thank you cards, posters with names and articles that highlight people cement positive interactions.
Getting it in writing goes both ways!
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