BUILDING PRODUCTIVE PARTNERSHIPS

WITH VOLUNTEERS AND CHAPTERS

GETTING STARTED
The two questions you must ask!

GETTING IN SYNC WITH YOUR PARTNERS

The most overlooked stage in partnership building!

FOUR COMPONENTS TO PARTNERSHIP BUILDING

ESTABLISHING AND MAINTAINING TRUST

A systematic aproach.

MAKING IT REWARDING
Satisfaction versus disatisfaction.

A Quick Guide for Associations

By Allen Liff, Consultant Association Experience PLUS Blog.Getaliff.com Allen@Getaliff.com (202) 427-5294

2012

Allen Liff

BUILDING PRODUCTIVE PARTNERSHIPS

Successful collaboration between staff and volunteers, headquarters and chapters, the association and its commercial members is an essential element of association success. The process of building productive partnerships, however, can seem confusing or daunting. To help guide you, I offer this simple resource. Good luck!

ALLEN LIFF, CONSULTANT Association Experience PLUS

In addition to my many years working with associations, I have a unique set of experiences and skills that can help any organization build productive partnerships.

Association Experience
Served on the staff of two associations. Worked in marketing, chapter relations and volunteer training. More than twenty years consulting, working with boards, strategic facilitation, team building and special projects. Co-mananged the ASAE Foundation's Environmental Scan project to examine future trends. Co-authored two major ASAE publications.

PLUS

Trained as a community organizer. Worked in low-income neighborhoods , experenced in community problem solving. Taught the principles of Trust-Based LeadershipTM in a program for the City of Fairfax Police Department. Participated in the Innovation University program, visiting leadingedge companies to learn, first-hand, their practices. Also certified in the Bottom-Line InnovationTM process.

2012

Allen Liff

BUILDING PRODUCTIVE PARTNERSHIPS

GETTING STARTED
The two questions you must ask!

GETTING IN SYNC WITH YOUR PARTNERS

The most overlooked stage in partnership building!

FOUR COMPONENTS TO PARTNERSHIP BUILDING

ESTABLISHING AND MAINTAINING TRUST
A systematic aproach.

MAKING IT REWARDING
Satisfaction versus disatisfaction.

There are four components to Partnership Building.

Lets explore each one of these...

2012

Allen Liff

BUILDING PRODUCTIVE PARTNERSHIPS

GETTING STARTED
THE TWO QUESTIONS YOU MUST ASK
Fortunately, there is a simple way and effective way to begin. Asking two simple but powerful questions at the onset will set the stage for a trust-based partnership. QUESTION ONE: LISTEN FOR THE DRIVERS OF SUCCESS What are the two or three most important things you want me to know about your situation so I can help you succeed? Helps you discover what volunteers and chapters need, thereby laying the groundwork for a win-win relationship.

QUESTION TWO: LISTEN FOR WARNING SIGNS What are the biggest questions or concerns on your mind that you need to share with me or someone else on staff? This question provides an early warning system for problems that might derail the partnership process.

ASKING THESE QUESTIONS PROMOTES HONESTY By asking these questions, you are taking the initiative to promoting an honest conversation, at the start of the partnership, about potentially difficult topics. 2012
Allen Liff

BUILDING PRODUCTIVE PARTNERSHIPS

GETTING IN SYNC
MAKE SURE EVERYONE IS ON THE SAME PAGE!
A few years ago, I had the opportunity to work with Bob Foxworthy, developer of the Trust-Based Leadership MethodologyTM. While conducting a training program for a local police department, I was impressed by the amount of time invested during the first stage to answer the types of questions listed below. It was an unhurried process; we made sure everyone was in agreement. It was time well spent. Unfortunately, most organizations get impatient, overlooking or rushing through this stage. Remember, building partnerships takes time!

SOME QUESTIONS TO HELP YOU GET IN SYNC

IS THERE CLARITY BEFORE WE PROCEED?

Do we agree on the facts? What opinions or assumptions do people hold? Are we clear about the roles of each party? Do we share and are we committed to the same goals? How will we know if and when we have suceeded? Do we agree on measurements, milestones and accountability? Do we have the right mix of resources and skills?

DO WE AGREE ON WHAT SUCCESS WILL LOOK LIKE?

ARE WE READY TO MAKE IT HAPPEN?

2012

Allen Liff

BUILDING PRODUCTIVE PARTNERSHIPS

ESTABLISHING AND MAINTAINING TRUST

A SYSTEMATIC APPROACH
There is a logic to developing and maintaining trust (for more on this, see Building Trust between Boards and Staff on page 11). A systematic approach to building trust begins with these two techniques.

KNOW THE CRITERIA PEOPLE USE TO ASSESS TRUSTWORTHINESS How does someone judge if you are trustworthy? Here are the four criteria most often used: sincerity, reliability, competence and involvement. Is this person involved with me?

Is this person sincere?

Is this person reliable?

Is this person competent?

ESTABLISH AND INVOKE GROUNDRULES Want to maintain trust? It helps to have agreed upon ground rules you can invoke. This is especially important when conflicts or misunderstandings arise. To create ground rules, use these questions. 2012
Allen Liff

BUILDING PRODUCTIVE PARTNERSHIPS

MAKING IT REWARDING
SATISFACTION VERSUS DISSATISFACTION

Want to make the partnership rewarding? You need to pay attention to what motivates (i.e., drivers of satisfaction) as well as what demotivates (i.e., causes of dissatisfaction)

RULES TO MAKE IT REWARDING 1. WIIFVS AND WIIFCS: Ask, Whats in it for the Volunteer? and Whats in it for the Chapter? 2. Catch them doing things right: Recognize success and hard work and show genuine appreciation. Its okay for staff to be excited when volunteers and chapters do a good job. 3. Build bridges to the future: Invest the time, now, in building relationships that will pay off a year or two down the road. 4. Write the dictionary together: Listen carefully to the needs, hopes and aspiration of volunteers. Listen for the key words that define what success will look like and build upon that vocabulary. 2012
Allen Liff

BUILDING PRODUCTIVE PARTNERSHIPS

ARTICLES
A selection of articles I have written about building trust and strong partnerships. NINE QUESTIONS TO MEASURE THE STRENGTH OF THE HQ CHAPTER RELATIONSHIP QUIT TORTURING YOUR VOLUNTEERS A STORY OF HOPE IN REPAIRING TRUST BUILDING TRUST BETWEEN BOARDS AND STAFF THREE REASONS YOUR CHAPTERS AND VOLUNTEERS MAY NOT TRUST YOU

2012

Allen Liff

NINE QUESTIONS TO MEASURE THE STRENGTH OF THE HQ - CHAPTER RELATIONSHIP

What does it take to have a strong, vibrant relationship between HQ and Chapters? What questions might you ask of chapter staff and volunteers to measure the strength of that relationship? To answer that, I began with a set of questions from the book, First, Break All the Rules (it outlines a study by the Gallup Organization that studied 80,000 managers in 400 companies to identify the characteristics of a great manager). Gallup discovered these twelve questions give an organization the most important information it needs to attract, focus, and keep the most talented employees. They are: Do I know what is expected of me at work? Do I have the materials and equipment I need to do my work right? At work, do I have the opportunity to do what I do best every day? In the last seven days, have I received recognition or praise for doing good work? Does my supervisor, or someone at work, seem to care about me as a person? Is there someone at work who encourages my development? At work, do my opinions count? Does the mission/purpose of my company make me feel my job is important? Are my co-workers committed to doing quality work? Do I have a best friend at work? In the last six months, has someone at work talked to me about my progress? This last year, have I had opportunities at work to learn and grow?

Nine Core Questions Using the above as a foundation, I have created a set of nine questions that can help you measure the strength of the HQ Chapter relationship. If your chapter staff and volunteers are able to answer yes for most or all of these questions, then congratulations, you have a healthy partnership! Do I know what is expected of me at the chapter level? Are we in agreement about: a) which activities and functions should be done only by the chapter; and; b) those activities and functions that should be done only by HQ? Does HQ provide me with the materials and support I need to do my work right? Does HQ understand and appreciate the priorities of my chapter? In the past three or four months, have I received recognition or praise, from HQ, for doing good work? Does the staff at HQ seem to care about me as a person? Even better, do I have a friend at HQ? Is there someone at HQ who encourages me to take on a new challenge or to learn from a failure? Do my opinions count at HQ? Does the staff at HQ feel the work of the chapters is important? Do they make me feel important? In the last six months, has someone at HQ called to check in and see how we are doing and whether the chapter is meeting its goals?
Allen Liff

2012

QUIT TORTURING YOUR VOLUNTEERS

Oh, the things we ask of volunteers! But what happens when there is a misfit between duties of the volunteers and their strengths or talents? Lets take a look at two association boards where the volunteers found themselves in a torturous situation. A Big Picture Board is Tortured by the Financial Details. Here was a small association in dire financial straits; in fact, they were in danger of bankruptcy if they failed to turn things around. To assess the Boards strengths and weaknesses, the Leadership Spectrum Profile was used. The profile identifies six types of priorities a person is likely to favor and how that priority influences his or her decision-making process:
Leadership Spectrum Profile
1998-2002. The Leadership Spectrum Profile. Enterprise Management Ltd. All Rights Reserved

Inventor Catalyst Developer Performer Protector Challenger

Priority Innovation and survival Fast growth Manage risk and establish order Maximize results Maintain success Position for the future

Actions Develop new ideas, products and services Gain market share and win customers/new members Build infrastructure, create systems and processes for high performance Improve processes and procedures for effective resource utilization and return Develop committed workforce, build capabilities, & support culture/identity Surface assumptions, practices, and issues; and create strategic options

As you can imagine, the associations situation required individuals who were Developers and Performers. It turned out all the board members were either Challengers or Inventors. In other words, they were big picture thinkers but not well equipped with the skill set or temperament to meet the associations current challenge. A Detail-oriented Board is Tortured by the Big Picture In this case, the association represented the administrators for facilities heavily regulated by both the state and federal government. No wonder a detailed oriented personality was required in order to be successful in their work. Now imagine this Board, consisting of such individuals, being asked to brainstorm about the future and envision multiple scenarios for success and develop a mission statement and broad strategy. Yes, it was a jarring mismatch. As one board member said, This is torture for us. Our minds just dont think this way. The lesson: at future strategy meetings, it was agreed to invite outsiders with both industry knowledge and planning skills to coach the board.

The Bottom Line: After reading this article, ask yourself, are you torturing your volunteers?

2012

Allen Liff

A STORY OF HOPE IN REPAIRING TRUST

Is it feasible to repair trust once it has been lost in an association? I believe so. It is a lesson I learned from Bob Foxworthy, developer of Trust-Based Leadership (with whom I had the pleasure of working on a project for the City of Fairfax Police Department). Bob is best known for his work in building a partnership between Tropicana and CSX railroad. This case was discussed in Monty Roberts book, Horse Sense for People. Monty is a world famous horse trainer whose Join Up technique with horses has been a model for strengthening relationships in the workplace. Many companies, including Abbot Laboratories, Volkswagen, AT&T, Toyota and Disney have studied Montys techniques for use in their organizations. As for the Tropicana/ CSX partnership, it was the story of a turnaround in a 28-year, bad-business marriage. Orange juice, being a perishable product, must be shipped quickly from Tropicanas processing plants to their distribution centers. Over a 28-year period, Tropicana had been dependent on the rail carrier CSX for those deliveries. For a variety of reasons, it had not been a good relationship. With Bob Foxworthys help, management at both companies formed a Partnership Committee to build trust and focus on performance improvements. I know many readers will groan and say, Another committee, big deal! However, the results were impressive: In the first year, they realized $0.8 millions in increased revenue for CSX and reduced costs for Tropicana; increased the number of railcars shipped out the Bradenton plant by 50%; and established a high-speed, cross-country delivery system cutting delivery time from 12-to-14 days to seven days. The keys to their success included: Information was shared openly so both companies thoroughly understood each others business nothing is sacred. Partnership Committee members were given training in the principles and practices of trust-building (i.e., they were given the necessary skills and tool-kit for practical application). As part of the Partnership practices, all employee of either company were encouraged to catch someone doing something right and present them with a peer award. They developed a scorecard so they had metrics: that way they could track success, levels of perceived trust, etc. In other words, they adhered to the maxim: if you want more of something, measure it.

Simply put, they took a systematic approach to repairing and building trust. Four months into the process, Gene Zvolensky of Tropicana addressed a meeting with representatives from both companies. Weve been doing business with you for twenty-eight years, he said to his CSX colleagues. And in the last four months weve actually been partners. The Bottom-Line: This story serves as proof that it is possible to achieve a trust-based partnership, even after years of poor relationships. If Tropicana and CSX were able to do it, then there's hope for your association and its chapters.

2012

Allen Liff

BUILDING TRUST BETWEEN BOARDS AND STAFF

Trust is the fundamental quality of a successful, productive and sustainable relationship. Without trust between the board and staff, an associations ability to serve its members suffers. This leads to the logical question, how can the executive approach, in a systematic manner, the challenge of building trust to achieve performance? Here are some facts to consider: Ninety-one percent of employees rated being trusted to get the job done as the most important thing to them in their work setting (2001 Randstad North American Employee Review) A Watson Wyatt Worldwide survey found only half of employees trusted senior management. Watson Wyatt also found that in terms of performance, companies where employees trusted top executives posted shareholder returns 42% higher than companies where distrust was the rule.

While I know of no research that documents relationship between trust and performance in associations, I have no doubt there is a close correlation. The following shows the differences between two organizations, one with high degrees of fear and distrust versus one where the culture is built on a foundation of trust.

Culture of Distrust and Fear Minimal collaboration Turf Battles Low Morale Negative Gossip Ridicule Low levels of innovation Crisis Sabotage/Behind the Back Gossip

Culture Built on Trust High levels of collaboration Open Sharing of Information High Morale Positive Gossip Respect High Levels of Innovation Anticipation Disciplined Communications

As I look over the left-hand column there is an air of familiarity about it. Sad to say, many of the behaviors in left hand column are all too common in the realm of board-staff relationships. Recently I had the opportunity to work with Bob Foxworthy, a consultant who has developed an approach he calls Trust-Based Leadership. His work with companies such as Tropicana, CSX and Hewlett-Packard has won awards such as the George Land Leadership 2000, World-Class Innovation Award and Rail Business Magazines Railroad-Shipper Win-Win Award for customer-supplier collaboration.

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Allen Liff

My experience working with him on a leadership training program for a police department in Virginia opened my eyes to techniques and approaches that can be used by associations. Here are three ideas I would like to throw out for your consideration. Idea #1: Develop and invoke a set of ground rules to build trust Ground rules are a way to clarify and codify the answer to four questions: * How do you want to be treated? * How do you think you should treat others? * How do others think you want to be treated? * How will we resolve conflicts? Unfortunately, most associations have no ground rules to guide the relationship between board and staff. And those with ground rules seem to pay them lip service. If people in an organization cannot answer the four questions above, they will be seriously constrained in the ability to achieve levels of performance. While there are no off-shelf-ground rules (each association should develop its own set), the following contains a list of rules for your consideration:

Volunteer - Staff Relationship Ground Rules

1. Our number one purpose is to serve our members to the best of our abilities. All of our actions, priorities and words must be judged against that. Therefore, we conduct every board meeting as if the entire membership was watching and we ask ourselves, would our members be proud of how we have conducted ourselves? 2. We seek to gather all the facts before entering into a discussion or making a decision. We acknowledge that the quality of our actions and decisions are only as good as the quality of our knowledge about the situation. 3. We believe in accountability, not blame. We acknowledge that mistakes and failures will occur and we will use these as learning opportunities. 4. When a mistakes or failures occur, we remind ourselves of rule #1. 5. We work hard to catch each other doing the right thing. We will celebrate our successes. 6. Hidden agendas and gossip are forbidden. 7. Each of us agrees to listen with full attention when another person speaks. 8. We are careful to delineate the appropriate roles for board and staff by asking: What is it that ONLY the board can do or should do? What is it that ONLY the executive (or staff) can do or should do? What areas require collaboration to achieve success? By asking these questions, we demonstrate our respect for each other's experience and expertise. 9. To improve board staff collaboration we agree to ask the following kinds of questions: - The board will ask the staff: What is the impact of our decision on you? Have we listened to your perspective and wisdom about the implications of this? - When the staff brings forth an item for decision-making to the board: Have we explained this clearly? Do you feel you have enough information with which to make a good decision? Have we listened to and addressed the big questions you have raised? 10. Every person takes responsibility for the successful outcome of a meeting or interaction. These ground rules can be invoked by anyone whenever necessary.

2012

Allen Liff

Idea #2: Develop a Set of Measurements There is a maxim that whatever you measure, you get more of. So, if you want board and staff to be clearer about their roles, do a better job of communicating, be more active in sharing information and work together for a common goal then it makes sense to have a way to measure those things. Here are some indicators you might use to measure trust in your association: Clarity of roles: Are the roles of board members and staff clearly defined? Communication: Are the lines of communication and process for communication between board and staff clearly understood by all? Open sharing of information: How well do board and staff share information vital to making sound decisions? Shared Purpose: To what extent do board and staff feel they are working towards to the same set of goals?

It is worth emphasizing the importance of measurements. You can and should measure the factors that shape trust in your association. Doing so allows you monitor wha t is happening, pinpoint trust fractures and take corrective action. Idea #3: Have an annual game plan Trust is a perpetual process that must be continually renewed among people and within organizations. Many times, I have heard an executive say something like this: When I was first hired five years ago the board knew and trusted me. But now, due the turnover, I feel they no longer trust me. With this mind, an executive director should have a game plan each year designed to build and maintain trust between the board and staff. Asking the following questions will help you develop the game plan: Are we invoking the ground rules for board-staff relationships? Do new board members (and new staff) have the opportunity to explore and discover why the ground rules are important? Are we measuring and monitoring key indicators of trust? Am I using those measurements to facilitate better communication and collaboration? Am I paying attention to my personal leadership and communication styles? Are there aspects I need to change or new skills I need to learn to become more proficient at creating an environment of trust?

Finally, I would like to share, courtesy of Bob Foxworthy, seven characteristics of Trust-Based Leaders: 1. 2. 3. 4. 5. 6. 7. They work to build trust with others in all they do. They demonstrate humility and authenticity when interacting with others. They tell the truth to their peers and their followers, even when it is personally painful to do so. They are open, honest and direct in their communications. The demonstrate respect to others. They consistently act in an ethical manner. They are courageous visionaries committed to becoming the best that they can be and /or leading their organization to greatness (measurably defined).
Allen Liff

2012

THREE REASONS YOUR CHAPTERS AND VOLUNTEERS MAY NOT TRUST YOU
Are you trustworthy? Do your volunteers and chapters see you as sincere, reliable and involved with them? Of course! you respond. The staff at HQ strives for professionalism and to earn the trust of volunteers and chapters each time we interact with them. Let us now ask this in a slightly different way: Given the context of their daily life experiences, what might create the perception, in the mind of a volunteer or chapter executive, that you, or another staff at HQ, are not trustworthy? To answer this, I will present three examples, utilizing snippets from a day-in-the-life of a volunteer or chapter executive, to illustrate how trust can be unintentionally undermined.

Why Jane doubts your sincerity

Jane is the chapter executive for the Terabitha Chapter (which is famous for its annual bridge building contest). On Tuesday morning, she called customer support about a software issue. After numerous rings, her call was put on hold with a message that began, Due to high call volume and concluded with, your call is very important to us. My call is important? Do you sincerely expect me to believe that? Jane muttered to herself. That afternoon, she called to find out about a major policy change under consideration by the national Board. Local members were concerned and she had been trying, for the past week, via email and unanswered calls, to get more information. Finally, she gets you on the phone and you tell her, I sincerely apologize for not getting back sooner; weve had a zillion calls about this policy issue Jane mutters under her breath, Yeah, due to high call volume. You hear the agitation in Janes voice so you try to reassure her, Jane, I value your opinion as I do all the chapter executives. At that moment, Jane is having a w icked bad flashback to her earlier call: all she hears is, your call is very important to us. Jane, for easily understandable reasons, begins to doubt if anyone at HQ sincerely cares about her opinion.

Why Hank thinks you are not reliable

Hank is a volunteer with the Hyboria Chapter and serves as the Chair of the National Membership Committee. Wednesday morning, he has a doctors appointment scheduled for 11:30. He knows, from prior experiences, the doctor will not actually see him at 11:30. It will be more like 11:54 or sometime after noon. As he sits in the waiting room, rereading the July/1995 edition of Sports Illustrated for the

2012

Allen Liff

37th time, he recalls how, last week, the cable guy showed up 90 minutes late. People arent reliable, he thinks to himself. That afternoon, he checks his email. You had promised him the agenda and support documents for the upcoming committee meeting by COB of that day. He calls and you apologize. You go on to explain, The materials are almost ready. Unfortunately, there was an urgent request from a Board member yesterday high priority so I was pulled in to work on that. I will have your materials to you no later than tomorrow afternoon. That night, you work late so you can deliver the materials first thing in the morning. It was delivered late, but heck, it was just a little bit late. Under the circumstances, you feel okay about that. Hank, meanwhile, has mentally put you into the same category as his doctor and the cable guy. HQ staff arent reliable, he thinks to himself.

Why Harmon thinks you are not involved with him

Harmon is the new staff exec at the Narnia chapter. It is his first job in associations, a lot of issues and problems are brand new to him. Friday morning, he drops his car off for repairs. He has a new mechanic, Sal, who was recommended by a neighbor who said, I totally trust him. Sal greets Harmon and says, Tell me everything you can think of about the problem. He listens without interrupting. Then he starts asking questions , lots of questions. Finally, he says, Chances are it is one of two issues. The only way I can be sure is if That afternoon, Harmon picks up his car it runs perfectly. He reflects on Sals ability to listen, and realizes it is the ability to ask lots of questions, the process of getting involved, that makes Sal a good mechanic. Thats why his neighbor trusts him completely. Meanwhile, Harmon has been struggling to get up to speed on association type issues. He calls you for advice and begins the conversation by unloading all the background details. You realize his questions can be easily answered with a series of FAQs you have written. Besides, your schedule is packed and you conclude that a long conversation with Harmon is not the most efficient use of your time. You politely cut the conversation short, directing Harmon to the FAQs. You hang up, rush to your meeting, thinking, It would have been nice to chat, but thats why we have FAQs Harmon, meanwhile, is comparing his experience with you to the conversation he had with Sal the Mechanic. Unlike Sal, you didnt bother to ask a lot questions, you didnt take the time to get involved. Harmon shakes his head and realizes he would rather talk to his mechanic than to you. He picks up the phone, makes a call and asks, Hey Sal, what do you know about associations? The Bottom Line: To build trust with another human being, you need to consider the context of that persons daily life. Everyday, your volunteers and chapter executives encounter and assess the trustworthy of a variety of people. Those experiences create a filter through which they learn to trust, or distrust, othersand that includes you. The more you understand their context for assessing trust, the more success you will have.

2012

Allen Liff