As a leader of volunteers, creating and leading a high-performing team is perhaps the most important thing you do.

Just as every leader is different, every volunteer is different. Creating strong volunteer team dynamics takes curiosity, patience, and courage to determine what your team needs to be its best, and then to create that kind of environment.

Here are some effective steps for thoughtfully engaging your team.

Use formal interviews and informal conversations to assess strengths and weaknesses

These can shed light on what makes each volunteer unique and can give you a holistic view of individual strengths and areas for improvement. This can help you guide the volunteer into the role that suits them best while still serving the organization’s mission.

For example, who emerges as your go-to person for managing your thrift store, and to whom will you assign as mentor to a new and unsure volunteer? Put some thought into how you can provide more opportunities for volunteers to use their greatest strengths, and develop ways to help shore up the areas where they are less effective.

By combining these different elements within the overall team makeup, you can strategically address gaps and strengthen your volunteer team dynamics.

Solicit feedback and encourage open........

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