I've had my new volunteer role for 2 weeks now, and everything has worked well so far, including some pleasant surprises:
- I've been able to control my time commitment. I've used timers to make sure I spend no more than 30 minutes a day on this part of my life, excluding days when I have meetings that take more time. This has worked perfectly. I keep checking with the wife, the kids, the dogs: "Do any of you feel I'm spending way too much time on this? Do you feel it's keeping me from spending enough time with you?" No complaints. They know I'm tracking my time and that I'm not cheating.
- I'm happy with the results so far. The volunteer group has gotten organized, roles have been assigned, decisions, budgets, and plans have been approved. And I feel as if I'm off to a good start on my top priority: to foster systems and a culture of collaboration in this organization.
- I'm seeing many of the trustees take on big responsibilities; they are working hard and with passion. I've made it clear that I only have enough time to guide the group without taking on many other specific commitments, and they are responding by leading all the key projects and committees.
- As I've become more confident that I can find the time to do this role along with everything else in my life, I'm starting to relax and enjoy the interesting things I'm learning about local government, neighborhood, volunteer, and business organizations.
- I'm noticing that--more so than at work--I'm following the advice of the management books I've read. Because I'm working with a new organization, I'm not as set in my ways as I am at work. Without even thinking about it, I'm more likely to do the things that I've always read I SHOULD be doing such as letting people take on responsibility, eliminating barriers for them, and then getting out of the way. It's as if the new organization is giving me a fresh start at applying leadership skills and I'm more able to do this "by the book".
