Volunteer leadership is accepting the responsibility of leading an organization, association,or any other legally instituted group for the purpose of achieving established goals without the benefit of any financial remuneration, pay, or salary. The absence of pay for performing tasks that carry so much responsibility and take up considerable amount of time is generally a major obstacle for people to assume volunteer leadership positions. In spite of this, there are still people who choose to serve and find out for themselves whether volunteer leadership is worth the time and effort.

Image Source: flickr.com/photos/ron_liong

Image Source: flickr.com/photos/ron_liong

Volunteer Leadership – A Personal Decision

More than anything else, volunteer leadership is a personal decision. It wouldn’t work any other way. No one else decides for us when we step forward or raise our hand to take the challenge.

Fourteen years ago, I was called upon to serve as a volunteer in the Cooperative movement. After two years of serving as a committee officer in a community-based Cooperative in Manila, I took on the most difficult position as the  Chairperson of the Board of Directors  in the same Cooperative. My assumption of office created quite a stir for two reasons: for being a woman and for being young. The past chairpersons were all men and respected in the community for age and experience. I didn’t have both then but I had two aces up my sleeves: determination and support of members.

For four years, I led the officers and the management staff in stirring our Cooperative through its most critical times. We were battling rumors about the closing of the Cooperative, coming from all sides.  In truth, we almost did because of long-standing collection problems. It was the spirit of voluntarism that saved the Cooperative -men and women  who served and slaved over meetings and collecting, and led in rallying the good members of the organization. I can honestly say that I had the privilege of working with the most dedicated volunteer leaders I have ever  known in my life.

Rewarding Experience

That particular group of volunteers of which I was a part of not only managed to save the Cooperative. We, with the help of a generous incorporator, also left a lasting legacy which continues to serve all members up to this time – the land and building on which the Cooperative now stands. I had to leave the Cooperative in 2004 when my motherly duties had to prevail. I left officership but remained a member, burnt-out but fulfilled.

I thought I’ve had enough of volunteer leadership to last me a a lifetime. I surprised myself last year when I accepted a Board seat in our village association on the presumption that I will just substitute and complete the unfinished term of a Board Director who resigned. I felt I still wasn’t ready to go through the aggravations all over again that leadership brings.

I accepted upon the behest of one of the Directors who was a good friend of mine. She was a friend indeed for she knew exactly what to say so I will say yes. She used on me the tired old line of “doing our part for the community…” and she knew it would work. I have proven though that no matter how low key we assume a “high” position, we still end up rising to the challenge.

Thankless Job

I have heard many before me say that volunteer leadership can be such a thankless job. I remembered their words very clearly when one member in our village repeatedly kept berating us, the Board of Directors and Management during our General Membership Meeting yesterday. He was clearly nitpicking for all imagined and actual faults he blames on the shortcomings of the Board. The irony of it all was that he was not even a member in good standing , having unpaid association dues to his name.

It was a good thing that several members stood up and commended our efforts. With no pay and after hearing insulting words of that one member, those commendations were like healing potions applied to open wounds. It was actually so laughable when the nuisance member refused a challenge from one of the Directors to join as committee member. Maybe, it wouldn’t be as much fun for him if the tables are turned and he gets criticized for his shortcomings. It was deja vu – a flashback to the Cooperative days. The ones who had the least right to complain were usually the noisiest and cannot be depended on for help.

My Say

After going through two personal experiences of volunteer leadership, I can attest that it has its highs and lows. Sometimes lows will outweigh the highs and volunteers end up discouraged. Still, voluntarism reaches out to our inherent instinct to be of service to others. While there may be some who see it as an opportunity to make themselves famous, volunteer leadership fulfills an important need of man to be useful to others or for a specific cause.

Some leadership skills can be learned in school but again, experience is still the best teacher. If someone asks me now what I think of volunteer leadership, I’ll probably just direct him or her to the list of candidates for the upcoming elections for the Board of Directors where my name will be found. I don’t know really what it is with volunteer leadership but that volunteerism bug that bit me fourteen years ago probably never left my system since, no matter how hard I try to deny it.

My aim in joining efforts like this is not to miraculously fix everything which is impossible. All I aim for is to leave things better than how they were before I came. The rest is up to those who will come after. Each one of us will be called to serve but in different circumstances.  It is up to us to answer.

There is so much dignity in doing things without asking for anything in return except perhaps for common courtesy. Volunteer leadership is alive and well because it gives the kind of fulfillment that is hard to match. Do I think it’s worth my time and yours? Absolutely, but be ready to serve and not to be served.