Using the Right "Currency"
One of the great things about my job is the
opportunity to work with staff and volunteer leaders all over
the world. Anyone who has traveled outside the U.S. knows
the excitement of new countries, new languages, and new customs.
Among all of the aspects of international travel the most
interesting
and challenging -- just might be dealing with the different
currencies.
Whether its rubles, francs, pounds, marks or rands, it's always
difficult to try to quickly calculate the local currency into
dollars. You often find yourself walking away from a transaction
muttering about being "taken" by the local newsstand
or ticket counter.
Most of the nations in Europe are trying
to make things easier by adopting the Eurodollar, which is
becoming the accepted currency in many countries. Other countries
are holding out, afraid of losing their "national identity."
What does all this have to do with leading
volunteer organizations? Plenty. You see, we've got a big
problem in trying to communicate with our members, and trying
to get them to "buy in" to our programs. The problem
is we're dealing in the wrong currency.
In the 70's and 80's, money was the currency
we all dealt in. How much does it cost? Can I get it cheaper
somewhere else? What do I get in return for my dues dollars?
So we spent our time telling members and supporters what they
could get for their money.
In the 90's, we entered the information age.
All of a sudden, the cost was secondary to the information.
I don't care what it costs, I need the information. Information
is power, information is a competitive advantage, information
is what helps me (or my company) get ahead. Information had
become the new currency.
Our reaction to this need for information
was to jump on the bandwagon and start promoting the "latest
information in the profession/industry," and the ability
to get information from "the only organization that specializes
in what our members do."
Here's the challenge of today. Information
"inflation" has set in. Our members, potential members,
and other customers are overwhelmed by information from every
imaginable source. They get information from the internet,
from their e-mail, from the media, from their trade and professional
organizations, etc. It's getting to the point where people
are throwing up their hands and yelling "ENOUGH ALREADY."
When there is an oversupply of any currency, its value drops.
So what's the new currency?
It's TIME.
TIME has replaced money and information as
the thing people value most. How much time will it take to
get the information? How much time will it take to process
my order? How much time do I have to put in to get something
out of this organization? I don't have the time to participate?
How much time did I waste the last time I did participate?
It's gotten to the point where people would
rather write checks and make a financial contribution than
commit their precious time. Communications technology and
computers have created the 24-hour workday for many people.
Instead of coming home and spending the evening with their
families,
millions of people now come home and, after a short break,
turn on their home computers or laptops and go back to work!
The global marketplace means that someone, somewhere -- Australia,
Europe, Asia, etc. -- is awake and working, waiting for our
members to contact them. In this work environment, family
time and leisure time become even more valued. Think about
it. People have three choices now
-- I can spend some time with my family or hobby; I can get
a couple of hours work done after dinner; OR I can get in
my car (or on a plane) and go to that meeting for my volunteer
organization. Guess which choice is last on the list?
What are we to do about this situation? Giving
up isn't an option, so let's look at some opportunities.
1) Get with the program, and deal in the
appropriate currency.
Start off by showing some empathy for your
members and prospective members. If everything of value in
your organization requires a commitment of time, you're in
trouble. Let members know you understand how busy they are
and talk to them about some of the benefits of membership
that don't require physical time away from their jobs and
families. Highlight publications, advocacy, web sites, cost-reducing
programs like insurance, etc. If we constantly preach the
old "You only get out of an organization what you put
into it," we're just reinforcing what they are already
worried about -- they don't have enough time to get something
worthwhile out of their membership.
2) Find some way to break down the big jobs.
Of course we want our members to "get
active" in the organization, but to many people "getting
active" means taking on a big, time-consuming job. Try
to break down some of these leadership roles into smaller
jobs. Consider job-sharing or co-chairs. Ask people to take
on part of a job or event instead of the whole project. Put
definite time limits on how long a person needs to commit,
so they can plan.
3) Try to give options on everything, and
communicate those options.
People are willing to pay to get what they
want quickly. Whatever product or service you offer, try to
offer several ways to access them. Give members and other
"customers" the option of mail, fax, email, web
site, overnight, etc. Too often we say "we'll get it
to you right away," and to us that means the
mail. To the member/customer, they might have thought "right
away" was fax or overnight. Be sure to communicate the
options to the member/customer and let them tell you what
their definition of "right away" is. If you need
to charge more to meet their needs (i.e. for overnight service),
just tell them. Almost every time they will be willing to
pay extra to get it when they want it.
There are several other ways to deal with
this issue of time, but the important thing is communicate
that empathy. Let your members know that you fully understand
their daily challenge of making the best use of their valuable
time. They want to know if their organization really comprehends
their concerns -- it's a challenge, but it's also an opportunity.
You can probably get your members to "buy
in" to just about anything in your organization. You
just have to be sure you're dealing in the right currency.
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