I am frequently asked, “How do we motivate our volunteers?” My response is, “You don’t.” Volunteers bring their own unique motivations to their work. A good volunteer manager learns to identify those motivations and then helps each volunteer achieve a sense of personal satisfaction.

A variety of studies (Independent Sector, 1999, 2001; Safrit, King, Burcsu, 1993; Guseh & Winders, 2002) report that volunteers are motivated to action primarily for altruistic reason. Altruism is defined as a concern for the welfare of others. Among the top reasons for volunteering consistently identified by volunteers are: a personal belief in a cause, and a desire to help others.

While these are the primary reasons cited, we also know that volunteers are motivated by a variety of personal reasons and may have different reasons at different times. I may volunteer for a particular event because I am doing it with friends and colleagues from the office. I may volunteer for another organization because I feel passionately about the cause. Perhaps someone I know was affected by an illness and I want to do something to make a difference. Or, a particular opportunity, such as serving on a board, may offer me an opportunity to develop new skills and meet new people. Overall, we can conclude that volunteers have a variety of motivations for the work they do.

Volunteers indicate they are most satisfied with their volunteer experience when:

• It is for an issue of personal importance
• They feel needed and valued
• It is meaningful, interesting work

Understanding and identifying these motivations does not necessarily mean each volunteer will have a positive experience or feel fulfilled (and motivated) by the work they are asked to do. There are other intrinsic motivations we each have that affect our satisfaction regarding work. In 1968, Harvard professors, McClelland & Atkinson, identified three primary needs that we attempt to fulfill through work:

• Need for achievement
• Need for affiliation
• Need for power

These needs are learned, culturally-based behaviours. Although most individuals have a mix of all three types, one need tends to be predominant for each of individual, and we generally try to satisfy the need that is strongest in any given situation. For example, I may volunteer for an organization because I believe passionately in the cause and I have a need to feel a sense of belonging and affiliation with others who share that belief. The need I am hoping to satisfy in this situation may be very different from the need I feel when working on a political campaign or serving on a fundraising committee. In those situations I may have a stronger need to make something happen or to bring about change.

To understand the implications of these needs for volunteer managers, consider the following descriptions:

• The Achiever:This person is committed to accomplishing goals, welcomes a challenge, and looks for opportunities to test out new skills and improve performance.
• The Affiliator: This person values relations, enjoys working with others, and seeks out opportunities to be helpful and supportive.
• The Power Person: This person seeks to influence people and events so that change is realized. (MacKenzie & Moore, 1993)

Achievers like to grow through challenges. They seek success in a situation that requires excellence or high performance. Achievers set high standards for personal performance and often require more of themselves than others require of them. Achievers have many positive characteristics:

• Results-oriented
• Set goals, take risks
• Innovative
• Like challenges
• Overcome barriers

They can also be so focused on the goal that they can seem insensitive to the people and the relationships. They can at times appear autocratic as they move a project forward. Achievers tend to like variety and dislike routine. These are people who make lists, mentally or in writing, and then check off the items as they go. They are often great at designing and starting projects but can become bored when maintaining projects. Though Achievers can work in a group or team, they often prefer working alone. They like to be given the authority to do the job. Because they are results-focused, they like well-delegated tasks, concrete feedback to improve performance, and a “hand-off” management style.

Affiliators enjoy forming alliances and partnerships with individuals and groups. They like to work with other people and they enjoy developing friendships. Affiliators are “people people” who seek out relationships and like working with a wide variety of people. Their positive characteristics focus on relationships:

• Sensitive to the feelings and needs of others
• Support others in achieving goals
• Talk about feelings
• Want to help others

Unlike achievers, affiliators do not focus on the goals. In fact, they may sacrifice project goals/timelines by devoting so much time to the relationships and trying to keep everyone happy. They tend to seek/need approval and often take criticism very personally. They dislike and will avoid controversy or conflict. In a group situation, affiliators will be very aware of the personal dynamics in the group and often tend to talk about feelings rather than the work itself. Sometimes this is very annoying for achievers or power people, who tend to focus more on the work and goals rather than the relationships and feelings. Affiliators offer a wonderful balance in a group. They can slow down the “forge ahead” goal-oriented members and help to build a sense of team. Because they are people-oriented, they like a very “open door” supervisor who is caring and personal. Affiliation people like the opportunity to sit down and talk over things. They enjoy receiving input/advice from a supervisor. They enjoy feeling part of the team.

Power people like to use their influence and skills to bring about change. It should be noted here that sometimes power is viewed as a negative in our society. McClelland distinguished between personal power that is motivated by personal ambition and manifested as a need to be in charge or control, and social power, which is the use of personal power for the benefit of all. Power people, as referred to here, believe in sharing power, information, and control to influence people and events so that change can happen.

Power people like to use their personal influence to shape opinions. They are concerned with position, title, respect and reputation. Power people may be:

• Charismatic leaders
• Opinion shapers
• Articulate
• Verbally aggressive

They can build confidence in a group. They can also come across as autocratic because they are self-assured and certain that their way is the best way. They are seen as “take charge people” who are focused on the outcome and, thus, sometimes indifferent to the people involved. Power people prefer very clear policies and procedures and defined limits of authority. They respect strong leadership/management but frequently do not see the rules as applying to them. They are very comfortable working alone.

It is important to recognize that one style is not better than another. Each person has a preferred style in which they work most comfortably. As volunteer managers, we will have all three styles in our volunteer corps. It is, therefore, important to understand these motivations and how to work with each type of person so that they feel their needs are being meet.

There is no one management style that works for all volunteers. This mean a volunteer manger must change his/her personal style to meet the needs of a variety of volunteers. The volunteer who is an affiliator is looking for a patient, chatty supervisor who really cares about how the volunteer is feeling about the assignment. The supervisor who is an achiever is just anxious to get on with it.

The affiliator is concerned with any conflict, while the achiever is so focused on the goal to perhaps be unaware of conflict within the group. The affiliator may perceive criticism as a personal attack rather than a simple suggestion directed at enhancing performance. The achiever believes that everyone is anxious to improve performance and would welcome such a suggestion.

Both the affiliator and the achiever may find the power person too honest, forthright and “pushy.” The power person loves political intrigue; the affiliator hates it. The affiliator chairs a meeting that attends to the needs of the group. The decisions are secondary. The achiever is happy only if the agenda is covered, decisions are made, and the meeting ends on time. Power people only come to the meetings that they think are worthwhile. (MacKenzie & Moore, 1993)

While these are described here as three distinct types of people, it is important to mention again that volunteers are complex beings and rarely fit nicely into one category. Many people are a blend of these styles or may exhibit certain styles in certain situations.

Over the years, a variety of tools have been designed to help identify dominant needs. MacKenzie and Moore (1993) published an easy-to-use 11 question Motivational Analysis that is quickly administered and scored, and helps one identify their individual motivational style. The danger with such quizzes is that volunteer managers begin to think they should design a “test” for each volunteer applicant so they can quickly assess motivational styles. Such an approach is not practical in most settings. Information about motivations can be gathered through skillful applicant interviewing. Volunteer managers can design questions to help identify motivations. For example:

• Describe for me a situation that gave you great satisfaction or a sense of a job well done.
• What type of work or working situations do you find most frustrating?
• When working in a group, what do you like and dislike?
• Do you prefer working alone or in a group setting?
• What type of supervision do you prefer?

Even volunteer recognition practices should be based on the personal needs of each volunteer. Affiliation volunteers tend to prefer sharing success with friends and family members, annual dinners, parties/socials, and compliments from their supervisor. Achievers tend to prefer a written note from the executive director or president of the board, a note sent to their employer detailing their accomplishments, pins, certificates and promotions. Power people like being recognized publicly for their accomplishments, enjoy media recognition, titles of status, and opportunity to innovate.

How do you motivate your volunteers? Be sure their personal motivational needs are being met. Know them personally, understand what is important to them, and help fill their need for achievement, affiliation or power. Make every effort to first understand their own style and the potential conflict or negative effects this can have on volunteers with different motivational needs. When you understand your own style (needs) it becomes easier to make modifications so that all volunteers can feel comfortable and confident. Understanding motivations leads to good volunteer management practices (interviewing, placement, management and recognition) that lead to volunteer satisfaction and retention.

References:

Guseh, J. & Winders, R. (2002). “A Profile of Volunteerism in North Carolina,” The Journal of Volunteer Administration, Volume 20, Number 4, 2002.

Independent Sector, (1999, 2001). Giving and Volunteering in the United States. Washington, D.C.: Independent Sector.

MacKenzie, M & Moore, G. (1993). The Volunteer Development Toolbox. Downers Grove, IL: Heritage Arts Publishing.

McClelland, D. & Atkinson, J. (1968). Motivation and Organizational Climate, Boston: Harvard Press.

Safrit, R., King, J. & Burcsu, K. (1991). A Study of Volunteerism in Ohio Cities and Surrounding Communities. Columbus, Ohio: The Ohio State University Extension.

This article was first published in 2002 and is licensed under a Creative Commons License. It may be reproduced in its entirety, provided that you give the original author credit.