How To Grow Your Volunteers Into Leaders

Every week she would show up to make sure our teens had pizza. It was great not to have to worry about feeding the middle school students, but I started to worry after a while. My concern was that I was so reliant on her to complete the task that I never answered the question, “What happens when she steps away?” And then one day, she said, “Chris, unfortunately, I have another commitment, so today’s my last day.”

The following week I was scrambling to find her replacement. Eventually, I did, but it took me away from other essential items. The problem is I had asked her to volunteer and not lead. As a leader, she would have thought about the team around her. As a leader, she would have thought about what would happen if she had to step away. Your ministry needs more than a team of volunteers; it needs leaders.

Whether you are good at recruiting volunteers or not, we can’t take the ministry to the next level if we aren’t trying to grow leaders. Volunteers will come to do a task, but leaders are committed to the vision that God has given your ministry. To help your volunteers grow into leaders:

ALLOW THEM TO OBSERVE YOU AND ASK QUESTIONS

To get your volunteers to think more about their commitment, ask them to shadow you. Invite them to observe the things you do and ask questions regarding why and how. It will take humility to allow someone to make comments and critiques, but it gets easier over time. Additionally, giving them a sneak peek into what you are will spark their interest for more.

GIVE THEM A PIECE OF OWNERSHIP 

Volunteers show up to perform a task; leaders take responsibility for the area they have been given; for them to feel like they have ownership, you have to give it to them. While you need to tell them they have the responsibility, it is also vital that you get out of the way.

Let leaders troubleshoot through an issue and do not be quick to bail them out of a situation. Allow them to contribute ideas and make changes even if you would disagree. Allowing them to lead without managing every step will help them feel like they are just as responsible as you.

ENGAGE IN STRATEGIC CONVERSATIONS

If you want your volunteers to care about the ministry, invite them into a conversation about where you want to take it. Ask them questions about the strategic decisions that race through your mind. Invite them to dream alongside you. Allow them to challenge your ideas and incorporate some of them into your plans.

When your volunteers feel like they can sit at the table with you to talk about the ministry, they’ll become more engaged. They will care about you and look at ways of supporting your vision because you’ve shown them the same.

PROVIDE RESOURCES AND OPPORTUNITIES FOR GROWTH

Whether you are a good leader or not, it’s good to introduce your volunteers to experts in the field. Give your team the books and podcasts of great minds. Take them to a workshop or a conference to explore more of the ministry world. The more you invest in them, the more they will invest in you.

We all have the idea of growing leaders, but you might not feel equipped to make that happen. Developing leaders takes time, patience, and a lot of learning. You might make mistakes like investing in the wrong person and not knowing how to let go of control. Regardless, your ministry cannot sustain itself if you only rely on volunteers.

If you need assistance building a team of volunteers and growing them into leaders, check out our MYM U Membership site, where we have a Master Class about creating a dynamic team. To learn more, click HERE.

How do you invest in potential leaders?