Weekly Posts and Insights
Leading When No One Has to Listen to You: What volunteers have taught me about leadership, trust, and the limits of authority
For much of my career, I have lived at the intersection of professional management and volunteer leadership. As CEO of a Chamber of Commerce, I work with boards, committees, community leaders, event volunteers, business owners, and civic partners. Through Harrington Brands, I also train supervisors, employees and leaders. The longer I do this work, the more convinced I become that leading volunteers (unpaid people) is one of the purest tests of whether someone can actually lead, because the people in front of you are not being paid to listen to you!
The “I’ve got an idea for you” Worksheets
One of the most common phrases you’ll hear as a leader in a chamber or association is, “you know what you should do…” or “I’ve got an idea for you…” or if your chamber or association is well-known for throwing events, “here’s an event you should do for the community…” Next time you hear that, try out two of these free templates!