There is an old fable by Aesop that talks of two frogs. The two frogs lived together in a marsh. One hot summer the marsh dried up, and they left it to look for another place to live. By and by they came to a deep well. One of them looked down into it and said to the other, “This looks a nice cool place. Let us jump in and settle here.” But the other, who had a wiser head on his shoulders, replied, “Not so fast, my friend. Supposing this well dried up like the marsh, how should we get out again?”
The moral of the story: “Look before you leap.”
When we talk about the benefits of using Self Directed Volunteer Teams, it is all too tempting to ‘leap’ directly into using them for your organization. We suggest instead taking the time to look first and truly assess whether your organization is ready to adopt the concept. The SDV Network™ Readiness Assessment can help you to do this.
Embarking on the process of incorporating a Self Directed Volunteer Team into your organization is not a process to be taken without forethought. An honest, constructive look inward at your own organization and its readiness to start this journey will greatly mitigate against unforeseen risks.
A Readiness Assessment is not something completed by one individual. To perform a thorough examination other stakeholders will need to be involved in the process. Doing so will indirectly communicate to them how the model will work and help to garner support.
Our Readiness Assessment process focuses on five key factors:
- CONSISTENCY – The degree to which the organization supports follow-through and sustainability
- VOLUNTEER ENGAGEMENT – How volunteers are engaged in the organization
- COMMUNICATION – The degree to which there is open communication in the organization
- EMPOWERMENT – The degree to which the organization environment facilitates motivation and giving of one’s best
- INNOVATION & ADAPTABILITY – The degree to which the organization supports creativity and adaptability
Once your organization completes our Readiness Assessment Test you will receive a report that will detail your scores on each factor, provide commentary on your overall readiness, and offer advice where helpful to assist you in increasing your readiness.
In this way you need not wonder just how much water is in your well. We can help you determine just how wet it is before you leap. Download our Readiness Assessment Whitepaper for more information.
By: Edmina Bradshaw, Principal – edmina@sdvnetwork.com
SDV Network has researched and developed a structured framework for engaging and implementing Self Directed Volunteer Teams (SDV Teams). Let us help you get your teams going!
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