The Clever Peach

Volunteering – How to Deal With Complaints When You Take the Lead

Volunteering – the Good, the Bad and the Ugly.

(Yes, I really did just reference Clint Eastwood’s spaghetti Western. I’m in one of those moods today.)

Having been fortunate enough to have the time to volunteer for my kids’ sports organizations, I am again reminded that every opportunity in life gives you a chance to see what each of us is made of, whether Good or Bad.

To What Aspects of Volunteering Are You Naturally Draw?

When I think about the volunteer jobs that I take on, I see a definite pattern. I love to take charge and make things happen. I naturally am drawn to more of a leadership role.

You may be the same – always looking to be the one in charge or at the very least heading up a portion of some project and organizing others to help you.

Unfortunately, taking the lead on these project often puts you in the line of fire when people aren’t happy with any aspect of the event or organization.

How to Deal with Complaints

Anyone who has volunteered can relate to dealing with individuals that constantly complain. These are the people that love to tell you, or anyone else that listens, that everything is being run the wrong way. These are also the people that would never actually step up and volunteer themselves. I have never taken these complaints personally as these people will ALWAYS find something to complain about.

1. Just Listen

What I have discovered about this type of person is that they just want to be heard. At this point, I usually just let them get everything off their chest by listening. It is amazing how a person’s mood will change once they are able to vent and see that at the very least, you have listened to their complaint.

2.Ask Questions

Once the person has taken a breathe, I find that repeating their complaint back to them and asking them if you have heard them properly also shows them that you have been listening.

Ask the person what they would like to see happen to resolve their issue. Again, showing the person you are listening, goes a long way in diffusing any anger.

3.Time to Formulate Your Best Response

This task may take a bit of patience on your part depending on the complaint and with whom you are dealing, but right now is the perfect opportunity to let the person know that you understand their concerns. You don’t need to AGREE with what the person is saying, but assuring them you at least understand their point of view will help both of you work through the situation faster.

Many times the complaints that I have had to deal with involved disagreements in a person’s “ideas” of policies and procedures that have been set in place by an organization, not myself directly. In these instances I am able to clarify the policy, why it may have been put in place and why we need to follow these rules. It is amazing the number of people that do not understand the inner workings of volunteer organizations and the bodies that they are governed by but once an explanation is provided, many situations are diffused right away.

4.What if Your First Response Isn’t Good Enough?

Unfortunately, there will be people that have so much passion about their ideas that your explanation won’t be enough to calm them down. These situations are rare but it’s best to be prepared to deal with it when it comes up.

Prepare for the worst and hope for the best, right?!

If your organization has a larger governing body, use them. Offer to contact this larger association to get an answer to the person’s complaint and tell the person you will get back to them as soon as possible.

5.Follow Up

Most importantly, remember to follow up with the person complaining.

There have been many times where even I have asked someone for clarification and have been promised a response and have never received one. Getting back to the person, even if you don’t give them the answer they were hoping for, shows them you are actually listening to their concerns, not just letting them babble on and on for no reason.

It’s Not All Bad

Yes, dealing with unhappy people and listening to their complaints, especially when you aren’t getting paid for it, can be stressful. Luckily there are more people that are so thankful you are volunteering instead of having to do it themselves, that their positivity out shines the negativity.

Focusing on the positive people will always help carry you past the negative ones.

Do you have a proven strategy to dealing with complaints, whether volunteering or in another area of your day to day dealings? Feel free to leave me a comment on what you have found to work and not work.