A Sustainable Corporate Volunteering Program Needs To Appeal To The Employee's Self-Interest: Why? Without self-interest, volunteers easily opt out of commitments and objectify those they are trying to help.

When people show up to volunteer for the first time there are multiple reasons behind that decision. Almost certainly, those reasons are extrinsic. A motivation is extrinsic when it exists outside of the person - like an athlete who feels compelled to run harder when he hears the crowd cheer him on. On the other hand, intrinsic motivation exists within us - like when that athlete runs harder because of the pleasure the sport brings. (For more on extrinsic versus intrinsic motivation read our blog post). When it comes to volunteering, it’s not that extrinsic motivation isn’t good - it’s just not good enough.

Extrinsic motivations aren’t good enough because they don’t last. On the other hand, when our motivation is intrinsic, personal, and tied to our identity, it becomes a priority. If we want people to volunteer with us over the long haul, then we must leave behind the glorified altruistic, for genuine self-interest.

But wait, isn’t volunteering is about giving back? Isn’t it about appreciating how much we have, and helping someone who doesn’t have so much? Volunteering is selfless, isn’t it? Doing good, solving problems, making the world a better place?

It’s Us. Helping Them.

Right?

Well, that’s certainly where we all start. But there comes a point when our good intentions toward others threaten to transform them from people into objects.

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When we are motivated to help someone else we naturally consider what good we can do, what resources we have to offer, and how we can actively be a part of some kind of solution. We want to ‘fix’ something, develop a solution to the problem. We want to make life better. Again, there’s nothing wrong with that, as long as that’s the starting point. If we stay there, with those notions of the ‘haves’ and ‘have nots’ we will almost certainly begin to objectify people.

Self-interest, not altruism is what makes for a great volunteer. Help your volunteers discover the personal reasons they have for being there. Doing so will ensure their commitment and keep them from objectifying those they are working with. We're discussing this very issue at an all day conference in Portland, Oregon on October 5, 2010. Love to see you there!

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Chris Jarvis
Senior Consultant, Realized Worth, Toronto, Canada 317-371-4435
Email me; chrisjarvis@realizedworth.com
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