Pamela,

This is an all-to-familiar nightmare.  I think your analysis of the
situation is good and your recommendations are sound.

Sticking to my convictions that there is no one-size-fits-all remedy, this
is what I might do.

1.  Meet with paid staff (professional and hourly) and discuss the matter of
collegial respect and confidentiality.  Get staff on board about NOT
gossiping/sharing ANYTHING about themselves or other staff with ANYONE and
that particularly means volunteers.  Stress the importance of this as a
matter of efficiency, respect, and maintenance of an appropriate public
face.

2.  When volunteers are caught gossiping, politely but firmly ask them to
desist and/or point out that this is simply unprofessional and inappropriate
behavior.  Routinely remind them of what they are there to do find subtle
ways to remind them of what they are NOT there to do.

3.  Start isolating problematic volunteers from staff contact.  Discourage
things like lunches or other private social occasions.  Balance this
isolation with an upgrade in continuing education (briefings on new objects,
exhibitions, presentations by scholars, etc.)

4.  Recruit new volunteers and train them up right from the first.

5.  Try to drum up more press coverage.  Cultivate some writers (young kids,
retired folk, whatever you can get) who will profile staff the way they
should be profiled.  Get coverage also (human-interest stuff) of volunteers
who ARE the kind of volunteer you want.  Search out opportunities to be on
the evening news or radio shows, even if only to talk about current goings
on.  Be aggressive in detailing who you are and take the oomph out of the
gossips.

6.  NEVER be concerned that your old-timers will resign en masse.  In fact,
if they did, it would be a good thing.  However, do nothing to actively
force them out, as they are likely to create some social trouble within the
community.  But even with this prospect, remember that this too shall pass.

Best of luck to your friend, Pamela.  He's got a long road ahead I think.

Ellen Cutler


----- Original Message -----
From: Pamela Sezgin <[log in to unmask]>
To: <[log in to unmask]>
Sent: Friday, July 13, 2001 3:04 PM
Subject: Re: volunteers at museums


> Dear Ellen, Julia, and other Listers,
>
> Ok, here's a question about Volunteers at Museums.
>
> What do you do when you have a long-established volunteer or several
> volunteers who you've inherited from past administrations, and they are
very
> negative about the Museum?     They come to work on a regular basis,  but
> they like to gossip and sometimes they gossip about staff with
patrons!!!!!
>
>
> This situation was recently described to me by a friend who is the
executive
> director of a small Georgia history museum.    The volunteers seem to be
> angry that they are not in charge of running the museum anymore since it
now
> has a few professional staff people.
>
> It seems to me that the situation is a kind of power play on the part of
> certain volunteers, including by the president and vice president of the
> volunteers group.  I advised my friend against "firing" these volunteers
> because it could create bad feelings in the community.     I suggested he
> talk to them and try to get to the root of their problems, which he has
done
> in the past, but it seems they just like to complain.
>
> What can my friend do?  He has inherited this situation.   It's not of his
> making.
> It's a SMALL museum so there is no paid, professional volunteer director.
> The events/ membership staff member handles the greeters or front desk
> volunteers.
> The educator ( a paid, staff position) is in charge of the docents.    The
> volunteer
> organization is supposed to be in charge of making their own schedule and
> supporting the staff by handling basic visitor services activities and
> helping out at fund-raising events.
>
> What do you suggest?
>
> Cordially,
> pamela sezgin
>
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