Thanks for clarifying. I always thought you had a kind heart. But for
those out there who would admit to it, finally getting rid of a headache
is bliss. In any case, training and reinforcement is important, and
those of us who have to deal directly with difficult people need to be
continually diplomatic and watchful. Good manners and good behavior
comes from early years, and if the volunteer that you are working with
doesn't have them then you are certainly swimming against the tide.
Training sessions on a continual basis should reinforce good behavior
among all of us. How many museums out there devote time to training all
staff in diplomatic behavior? What then is the approach, and would you
share with us methods that worked?
O
Olivia S. Anastasiadis, Curator
Richard Nixon Library & Birthplace
18001 Yorba Linda Boulevard
Yorba Linda, CA 92886
(714) 993-5075 ext. 224; fax (714) 528-0544; e-mail: [log in to unmask]
On Mon, 1 Feb 1999 15:48:02 -0600 "Robert T. Handy" <[log in to unmask]>
writes:
>I have never found firing anyone to be "satisfying." Nor would I
>suggest
>that it be taken as the easiest approach. Volunteers need to be
>trained
>and counseled as much as any employee.
>
>
>------
>Robert Handy
>Brazoria County Historical Museum
>100 East Cedar
>Angleton, Texas 77515
>(409) 864-1208
>museum_bob
>[log in to unmask]
>http://www.bchm.org
>
>----------
>From: Olivia S. Anastasiadis[SMTP:[log in to unmask]]
>Sent: Monday, February 01, 1999 3:31 PM
>To: [log in to unmask]
>Subject: Re: volunteer horror stories
>
>It's always kind of interesting to find a way to "straighten" out the
>"bad volunteer" without them figuring it out. Of course, the easiest
>way
>is to "fire" them, and even though very satisfying, it still didn't
>change the volunteer's "bad attitude," they just become somebody
>else's
>problem.
>
>O
>Olivia S. Anastasiadis, Curator
>Richard Nixon Library & Birthplace
>18001 Yorba Linda Boulevard
>Yorba Linda, CA 92886
>(714) 993-5075 ext. 224; fax (714) 528-0544; e-mail: [log in to unmask]
>
>On Mon, 1 Feb 1999 08:36:02 -0600 "Robert T. Handy" <[log in to unmask]>
>writes:
>>Has anyone ever heard of the idea that you can and sometimes should,
>>fire
>>bad volunteers? How much staff time was wasted on, how much bad will
>>was
>>generated by this particular volunteer? Doesn't sound to me like it
>>was
>>worth it. Yes, she would be upset. Yes, it is difficult to do. But
>>would
>>you tolerate that from a paid employee? No. Would a paid employee be
>>upset
>>if he/she was fired? Yes. So where is the difference?
>>
>>
>>------
>>Robert Handy
>>Brazoria County Historical Museum
>>100 East Cedar
>>Angleton, Texas 77515
>>(409) 864-1208
>>museum_bob
>>[log in to unmask]
>>http://www.bchm.org
>>
>>----------
>>From: Heleanor Feltham[SMTP:[log in to unmask]]
>>Sent: Monday, February 01, 1999 6:39 AM
>>To: [log in to unmask]
>>Subject: FW: volunteer horror stories
>>
>>We had one little old lady volunteer who took over the desk at our
>>branch
>>museum one morning a week. She advised visitors that it would take
>>them
>>four hours to see the place (which you could actually do in under an
>>hour
>>without missing too much), told them off if she didn't like their
>>behaviour or dress, argued with the visitor services staff & other
>>volunteers - in public - and had fights with museum security. She
>was
>>particularly awful with children. Teachers with unbooked groups (who
>>were quite entitled to visit) might as well have tried to get past a
>>dragon. She would also trap innocent visitors asking simple
>questions
>>and drag them around the place for hours, given half a chance.
>>Everybody
>>was frankly terrified of her. We tried all the usual counselling
>>techniques, quiet meetings over coffee, assessments, peer pressure -
>>if
>>she didn't think you were asking her advice about some other
>>volunteer,
>>she dismissed any criticism as rubbish. Myself (senior person
>>on-site),
>>the Volunteer Co-ordinator, our Department Head - we didn't actually
>>involve the Director, but we thought about it - we all tried to talk
>>to
>>her. We suggested that since she had increasing difficulty
>>negotiating
>>stairs (she had taken possession of our branch sever years before,
>and
>>now walked with a cane) she might prefer a nice behind the scenes job
>>with our main library. She loved that - but still turned up at our
>>branch on her regular morning - and used the 'walking problem' to
>>avoid
>>morning briefing sessions! She stayed, triumphant to the end, until
>>our
>>branch was actually closed.
>>
>>I can't recommend shutting down your museum as a means of getting rid
>>of
>>an unwanted volunteer (and she still haunts the library), but it
>>certainly is effective!
>>
>>Heleanor Feltham
>>[log in to unmask]
>>
>>
>> -----Original Message-----
>>From: owner-museum-l [SMTP:[log in to unmask]]
>>Sent: Sunday, 31 January 1999 13:26
>>To: MUSEUM-L
>>Subject: volunteer horror stories
>>
>>I am presenting a session at our state museum conference on dealing
>>with
>>difficult volunteers. I'm looking for real examples of real problems
>>you have encountered with a difficult volunteer, plus how you solved
>>the
>>problem!
>>
>>Regards,
>>Susan Young
>>Shiloh Museum of Ozark History
>>Springdale, Arkansas
>>
>
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