Someone taking advantage of your time?

We have all experienced this, in our volunteer service, as board members, and I have heard many executive directors express this frustration as well, as constituents and funders demand more of organizations.

As a consultant who works with not-for-profit organizations, I frequently find myself doing extra for my clients. Most of the time this is a labor of love that I do willingly. But not-for-profit executives do a great job of squeezing every dollar they have, and sometimes I'm the one who feels squeezed beyond what I am willing to give.

Here are five things I've learned over the years that can help prevent this from happening, or improve a situation that's going badly. They are simple, but powerful.

Before the Project

• Over communicate - Take more time than you think is necessary at the start of any project to define the desired outcomes, the tasks it will take to achieve the outcomes, who will do each task, and how much time each task will take. It seems like extra work, but it saves time and frustration in the long-run.

• Be honest and realistic at the start of the project, with yourself and those you are working with, about the time it will take to get the task done. At the beginning of a project everyone is enthusiastic about the work, and eager to please. I fall into this trap myself. It's easier to deal with a bit of disappointment early in the process than it is to fix these issues later.

During the Project

• Keep good records of what you are doing and the time you spend doing it. Again, this might seem like unnecessary extra work, but it makes it easier to discuss any issues that might come up.

• Pay attention to any changes in the outcomes or action plan mid-project. Circumstances change often, which means the approach should change. When this happens, take the time to stop and think about the effect on everyone's time, and communicate this with everyone on the team.

• If it's taking longer than you expected to do the project, or if someone is asking you for more than you agreed to do, let the team know about it. Use the time records you've kept to explain the situation, why you think it is taking more time, and how you would like to resolve the situation. Try to learn from the experience and propose a resolution that everyone can live with.

After the Project

• Review what you've accomplished and check your work using these three questions:
  • What did we set out to do?

  • What did we do?

  • What would we do differently next time?

This discussion gives everyone on the project an opportunity to learn from working together.

The Vesper Service Network uses a simple project creation tool that guides organizations through the process of naming project goals, defining tasks, and setting project time requirements. It makes it easier to remember the simple steps to putting together a project where everyone can be successful. E-mail us for more information at info@vesperservice.net.