We’ve said it before and we’ll say it again: volunteers are the backbone to every successful event, we need them, we love them and most events would crumble without them.
But there are some volunteers that we have come to know who volunteer, that really should stay home and help themselves.
- Negative Nancy
Successful events are contingent on people enjoying themselves. That means bringing in volunteers who enjoy themselves. A Negative Nancy is a volunteer who comes to the event and brings a raincloud with them. This is a volunteer who is rude to event attendees, uncaring about others enjoying the event and an all-around nay-sayer. These can be individuals who are not willing to go the extra mile (or any mile really) to make the event fun for everyone. If you get a negative vibe from a volunteer, say “Sayonara”!
- Secretive Sally
Much like undercover agents, there are people with hidden agendas where you might not expect them. Even though, for the most part, volunteers are open and honest, there are a few that will refuse background checks (RED FLAG!). It’s best to give a big N-O to those who refuse simple background checks or offer no references. However, if this is a person who is new to volunteering (someone new to town or a young person looking to further their resume) give them a chance, put them somewhere with minimal responsibility and see how they do.
- Lazy Larry
Many event coordinators find themselves face to face with Lazy Larry more often than not. The life of a serial volunteer is not that glamourous, but the occasional perk does arise (i.e. volunteer parties, entrance to events after their volunteer shift, FREE FOOD). But with these perks come great numbers of Lazy Larrys. They come to the event, pass off even the simplest tasks to others and they barely contribute at all to the event itself. They hang around and mooch, mooch, MOOCH! When managing high-paced events, it is best to say no, no, no to any Lazy Larrys that may apply.
- Unmovable Mary
As anyone who works in events knows, things change and people who work on events have to be able to change with them. There are times when no-shows happen and you have to do the ol’ volunteer shuffle of moving people around and making it work. Some volunteers may not be able to do certain areas because of physical limitations, language barriers, interpersonal skills etc. But Unmovable Marys are those volunteers that are just that: unmovable. They want to do what they want, when they want to, and may even go so far as to ignore direct instructions from their supervisors. Insubordination is not desirable. Move along unmovable Mary!
- Bossy Bobby
As great as it is to have someone with a can-do attitude, it can be just as bad to have someone with a you-do attitude. Bossy Bobbys are volunteers who take charge of areas that ARE NOT THEIR DIVISION. They command a certain amount of begrudging respect and often leave a bitter taste in the mouths of fellow volunteers. Bossy Bobbys are great communicators but they may not always be communicating the RIGHT information. Have you ever heard of “wrong and strong”? Just know that they can’t be wrong and strong for long. #ByeBobby!
- Clingy Carl
These are the people who have the best intentions, but they never quite make it into actions. They are the ones that are always “on their way” or “not sure what you meant when you said pick up the flyers”. Clingy Carls always need extra supervision or attention to get their jobs done and nine times out of ten will be looking for constant reassurance that they’re on the right track.
Kelly Holding Ltd. 