Adventurer, outdoorsman, four-wheeler, author, and defender of sustainable outdoor motorized recreational access.
Getting Skin in the Game for the Future of Public Lands
April is National Volunteer Month. Missed the month? You didn't miss the mission! Here's the deal.
By Del Albright, Sustainable Motorized Recreation Advocate
Let's see what our choices are:
four-wheeling or writing a letter. Snowmobiling or attending a meeting?;
mountain biking or a scoping session? Fishing or fighting the feds? You get the
picture. Ugly choices, but it doesn't take a rear-end specialist to figure out
that playing is ALWAYS a lot more fun than meetings, letters, and bureaucracy.
There is a catch here, though, and you know in your heart what that is.
The (relatively) small vocal minority
groups (mostly radical protectionists) are trying to exclude recreational
activities (and, for that matter, commercial activities) from public land. It's
that simple. They want us off. Hiking and photography will
be allowed in the future, as well as smelling and limited breathing. But who
knows what else?
So what are our choices? What can we do about it? Well, if you've read this far, then there's a small chance you've attended a few meetings and maybe even written a couple of letters. It's all about politics, and that's how we win. It's all about YOU and ME taking that little extra effort to make our opinions known. I do have a simple proposal I'd like to offer you.
I never ask anyone to give up playing
for political involvement. All I ask is that you CONSIDER the importance of
keeping our public lands open and ASK yourself if you've contributed something
to the effort. Heck, I believe even a simple letter to your congress critter
explaining how much you enjoy a local trail is better than nothing. Express
your opinion and let the love of your sport be known.
Yes, we've got to continue going to scoping sessions and meetings, writing to our elected officials, and sitting through boring presentations now and then. And yes, we must let folks
know what and why we believe in enjoying our public lands. In the meantime, get
out and ride your trails. Teach your kids to enjoy the great outdoors. Pass on
your love of your sport to friends and family.
I also tell folks not to burn out on political involvement. You can get in so deep that your
sport is no longer fun, or you don't have time to really enjoy it. I don't
suggest that. I say for every time you ride a trail, write one letter or attend
one meeting. Simple trade-off: One for one. If you go out for a day in your
rig, on your horse, or atop your mountain bike, make one call to your
congressman or write one email or handwritten note about YOUR priorities for them
for this upcoming year. On the other hand, if you are the kind of person who sits through meetings or writes letters, make sure you give yourself equal
treatment on the play side of things. Get your one day in the field, too.
In Thomas Jefferson's words when
speaking to John Hancock, "Come on, John, it's just a signature!"
Let's put our John Hancock's on a few letters in return for a few trail rides.
Heck, get brave and attend a meeting or two. Start out sitting in the back,
then gradually find your way to the front section. Make a difference.
If we all did it, our voices would be
heard across the land. Please support my proposal: One for One!
https://www.amazon.com/Shortcuts-Landuse-Volunteerism-Volunteer-Leadership/dp/B0CVXL345P/
MORE HELPFUL LINKS:
DEL'S BOOKS (LAND USE, WILDFIRE, DEATH VALLEY, COWBOY POETRY, AND MORE)
WEBSITE (HOME PAGE)
PINTEREST (BOOKS, ARTICLES, AND MORE)
DEL'S ARTICLES (LAND USE, LIFE, WILDFIRE, VOLUNTEERISM, AND MORE)
More land use and volunteerism help here:
|
|
RATIONAL APATHY – THE SLOW DEATH OF OUTDOOR
RECREATION By Del Albright, Sustainable Motorized Recreation Advocate America has become a society of media hype, slanted education, and brainwashing, starting with kids in daycare school learning to hug trees, tolerate excessively, and not listen to their parents' teaching. At the same time, interests like outdoor recreation are
being pushed aside for looming other priorities, some real and media-induced
distractions purposely intended to keep us spinning in circles. We quickly
lose sight of our passions and don't even realize a slow death is occurring. One of our heroes, Chris W. Cox, NRA-ILA Executive Director, recently wrote about "rational apathy" when it comes to the erosion of Second Amendment Rights (gun ownership issues). In his January 2014 column, he talked of how people can be concerned about only so many things at once, "so unless they perceive an immediate threat to their own interests, they ignore small infringements on their rights, allowing them to accumulate over time," Mr. Cox said. Indeed, this is a slow death for outdoor rights and access, particularly in our off-road world. America is being distracted politically at nearly every turn. When something life-changing or threatening occurs, it seems we have something more pressing and near-and-dear to our hearts to deal with – and I'll leave it to you to fill in the political blanks. We are at war, but suddenly, our housing market collapses. We lose people overseas, and the economy looms over our living ability. Unemployment jumps off the charts, and all of a sudden, a state enacts a law restricting detachable magazines in rifles. And the distractions continue on and on. So yes, we get rationally apathetic. Rational means we have reason or understanding. Apathetic means not having much emotion or interest. So, when we combine these two terms, we see some
Americans justifying – or rationalizing – not paying their membership dues in
organizations, not making donations right now to charities of concern, and,
in general, being distracted by other issues that seem more pressing. In the meantime, the slow death permeates every crease
and corner – eventually destroying a part of our rights and access. The anti-access busybodies who are passionately
dedicated to shaping the world in their exclusionary elitist likeness
continue to chip away at our rights and freedoms. Much of the media and
Hollywood types jump in and "educate" us in how we "should"
know – their way. We must moderate them and, in some cases, stop
them. We must not drop our passion for the outdoor sports we love. In
fact, may we suggest, "Pass On the Passion" – keep it alive.
Pass it on to kids, pass it on to elected officials, and pass it on to your
favorite organizations fighting with you. The key may be to focus on what your primary passions
are. Maybe it's gun rights and off-road; maybe it's land rights and access
and the kids' ball team; whatever it is, stay in the game and do something
about saving your passions with a once-a-week commitment. Or consider our "One for One Proposal," which
suggests that for every fun, outdoor day you enjoy, you write one letter,
make one phone call, or attend one meeting about land use/politics. Or
make one donation to your favorite off-road jeeping organization. Please do not let life's distractions and a myriad of priorities contribute to your losses and the slow death of outdoor recreation. If we pass on the passion and keep our rights and freedoms at the forefront of our lives, we can stop the slow death! The cure is not to lose sight of your rights and freedoms! ## https://www.amazon.com/Shortcuts-Landuse-Volunteerism-Volunteer-Leadership/dp/B0CVXL345P/ |
MORE HELPFUL LINKS:
DEL'S BOOKS (LAND USE, WILDFIRE, DEATH VALLEY, COWBOY POETRY, AND MORE)
WEBSITE (HOME PAGE)
PINTEREST (BOOKS, ARTICLES, AND MORE)
DEL'S ARTICLES (LAND USE, LIFE, WILDFIRE, VOLUNTEERISM, AND MORE)
More land use and volunteerism help here:
.jpg)
Available now for free, the Land Use App is ready to help you with shortcuts to land use, saving trails, running meetings, writing letters, building membership, leading volunteers, and much more.
Just bookmark it on your phone/tablet here: https://m.delalbright.com/
MORE HELPFUL LINKS:
DEL'S BOOKS (LAND USE, WILDFIRE, DEATH VALLEY, COWBOY POETRY, AND MORE)
WEBSITE (HOME PAGE)
PINTEREST (BOOKS, ARTICLES, AND MORE)
DEL'S ARTICLES (LAND USE, LIFE, WILDFIRE, VOLUNTEERISM, AND MORE)
More land use and volunteerism help here:
Author Del Albright is joined by Don Amador, career Recreation Advocate
Saving trails and the whole sport of motorized recreation depends on many factors, but without those factors, our trails and our sports will be in jeopardy. Primary in the list is local club involvement in issues and organizational growth. Without local membership support and involvement, a larger umbrella group (state, regional, or national) will push water uphill and waste precious resources.
From what we’ve seen, working with boards at all levels, before an organization or group can invest time, money, and staff in an issue, it must assess the value of the level of service to its members.
Noted land use advocate Don Amador crafted this diagram of how many organizations develop a strategy for level of service:
The outcome
(middle of the diagram) estimates the level of service a group can invest in an
issue. This outcome includes member support, priority/timing of the issue, and
the potential value to the group. A larger organization cannot take these
factors lightly to survive long term.
A great example is the Rubicon Trail. Twenty+ years ago, local clubs and users banded together to save the trail from closure. Immediately, state, regional, and national groups recognized this local involvement and jumped in to help fight for the trail. The value returned to the larger groups included membership growth and broader recognition. Everyone won! It worked. The level of service from larger organizations matched the local interest!
We have heard members complain that their state/regional/national representatives do not do enough for them or their trail. At the same time, that member and the local club have done nothing to help the overall cause/issue. It’s like the blame game – pointing fingers instead of putting boots on the ground. The level of service from bigger groups hinges on locals being involved and invested. It works both ways to create a sustainable future for motorized recreation.
In our estimation, the future of motorized recreation depends on a few simple things and some proven formulas.
1. More unity in organized recreation leadership, including better communications and fewer turf battles.
2. Finding the money to get more full-time people doing land use and leading volunteers.
3. More training for volunteers who don’t know how to cope with government regulations, safety and EPA requirements, and paperwork.
4. A centralized source of information and coordination nationwide that people can trust to bring us all together so the messages are not disjointed but orchestrated for future wins.
5. Legal strength – with attorneys who know land use and are available to all.
6. Finding the key to getting people to join organized groups and not just be virtual.
7. Getting past egos and personalities in OHV recreation.
Focusing positive energy on the factors mentioned here will save the future of motorized recreation while finding reciprocity between local interests and larger group investment. Simply said, we must always work together, in cooperation, and with a positive focus towards a sustainable future.
(Graphic in support of two important groups, the California 4Wheel Drive Association, and the American Sand Association, that I am highly involved with and a member of).
MORE HELPFUL LINKS:
DEL'S BOOKS (LAND USE, WILDFIRE, DEATH VALLEY, COWBOY POETRY, AND MORE)
WEBSITE (HOME PAGE)
PINTEREST (BOOKS, ARTICLES, AND MORE)
DEL'S ARTICLES (LAND USE, LIFE, WILDFIRE, VOLUNTEERISM, AND MORE)
More land use and volunteerism help here:
We can fight it, try to ignore it, or learn to deal with it effectively, but conflict is inevitable in outdoor recreation. Club members disagree; users butt heads on trails; large organized groups don’t like what another group is doing, or turf battles have been going on for years. It is just human nature that we will not always agree with each other, and sometimes, this results in conflicting actions and ideas. I’d like to offer some ideas for dealing with conflict in recreation and making your life easier while saving our favorite forms of recreation.
Conflict
is unavoidable
At some point
in your busy life, you will run into conflict with another person. It’s
life. Whenever we share opinions or ideas, conflict is bound to surface.
People just plain disagree on many things, especially when it comes to
something we are passionate about. If your opinion is different than mine, then
we might just be in conflict.
Conflict
is a part of recreation.
Just like it
is life and relationships, sometimes we just cannot avoid conflict. I am going
to suggest ways to embrace it and make it useful. It might surface its
ugly head at a trail intersection. Or maybe during a meeting about the
color of a T-shirt. Or who knows? It is like a snake in the grass;
you never know when it might strike.
Conflict
is not always bad.
It just is.
How you react to it gives it a flavor of good or bad.
As you read
these tips, remember that much of what I suggest here involves you
having the power to choose how you react to things and not allowing
someone to dictate your happiness or peace of mind.
“Choose” and
“allow” are two of the most powerful words in the dictionary. For example, you
might hear me say, “I choose not to get caught up in your garbage. And I am not
going to allow you to ruin my day.” Unfortunately, the policeman I tried this
on didn’t think it was funny! (just kidding). But you have the choice as to how
you react to something in your life. Do not let someone else tell you how
you feel or how you should react. You choose. You allow right there,
and that starts reducing the opportunities for conflict.
Conflict
can be viewed as powerful.
It means
people are sharing ideas and opinions that don’t agree. It means new doors are
being opened, and new opportunities are being presented. It also might mean a
few sleepless nights for you if you don’t take some steps to harness the power
of conflict.
Now, I’m not
suggesting that all conflict is “good.” Conflict can twist up our guts, cut
into our sleep, and make our faces turn pretty darn red from frustration. But
that is not what any of us want. Let me share with you some tips for dealing
with conflict and turning it into something useful.
Make things happen in your club.
The 7
Master Secrets
→One, accept the fact that when people share opinions,
there’s bound to be differences (conflict). Heck, there’s no way we could all
think alike, or we’d still be carrying clubs and living in caves. Recognize
that conflict is natural and use it as a learning experience. I compare
conflict to fear — we will always have some of both to deal with; it’s all in
how we allow ourselves to react.
→Two, try to stay objective and clearly express your
expectations (or ideas). Clear communication is essential to avoiding
unnecessary conflict. There’s no use getting your knickers in an uproar over
something you really didn’t mean. So make sure what your listener is hearing is
what you meant to say.
→ Third, never lose sight of your objective
and try to maintain the “high ground,” as they say in the military (and
politics). During political conflict (meetings, hearings, conventions, etc.),
take notes like an attorney. Get your key points jotted down for your “come
back,” and stick with them. Make your points over and over again, if needed,
until the listener clearly hears your ideas (or rebuttals).
Further,
don’t get caught up in emotions. When you feel like you’re about to explode,
back off, take a breath, and tackle the conflict head-on, but with as much
objectivity as you can muster. Break out your notes (like the attorney busily
jotting things down during a court proceeding), and review your key points.
→Fourth, look for the root of the problem
(conflict). If it’s purely a political agenda with no real foundation other
than making a show, well, then you may have to accept the fact that all the
logic in the world won’t sway that. In this case, the conflict is phony and
attention-gathering. Call it for what it is.
→Five, assuming the conflict is real, try to agree to some
ground rules during the conflict resolution process. For example, suppose two
people who know each other are arguing. In that case, it might be good to agree
that both will avoid each other’s well-known “hot buttons” that merely escalate
the emotional intensity of the argument. Agree to that upfront. Agree to a fair
fight, if you will.
Dealing with conflict is no picnic, but it must be done and can be easier than you think if you follow these secrets.
→Six, trust your instincts and the instincts of people you
respect. If your instincts tell you to hang in the fight (conflict), then hang!
If that little voice in your head says, “If I give up now, then I will lose
much more in the long run,” then don’t give up.
→Seven, in recreation, there is that reality,
just like in politics, when nothing makes sense, and there is no real answer
because there is no real question. That’s when we need to stay very focused and
tuned into your message (bullet points, 5×7 cards, notes, etc.). Don’t spend
time wondering why someone would dress up like a coyote and wander down the
dusty streets of some Texas cow town in front of the Longhorn Saloon on
Saturday night, trying to make some sort of political statement! If your
conflict involves this type of showmanship, then realize your logic will
probably not change anything. Just move on.
In the
leadership training I offer, I emphasize the importance of taking notes and writing down your message on 5×7 cards or whatever works for you. Public speaking and dealing with conflict benefit from having our key points right in front of us. If you find yourself at a loss for words, you can simply refer back to your key points (notes,
expectations, and ideas). It works!
Summary
Conflict is
not always bad, and sometimes it is unavoidable. Learn to trust your instincts
and do not run from them. Conflict can help us grow or improve a club. Be
clear as to your objectives, and keep your key points handy. When engaged in
showmanship conflict, you may get to the point of succumbing to tactics
you don’t ordinarily like, then realize that you have changed the game and the
ground rules. You may also have given up some of your high ground. I’m reminded
of what my Mom used to tell me, “Just because Johnny does it doesn’t mean you
get to do it.” Oh, by the way, in those days, Johnny was sticking his head in a
bag of airplane glue, and I’m sure glad I listened to my mother. 🙂
Solve conflict!
Conflict can
keep us on the fence; if we do not solve it, we will be suspended from the
action. If you can recognize conflict for what it’s worth and learn to harness its
power, you will find many new doors open to you. Opportunities will surface
that you may not have seen before. And hopefully, by employing the tips
presented here, you’ll not lose any more sleep.
HELPFUL LINKS:
DEL'S BOOKS (CONFLICT MANAGEMENT, LAND USE, WILDFIRE, DEATH VALLEY, COWBOY POETRY, AND MORE)
WEBSITE (HOME PAGE)
PINTEREST (BOOKS, ARTICLES, AND MORE)
DEL'S ARTICLES (LAND USE, LIFE, WILDFIRE, VOLUNTEERISM, AND MORE)
More land use and volunteerism help here:
When I wrote this, I had just returned from a marvelous visit to southern Utah and several National Parks. I couldn't believe how beautiful erosion could be. Yes, erosion. This area of the United States has been eroded over time to some of the most spectacular scenery I've ever experienced. But think about how we perceive that word today: erosion.
###
It seems we've tweaked words in different
directions these days from how they were originally meant. Today, erosion
supposedly needs mitigation, yet some of our most treasured national parks were
formed by erosion. Death Valley, the Grand Canyon, Bryce Canyon NP, Zion, Cedar
Breaks, etc., were all caused by wind and water erosion.
Yet ask some of our self-proclaimed "environmentalist" friends, and you'll hear the bad things about erosion. Interesting. What about the beauty of nature's creations, which have been caused many times by pure erosion?
There is another tweaked word:
environmentalist. You won't hear me call the radical protectionists
environmentalists. No sir! The real environmentalists are folks like
those of us in organized recreation groups who fight to preserve our resources
for sustainable public use.
Radical protectionists or anti-access folks are
names that better fit the folks who run around spouting book-learned ecology
and advocating excluding us from our public lands. Stacie, my wife, calls
them "exclusionary elitists." Unfortunately, the anti-access folks
get the media attention they do, but that's life today. And that brings me to
another word that's been misused: access.
Access means passage and freedom of
entry. This does not mean that entry is only for those who recreate by
non-motor means. It should mean access for all. It should mean
sharing our public lands and sharing our trails -- for all users. In my
opinion, it should not mean a mandatory ride on a shuttle bus to see our
public lands, which we've already paid for and hired folks to manage.
As a side note, the reality is we will have to
ride shuttles someday. It's too bad that some of our public land managers
didn't plan far enough ahead to see this coming. Plans could have been made and
public input included so that something besides a cattle car would be
available. Perhaps a reservation system in combination with the inevitable
shuttle ride? Nonetheless, you might as well think of shuttle rides as
part of our right to access some busy areas and parks.
Now, please do not get me wrong about
environmental issues or activists. We need both sides of any issue to make the
best decisions. And the world is full of good people trying to do real good for
our environment. They have my respect. I have a Master's Degree in
Environmental Studies and Planning, so yes, I am concerned and care about what
we do to our planet. However, radical, exclusionary attitudes do not fit in
with public land management.
I am confident of one thing. When you stand on
a wind-swept sandstone formation that breaks off below you hundreds of feet
down, you can't help but behold the beauty of a word like erosion. But words
like erosion, environmentalist, and access have all taken on multiple meanings
these days.
My suggestion to you is to ensure the words
you're speaking are the words your listener is hearing. One never knows.
When making a speech to a group of county supervisors, giving testimony in
front of elected officials (congress, legislators), arguing with a group of
anti-access advocates, or just fighting for access to your trail, choose your
words carefully. And trust me, I still get head shakes when I say,
"Erosion is a beautiful thing."
HELPFUL LINKS:
DEL'S BOOKS (LAND USE, WILDFIRE, DEATH VALLEY, COWBOY POETRY, AND MORE)
WEBSITE (HOME PAGE)
PINTEREST (BOOKS, ARTICLES, AND MORE)
DEL'S ARTICLES (LAND USE, LIFE, WILDFIRE, VOLUNTEERISM, AND MORE)
More land use and volunteerism help here:
Proven Formula to Protect Access and Save Trails
By Del Albright
Saving
(and sustaining) a trail system, protecting access, and keeping our
off-pavement motorsports alive and well boils down to a proven formula:
Engineering, Education, Enlisting, and Enforcement. In the simplest of terms,
this means 1) design it right; 2) let people know the rules and how to help; 3)
get involvement from as many and varied users as you can; and 4) use trail
patrols and if needed, law enforcement officers to ensure the rules are
followed.
I am borrowing from my career in the fire service with their fire prevention programs that rely on the “three E's” -- Engineering, Education, and Enforcement. In fire prevention, the object is to design (engineer) a building, house, or sub-division in such a way as to minimize the chances of fire. You then educate folks about preventing fires with signs, letters, commercials, school programs, and whatever it takes. Then, if that doesn't work, you bust people with tickets for not complying and thereby jeopardizing not only themselves but their neighbors as well.
With protecting trail access, we have to add in the fourth E, Enlisting – getting involvement from as many volunteers, agencies, users, and businesses as you can. It is through volunteerism that we add a workforce to an always diminishing “staff” in land management agencies. When agencies or land owners say, “We don’t have the staff to maintain the trails,” volunteers step up, adopt the trail and become that staff. This kind of dedication and involvement has to be enlisted; it doesn’t happen by itself.
Here are many of the formula's components for you to add to your efforts to protect sustainable motorized access.
Engineering:
Risk
Management Assessment
Water
control and runoff
Water
crossings (hardening)
Soil
stability
Rolling
dips, waterbars, and other erosion/sediment control devices
Gabions
and other rock structures to strengthen and harden trail surfaces
Vegetation
(as a soil stabilizing factor)
Grade,
or slope; out slope/in slope
Rider
conflicts and user needs
Good
inventory of all routes and trails
Loop
trails/roads where possible
Monitoring,
with data collection to meet agency needs and trail future
Education:
Signage
to ensure rules are known and "stay the trail" is in effect
Brochures
and handouts (tap into TreadLightly! RIDE ON, and other programs out there)
Check-in, kiosks, permits
Web
page/forums and user meetings as needed
Develop and share trail “code of ethics.”
Hold volunteer meetings or training sessions for trail education
Enlisting:
Getting
volunteers (users, agencies, businesses) involved
Volunteer
training to ensure leadership and efficiency
Leadership
development and ongoing training
Adopt-a-trail programs with agencies and landowners
Organized
segmented layout for easy adoption/maintenance
Publication
of volunteer efforts
Application
for grants using volunteer hours
Developing
advocacy talents within the volunteer ranks
Enforcement:
Grant
for LEO or security/cops
Rules are well posted.
Warning
system
Well-advertised
Volunteer
trail patrol
Published
activities and successes of enforcement as needed
As always, I suggest you belong to and check with past successes of your national, regional, and state associations to see how this formula might have already been applied to your area.
If you apply the elements of this formula to protecting access, my 40+ years of landuse (and fire service) tell me we will all have a better and more sustainable trail future!
Del
HELPFUL LINKS:
DEL'S BOOKS (LAND USE, WILDFIRE, DEATH VALLEY, COWBOY POETRY, AND MORE)
WEBSITE (HOME PAGE)
PINTEREST (BOOKS, ARTICLES, AND MORE)
DEL'S ARTICLES (LAND USE, LIFE, WILDFIRE, VOLUNTEERISM, AND MORE)
More land use and volunteerism help here:
Always seeking something better!
In the off-road/OHV world, it seems we are always seeking a bigger, stronger, and better toy. I think we can say the same about land use and trails – always seeking.
In Latin,
there’s a phrase that covers this condition: “Auri sacra fames,” which
means the accursed hunger for gold. It is from Virgil’s Aeneid (19-BCE).
In his case, it focused on the insatiable desire for wealth and the lengths to
which folks will go in pursuit of it.
Virgil made the point that greed and the pursuit of material wealth are dangerous at any cost. In my many years of motorized recreation, I can attest to the danger of pursuing a bigger, badder, better-built rig—let alone the perfect trail system or perfect volunteer.
Before I
continue, I will consent that always seeking a better/badder rig keeps my mind
active and my hopes up! It’s kind of like trying to keep up with the Jones'. That is a good thing. Heck, we all know that change is growth, and once we quit
growing, well, you know…
The purpose
of this article is not to remind us how much money and effort we spend on
building better toys but to give some insight into pursuing perfection with
volunteers.
Let’s
transition this idea to land use and volunteerism. For example, we always want
a cleaner, more pristine trail to enjoy, so perhaps we get riled up and angry
over someone “who doesn’t get it.” In our pursuit for perfection, we might have
overlooked the lack of a trail patrol or law enforcement. People don’t drive
the speed limit on interstates because they want to; it’s due to speed limit
laws and police on patrol.
For another
example, let’s take an event you might be in charge of. You want it to turn out
perfect with no glitches. So you work your volunteer staff to the bone in the
pursuit of the “gold standard” of events. Using a military strategy, we start
out thinking that every plan is perfect until first “contact” with reality. You
might nit-pick, micro-manage, or just set expectations that are not realistic
in your seeking of something better. Your crew bucks back at you and/or burns
out in many cases. Perhaps, in this case, your “greed” for the best left you
holding the bag.
So here we
go. In volunteerism (and saving trails), we cannot expect perfection in my
experience. We cannot expect the hunger for gold to be satisfied completely.
However, that does not mean we can’t have a clean trail or a great event. It
just means we must be realistic with people who sacrifice their personal time
to help us in our pursuit of gold. And we must learn to live healthy and happy
lives with the gold we do get.
I am not
suggesting we lower our standards, but I am suggesting we find better ways to
achieve a reality that meets our expectations.
The trick, I
believe, is to learn how to impart your expectations to other volunteers in a
way that can help you get the gold and not frustrate them or you. Imparting
expectations clearly and completely requires practice and compassion. You must
put yourself in the shoes of your volunteers and “feel their pain.”
We must learn
what makes our volunteers excited or puts a smile on their faces at the end of
the day. It is different for everyone, so learning to “read” people really
makes communication more effortless (and finding gold).
And if you’re
getting eaten up by self-doubt or the feeling of failure because your idea of
perfection never happened, stop it! Please find a way to stop it. Take a look
at how you set expectations for achieving your gold-hunting goal. Consider
setting two goals/expectations at once – one high and one low ball so no matter
where the effort ends, you are in your range of “gold standard.” Get to know
your “crew” of volunteers better and find ways to communicate with them to help
you achieve your “auri sacra fames.”
Allow me to
add a caveat. Probably the biggest complaint I hear is how the job is not
getting done the way you want, so you do it yourself. Trash is not getting
picked up, so you stop and do it all along the trail by your lonesome. The
event committees are not doing all the jobs they were given, so you jump in and
just do them on top of what you’re already doing. This is a sure trail to
burnout.
Volunteers do
not like to be micromanaged. If a leader steps in and does all the work,
volunteers just step back and let it continue. Burnout is around the corner for
all.
We must avoid
burnout in the volunteer world. We can’t afford to lose people who believe in
our cause. Therefore, we must find ways to nurture, communicate, set
expectations, and achieve the pursuit of gold together.
(Feel free to
contact me if there is something specific I can help you with, such as
volunteering or saving trails for sustainable motorized recreation. Visit www.delalbright.com)
HELPFUL LINKS:
DEL'S BOOKS (LAND USE, WILDFIRE, DEATH VALLEY, COWBOY POETRY, AND MORE)
WEBSITE (HOME PAGE)
PINTEREST (BOOKS, ARTICLES, AND MORE)
DEL'S ARTICLES (LAND USE, LIFE, WILDFIRE, VOLUNTEERISM, AND MORE)
Happy Veterans Day, you old (and young) warriors! We're still here, still standing, and still proud to have served. To my fellow...
