Leading the Association: Striking the Right Balance Between Staff and Volunteers by James J. Dunlop

Leadership in associations is a responsibility shared between staff and volunteers. The most effective associations are able to maximize the contributions of staff and volunteers by appropriately defining their relationship. This relationship is not a static one, nor is there a perfect formula for splitting the responsibility. There are, however, some important principles that point to an appropriate direction for your association.   This study identifies these principles for the first time.  It introduces objective measures of staff-driven and volunteer-driven associations, based on careful research. It explores the relationships between staff and volunteer leaders and examines how and why their roles differ from one association to another. Finally, it identifies specific strategies that leaders may employ to shift the base of influence within their association.