Guidelines & Orientation
Vision
Greater Burlington shall be a growing center of commerce, industry, education, health care, entertainment and culture providing a great place to live, work and operate a business.
Values
- Vision – Identify, Evaluate and Act upon relevant Opportunities
- Integrity – Honest, Trustworthy and Truthful in all Actions
- Partnership – Joining Forces to Achieve Success
- Courage – Act with Strength and Conviction, even in the Face of Adversity
- Excellence – Exceed Member, Investor and Partner Expectations
- Fiscal Responsibility – Steward of Resources Provided to Conduct Mission
- Leadership – Boldness in Championing Ideas and Initiatives
Staff Expectations of Volunteers
- Prepare plans and guidelines for volunteers so they can react to specific tasks.
- Staff should provide leadership and not allow volunteers to load them down with “busy work.”
- Staff should communicate with volunteers clearly and in a timely fashion, before all meetings.
- Staff should expect and receive courtesy and politeness at all times.
- Ensure all contact with volunteers is professional and productive.
Volunteers Expectations of Staff
- Their time should be used wisely, not wasted on tasks that could be delegated.
- Volunteers should expect staff to provide necessary background to make decisions.
- Volunteers should expect to be told bad news or problems and should be involved in problem-solving.
- Volunteers should be given options and recommendations, not “what should we do about this?” or “we should be doing that.”
- Volunteers should expect politeness at all times, and firm pressure from staff to achieve objectives according to an agreed upon plan.
- Volunteers should expect staff to adhere to points of view that the staff believes is professionally correct, but staff should be flexible and respect volunteer’s opinions.
- Volunteers should view the staff as a valued professional, not someone to be dictated to or in contrast, unapproachable.
- Volunteers should be encouraged to treat staff members as colleagues and vice versa.
- Volunteers should be treated as valued colleagues and usual inter-office courtesy and conduct should be adhered to.
Leadership
- Understands and communicates the vision of the organization
- Understands the C mission and role in the community
- Willing to make decisions
Communication Skills
- Able to communicate the meaning and the value of its programs
- Represents the Partnership professionally
People Skills
- A good role model
- Conducts oneself in a professional manner, is respectful and non confrontational.
- Accepts praise graciously and gives praise fairly and appropriately to deserving volunteers
- Understands group dynamics and motivation of fellow volunteers
Works Well With Staff
- Ease of accessibility, either in person or electronically
- Fulfills commitments within agreed upon deadlines
- Has loyalty and confidentiality
- Gives support to controversial matters
- Candid appraisal of events and programs and assistance in improvement
- Listens to the professional advice of staff
- Sensitive to the resources and limitations, both physically and financially
- Understands and respects the difference between staff administration duties and those of the volunteer.
Knowledge of the Partnership
- Understands the Partnership structure
- Wears “business hat” when attending meetings
- Organizational abilities
- Willing to commit financial and time resources to support programs.
- Willing to consider new programs and to drop programs, committees and task forces when appropriate.