Management 101

MANAGEMENT 101: Motivating Volunteer EMTs
 
Congratulations on your leadership position as a manager of an emergency response organization! What a huge honor, and even more huge responsibility. Like cutting the grass or cleaning the house, a manager’s tasks never end, and just like weeds and dust, emails and voicemails cannot be neglected. Because of the never-ending managerial tasks, your best asset, by far, should be your fellow EMTs. Good team management allows you to confidently delegate your tasks to competent assignees.
 
Now, if you wanted the management position because of status, you may not be prepared to accept that the organization’s needs come first. Think long and hard before accepting the position. Keep in mind, great technical EMT skills do not automatically guarantee good management skills. Those skills are acquired through training programs, and include motivating, delegating, communicating, rewarding, self-security and self-discipline.
 
Involvement is much different today than it was even 10 or 15 years ago. You may remember the days when a manager told you “It’s my way or the highway”. But, with mergers, acquisitions, outsourcing, and downsizing, mutual loyalty and longevity are a thing of the past. And so is that highway. Because of this culture shift, it is so important for you, as a manager, to find ways to retain and motivate your current members. There is no one-size-fits-all strategy, and it is crucial that you tap into what fuels individual members. With the suggestions laid out below, you can create a plan that will help you be respected, be supported, and more importantly, be a successful manager of a great EMS organization. 
 

• Value Your Individual Members - All volunteers share the motivation of self-esteem. This is the recognition of what they uniquely add, and the acknowledgement they receive. The importance of feeling important is very important, and as a manager, you better make volunteers feel important.

 

• Appreciate Their Time - There is an alternative cost of being a volunteer. They could be at the gym, working a second job, spending time with family, or taking classes to advance their career, and these all reap competing benefits for a volunteer. As a manager you must make your volunteers feel appreciated for their sacrifices.

 

• Accept Other Ideas - Always remember that you were once in the shoes of your team, and you too had ideas you wanted to share. Collaborating on new initiatives is a great way to ensure your members feel valued and appreciated. Listen to your volunteers with an open mind. They may have an answer you haven’t been able to find.

 

• Create A Safe Community - A strong motivating factor for becoming and EMT is the desire to protect the security of a volunteer’s own family and neighbors. A manager should reinforce the strength of the organization by providing opportunities to strengthen the individuals. Doing so will motivate the volunteers to keep the organization strong by participating in ongoing training and extra duties.

 

• Foster A Friendly Environment - The organization is like a second family for many volunteers and it is so important for members to feel accepted by patients, community members, politicians, and police. Plus, the comradery of other volunteers is so important. Having functions where your membership meets citizens, the mayor, council, or Chief of Police all help volunteers establish their place within a tight-knit community.

 

• Promote Mutual Investment - In order for a member to continue expanding their knowledge, a manager must reward the continued effort of volunteers. Always keep in mind that they are volunteering their time and energy, and that needs to be recognized. The organization cannot be successful without well-trained and invested EMTs.

 

• Make It Exciting - The thrill of new tasks, events, duties, new equipment, and new training methods, all create excitement within an organization. Managers must get creative so that members do not become bored. Promotions, committee developments, and new responsibilities can keep these motivators stoked.

 
Remember, as a manager, you must genuinely value your EMTs and you should feel confident in delegating your tasks to your membership. Fostering a strong community allows you to do this, and ultimately, leads to a better and more successful volunteer organization. The stronger the community, the more lives we can save.
 
Check back next week for the second installment of Management 101: "Being a Good Leader"