When team members become unresponsive. Where is the line between assertiveness and nagging? What has worked after the "thrill is gone" in getting started?

updated by @mundy-viar: 10/24/16 04:45:35PM

Whooo! That's a great one...

the thing I have learned from other great organizers is to go back to one-on-one conversation and peoples' motivation to act. If you're feeling stalled with someone, I'd suggest setting up a time to just talk and ask them honestly how they think things are going and what THEY want to see going on. Really focus on listening and hearing what it is that they have energy to do, to be a part of, to realize together with others. Sometimes just that space to dialogue can refresh someone... sometimes it helps open a path forward for the project, and sometimes you both realize there may be another place they would be happier putting their energy.

I'm very curious what others have to say... it's a continual challenge for many of us I believe!

Thanks, April. In fact, this is my plan. Working on it currently! Again, thanks!

Mundy -

for years i was involved with an agency and it had a specific focus. during that time, my experience was that we had a constant turnover of volunteers -they came when the were energized to work on the focus and left when their energy pointed in some other direction or, we found, when they lost a strong feeling of personal importance in the work. when their energy was refocused on another issue outside of the perview of our agency - we said "good-bye" and tried to leave the door open for their return; but, in the case of their loosing a feeling of personal importance, we had to start wondering if we really knew what they personally needed to sustain their motivation.

we started working to understand volunteers' "paycheck" - 70 years ago, dale carneige reminded us that people's sense of importance is essential to maintain throughout a project...or they become discouraged.

let us know how you do.

Awesome! You've got great instincts then. How has it been going?