I was recently thinking about a something I watched take place several years ago – the official “school count” day.
Specifically, a very large school district here in the state of Michigan was providing free meals and giveaway items in trying to “lure” attendance from every student possible.
This was taken from the school district’s official website:
Free breakfast and lunch
The Office of Food Services will offer breakfast and lunch to every student at no charge.
Great prizes
Students who attend class all day on count day will have a chance to win a 42-inch plasma flat screen TV, laptop computer, iPod nanos, or an American Express gift card through a Radio One contest.
From what I’ve read, 75 percent of school funding in our state is based on the fall count day, and 25 percent is based on the winter count day.
Something about this recruitment “approach” just didn’t sit right with me. Numerous studies have shown that the best results do not necessarily come when award-based incentives are given.
Now, perhaps if you’re just looking to fill a seat on a particular day, this tactic might prove somewhat successful.
But if you’re trying to inspire and motivate someone to attend school on a daily basis – and not be a delinquent or dropout – the results may actually be worse than if you never offered the incentive.
What drives people to engage long term is not “prizes” but rather their own interest in the program or activity, along with the belief that they’re making a difference.
We like to be involved in things that are “bigger” than we are, and this type of environment can encourage us to stay with it.
Daniel Pink provided a fascinating look at what motivates people in a presentation at the TED (Technology, Entertainment, Design) conference in 2009. Click here to check it out.
Daniel describes how if you want to motivate workers to do a “non-thinking” repetitive task, then incentives like cash and prizes can work.
However, if you want people to be committed, creative, and engaged, these types of incentives will not work.
How does this apply to recruiting church sound/worship production volunteers?
1) Seek out those with a genuine interest
2) Provide the opportunity for those involved to grow and expand their skills
3) Entrust them with as much responsibility and flexibility as possible
4) Allow them to experiment and to offer suggestions on equipment and procedures
5) Foster an environment where they really feel involved with something much bigger than just “twisting knobs and pushing faders”
Look at it this way – if these five tips don’t work, you can always revert to the “prize” model.
It could go something like this: “if you show up on time, don’t goof around or cause any problems, I may just honor you by letting you carry my guitar (or keyboard, drum sticks, gold plated microphone – whatever) around for me, and also associate with me.”
Hmm… I guess it all comes down to our concept of a good volunteer: are they a knob twister or a team member?
Gary Zandstra has worked in church production and as an AV systems integrator for more than 35 years. He’s also contributed numerous articles to ProSoundWeb over the past decade.
