177. Manage Volunteers Like a Pro: 7 Rookie Mistakes and How to Avoid Them

In this episode of the Volunteer Nation Podcast, Tobi Johnson dives into the 7 common rookie mistakes non-profits make when managing volunteers and shares practical strategies to help volunteer managers reduce stress and rediscover the joy in their work. Tobi highlights the power of maintaining a positive mindset, setting clear boundaries, and focusing on community-building over paperwork. She also shares actionable tips for creating effective systems for delegation, engaging episodic volunteers for long-term impact, and prioritizing warm, relationship-driven recruitment strategies. Whether you’re a seasoned volunteer manager or just starting out, this episode is packed with insights to make volunteer management more effective and more enjoyable. Full show notes: 177. Manage Volunteers Like a Pro: 7 Rookie Mistakes and How to Avoid Them Manage Volunteers - Episode Highlights [03:45] - Rookie Mistake #1: Not Minding Your Mindset [07:53] - Rookie Mistake #2: The Department of One Mentality [13:00] - Rookie Mistake #3: Choosing Paperwork Over People [16:39] - Rookie Mistake #4: Not Building a Community Before Asking for Volunteers [22:41] - Rookie Mistake #5: Not Setting Clear Boundaries [26:39] - Rookie Mistake #6: Focusing on Cold vs. Warm Recruitment [28:27] - Rookie Mistake #7: Not Building and Documenting Clear Systems Helpful Links Volunteer Management Progress Report VolunteerPro Impact Lab Volunteer Management Fundamentals Live! Volunteer Nation Episode #003: Moving From a Scarcity Mindset to Abundance Volunteer Nation Episode #168: Note to Nonprofit Execs – Supporting Volunteers is Everyone’s Job  Volunteer Nation Episode #164: Moving from Volunteer Compliance to Building Your Nonprofit Community Volunteer Nation Episode #002: How to Recruit Volunteers by Building a Following First Volunteer Nation Episode #126: 8 Ways to Empower, Not Rescue Nonprofit Employees & Volunteers Volunteer Nation Episode #86: Converting Episodic Volunteers into Long-term Supporters Volunteer Nation Episode #046: Save Time with Better Volunteer Management Systems  ChatGPT (great for developing volunteer policies and procedures) 2026 is flying by. Still have doubts about your volunteer strategy? Join Tobi Johnson's Game Changers Q&A on Aug 27. Free registration. Get clarity.Register nowThanks for listening to this episode of the Volunteer Nation podcast. If you enjoyed it, please be sure to subscribe, rate, and review so we can reach more people like you who want to improve the impact of their good cause.  For more tips and notes from the show, check us out at TobiJohnson.com. For any comments or questions, email us at [email protected].