181. The 8 Volunteer Policies That Are Killing Your Mission

Sep 30, 2025

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In this episode of the Volunteer Nation Podcast, Tobi Johnson uncovers eight common volunteer policies that could be hurting your mission. From poor first impressions and slow communication to overly complicated screening processes, inflexible commitments, dull training, micromanagement, lack of recognition, and difficult exit procedures, Tobi breaks down the pitfalls that can frustrate and disengage volunteers.

You’ll get real-world examples of these challenges and actionable strategies for creating a more volunteer-friendly culture. Plus, Tobi shares a practical self-assessment checklist so your organization can identify problem areas and make improvements that boost volunteer engagement, satisfaction, and impact!

Whether you’re running a small nonprofit or a large organization, this episode is packed with insights to help you retain and inspire the people who make your mission possible.

Full show notes: 181. The 8 Volunteer Policies That Are Killing Your Misson

Volunteer Policies - Episode Highlights

[04:40] - Volunteer Policy #1: The Terrible First Impression
[05:44] - Volunteer Policy #2: The Communications Black Hole
[06:33] - Volunteer Policy #3: The FBI Level Screening Process
[07:45] - Volunteer Policy #4: The Marriage Contract Commitment
[13:47] - Volunteer Policy #5: Death by PowerPoint
[17:11] - Volunteer Policy #6: The Micromanagement Trap
[18:31] - Volunteer Policy #7: The Recognition Vacuum
[19:53] - Volunteer Policy #8: The Exit Interrogation

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Thanks 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 WeCare@VolPro.net.