Why Should I Be An IEEE Volunteer?

What Will I Get Out of Being an IEEE

Volunteer?Don C. Bramlett, PE, SMIEEE

IEEE Region 4 Director 2009-2010

Southeastern Michigan Section

DTE Energy – Project Engineer

Who is Volunteering

• 49% of American adults volunteered in 1995• Over 50% of American between 25 and 54

years old• 45% of all American men and 52% of all

American women• Increases with education attained, over 70%

of college graduates volunteered an average of 4.8 hours a week

• Increases with household income, 69% with income over $100,000

Type of Organizations

• People are most likely to volunteer for charitable and community service projects; many people want to “make a difference” or help to solve a problem

• Many trade and professional organizations, like IEEE, are finding it difficult to compete for their members’ volunteer time; numbers diminishing

More Opportunities for Networking

• Technical/Educational• Professional• Social• Commercial• Career/Employment

More Opportunities for Technical/Educational

Networking• Meet people in my field of practice• Meet people in other areas of practice• Meet people inside & outside my company• Meet experts in various engineering fields• Make local, national & international contacts• Actively participate in meeting tutorials,

presentations, seminars, conferences, tours• Personal discussions & communications

More Opportunities for Professional Networking

• Exposure to management, leadership, project management, business administration issues

• Interface with individuals in other professions• Meet people inside & outside my company• Meet experts in various professional areas• Make local, national & international contacts• Actively participate in meetings, tutorials,

presentations, seminars, conferences, tours.

More Opportunities for Social Networking

• Attend general interest presentations• Go to dinners and banquets• Participate in singles/couples events• Enjoy family events• Play in golf outings• Attend sporting events• Attend cultural events

More Opportunities for Commercial Networking

• Interface with potential clients for services and customers for products

• Interface with potential suppliers of products and services

• Learn about products, services and suppliers

• Develop productive relationships

More Opportunities for Career/Employment

Networking• Exposure to employees & managers in

own business/firm/institution

• Meet potential new employers

• Interface with possible new co-workers

• Recruit potential new employees

• Learn about consulting opportunities

Professional Development Opportunities

Learn, develop and practice:

• Leadership skills

• Management skills

• Personal communication skills

• Public Speaking skills

• Meeting/Event planning skills

Leadership Skills Growth

• Interpersonal Communications:

Personality types, motivating, team building, coaching, meeting personal needs, etc

• Conflict Management:

Collaboration, compromise, etc• Problem Solving & Decision Making:

Brainstorming, synergistic decision making, cause mapping, KT techniques

Management Skills Growth

• Successful conduct of meetings• Productive publicity• Effective project controls• Results oriented cost controls• Auditable financial accounting• Concise reporting techniques• Good performance evaluation

Sense of Accomplishment

• I have a meaningful voice in the IEEE and event planning

• I have contributed in a meaningful way to the betterment of others and myself

• I only have to do what I want to do, like to do, and have time to do

• I can be adventuresome and try new things• Others appreciate my efforts

My needs as a Volunteer• A specific manageable task with a

beginning and an end

• A task that matches my interests and reasons for volunteering

• A good reason for doing the task

• Written instructions

• A reasonable deadline for doing the task

My needs as a Volunteer• Freedom to complete the task when and

where it is most convenient for me

• Everything necessary to complete the task without interruption

• Adequate training

• A safe, comfortable and friendly working environment

My needs as a Volunteer

• Follow-up to see that the task is completed

• An opportunity to provide feedback when the task is finished

• Appreciation, recognition and rewards that match my reasons for volunteering

• Value added to encourage employer to support volunteer efforts.

Reference Resource

“Volunteers: How to Get Them, How to Keep Them”

By Helen Little

Panacea Press, Inc.

Naperville, IL 1999