Presented to Cornell alumni leaders during the 2013 Cornell Alumni Leadership Conference in Boston, MA on January 18th, 2013.

2. The "Innerview":
How to Recruit People to Your
Organization
Presented by Liz Ngonzi, MMH ‘98
Communications Committee Chair,
President’s Council of Cornell Women
Cornell Alumni Leadership Conference
January 18th, 2013 | 3:00 – 4:00PM
Enn1@Cornell.edu @LizNgonzi

3. Session Goals
@LizNgonzi

4. Session Goals
 Enable session participants to understand the
unique selling points of their diversity
organizations.
 Teach participants how to recruit new members
into diversity organizations.
 Review how to retain members and attract allies to
your respective diversity organizations.
@LizNgonzi

5. Organizational Self-Assessment
@LizNgonzi

6. Organizational Self-Assessment
Discussion: The biggest challenges
your organization faces with respect to:
Recruiting new members
Retaining existing members
Connecting with allies
@LizNgonzi

7. 5 Effective Ways to Improve Engagement
@LizNgonzi

8. 5 Effective Ways to Improve Engagement
1. Understand why people join organizations.
2. Identify the right people for your
organization.
3. Provide compelling reasons for them to join.
4. Develop opportunities for recognition and
advancement.
5. Become THE organization with which others
want to partner.
@LizNgonzi

9. 1. Understand Why People Join Organizations

10. 1. Understand Why People Join Organizations:
Q: Why did you join your diversity organization?
Top reasons people join organizations:
1. Someone they know and trust asks them to
join…face to face!
2. Looking to belong to a group, find new friends or a
mate.
3. Wanting to contribute and be recognized.
4. Needing to use their skills and abilities.
5. Seeking growth opportunities.
@LizNgonzi

11. 2. Identify the Right People for Your Organization
@LizNgonzi

12. 2. Identify the Right People for Your Organization:
1. “Birds of a feather flock together”.
2. Connection to their values, self interests and
passions.
3. Have the ability and interest in taking on
responsibilities.
4. Have skills and / or contacts your
organization can leverage.
5. Range in age and experience level.
@LizNgonzi

13. 3. Provide Compelling Reasons to Join
@LizNgonzi

14. 3: Provide Compelling Reasons for Them to Join:
1. Create opportunities to engage them in-person /
one-on-one.
2. Clearly define what they’re joining.
3. Explain what your organization is about.
4. Focus on always projecting a professional and
welcoming image.
5. Clearly define membership criteria.
6. Make it personal: Always convey your message
demonstrating your understanding of their
interests and needs.
@LizNgonzi

15. 4. Create Opportunities for Recognition and
Advancement
@LizNgonzi

16. 4: Create Opportunities for Recognition and Advancement:
Focus on developing long-term relationships with members
1. Create engagement opportunities that enable leadership to
observe members in action.
2. Pay attention to members’ grievances and praises.
3. Identify those members who are most likely to assume
leadership roles.
4. Take the time to meet with and interview those members
showing potential to lead.
5. Acknowledge their contributions and clearly define what you
see as their potential role(s).
6. Once they sign-on to take additional responsibilities, ensure
that you coach them and recognize their contributions.
@LizNgonzi

17. 5:
1. Sds
2. Dsd
3. Sdsd
4. Sdsd
5. sds
5: Become THE Organization with Which
Others Want to Partner @LizNgonzi
@LizNgonzi

18. 5: Become THE Organization with Which Others Want to Partner:
1. Always convey an image of professionalism and
welcoming.
2. Develop a target list of organizations with which you want
to partner.
3. Meet with target organizations’ leaders to understand
what would be a mutually-beneficial relationship, based on
relative strengths and weaknesses.
4. Follow-up as agreed and focus on providing as much
value as (or even more value than you receive).
5. Find ways to publicly acknowledge the contributions of
your partners.
@LizNgonzi

19. Activity: Create Three 60-Second Pitches
@LizNgonzi

20. Activity: Create Three 60-Second Pitches
1. Why a recent graduate should join your
organization.
2. Reasons a member should assume
leadership role(s) in your organization.
3. Why another organization should join
forces with yours.
@LizNgonzi

21. Activity: Create Three 60-Second Pitches
(Cont.)
1. Assemble members of your organization to
work on the task (one minute)
2. Assign a team leader / scribe / presenter (one
minute)
3. Brainstorm ideas (15 minutes)
4. Present your ideas (three minutes per
organization)
@LizNgonzi

22. THANK YOU!
@LizNgonzi

23. Resources: Books
• The Volunteer Recruitment (and Membership
Development) Book
• The New Breed: Understanding and Equipping the 21st
Century Volunteer
• Chicken Soup for the Volunteer's Soul: Stories to
Celebrate the Spirit of Courage, Caring and Community
• Boomer Volunteer Engagement: Collaborate Today,
Thrive Tomorrow
• Volunteers Wanted
@LizNgonzi

24. Resources: Online
• How to Recruit People to Your Organization:
http://www.iww.org/en/guides/branch/recruit
• The Volunteer Management Daily:
http://paper.li/cnoeone/1339765811
• VolunteerMatch Blog:
http://blogs.volunteermatch.org/engagingvolunteers/
• Cornell Alumni Leadership Conference 2012 - Diversity Leaders
Session: Coalition Building
http://www.slideshare.net/ElizabethNgonzi/cornell-alumni-
leadership-conference-diversity-leaders-session-coalition-
building
• Social Media + Alumni Presentation:
http://www.slideshare.net/paulprewitt/social-media-alumni
@LizNgonzi

25. Sources
Image: Source:
Cornell Mosaic Photo / http://www.alumni.cornell.edu/mosaic/
Logo
Lego People in Rows http://farm4.static.flickr.com/3033/2577039807_85c08226ee.jpg
Lego Soccer Goal http://i1.mirror.co.uk/incoming/article859844.ece/ALTERNATES/s615/Great+Lego+E
uro+moments:+Golden+France,+2000
Lego Chaos http://www.selco.info/download/attachments/58032179/800px-Lego_Color_Bricks.jpg
Lego Question Mark http://www.firstnews.co.uk/site_data/images/thumbs/lego_question_mark_4b41d53b
8a3b1.jpg
Lego Blocks http://blog.assetmap.com/2010/10/collaboration/the-collaboration-genome-what-
collaboration-actually-means/
Rainbow People Assembly http://i1.squidoocdn.com/resize/squidoo_images/250/draft_lens3372672module2154
3032photo_1237549231attracting_members_engaging.jpg
4 Rainbow People http://i3.squidoocdn.com/resize/squidoo_images/250/draft_lens3372672module2154
3052photo_1237549276attracting_members_networked.jpg
Rainbow People Gathered http://i1.squidoocdn.com/resize/squidoo_images/250/draft_lens3372672module2154
in Semi-Circle 3002photo_1237549502attracting_members_relevant.jpg
Kids Playing http://www.ourcommunity.com.au/marketing/photobank/photo/?00140
Raised Hands http://hillarsaare.com/multiple-google-plus-one-buttons-on-one-page/
Cornell Math Classroom http://tinyurl.com/7gngvzn
Phone Image http://gsnb.rutgers.edu/contact.php3

26. LIZ NGONZI
SlideShare.net/ElizabethNgonzi
ENN1@Cornell.EDU
@LizNgonzi
+1 732.208.3304
LizNgonzi.com
Pinterest.com/LizNgonzi