Check the Facts !!!

My partner does a great deal of volunteering so it won't surprise anyone that he volunteers for a large music festival in Birds Hill Park every July.   He has been volunteering for almost 20 years.  The festival has grown substantially in 20 years and volunteering has completely changed during that time.  Back in the old days, you just needed to raise your hand and you were in, and come whenever you could make it.  Now, of course, the appropriate checks have to be completed and there is the need for schedules and orientation and new roles created.  About 5 years ago, his "crew" was broken up.  This broke his heart as they had become quite tight with each other.  He questioned whether to continue as some of his crew decided it wasn't worth it anymore.  But, he found another role he could volunteer in that gave him satisfaction. 

Earlier this week, his schedule came out and it was exactly what he didn't want.  He was ticked off.  He couldn't understand why his almost 20 years of volunteering didn't count for anything.  He takes two vacation days each year and he wasn't scheduled for those days and scheduled for the one day he was supposed to work.  He felt like telling them to "take this volunteer job and shove it". 

I suggested that he might want to check his facts before going down that path.  There was another path available to him.  He could have a personal conversation with the scheduler.  Remember, before all of our communication was in email or text so we could have a record of it.  We actually used to talk to each other face to face.  It is often difficult to connect with people face to face but we can try another option.  Talking to someone on the phone.  There was a time when we phoned people and expected them to ansswer.  Now, we trade voicemails back and forth. 

So, he agreed to talk to her and picked up the phone. It turned out the scheduler had read his availability wrong.  She apologized and was going to update his schedule.  It turns out the scheduler was human and humans are flawed and occasionally make mistakes.  Most are actually unintentional and easy corrected. 

So, whenever you feel "a pinch", I urge you to step back and look at your options and at least give reeasonable doubt that it may be an unintentional mistake.  Take a risk and check it out.  Before you take yourself down a path, you really do owe it to yourself to make sure you have all the facts.