How do volunteer leaders move from being seen as “extra hands” to strategic drivers of mission success?

In this episode of the Volunteer Nation Podcast, Tobi Johnson is joined by Chris Wade and Matthew Cobble, co-hosts of the Time for Impact Podcast in the UK, for a practical and thought-provoking conversation about building influence through impact.

Together, they explore why volunteering needs to be reframed as community participation and talent, not just unpaid labor and how leaders of volunteers can use data, stories, and strategic thinking to elevate their role inside organizations.

This episode goes beyond counting hours or outputs and dives into how volunteer engagement directly contributes to outcomes, organizational strategy, and long-term change.

Full show notes: 193. Building Influence with Impact with Chris Wade and Matthew Cobble

Building Influence - Episode Highlights

• [00:31] - Introducing Special Guests: Chris Wade and Matthew Cobble
• [01:12] - Building Influence with Impact
• [01:57] - Meet Chris Wade: A Leader in Volunteerism
• [03:58] - Meet Matthew Cobble: A Journey in Volunteer Engagement
• [07:42] - The Importance of Volunteerism in Today's World
• [12:42] - Volunteers as a Strategic Asset
• [14:10] - Measuring Impact and Building Influence
• [24:12] - Challenges and Solutions in Volunteer Leadership
• [31:15] - Hypotheses and Program Design
• [32:18] - Vision Week and Volunteer Planning
• [33:06] - Shifting Mindsets on Volunteerism
• [34:12] - Strategic Planning and Data Utilization
• [36:13] - Design Thinking in Volunteer Management
• [37:39] - Collaborative Data Collection
• [40:32] - Practical How-Tos for Volunteer Impact
• [42:46] - Measuring Volunteer Impact
• [53:44] - Collecting Evidence and Surveys

Helpful Links

• VolunteerPro Impact Lab
• 2025 Volunteer Management Progress Report – The Recruitment Edition
• Time for Impact Podcast, Tobi Johnson on the Challenging, Brave Journey of Volunteer Leadership
• Volunteer Nation Episode #175: Outputs vs Outcomes: Why Counting Hours Isn’t Enough
• Info on Lewin's Force Field Analysis
• Info on Balanced Scorecard for Nonprofits
• Info on the Double Diamond Design Process
• Info on the Outcomes Star

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.

In this episode of The Volunteer Nation Podcast, Tobi Johnson tackles a topic that’s becoming increasingly urgent in the nonprofit and volunteer engagement world: copyright, intellectual property, and the ethics of sharing content.

As a content creator, trainer, and consultant, Tobi has seen a growing wave of copyright misuse, most often unintentional, but still harmful. From lifted slide decks to copied models to repurposed blog posts, the misuse of intellectual property not only creates legal risks but erodes trust within our professional community.

This episode is your practical, plain-language guide to understanding copyright, protecting your organization’s intellectual property, and respecting the creative work of others, staff, volunteers, and sector leaders alike.

Full show notes: 192. Respect the Work: How to Protect Copyright in the Age of Sharing

Protect Copyright - Episode Highlights

• 00:53 Understanding Copyright and Intellectual Property
• 01:41 Copyright Quiz: Legal, Ethical, or Neither?
• 04:17 Real-Life Copyright Infringement Examples
• 09:06 Why Copyright Matters for Nonprofits
• 09:54 Common Misconceptions About Copyright
• 11:55 How to Protect Your Copyright
• 18:05 Avoiding Copyright Infringement
• 35:22 What to Do If Your Work is Stolen

Helpful Links

• Volunteer Management Progress Report
• VolunteerPro Impact Lab
• Volunteer Nation Episode #188: Let’s Talk Volunteering with Weave: the Social Fabric Project
• Council for Certification in Volunteer Administration (CCVA) Professional Ethics in Volunteer Management
• Creative Commons Website

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.

In this episode of Volunteer Nation Podcast, Tobi Johnson breaks down a common misconception in the nonprofit world: Who is ultimately responsible for shaping your organization’s volunteer culture?

After receiving pushback from a newsletter statement, Tobi walks us through the deeper nuance of volunteer culture, how it forms, why it goes wrong, and most importantly, why the CEO, not the volunteer manager, is the true culture owner.

Whether you’re a leader of volunteers or a senior executive, this episode will give you clarity, relief, and a roadmap for healthier culture-building moving forward!

Full show notes: 191. Who is Ultimately Responsible for Your Org's Volunteer Culture?

Volunteer Culture - Episode Highlights

• [02:00] - Why “Vision” = Culture
• [03:00] - What Is Volunteer Culture?
• [05:00] - The “Emotional Brand” of Your Organization
• [07:00] - How Culture Is Formed (Often Invisibly)
• [09:00] - Unintentional Culture Builders
• [11:00] - Why You Need a Culture Audit
• [12:00] - 7 Signs Your Volunteer Culture Is in Trouble
• [14:00] - When the Loudest or Most Overwhelmed Person Is Driving Culture
• [17:00] - Who is Ultimately Responsible for Volunteer Culture?
• [18:00] - Role of Senior Leadership & Department Heads
• [20:00] - Role of Volunteer Managers & Direct Supervisors
• [22:00] - Role of Volunteers Themselves
• [23:00] - What Happens When the Wrong Person Is Steering Culture
• [25:00] - Why Volunteer Managers Can’t Shoulder Culture Alone

Helpful Links

• Volunteer Management Progress Report
• VolunteerPro Impact Lab
• Volunteer Nation Episode #168: Note to Nonprofit Execs – Supporting Volunteers is Everyone’s Job

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.