Understanding the Authoritarian Mindset (so it doesn’t kill your volunteer program)

An authoritarian mindset is most often the reason volunteer systems fail. Here we examine the impact of the authoritarian mindset on leaders and followers.  

First, authoritarians have good intent. It is true, however, that they operate using a method that often impacts others both significantly and negatively. It’s who they are, and because authoritarianism is held by many in poor regard, most don’t want to see themselves this way. They may not believe they are or want to be labeled as authoritarians.  

An authoritarian is someone who believes in obedience to authority as a major part of their identity. Notice that sentence doesn’t say “leader.” It says “someone.” That means an authoritarian can exist as a leader or as a follower. Authoritarian leaders and followers can be troublesome for volunteer engagement in many social good situations.  

An authoritarian believes in obedience to authority as a major part of their identity. 

Let’s examine what the authoritarian leader’s volunteer program looks like:  

• Volunteer roles are described in terms of process and method, not outcomes. EX: Instead of saying, “We’ll need tents for 100 people to sit under on August 10,” an authoritarian will describe EXACTLY what will happen: “We need ten tents for ten people each, procured from X, set up at right angles to the stadium seating, with the chairs in two rows of five each, white chairs and white tents, etc.”  

• Volunteers are celebrated more for compliance, not outcomes.  

• Volunteers don’t ideate; volunteers just “do.”  

• Volunteers are not shown the big picture, just “what’s next to do.”  

Being a volunteer in the situation above does not yield much satisfaction, except in one case. An authoritarian leader works fine as long as all the volunteers are also authoritarians. However, those with authoritarian mindsets don’t often show up in social good in general, and in volunteer programs specifically. Authoritarian leaders get frustrated that they can’t control volunteers. Authoritarian followers get frustrated that they don’t get clear, “Go do this” instruction.  

The opposite of authoritarianism is both collaborative and individualistic. That means that once the outcome is defined, individuals ideate and collaborate to accomplish the goal. Let’s call this “free-thinking” (only because that is what Wikipedia defines as “anti-authoritarianism”). This free-thinking method makes authoritarian leaders break out in rashes, and makes authoritarian volunteers confused and frustrated. Authoritarian leaders want to tell people what to do; authoritarian followers want to be told what to do.  

The worst kind of authoritarian volunteer manager 

In the worst-case scenario, we have authoritarian leaders who are also bad at organizing. That looks like this:  

Volunteer: “Hey, I was thinking we could manage inbound donations this way…what do you think?”  

Authoritarian leader: “I haven’t been able to take a look at that yet, so just give me a week,” (then a month, then a year).  

This particular authoritarian can neither say, “Go forth and conquer,” nor “Here’s what you should do.” The good news (?) is that authoritarians don’t show up in social good work all that much. When they do, because most social good is dependent on volunteers, they fail and leave. Unfortunately, they cause damage to free-thinking systems along the way, disenfranchising volunteers and sometimes staff. 

Is there a place for authoritarian volunteer managers? Unlikely.  

Is there a place for authoritarian volunteers? More likely.  

Sometimes you just need stuff done. Sometimes people want a quick fix of social good to make them happier (yes, that’s a thing). Give it to them. The trick is to find out who they are, which will help you give volunteers the right experience for their mindset.   

How to find out if someone has an authoritarian mindset 

Here are a few questions that might help determine if someone as an authoritarian mindset:  

• Would you prefer to manage a project or support someone else managing a project?  

• Describe your favorite past volunteer activity. What was your role?  

• Tell me about a volunteer role you really hated. 

• Tell me about what you do or did professionally. What was your role?   

• Do you consider yourself creative?  

If you find you have someone with an authoritarian mindset in a role that really needs a collaborator and motivator, find them another role. Their failure will be painful to all involved, even though all operate with good intent.