My volunteer gig is making me crazy! Need email suggestions pls

[amyx4]

So I volunteer for an organization and my new "boss" is driving me crazy. He's a paid position (I'm not) but the previous boss mostly left me alone. Partly cause I'm doing a good job and partly cause the area I volunteer with is on the outer most area of the region and no boss ever drives this far to check on anything.
So the new boss is really into numbers and paperwork. I've always done the bare minimum for the paperwork because I'm much more interested in spending my volunteer time helping the community I'm working with and helping the other volunteers do a good job.
So our first clash was over paperwork. Which I had filled out and submitted correctly in March. He lost the paperwork. He drives to the event I'm at in May and he wants me to stop what I'm dong and fill out paperwork. I want him to come and see and interact with the event. He was not interested in the event and I was not going to take time away to redo the paperwork. On top of that, he implied I never filled out the paperwork at all. At this point, I can will say that I wasn't very polite. He quickly left without the paperwork. (I did eventually get him the paperwork and wrote a "team building" email)

So fast forward to today. I get an email at 10a.m. encouraging all the volunteers to a conference call at 7:00. I'm guessing my new boss is thrilled that he's solved the geographic problem. No other boss has ever hosted a conference call. So this a good idea. However, I really cannot be on at 7:00.
Is his expectation of a few hours lead time on a conference call normal? Remember he's getting paid and everyone else on the call are volunteers. Or am I just really not seeing this clearly because I don't think he "cares" about the community I serve? Please help me get some perspective.

[kdeunc]

It sounds like you have gotten off to a rocky start with the new staff person. I don't think that it is reasonable to schedule a conference call 12 hours in advance unless it is an emergency call. That being said, I would let him know that you think the calls are a good idea but that you need more lead time and cannot participate tonight.

Aside from the phone call it sounds like you are holding the fact that he is a staff person against him. Having worked in and volunteered for nonprofit organizations for 20 years I can tell you the vast majority of employees "care" about the organization or they would never work there as the pay is generally not great (don't know your specifics). The staff/volunteer relationship can be difficult to navigate. As a volunteer you think he is really nitpicky about paperwork and he lost what I gave him and as a staff person he is probably thinking, I can't believe I can't find this paperwork and if it is not done it is my rear on the line not the volunteer. If it were me in your position I would ask for a meeting to outline your responsibilities and his, so that you both are comfortable. Good volunteers are hard to find and I am sure your new boss knows that. Hope you are able to find a way to work together!

[California]

Managing volunteers is not a gift everyone has. I also have worked with and for nonprofits and have watched how some staff are really good at it, and some overwork their volunteers, don't communicate well, or fail to recognize volunteer efforts. But- they usually have other strengths that benefit the nonprofit, and it's worth it to work with them.

Trying to get you to fill out paperwork in the middle of an event is definitely awkward! It sounds like you are very early in this relationship, so if you can, reserve judgement while he settles into the position. Hopefully as he hits bumps with volunteers (like learning that not everyone can accept a last minute invite to a conference call), he'll learn better what he can expect from the team.

[Simon]

I agree with you that it isn't enough lead time for scheduling the call. I'd reply with a "great idea, a conference call could really help us all ________. Unfortunately, I can't do it on such short notice."
I agree it is irritating that he lost paperwork you submitted and missed cues about his request for you to fill out the paperwork during an event. It is entirely possible that he cares less about the event/population/specific work you do, or that as a paid staff member his priorities are simply different than yours.