Editing Building Relationships (section)

== The Organizing Cycle ==
[[File:Organizing Cycle.png|thumb]]
The organizing cycle is a way frame all the steps required to bring an individual onto a campaign’s leadership team, starting from their first conversation with a volunteer, through to being in a leadership role recruiting others. The organizing cycle ties together most of the practices in the Building Relationships chapter into a progression that we can use to bring someone through all the stages on the pyramid of engagement.

Note: Each number on this diagram corresponds to a level on the pyramid of engagement (pg. 39).

# We '''identify new supporters''' for our campaign through some sort of campaign tactic: gathering petition signatures through canvassing door to door, holding an event or via social media.
# We seek out '''volunteer prospects''' by asking supporters if they will volunteer at an action or come to a recruitment 1:1 meeting. You may ask prospects to volunteer in person or on the phone. Many campaigns identify volunteer prospects by having an “I want to volunteer” box to check on petitions or online sign-up forms. We use a '''hard ask''' when asking prospects to volunteer or come to a recruitment 1:1.
# The volunteer attends an '''action''' and is asked to commit to a future action before they leave. This continues until an organizer decides to hold a '''recruitment 1:1''' with them. We ask for commitment to a significant or ongoing volunteer role at a recruitment 1:1. Some campaigns, especially those requiring a high volume of volunteers such as a large scale canvassing-based campaign,. From this point on an organizer does regular '''maintenance 1:1s''' with them.
# The volunteer is given one or more '''leadership tryouts''' so they can exhibit the ability and commitment needed to take on the responsibility of a leadership role.
# The tested volunteer agrees to take on a leadership role in a '''leadership 1:1'''. They become a leader on a leadership team, receives training and begins recruiting, coaching and escalating volunteers.

<div style="background-color:#eee; padding:1em; border:1px solid #ccc;"> How early in your engagement with a new volunteer you choose to hold a recruitment 1:1 depends on how advanced your campaign is. An organizer starting a new campaign and building a leadership team from scratch would likely hold many 1:1s with new volunteer prospects, as there might not be any volunteer actions to invite them to. An organizer working on a well-established campaign with a functioning campaign is more likely to hold a recruitment 1:1 after a volunteer completes their first action. </div>