Scoutmaster

Ten Truths about Leadership

Authors James M. Kouzes and Barry Z. Posner  have distilled thirty years of research and one million plus responses to their questions in The Truth about Leadership :

You Make a Difference. Before you lead others you have to believe you will have a positive impact on others.

Credibility Is the Foundation of Leadership. People are willing to follow someone who know, express and and consistently follow their values. Honesty and integrity are vital.

Values Drive Commitment. One can only commit completely to work they believe in, that matches their values.

Focusing on the Future Sets Leaders Apart. Leaders spend time reflecting on the future. Being prepared for the next big thing inspires and energizes others

You Can’t Do It Alone. Leadership is a team sport, and you need to engage others in the cause. You need to enable others to be even better than they already are.

Trust Rules. To enlist others, you need trust. Build mutual trust; you must trust others too.

Challenge Is the Crucible of Greatness. Great achievements don’t happen when you keep things the same. Change invariably involves challenge, and challenge tests you. It introduces you to yourself. It brings you face-to-face with your level of commitment, your grittiness, and your values. It reveals your mindset about change.

You Either Lead by Example or You Don’t Lead at All. You have to go first as a leader. That’s what it takes to get others to follow your lead.

The Best Leaders Are the Best Learners. Learning is the master skill of leadership. Leaders are constant improvement fanatics.

Leadership Is an Affair of the Heart. Leaders love what they’re doing and those they lead. Leaders make others feel great themselves and are gracious in showing their appreciation.

These truths should form the basis of any leadership development program. Even more, they are the motivation behind the right kinds of behaviors that go into the formation of good and sustainable leadership.

There are no shortages of problems and opportunities…. Leadership is not about telling others they ought to solve these problems. It’s about seeing a problem and accepting personal responsibility for doing something about it. And it’s about holding yourself accountable for the actions that you take. The next time you see a problem and say “Why doesn’t someone do something about this?” take a look in the mirror and say instead, “I’ll be the someone to do something about it.”

Scoutmaster Podcast 32

Troop Camping Trips, Merit Badge Counselor Quiz

Scoutmaster Podcast 32

Feel free to send your questions and comments (you can rate the podcast on iTunes). Use the email link above left or the comments feature of the blog.

Subscribe on iTunes

Music in Podcast 32

First Call - U.S. Air Force Band
The Happy Wanderer - Brave Combo
Boy Scout In Switzerland - The Beau Hunks Sextet
Taps for the Fallen Brave - 101 Strings on Amazon

What Would You Do? Promoting Advancement Without Being Pushy

Scouting Magazine's current question for "What Would you Do?"

Our troop has many boys who have just crossed over from Webelos Scouts. Some of their parents have their eye on the Eagle Scout Award from day one; others give no thought to advancement. How do we help parents find a healthy balance between the two extremes, so they can encourage their boys on the trail to Eagle without pushing them off the trail?

J.T. Charlottesville, Va.

Parents should understand that advancement is only one of many goals in Scouting. Scouting is unique in that Scouts advance individually at their own speed. There is no slow or fast there is only what a Scout individually chooses to do when he chooses to do it. The only time limit is his eighteenth birthday.

Scouts that are driven outwardly to advance may do so. Scouts who are allowed to develop an internal desire to advance can't be stopped!

Ten Fudamental Peices of Successful Scouting

A tip of the campaign hat to Seth Godin for inspiring this "decalogue"

1. Exude enthusiasm.
2. Scouting is different from other activities, keep it different.
3. Understand that Scouts experience things in groups.
4. Understand that Scouts experience things individually.
5. Make it fun, enriching and challenging.
6. Rely on individuals, not a system.
7. Plan remarkable experiences.
8. Quality of program defines the future.
9. Scouting is a story, a narrative, not just a meeting.
10. Renew interest with continual enthusiasm for what is happening next.

A tip of the campaign hat to Seth Godin for inspiring this "decalogue"

1. Exude enthusiasm.
2. Scouting is different from other activities, keep it different.
3. Understand that Scouts experience things in groups.
4. Understand that Scouts experience things individually.
5. Make it fun, enriching and challenging.
6. Rely on individuals, not a system.
7. Plan remarkable experiences.
8. Quality of program defines the future.
9. Scouting is a story, a narrative, not just a meeting.
10. Renew interest with continual enthusiasm for what is happening next.

Scoutmaster Podcast 31

Feel free to send your questions and comments (you can rate the podcast on iTunes). Use the email link above left or the comments feature of the blog.

Scoutmaster Podcast 31

Subscribe on iTunes

Music in Podcast 31

First Call - U.S. Air Force Band
The Happy Wanderer - Brave Combo
Taps for the Fallen Brave - 101 Strings on Amazon
Beaucatcher's Farewell - Tony Elman on Amazon

Scoutmaster Podcast 30

Troop meetings, Planning for the future 4, Scoutmaster's minute

Scoutmaster Podcast 30

Feel free to send your questions and comments (you can rate the podcast on iTunes). Use the email link above left or the comments feature of the blog.

Subscribe on iTunes

Music in Podcast 30

First Call - U.S. Air Force Band
The Happy Wanderer - Brave Combo
Minute by Minute - Wicked Pitches
Have You Ever - Brandi Carlisle
Taps for the Fallen Brave - 101 Strings on Amazon

Seton's Idea of Youth Development

Earnest Thompson-Seton first published 'The Birch Bark Roll' in 1902. His work in establishing the pre-BSA organization, The Woodcraft Indians, was ultimately woven together with the ideas of Baden Powell and Daniel Carter Beard to form the program of the BSA.

More than a century later Seton's ideas remain relevant to our work as Scout Leaders. Studying his foundational concepts help us maintain focus on heart of our work:

Two other important ideas underlie the scheme. The first is personal decoration for personal achievements; second, no competitive honors (Prizes are not honors.) All our honors are bestowed according to worldwide standards.

  In our colleges to-day every effort is made to discover and develop a champion. The great body of the students are neglected. That is, the ones who are in need of physical development do not get it, and those who do not need it are over developed. The result is much unsoundness of many kinds. A great deal of this would be avoided if we strive to bring all the individuals up to a certain standard. In our non-competitive tests the enemies are not "the other fellows," but time and space. We try not to down the others, but to raise ourselves. A thorough application of this principle would end many of the evils now demoralizing college athletics.

About one hundred and fifty deeds or exploits are recognized in these various departments, and the braves are given decorations that show what they have achieved. The plan aims to give the young people "something to do, something to think about, and something to enjoy in the woods," with a view always to character building, for manhood not scholarship is the first aim of education.

I learned early on that pitting Scouts against each other in competition reaped limited rewards. Most boys are naturally competitive, they don't need to be encouraged to compete. As Seton points out competition against another yields a few winners and many losers.

The idea of acheivement, rather than competition, is the model for character building is one of the most important concepts in Scouting; it is what sets Scouting apart from nearly every other youth activity.

Another key foundational scouting concept is a broad, varied field of acheivement that is designed to appeal to nearly anyone. Seton's scheme of achievements was developed to offer the largest possible spectrum of activity, learning and skill.

As trite as it may sound every scout is different. They have different skills, different talents and different ideas. Scouting is not intended to produce a uniform product but to recognize and validate individual effort, to build character one scout at a time.