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How would you encourage this committee member ? Or would you say anything at all?


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Was at the Troop meeting last night (I'm a ASM). One of the ASPLs were going around to the adults and asking if there were enough committe members in attendance to take care of a couple BORs. He had two adult committee members lined up, then asked a 3rd.

 

The 3rd guy looks at the ASPL and states, "I don't have time tonight - I'm just here for a few minutes to drop , I have to go to Costco soon." Then committee member hung out for about 20 more minutes before departing before the end of the troop meeting ?!?!? I believe they still got the BORs done, but had to wait awhile as they were forced to wait until the treasurer was finished with his troop business so that he could be the 3rd member of the BOR panel.

 

How or what, if anything, would you do to try and address this issue? I can't image volunteering on either the committee or program side of the unit - showing up for a troop meeting (even if only part of the meeting) and then refusing to DO YOUR JOB for the troop! I just cringed when I overheard the conversation between this committee person and the ASPL, but the ASPL handled it well and ultimately got the BORs done for his fellow scouts. Do I let it go as a no-harm, no-foul thing? Or is it worth making a point out of the issue? I'd be interested to hear the cyber-campfires take on this one...

 

Dean

 

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I wouldn't say anything to the MC. Do commend the ASPL for being persistent in assembling a board for his fellow scouts.
But, if the problem persists, bring it up at a committee meeting. One person's need to get shopping done shouldn't derail a troop. You had N-2 MCs who weren't available for 20 minutes. If it adds up week after week then the team needs to rethink it's strategy.
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My gut reaction was: Why wasn't this BOR scheduled ahead of time? Why is the ASPL tapping into committee members at the last minute? Had he planned ahead on this, the MC could have made plans and maybe shopped the day before.

 

So often we look at a person as the root cause of a problem, when basic problem solving is not looking for blame, but for ways to make the system work. Over the years I have seen people "solve" their problem by getting rid of people and somehow the problem just doesn't go away. Kinda makes one wonder why.

 

I would suggest the ASPL plan ahead and schedule BOR's with enough time for people to be able to dedicate 100% of their attention on the situation at a prescribed time. I for one would appreciate the "heads-up" on things like this before the last minute.

 

I don't expect my volunteers to be ready at the drop of a hat to step up and "do their job" when needed at the last minute for something.

 

Nothing is as simple as one person being right and another being wrong as the cause of all problems. This situation was predicated on the fact the ASPL was running around at the last minute trying to throw together BOR's. Sorry, my attention would be focused on the ASPL and why he didn't respect the personnel on the committee enough to call a week in advance and set up time for the BOR's I'm sure the MC could have easily done his/her shopping the day before and would have been able to devote his/her time as needed.

 

So to answer the question. NO I would not dress down the MC, but would have a constructive conversation with the ASPL on how to respectfully make plans to set up BOR's so as to avoid this problem in the future.

 

Stosh

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I'm basically with Stosh. Most BORs should be planned ahead of time. The Costco parent may not have a good time to go shopping this week except for that time. Put on the spot, he didn't want to change his plans. I don't think it's a big deal, unless this is a routine thing. Under most circumstances, a one week delay of a BOR isn't a big deal.

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I'm basically with Stosh. Most BORs should be planned ahead of time. The Costco parent may not have a good time to go shopping this week except for that time. Put on the spot, he didn't want to change his plans. I don't think it's a big deal, unless this is a routine thing. Under most circumstances, a one week delay of a BOR isn't a big deal.
If the ASPL calls Mr. Costco 3 or 4 times and that person always has an excuse for not helping, that is one issue, far different than having someone/anyone be available for a BOR at the last minute. A clear distinction needs to be drawn as to which of the two issues it really is. Focus needs to be drawn on each issue, not blurring the issues into one.

 

Stosh

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just spit ballin', but it may very well be that Mr. Costco might just have been illustrating for the boys or re-enforcing the same point that jblake's made about the ASPL's lack of planning.... maybe he could have done it, but didn't want to at the drop of a hat.

 

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Agree with others, but also would like to add one thought.. Has this MC ever done a BOR? If not he may also feel timid about volunteering for the "unknown" where he does not know what will be expected of him, and if he will make a fool of himself.. Our troop would always set up a BOR ahead of time, but if we have new committee members ask one or two of them to sit in and observe so they are comfortable with the process before they are asked to be a member of the board.

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I don't see a problem here at all. The scout was looking for someone to be the third person on a BOR, one committee member couldn't do it that night and so a little later in the evening another member finished one task and assisted with the next one. It all worked.

 

We used to have a rule that scouts had to line up Sm conferences and BORs at least a week ahead of time, and that's a great idea, but on a regular basis one of the adults cannot keep the commitment and we end up scrambling so we scrapped the "rule" and if a scout can put together the members the same night he requests great, if not we try to more formally schedule it and have it happen the next week. The success rate seems to be about the same and we don't trip the scouts or ourselves up in unnecessary bureaucratic umm stuff.

 

 

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