I have been on our Pack's committee for a while now and have worked with two Cubmasters prior to the one we have now. Previously, the Cubmaster, Assistant CM(s) and Den Leaders primarily were "in charge" of planning the program year and implementing den meetings, pack meetings and other activites. They let the committee know what was needed, and the committee and parents supported them the best we could. Primarily the committee focused on finances, recruiting new leaders, leader training and administrative tasks such as entering awards to scoutnet and online re-charter.
Our current CM has been in the position for 10 months. It started out great, and since he was very inexperienced, the committee members tried to give him as much help as we could. However, over the past 3 or 4 months, it has seemed like he really didn't want to be in the postion anymore. He stopped following through on event plans and eventually stopped showing up at events other than regular den meetings. At first he would call at least one other leader to say he couldn't make it, but over the past couple of months there have been 3 events at which he did not contact anyone, and simply never showed up. This included the Blue and Gold Banquet and Pinewood derby this past month. I am currently the committee chair and I have talked to him, the COR has talked to him, and he insisted that everything was just miscommunication, or last minute family issues. Then this week he called our district key 3 to ask for a meeting.
At this meeting he proceeded to tell the district key 3, COR and other leaders that his problem was with me "trying to take his job" and that he felt disrespected by myself and other committee members and that we were trying to push him out and take over the pack. I was very surprised by this, as I had felt that all along myself and others were helping an inexperienced leader. I apologized for anything that had happened to make him feel that way and, trying to find a balance, asked what he felt he needed from the committee. At that point, our district chair interjected by telling me that "the Cubmaster's only job is to have fun with the boys. Everything else is to be done by the committee and they are to assume primary responsibility for all events, activities and meetings."
That's not quite how it has worked at this Pack or any other that I know of. Any thoughts on how best to balance responsibilities would be appreciated.
What is the Committee's job?
in Open Discussion - Program
Posted
I have been on our Pack's committee for a while now and have worked with two Cubmasters prior to the one we have now. Previously, the Cubmaster, Assistant CM(s) and Den Leaders primarily were "in charge" of planning the program year and implementing den meetings, pack meetings and other activites. They let the committee know what was needed, and the committee and parents supported them the best we could. Primarily the committee focused on finances, recruiting new leaders, leader training and administrative tasks such as entering awards to scoutnet and online re-charter.
Our current CM has been in the position for 10 months. It started out great, and since he was very inexperienced, the committee members tried to give him as much help as we could. However, over the past 3 or 4 months, it has seemed like he really didn't want to be in the postion anymore. He stopped following through on event plans and eventually stopped showing up at events other than regular den meetings. At first he would call at least one other leader to say he couldn't make it, but over the past couple of months there have been 3 events at which he did not contact anyone, and simply never showed up. This included the Blue and Gold Banquet and Pinewood derby this past month. I am currently the committee chair and I have talked to him, the COR has talked to him, and he insisted that everything was just miscommunication, or last minute family issues. Then this week he called our district key 3 to ask for a meeting.
At this meeting he proceeded to tell the district key 3, COR and other leaders that his problem was with me "trying to take his job" and that he felt disrespected by myself and other committee members and that we were trying to push him out and take over the pack. I was very surprised by this, as I had felt that all along myself and others were helping an inexperienced leader. I apologized for anything that had happened to make him feel that way and, trying to find a balance, asked what he felt he needed from the committee. At that point, our district chair interjected by telling me that "the Cubmaster's only job is to have fun with the boys. Everything else is to be done by the committee and they are to assume primary responsibility for all events, activities and meetings."
That's not quite how it has worked at this Pack or any other that I know of. Any thoughts on how best to balance responsibilities would be appreciated.