Historical Merit Badge program update (... or not)

[AlFansome]

03/17/2010

http://blog.scoutingmagazine.org/2010/03/update-bsa-historic-merit-badge-program.html

 

 

"You may have heard rumors that the Historic Merit Badge Program has been canceled. Not true.

 

What is true is that the BSA is putting finishing touches on the program now, and the end result will be well worth the wait.

 

The Youth Development team plans to release the program soon, and once that happens, it will consist of much more than just adding Signaling, Tracking, Pathfinding, and Carpentry to 2010s list of available merit badges.

 

The team wants todays Scouts to get a sense of what Scouts in the 1910s experienced. They want Scouts to earn the merit badges in ways similar to those used by Scouts back then. The world has changed drastically in 100 years, but the fundamental lessons of these merit badges have not.

 

In the spirit of being green and making the program accessible, you wont be able to get printed materials for the merit badges. Instead, have your Scouts go to scouting.org.

 

Theyll have access to scans of the original pamphlets for each of the four historic merit badges. However, because the language and techniques used in those badges comes from the early 20th century, the BSA has been hard at work crafting supplements that will help put the requirements in a modern context.

 

The site also offers program implementation guide, a camporee guide, a Boy Scout resident camp guide, a training session guide, press releases, and other materials that councils, districts, and units can use to promote the program.

 

Stay tuned to Cracker Barrel for additional news as we get it."

[John-in-KC]

Al,

 

Thanks for the update. Here's the short version:

 

Enthusiastic Scout: "Is it time for youputcha?"

SPL: "No, it's not time for youputcha."

Enthusiastic Scout: Walks away head down, sad.

[Twocubdad]

"In the spirit of being green and making the program accessible, you wont be able to get printed materials for the merit badges. Instead, have your Scouts go to scouting.org."

 

Garbage like this just makes me nuts. If that is true, why don't they go to online versions of the other 120 merit badge books? (Answer: because at $5.00, there is nice profit in merit badge books.)

 

"Initial production of new merit badge books is expensive and because this is a limited program, we don't want Scout Shops across the country to be stuck with expensive and obsolete books at the end of the year."

 

Why make up stuff when the truth is perfectly reasonable and easily understood?

 

[RememberSchiff]

Agreed, in keeping with the day. That is a lot of Malarkey.

 

my $0.02

[Oak Tree]

"the end result will be well worth the wait"

 

That seems exceptionally hard to believe. I would have been happy to wait for it from October 1 through December 31. The result may indeed be good, but trying to make the wait sound like it was a good thing, I'm just not buying.

 

I'm not sure what the truthful text here would look like...

[T2Eagle]

I used to work for a company (a midsize insurance company) that felt compelled to make all their decisions sound this way. We'd make a tough call that cut costs: maybe doing away with some perk or some nicety on campus, but we never said we were doing it because we just needed to save money. Instead someone would go back and think up some plausible more pleasant or positive reason for the decision, and thats the reason that would be published. Similarly we never admitted that some project just got screwed up and took longer than it should have. It was always spun that it was delayed so that it could be made better.

 

Not long into my tenure I started objecting if I was in the room when a decision was made and the published explanation didnt match the facts. I ruffled some feathers, but I think the credibility of our announcements went up. I always thought it was at least in part my scouting experience that influenced me to stand up. Its disappointing seeing similar things coming from BSA.

 

Folks need to remember that the world is actually full of other grown-ups who can handle the truth, even when it's unpleasant.

[Lisabob]

A truthful text would look like this:

 

"We acknowledge that there have been some difficulties with the roll-out of the historical merit badge program, and we apologize for these errors. We are working to ensure that all boys who want to work on these badges have the full opportunity to do so by extending the deadline for completion of these badges to (pick a time), so long as the boy *begins* work on the badge before the end of 2010. To expedite the process of getting the historical merit badge program up and running, we will be posting all requirements and source material online, rather than waiting for a production run of printed material. The online support material is available on XX date, at XYZ.bsa.org . Again, we appreciate your support for the historical merit badges and your patience as we have worked out the kinks in the delivery of this program."

 

And then they would actually STICK TO what they promise, in terms of new roll out dates.

 

 

THAT is what honesty might look like. Instead we got slick excuses that don't fool anybody and cause further disappointment that they must either think we are stupid, or else they don't even understand how they are coming across.

 

Brass Tacks: when you screw up, admit it and fix it. Don't try to cover it with pretty words.

 

To any BSA National folks reading this, feel free to just take what I wrote above, add dates and a website, and run with it, if it would help you.

 

[Twocubdad]

"However, because the language and techniques used in those badges comes from the early 20th century, the BSA has been hard at work crafting supplements that will help put the requirements in a modern context. "

 

Translation:

 

"God knows we can't offer a merit badge for 'Stalking.' The PC Police will go nuts. It's taking longer than we expected to PhotoShop all the old merit badge books to change Stalking to something more acceptable."

 

And I for one am grateful for the implementation guides and press releases. There's no way Scouts could earn merit badges without a canned press release for the local media.

 

[Oak Tree]

Well-written, Lisabob. That's perfect. When I said I didn't know what the text would look like, I was thinking that I didn't really know what was causing the delay, but as you so artfully demonstrate, that is irrelevant for the apology.

 

Here's an article that I just find so on-topic:

http://www.iveybusinessjournal.com/article.asp?intArticle_id=766

This author describes the requirements for an apology to be effective and discusses how it can improve business operations, interpersonal relationships and employee morale.

 

Here is what I consider the key line for anyone in a position of authority:

Apologizing by admitting a mistaketo co-workers, employees, customers, clients, the public at largetends to gain credibility and generate confidence in ones leadership. Acting defensively, on the other hand, undermines it.

 

Those who feel most natural in their position of leadership tend to be comfortable in admitting mistakes. Those who are insecure about their position tend to be more defensive. The article says: To acknowledge a mistake is to assert secure leadership.

 

And yes, Twocubdad, you had me laughing too. If this delay doesn't change any of the preliminary requirements, but just involves the addition of promotional material, that will just be the capper.

[NE-IV-88-Beaver]

And the truly sad part is that, due to their inadequacy at National, a number of Scouts have aged out every day between January 1st, 2010 and xxxxxxxxxx (Lord knows when, but hopefully before December 31st, 2010), without ever having been able to take advantage of what was supposed to be a memorable program!!!

[jeff-o]

"Soon?"

 

When is that? And way to say, "Gee, follow this link for more --" only there's nothing there. I'm not impressed.

[Twocubdad]

Who wants to bet this is just a turf war between the Innovation Council, Youth Development, PR/Marketing and others? Someone went public with this without kissing all the right hands (or whatever) and now it's payback time.

 

So much for Mazucca's vaunted reorganization.

[jhankins]

Yup, communication between divisions has been on a downslide for the past two years. The reorganization is only making it worse. Think of it like growing pains. Really painful, drawn out.. growing pains.

[oldsm]

According to my District Advancement Chair, there are no plans to follow through with the Historic Merit Badges. Seems that someone at National thought it would be a good idea, Boys Life picked it up and ran with it, but the decision to actually do it was never approved and likely will not be.

BL owes us an apology, I think.

[NE-IV-88-Beaver]

If that's true, why did they make the merit badge patches and put them in stock?