qualities of a good SM

[cheffy 10]

This question came up over coffee this morning.

What qualities make up a good SM.

Let's get the ball rolling this should be a good discussion.

 

[OldGreyEagle 5]

1. Able to take training and apply whats presented

2. Realize there are many ways to "skin a cat" (hope

PETA doesnt hear that)

3. Not be afraid of losing the spotlight, the boys

are front and center

4. Be willing to let boys make mistakes and fail, as

long as no one is in harms way

5. Adapts his/her leadership style to the situation

and to the scout involved

6. Carries thorugh on all promises made

 

 

[KoreaScouter 13]

Patience; this is a marathon, not a sprint...

 

KS

[Eamonn 61]

OGE has a real good list.

If I might be so bold I would add

7.Does his or her best to live the Oath and Promise.

8. Is able to laugh at him/herself and with the Scouts.

9. Never ever falls into the "We have always done it that way" trap.

Eamonn

[Fat Old Guy 11]

I'd go with be willing to let the Scouts make mistakes.

 

Also, be willing to let the Scouts run with some harebrained ideas unless they are unsafe. They might work and if they don't, the Scouts have learned something.

 

As Eaamon said, laughing with the Scouts is important. We have two ASMs who are equally by-the-book and hard nosed about the program. One is loved by the Scouts and the other disliked by everyone. The difference is that former has fun, laughs at himself, and is approachable. To the latter, the book is the program and if fun is had, it is incidental and by the numbers.

 

 

[dsteele 20]

Someone, I'm sure, will help me with the source -- I think it was a Scoutmaster Handbook from the late seventies . . .

 

But it illustrated to me very deeply the idea of a good Scoutmaster. My old man took it to heart when he was Scoutmaster.

 

It began with a description (first person, I think) of a parent with no Scouting background visiting a troop with his son. It described the boys running the troop while the leaders meandered and looked like they were doing nothing. There was no "leader" in sight.

 

It wasn't until the Scoutmaster's minute that the man knew who the Scoutmaster was.

 

To me, that's a good Scoutmaster. It isn't that he/she isn't doing anything -- it just isn't obvious.

 

I'm not making this up, am I?

 

If it is a figment of my memory I still stand by it.

 

DS