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Robert Gates new book: A Passion for Leadership


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In the latest edition of Scouting Magazine Robert Gates was lauded as the great savior of the current BSA.   The quote that really made me raise my eyebrows was "that BSA is the finest organization f

I look forward to reading his new book. I hope there is a chapter or two about the BSA.

Leadership is not just about making a change. Leadership is about working things out among diverse groups. Leadership is NOT summarily changing something because the leader wants to. That's cowardice or dictatorship, that's not leadership.

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Leadership is not just about making a change. Leadership is about working things out among diverse groups. Leadership is NOT summarily changing something because the leader wants to. That's cowardice or dictatorship, that's not leadership.

If that's what you think happened, that's your choice. Maybe someone else would like to debate with you about it, but not me.

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If that's what you think happened, that's your choice. Maybe someone else would like to debate with you about it, but not me.

 

ROFL, think? Ah, might want to go back and look at the survey that was done...and then how the "leaders" voted. Please.

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ROFL, think? Ah, might want to go back and look at the survey that was done...and then how the "leaders" voted. Please.

If the BSA is survive, it also needs to look towards the future, not just the present. There was no clear direction forward. Current leaders were opposed to changing the policy, millennials, people who have young children or will be soon, were opposed to the policy. BSA must have been weighing the effect of recruitment of new cubs who have millennial parents. 

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If the BSA is survive, it also needs to look towards the future, not just the present. There was no clear direction forward. Current leaders were opposed to changing the policy, millennials, people who have young children or will be soon, were opposed to the policy. BSA must have been weighing the effect of recruitment of new cubs who have millennial parents. 

 

Right. And we now see all those people now joining scouts in droves. The rush of people to join this year must have clearly curtailed the near double-digit membership losses. Wait, that didn't happen? Surprised....not.

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Right. And we now see all those people now joining scouts in droves. The rush of people to join this year must have clearly curtailed the near double-digit membership losses. Wait, that didn't happen? Surprised....not.

I'm done talking with straw. You can argue with yourself, convinced of your intellectual superiority. 

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p24

"To be successful agents of change -- of reform -- leaders not only must be able to envision a new way forward but also must be practical, with the skill to build broad support for and implement their vision."

Edited by RememberSchiff
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I'm done talking with straw. You can argue with yourself, convinced of your intellectual superiority. 

 

You made a statement inferring that if the ban was lifted the millennials and their kids would correct the 40+ years of membership losses. Not only did this year's membership loss not go up, it DOUBLED the last year's number!!! So, you can hide behind words like "change" and throw out epithets like "intellectual superiority" when someone is pointing out facts, but what you are doing is merely what the Obama administration has done for seven years. You are trying to fit YOUR view of the world by obfuscating facts to fit your view. Fact: The ban was lifted. Fact: Membership CONTINUES to go down. Fact: Millennials are NOT joining Scouts in the record numbers (or in any large number). So much for change.

 

All this change did was to help a very small minority. Much like healthcare reform, a smaller number was helped while a bigger number got screwed. In the process quality went down...but that small group got better then they had while a VAST majority have it worse. Bravo for diluting the quality of life!

 

 

p24

"To be successful agents of change -- of reform -- leaders not only must be able to envision a new way forward but also must be practical, with the skill to build broad support for and implement their vision."

 

Since when does one equate being a good leader with being a "successful agent of change"? Leadership is more than change. Lenin was a change agent. So was Che Guevara. So was Patrick Henry. So was MLK. These men have "change" in common. It is what makes the different which is what made them great leaders. I know no doubt Gates sees himself as the MLK of change for the good. He'd have to ask all those who were against his change how they feel about him. 

Edited by Krampus
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