Spreading the Word

[bbng 10]

Dan K, well said. The reasons given for not following the program or for not following part of it can be surprising. They range from "I didn't know" to "I don't want to know" to "I know but think I know better than BSA". Add into the mix varying personalities, motivations, and degrees of experience, and a picture of the unit becomes clearer. Without knowing the why of resistance, it's not possible to overcome it.

[dkurtenbach 348]

CNYScouter, I don't know what the situation is there, and I don't want to be pessimistic, but be aware that one possibility is that, with these assignments, you're being set up to fail -- You'll do a lot of work and make a presentation that will be politely listened to before being rejected out of hand, with the result that you'll be so frustrated and disappointed that you'll shut up or leave. That may not be an open or even conscious goal of the leadership, that's just a common way for groups to deal with "the new guy" who wants to make a bunch of changes.

 

Dan K

[CNYScouter 46]

I am pretty sure this is not the case.

I am not the only one who is developing plans to improve areas in the troop.

We have others putting together plans on ways to better communications, on recruiting and retaining scouts, improving in FCFY and other topics.

In fact, I was stuck with these two topics because I was the new guy and no one else wanted them.

We were all asked to put together a plan and ways to implement our topics.

 

I did say at this meeting that my son had been in the Troop almost 3 months and I had yet seen his patrol act like a unit.

He had been on 3 camping trips but he hadnt had to plan a meal or go shopping for food as a patrol (an adult handled all of this).

I was not alone in this assessment and do have support from a couple of other parents on this.

 

Every parent at this meeting wanted their sons to become better leaders.

I was told that leadership was one of the areas they had been concentrating on to improve last year.

The problem I see is that they didnt put any effort into using the patrol method as they felt is wasnt important to teach leadership.

Nor had they used any other method to support the teaching of leadership.

 

At the meeting, we discussed areas that needed improvements.

Looking over these areas, I see that these equate to each method of scouting.

I also see that each is being handled as a separate topic with no relationship between each.

 

I want to be associated with a great Troop not a mediocre one. I was in a very good Troop as a Scout and I want that for my son.

 

 

[dkurtenbach 348]

I sincerely hope it is not the case and that you have a good group of adults -- including some of the current leadership -- who recognize the need for improvement and are open to the changes necessary. Best wishes.

 

Dan K

[juris 10]

GNY Scouter, It sounds like you were in my Troop ?

Did you participate in our trip to a Canadian Boy Scout camp, or a trip to Camp Delatour, Colorado or our scout exchange program to Europe, or International Jamboree in Canada ?

Well, if you did, then you understand what makes up a successful unit. Don,t misunderstand me, I had problems with my unit. Once, we told the Patrol leaders to plan a menu, and shop for food . Well, everything went wrong...the PL's thought the Troop was going to cook the meals. So no one bought any food. On the day of departure at our Troop bus ( against BSA,Inc. policy to have properties registered to the Troop )We had to solve the problem.( many adults scouters suggested I cancell the trip to teach the boys a lesson [recomended on one of my training courses ]....But, I dis agreed with this punative measure. Right on the street we held an emergency PLC meeting to solve the problem. It was decided un route to our mountain camps, that we stop at a supermarket, and the patrols purchase their food, which they planned on the bus. The I (Scoutmaster) paid out of my

emergency $ 500 petty cash, to make this trip for 35 kids a success. They all talk about it to this day, that the three day mountain encampment was the best. Yes, Scouting does work...but has to have an open mind, and decide what is best for your unit. Don't have a committee debating sociatey like the UN, where seldom anything constuctive ever done, " keep it simple, make it fun " Remember "Baden Powell" Scouting, did not have sofhisticated training courses, high paid National executive staff,...but boys were happy in the Scouting program. Thanks supporting me. Juris

[Prairie_Scouter 10]

CNYScouter,

Sorry for not having responded sooner. Your original thread popped in the midst of a family medical emergency, and I thought that EagleinKY had some very good thoughts.

 

In our troop, we are growing in our use of the Patrol Method? Why? Because until recently, our troop was small enough that we didn't have multiple patrols. (well, actually we did have 2 patrols, but on many outings, attendance was such that doing things as individual patrols wouldn't have worked as well or been as enjoyable). Now, we did all the activities that a patrol would do in regards to planning outings, menus, cooking, duty roster, etc. We just tended to do them a bit outside of our patrol structure.

 

Now, over the past year or so, our troop has begun to grow and attendance at our outings has been growing as well, so I am now in the midst of making more use of the more typical patrol method. We now have 3 patrols, and will probably form a 4th patrol if we have another successful recruiting season this coming school year. This will give us better structure, give our PLs some real authority which was lacking before, and overall, I think, make us a better troop.

 

So, in some cases, yeah, we're a work in progress. I believe in a certain amount of flexibility where it's warranted. And, in regards to another comment, I am one of those folks who thinks that certain personality types are needed to be really good Scout leaders. That's just based on experience with other leaders; not to say that others are bad leaders by any means, just that some leaders, with certain personalities, seem to take to the role more naturally.

[KoreaScouter 13]

If you equate the 8 methods to the 8 cylinders of an auto engine, each cylinder (method) must be connected to the others by a crankshaft (comprehensive program), and have the right fuel/air mixture (leadership emphasis) to ensure the engine (Troop) is operating properly. If any cylinder is running too lean or rich (one method is over or under emphasized in context with the others), performance will degrade. This mixture is adjusted constantly by a computer (leaders) to maintain an optimal setting. Of course, a Troop's not a machine, but I've used the engine example to explain why it's important that we use all 8 methods in their proper proportions.

 

But, therein lies the rub. How much leadership development is too much? Too little? How about the uniform -- ho hum, get sent home if you're not wearing it, or somewhere in between? Do you let advancement take care of itself, or run an "Eagle Mill"? And so on, but the point is that nobody can give you a cookie cutter formula. A uniforming emphasis that works in our Troop may be inadequate or overkill in yours, for example. Ultimately, to achieve and maintain equilibrium, you must have a unit leader who understands the methods, how they complement each other, and is able to adjust the valves to re-meter them as necessary, for that particular unit. Just as importantly, that unit leader must be able to communicate the aims and methods to other registered adults, and parents who don't understand the program. Trust your instincts; they're probably right on the money.

 

KS