Cubmaster Transistion Advice

[redfrecklemom]

I have been "lurking" around here for months, reading messages and gaining knowledge.......

now I have a question for all of you.

 

Our pack needs some advice on making the transistion from old to new Cubmaster in the "middle of the year" here. Our current Cubmaster leaves for military recall duty this week and we had a "Tiger Dad" volunteer to take over (WHEW!!) He is scheduled to go to CSLT with some of us this weekend, and has been reading, reading & reading almost everything about "cubmastering" that I could get my hands on for him. I had a hand in recruiting him to this position (He & his son are part of my Tiger Den) and I really want to see this work out. We had a transistion year about 3 years ago and have finally started to get our pack back into doing things the "right way". Our Committee Chair is in her first year, and most of the other Committee positions are held by Webelos 2 parents. This means that we will have almost a whole new Committee this spring when the Webelos cross-over into a Troop and take their parents with them. I see this as maybe not a bad thing for a new Cubmaster -- he can start fresh without all the "we always do it that way", you know? But it also has the potential to be very crazy for awhile - I hate to see things get lost in the shuffle, just because "no one told me about that".

 

Any advice?? Who should I introduce this guy to to help him with the transition? What other literature, besides the Leader Book and CSLT papers, etc. should I make sure that he gets? I remember being a new leader and thinking my husband had signed us into some kind of cult! It can be overwhelming! (Our new Cubmaster has little scouting background himself, but his father-in-law is an assistant Scoutmaster in a Troop in our district. I spoke to him at Rountable and am confident he will help answer any questions)

 

I am just fretting the transition, but don't want to come off as the "know it all, pain-in-the-butt, old-timer" that irritates everyone, either, you know? I just want to be available and helpful without stepping on toes (Although it is difficult for me as the lack of organization sometimes makes me CRAZY!!)

 

Anyway, any advice welcome!

 

Darlene

Pack 234 -- Indiana

Advancement Chair

Tiger Den Leader

Webelos mom

[acco40]

Is the gentleman a former Cub Scout or Boy Scout? That is not required but it helps. Is anyone else interested in the position? I found that a Tiger parent (or Wolf) who volunteers for Pack leadership is great because you get a few years of milage out of them! If he has an interest and is willing to get trained, go for it! Just remember, the leader of the Pack is the Committee Chair, not the Cubmaster. If either the CC or CM seem to balk at this, find other resources. Best of luck!(This message has been edited by acco40)

[Pack38Scouter]

I'm on my way out as a Cubmaster; however, I have the luxury of grooming my successor for the job. You, on the other hand, don't have much time on your transition. I can tell you one thing ... get your current leaders to chip in with the task especially your Committee Chair or your assitant Cubmaster. Let the new Cubmaster ease into the role ... meaning let him get assimilated at his own pace or else you will scare the gentleman away. I found that out the hard way. When I took the Cubmaster position two years ago, I told myself that I will help the new Den leaders get up to speed as fast as possible so that the Den can start having fun ... not the way that I had to find out myself when I was a Den Leader.

 

I gathered information; I lent out books; I got Fast Start going; I had new leader orientation, I got the Den Leaders listings of training; I had one-on-one meeting with the Den Leader to help plan for the Den meetings; and I even lead the first two Den meetings, much like what you are doing ... It backfired ... it scared two of the leaders away. Their feedback was that they were intimidated by the enormous tasks at hand and they were overwhelmed. Anyone would be fearful of the "one hour a week" volunteer notion.

 

The most important thing is that you have to get your new Cubmaster to "let his hair down." In other words, enjoy being a Cubmaster first and then run the show. Remember ... that's his job. Running the Pack is the Committee's job. If you force him to run the Pack then you will soon have to find another Cubmaster. Get everyone to pitch-in to help. This is a perfect opportunity to get alot more involvement from other parents. Also, get him the information that he needs. Presents to him the District's training opportunities, Roundtable, Pow Wow, etc. But let him do it at his pace. Again the important task is to get him to enjoy being a Cubmaster. Once he is in ... it's "hook, line and sinker!" When scouting is revived in his blood, he will flourish ... of course until the parental helps start to wane!

 

By the way, I know it should work, because that what happened to me! Two years ago, our Cubmaster decided to go on with his son to Scouting. It was Blue & Gold and he had no one to pass the baton on. After B&G, I approach him to talk about an unrelated issue. That's when he announced to everyone that I have volunteered for the position ... and left it at that! So I didn't have a transitional period. I had to sink or swim; however, I had great leaders and committee (not much of a CC), but a great committee nevertheless. y inaugural month as a Cubmaster was painless and actually enjoyable!

 

Good luck

 

YIS,

 

Pack38Scouter

[redfrecklemom]

Thanks both of you for the encouragement--

 

I logged on to Bob White's web site yesterday and printed out a bunch of stuff for our new Cubmaster to read through. Also, after expressing my concern to my husband (Our Webelos leader now, but has been my 11 year olds leader from Tiger year on, and a former Boy Scout.....he thinks he is "Mr. Scout, but pretty much stays out of the Pack Politics and concentrates mostly on his den)......Anyway, after talking to him a little, he has agreed to help with the transition. As far as helping Bill, our new guy, with the Pack Mtgs a little and being there with suggestions and to answer questions.

 

I know that our Committee is suppossed to "run the Pack" and we are working on that. We are in our 3rd year since the last transition and the old Committee was totally non-functional. The whole pack was run by the old Cubmaster. She resigned when her son graduated 3 years ago and left everything to the then Committee Chair. That woman then just took over in the same manner. No one new anything except her. She resigned last year when her son graduated and we have an almost totally fresh Committee. The few old timers who are still hanging are adjusting to the way things have been better delegated this past year or so. Many of the old hard feelings and "power trips" have been left behind. We are finally starting to establish specific jobs within our Committee - which, really, makes everyone's jobs easier. Delegation makes each person's individual job much easier to focus on and be sure it gets completed. The Cubmaster who is leaving, and I, as Advancement Chair, have been struggling to get people to understand this. The BSA has laid everything out so wonderfully, and set Packs and Troops up for success, if you just follow their program!!

 

I am excited about Bill taking over as Cubmaster. Not only is he a Tiger Dad, but also has a 4 year old son at home, yet, too - so we could really suck this one in for the long haul!! I think with all the old Webelos parents moving on to Troop positions in February, Bill has a good chance of succeeding at this, too. Transition is always a little difficult and stressful, but our Pack has really grown since the last transition (we have 25 Tigers this year!!) and I am excited to see where this all goes.

 

Bob - thanks for the wonderful information on the web-site!

 

And thanks to the rest of you for all the information I have already gained by just lurking around and gleaning off of all your questions and answers to each other!!

 

What a great community!

 

Darlene

Pack 234 - Indiana

Webelos mom

Advancement Chair

Tiger Den Leader

[envtllaw]

I am transitioning into the CM position from Wolf den leader. I have found the following to be helpful. 1) Attend district roundtables if you have them (our district leaders meet monthly with breakout sessions based on position). 2) Ask your district executive if a more experienced scouter can come by and give some advice. 3) Ask your unit commissioner to come by and give some advice. 4) Attend one or more annual Pow Wows or University of Scoutings. 5) Do lots of stuff outside.