non-committal Committee

[AnnLaurelB]

Ooooh! I-I-I want a ScoutParent Coordinator. Jealous!! :0) That's a great idea; I'll keep that in mind as we find folks to fill spots! That job needs to be one of them!

[Oak Tree]

I sent (what I thought was) a pretty compelling email to everyone in the church who I thought appropriate, as well as to ALL of my parents, and got NOT ONE RESPONSE.

 

I did this a few times before I realized I was never going to get many, if any, responses to these types of notes. From then on I did all of my recruiting one-on-one. I got a lot better at asking people individually if they would do it. They are much more willing to say yes when asked to do a specific thing. Not always, but often.

[AnnLaurelB]

And you know what? I KNEW that. SHOULD have known that. I grew up in the church (not this one, but) and I learned long ago that to announce a need from the pulpit gets you nowhere.

 

No, the only way to get people to pitch in is to look them in the eye and be specific about what you'd like them to do, why it needs doing, and how you think they'd be good at it.

 

I KNEW that. What was funny is that at the last Committee meeting, after the email went out, this one guy showed up, saying, "You still need help with Cub Scouts?" He literally lives in his mama's basement, and can't work because he's "emotionally handicapped" (his words), and has been known to disrupt the worship service with ...shall we say he's just ...an inappropriate choice to work with our children?

 

The Committee all started sort of humming, clearing throats, and I said, "That's great! I can always use help setting up the chairs and stuff the day before events, and before camping trips, we need someone to get them down out of the loft and check the sealtite on the seams!"

 

I'm not sure that's what he had in mind. Bwahahahah! But hey. Somebody needs to check the tents, right?!?

 

You're all right--I/the Committee need to identify possibles, and talk to them directly.

[SeattlePioneer]

>

 

 

Yep. That's another problem ----- the wrong person may volunteer.

 

 

The smart move is to identify the BEST PERSON to do a task, and ask them. If they don't agree, ask the next best person.

 

 

It seems like a no brainer that you want the best person to fill a position, but if you ask for volunteers that isn't likely to happen.

 

There are lots of little peculiarities like that that help make a quality Cub program if you understand them!

 

[AnnLaurelB]

You know, I know this. I know I can do this; I know my instincts are good! But I have been second-guessing myself because 1) I'm new to Scouting AND being CM, 2) I didn't want to overstep my bounds, 3) The "church" aspect of the Charter tends to want to dictate things a certain way.

 

And the list goes on, but those are some of the things I've identified as my challenges.

 

But what I'm learning about Scouting is the same as what I jokingly tell the men I work with (7 men + me, like Snow White): "The sooner you accept that *I* am always right, the happier a man you will be."

 

I've been sooo afraid to step on toes, but the more I read here, the more I realize that ANY firm line (if it's an appropriate one that can be defended by logic and clear thinking) can be enforced if enforced with charm and a smile...

 

...and an iron will. Heh. :0)

 

 

 

 

[rschlaegel]

I know when my husband took over the senior pastor's job at our church, the former pastor that was also charter rep for the pack did nothing and neither did any of the committee members (I think that there was three others from the church). When my husband took over, that all ended. He is committer rep and chair, even though our CM leads the meetings. I am on the committee as the secretary and our church treasurer is also on the committee as the pack treasurer. We now have a working committee that consists of us three, the CM and all the DL we have no parents that come even though we encourage them to come. Our district Exectutive said this is the first time that he has seen a pastor so active in Scouting. It does also help when your son is invovled in the troop and our daughter is also involved in venturing. But we have none in cubs.

[AnnLaurelB]

UPDATE!

 

So the older lady who should have been the church liason, but who was the de facto CC, is leaving of course. In her place they've hired a young man to be the Youth Guy. The pastor told me yesterday that they guy wants to be involved in Scouting.

 

(That may have something to do with me crying to my best friend, who is the son of the Advancements Chair, who is married to a gal on the pastor/parish committee, who may have told the p/p chairman that the new Youth Guy NEEDS to be on the Cub Committee!)

 

Dontcha just love small towns?!?

 

So our Scout Exec will be at our next Committee meeting for the reshuffling of the deck. Hopefully we can get this little train up the hill.

[KISMIF_Works]

That sounds like great news! Hopefully together you can generate some positive momentum for your program.

 

In my experience, positive leadership combined with good organized events seem to be key in getting other parents to want to pitch in. During my earlier years in the Pack, when it was more dysfunctional, I could see parents distancing themselves from the "sinking ship". Now that the program is humming along it seems we have more help than ever.

 

This might sound weird to an outsider, but I think others here can relate to what I'm about to say...just be careful not to get too emotionally invested in the outcome of each event. Some events might not execute as well as you had hoped, but don't get too discouraged if that happens. Don't get discouraged if things seem to be taking a while to turn around. I start each Committee/Leaders Meeting with a critique of our last Pack event. I find that it helps us not only for when we go to plan that event the following year, but to help us anticipate issues that could arise for our upcoming events.

 

[AnnLaurelB]

"Some events might not execute as well as you had hoped..."

 

BWAHahahahah!

 

Um...yeah, like my Blue and Gold, which I had timed within 15 minutes of the "surprise" arriving. The local fire department was SUPPOSED to come roaring into the lot (right past the windows where we were) between 7:30 and 7:45.

 

I had stuff planned during that time that could/would be interrupted. However, 7:30 came and went...7:35...7:40...7:45...Now I was getting worried...

 

Yeah, they didn't show up. The *ahem* COMMITTEE member in charge of getting them there didn't confirm (although his text to me said he had).

 

THAT was supposed to have been the memorable part of the evening. The firemen were supposed to let them try on their gear, and climb all over the truck, and run the siren.

 

I was sooo disappointed, but what could I do? I just had to apologize, and promise that we'd have the surprise another time.

 

Oh, well. You win some, you lose some. It was still a nice banquet.

[AnnLaurelB]

Heh. The best moment was when I was up in front with the mic, trying to stall, and said, "Can someone find Mr. David*?" (the guy who was supposed to secure the fire truck).

 

He popped his head out of the kitchen, and I said, "Any word on the surprise?"

 

He just said, "Nope. I dunno. They were supposed to be here."

 

(Pause...lengthy pause...)

 

"Well...um...Mr. David, if you don't mind, could you CHECK for us?"

 

"Oh. OH! Sure, yeah, right, okay, just a minute..."

 

*names changed to protect the innocent...or not.

[Monkey Tamer]

Ann,

 

It sounds to me like you are in danger of losing your greatest asset. You have what seems like a high level of enthusiasm and hope for your Pack to be successful. In short, you sound like someone who would be fun to work with and fun for the boys to follow. If things don't change, and soon, you risk losing this incredible attribute and burning out.

 

If I were you, I would focus on what you need right now. Figure out a bare-bones framework that will be comfortable and allow you to be free to do what you do. i.e. plan and lead good events full of fun for the boys. All those ghost employees and hangers-on are in the way and worse, they're keeping you from getting what you need because they are technically keeping you in charter. Clean house. It sounds scary like you might be compounding matters, but it will give you the crises you need to affect some commitment from your parents. You can say: "Look, we are done if we don't get these positions filled: (X positions)". The parents who have kept their boys in scouting recognize the benefits (whether they are the accepted official benefits or their personal benefits). They NEED to be involved. And you NEED a committee that has a stake in the Pack. If the church is stacking the committee with dead wood just to keep the charter alive, that's not doing you any favors. maybe they ought to lose the charter and you move the Pack to a different church. Maybe one with younsters who would appreciate a Cub Scout Pack.

 

Keep the old man. A good advancement coordinator is worth his weight in gold. If the new youth guy is full of vim and vigor and will be committed, so be it. But YOU are the driving force here and always have been. Regardless of the "official" hierarchy, you need to be in charge. If my kid were in a Pack I wasn't leading, I would want to know that the person setting the course was, well, like you. A friendly, enthusiastic, hard-charging person with vision and good ideas.

 

Once you get them involved, they will like it and do more.

[AnnLaurelB]

Awww, thanks for the vote of confidence. :0)

 

My plan, as I cobble it together is to

 

1) Take steps toward mitigating our behavior issue -- I've got my Commissioner on board for that.

 

2) Re-shuffle the Committee into responsibility areas -- My Scout Exec will be in attendance for that.

 

3) Inform the parents that we've experienced a "re-model" of how the Pack is run, and the "Committee" will now be a "Parent/Leader Team" (call it whatever you want to).

 

4) Go forward with our calendar and identify needs as we go.

 

My HOPE is that the current liason/rep/whatever you call him will agree to become the Chair. I see the Chair as the person who wrangles the Committee members, and has final say on screening people. He'll be fine at that.

 

My Advancements guy is very special to us because he WAS the founding Cubmaster, an Eagle Scout, etc...and he very much lends an air of dignity and history to the Pack meetings and special events.

 

The former Cubmaster/other Pack parent guy is FINE where he is on Events. He steps and fetches dates, times, details, maps, files permits, etc... Which I-I-I don't wanna have to do!

 

One guy who was, as you put it, a "ghost" member was just handed the checkbook last month, and he's *perfect* for that. If he'll just keep the books and write the checks and do the math, that's great!

 

That makes 4, but I still have the Youth Guy coming in. I'm hoping I can convince him to be the Scout Parent Liason. He's a pastoryish person; that should be right up his alley. If I can segue that into him being in charge of volunteer training, I'd be a happy girl!

 

Then there's one other guy who was another "ghost", who only put his name down so the church could get the charter. His wife did an amazing job on decorating for Blue and Gold, so it might be worth keeping him around. ;0)

 

I think we'll be alright. I just need to stop being passive and got after what needs to be done.

 

Thanks for the input; I'll keep you posted.

[AnnLaurelB]

If you've read this thread, you know our Committee Chair must be replaced, and we've having the devil of the time doing it.

 

With the CURRENT dynamics at play, the logical person to at least temporarily put their name in the slot is the CORep. I mentioned this to him last weekend, and his wife groaned and said, "Why can't YOU do it???"

 

I had to explain that the fox can't watch the henhouse. Our Scout Exec is coming down TONIGHT to a specially called Com meeting, and he sent me an email last night saying he probably wouldn't make it. He KNOWS the SE is going to ask him to be Chair.

 

The ONLY other person ON the Committee who's never actually DONE anything FOR the Pack sent me this email this morning:

 

"my apologies for the delinquent response. when initially asked to serve on the CS committee, i said sure, even though i announced i wouldn't be up for "outings." as an advisor and "indoor" helper, i'm happy to do what i can, but my evening teaching schedule at Macon State continues to make my participation rather benign (i have a final exam to give this evening).

 

"so, maybe a more worthy replacement might be in order. whatever you think."

 

I emailed HIM back, and had to explain that it has nothing to do with what *I* think, that *I* work FOR the Committee. I can't just DECIDE to replace HIM on the Charter. C'mon, people!

 

Do you see what we're up against, here? *sigh*

[AnnLaurelB]

I'm sorry, I meant I got an email from the CORep that HE couldn't make it tonight to MEET with the Scout Exec.

 

The CORep knows we need him to be CC, but he's running like a scared hare.

[ScoutNut]

So the church's new Youth Guy, who wants to be "involved in Scouting", doesn't REALLY want to be involved?

 

What a shame.

 

Sounds like if your church really wants to have a successful BSA charter it needs to get off it's haunches and find someone, who is actually interested in Scouting, to really do the job of COR.

 

When do you have to re-charter? If push, comes to shove, you can leave the current lady's name on the charter as Committee Chair until you find a replacement. Yours would not be the first BSA unit with a leader in "name only". This would not get you the help you need, but it would give you some time to find it.

 

By the way - How did you manage to get your Council Scout Executive to get involved in your unit's problem? I'm impressed, usually they are way to busy running the entire council to get involved at the unit level. That is like having a company CEO helping out in the mail room! Or are you talking about your District Executive? Even with DE's, many will leave the unit problem solving to the District/Unit Commissioners.

 

Good luck with tonight's meeting!