Meddling committee members

[rockymtnscouter]

Hello. I'm new here and I'm thrilled to have found this web site. I can't believe how much information is here.

 

Anyway, I am the committee chairman for a Troop and a Pack. My husband is Scoutmaster and Cubmaster of the same units. We have absolutely no problem with the leaders of the Cub Scout pack. They all work well together and do a great job. The Boy Scout troop is another story.

 

The treasurer and secretary, who aren't particularly happy women anyway, always complain about how the boys need to take more responsibility for running the troop. These two then jump in and try to take control of things. They even think that they should be involved in junior leader training. They are constantly berating other adult leaders behind their backs and generally promoting a negative attitude.

 

The biggest problem is that their behavior had been allowed to continue by the previous Scoutmaster, because he didn't like conflict. My husband just recently took the role of Scoutmaster after the previous one of 12 years stepped down. My husband had been an ASM for the past three years of this troop. One of our ASMs once said that the only problems a unit has is almost always due to the adults. How should we deal with this? I would certainly appreciate any insights. Thank you!

[berkshirescouter]

Hi and welcome!

 

I will say it first and am sure others will follow. Make sure everyone is trained. This will help get everyone on the same page. You said these other committee members do JLT. How is the training? Does it conform to published criteria? Have they been qualified by anyone to train? I hope these questions help.

 

 

[Bob White]

I don't think you will like my response rockymtnscouter. Your problem as I see it through the filter of my experience is not that you have two militant committee members. The problem is that the Scoutmaster and the Committee Chair are married to each other. This is a bad situation and rarely works. As the committee chair you need to be able to look objectively at the scouting program in your organization. Remember you don't work for the SM, you work for the Chartered Organization. I'm sorry but as Husband and wife, Mother/son, Brother/brother, whatever the family relationship exists between the scoutmaster and committee chair it is a bad one. You cannot serve two masters.

 

If the committee members think that the boys are not getting an opportunity to lead have you been able to objectively look at and see they might be right. If they are so frustrated that they have tried to do junior leading training themselves, could it be they have a real reason to be frustrated.

 

You are just to close to the situation and it puts so much control under one roof that it is bound to cause conflict in the unit. You are right in the belief that the biggest problem in unit sscouting is often the ability of adults to play nice together. But it may not be that these two committee members are the ones not playing nice.

 

Consider going to the charter organization and admitting that having the two positions in one family may not be in the best interest of the unit and ask that they select a new committee chair. You can be just as valuable in a different committee role. (by the way stay away from being the treasurer that puts you right back into the conflict).

 

Food for thought,

Bob White(This message has been edited by Bob White)

[acco40]

BW is correct, CC and SM (or CM) is a problem waiting to happen. One committee position that I think can work out rather well and sometimes even better than a non-family member, is Advancement Chair and SM. From a record keeping and database management perspective, keeping it all under one roof sometimes aid the process (one computer/notebook, easily reviewed by both, etc.).

 

I'm an SM and I specifically DO NOT want my signature on the Troop checkbook. Although I agree that the Committee answers to the CO, I really believe the Committee should help support what the SM needs to carry out the program. That does not mean that the SM dictates to the Committee, but if the boys want to go to Philmont, for example, have made a good thought out plan, the Committee should help "make it happen." Another example, when the boys and I (SM) put together the annual planning (troop calendar & themes) the Committee reviews it and either supports it or turns it down. They don't have line item veto power!

[AdvanceOn]

I'm with Bob on this one.

 

I hope you don't blow his response off because it's not the answer you wanted.

 

There are reasons why many companies don't let spouses and other relatives supervise each other. Even if you're doing the best you can to be objective you're between a rock and a hard place.

 

 

[Eagledad]

Hi rockymtnscouter, Bw is right, you guys need to make a change in your positions to encourage a healthy program. But assuming for the moment that your problem is as you presented, you need to find a third party to present the problem. We have a good Unit Commissioner who handles these situations very well when the CC can't solve the problem. The DE is another source but that also depends of their ability to listen and suggest solutions. Another possibilty is the Charter rep. or a respected member from another unit. We had a situation solved by the Wood Badge Counselor of the problem adult. He was the only person the adult trusted. And sometimes it is us who is wrong. The third person can see the whole picture without prejudice or bias which can bring integrity to the solution.

 

Good luck,

 

Barry

[Bren909]

I'd go a step farther and say that both of you being the head of both a Pack and a Troop is way WAY too much. I do understand that in a way it's easier for you and your husband to just take the whole show and run with it (you always have your co-leader right there to bounce ideas off of, etc.) But, it's not healthy for either you or for the Troop/Pack.

 

For one thing, it's a whole lot of work (I know because I'm in leadership for both our Pack and our Troop, and I certainly wouldn't consider doing it all single-handedly). For another, you miss out on huge amounts of valuable input from the other adults in each group. They're there not only to help share the burden but also to help present creative ideas. And, in the same way, they're available to identify problems and suggest solutions.

 

Finally, the other parents miss out on learning how to become leaders themselves. True, they might not be stepping up to the plate and volunteering by the droves -- but when it becomes necessary because the position is unfilled, they will. And, in the long run, if they all learn to depend on just you and your husband, what will happen to the Pack/Troop when you leave? Not only will the Troop not be boy-led, but the parents won't know how to be leaders, either.

 

Now, to answer your original question -- how to deal with women who try to take over the Troop: may I first ask, are your Troop meetings truly boy-led (is the SPL and Patrol Leaders doing the majority of the planning and the boys doing most of the speaking)? Are these two women (and the rest of you ASM's for that matter) trained? -- if not, encourage all adults attend training. Is JLT available through your Council? -- if so, then offer to have the Troop pay the way for any of the boys who want to attend!

 

Brenda