Commissioner Service

[Eamonn]

In another thread I said some things about Commissioner Service, which were not very nice.

I spent about six years as a Commissioner. The Commissioner Staff were for the most part elderly people. Most were and are very kind hearted but didn't have very much zip.

It seems that things in our District have gone from not great to really bad.

I was talking to our Council Commissioner he had just returned from some meeting where the new National Commissioner gave a speech. I asked if there was anything new coming up. He said that there wasn't.

How good of a job are the Commissioners doing in your area?

Eamonn

[scoutldr]

What's a Commissioner?

 

At least you have warm bodies. We don't even have that. Even if we had them, I think the Commissioner role is the most misunderstood in all of BSA, except for the Professionals. Most unit leaders I know would look askance at "some muckity-muck from Council telling us how to run our unit." That's their perception, and "perception is reality."

 

[mdutch]

In my council we have commisioner "teams". That means that, for example, a group of commissioners will share the responsibility for a bunch of units. I have only seen one of them, but that is because he is also a ASM in my troop.

 

Eric

[NWScouter]

When people complain about commissioners I never see mine Whats a commissioner Theyre just old farts and so on, I go into a slow burn. I served as a district commissioner for a couple of years and now am a Assistant Council Commissioner (I can seem to update my profile on the forum). Being a district commissioner was one of my most frustrating jobs I have had in Scouting. People complained about not having a commissioner, if they did they didn't want him/her "butting in" and council wanted more names on the staff and very few wished to step up to be commissioner. You asked and asked and you get hardly anyone. Its not like I had stack of applications to choose from. Then the one you got ended being run ragged on WB, camporee, training, day camp staff, etc. I seems like once they became a commissioner everyone thought they were fair game. Everyone figured let the commissioners do it.

[KoreaScouter]

Scoutldr's spot on; most families and many if not most Scouters don't understand BSA above the unit level, and how many volunteers it takes to really make this thing go. The irony is that the same people who bash the District/Council run like they stole something when they're asked to volunteer. Sadly, many people who shy away from adult leader roles because of available time, impatience with boys, whatever, would be a great fit working with adults at the District level.

 

We've got too few commissioners, too. One of our District's large charter orgs is shaking the tree to get more vols, many of whom have no Scouting experience. The jury's still out...

 

KS

[Laurie]

We've had two unit commissioners, though not at the same time. The first was a great guy, knowledgeable, really great with kids, working in various aspects of leadership in a troop, a pack, and in the district, and he was stretched so thin he truly didn't have time to help us out. I felt really bad for him when I got to know him, but I also knew that we badly needed advice, so it was a tough spot to be in.

 

Then a unit commissioner actually wanted our unit; it's a unit that he lives close to, that he has seen in action many times and felt he could help out. So a change was made. The new UC doesn't have oodles of time either, but the difference is that he is not working within a troop, a pack, and at the district level. He seems to know less of what is taking place in the district than the former UC, but he is willing to find out what is taking place. He and I recently had a meeting to review the pack's progress last year, the ups and the downs, and for us to work out a plan for the coming year. The CC was there too. It was a great meeting, but I went prepared with questions. At the conclusion of the meeting, he told me he realizes now that he needs some more training It's been awhile for him, but you know what? His willingness to advise, to seek out advice when he doesn't feel qualified to answer on his own, to continue his own training, to always follow through, to take time to care about the needs of the pack, to point out weak areas and give suggestions on improving them, to praise the strengths, and to come to events whenever possible--that kind of support is priceless.

 

Is one better than the other? I used to think so, but as I learn more, I realize that this unit was needy, and that put pressure on the UCs, so it was more of a unit problem than a UC problem. One who is more accessible was simply a better fit. Not a better person/commissioner. And the DC recognized this, so she did a great job in working things out with the UCs. Our UC has become a friend to the unit, to me and even to one of my sons and our littlest one by age 2, and he cares about people and seeing units succeed to meet needs, not to make numbers.

 

Commissioner service, IMO, in this district, is alive and well though filled with extremely busy people.

[Twocubdad]

I know who our UC is, although after two years I don't think I could pick him out of a crowd. Before that we had an unidentified ADC as our commissioner. Every year I issue a blanket invitation to anyone in the commissioner corps or on the district committee to attend any pack meeting or activity at any time. So far, no takers. If they are waiting for written invitations, forget about it. Although, come to think of it, they do get written invites to our Blue & Gold and they still don't come.

 

IMHO, Commissioners as they currently operate are a drain on manpower. The 3:1 ratio needed for Quality District means we need more than 30 commissioners in our district. Without a whole bunch of empty shirts, I don't see it happening. Although I suppose the only thing worse would be if we had 30 good, strong, enthuiastic commissioners. Frankly, I'd rather see those people in other positions.

 

Most of the good commissioners I see seem to be looking for something positive to do. They're constantly coming up with programs and ideas that don't necessarily need doing and certainly aren't within the scope of a commissioner.

 

Commissioners need to find ways to do useful things for their units. Show up at at troop meeting with a trunk full of watermelons. Offer to cook dutch oven cobblers at a pack overnighter. When there is a significant program change (I'm guessing we're due a new CS Leader Book soon) offer to come to the leaders meeting and go over the changes. Make a point to train one unit leader one-on-one just to build a relationship and to let the unit know I've make a contribution. If the only time time the unit leaders see their commissioner is when something is screwed up, of course they're going to have a bad attitude regarding commissioners.

 

About this idea that unit leaders all think that commissioners are spys for the council, the only people I've ever heard say that are commissioners. It is a self-fulfilling prophecy. Shut up about it already! If you act like a spy, only come lurking around when there is a problem, and keep telling everyone that everyone thinks you're a spy, then they're probably right!

[JimmyD]

We haven't had a UC in years.