Getting elected to Executive board

[svendzoid]

Bob,

Okay Sven, I am gonna presume based on your last post that you did not read the resources you asked for a week ago. There is only 1 way to get on the executive board and that is to be elected by the council body.

When I said "Even though the nomination committee isn't going to nominate me, there are other ways to get nominated and voted in." I'm referring to having a chartered rep nominate me at the meeting, which I believe is allowed. The nomination committee might have to re-meet and postpone elections for another time (its all in the bylaws). So simply put, if I can get a majority of Chartered Reps to reject the slate ofnominees made by the nomination committee, then they would have to re-evaluate who they want to nominate. Perhaps a deal could be made where if I'm added to the list the Chartered reps will vote in the rest of the nominees.

A week ago you knew pretty much nothing about the structure of the council or the duties of the various levels of the council body. And in the last week without reading the information of attending any council meetings .....

Thats interesting because I have been attending Council Camping committee meetings for a year, and have helped with membership on the district level.

It is sad that in a youth oriented organization, that there are few youth who sit on the executive board.

Bob, I dont think anything could be lost by having me on an executive board, who knows it might be the best thing that happens to my council......but I guess we will never know!

 

[Bob White]

Svendzoid,

 

You would plan to disrupt and possibly postpone the election process (a meeting of the council body as a whole that only happens once a year), just to try and get yourself on the executive board? And you think this will endear you to the membership how?

 

I really hope you will reconsider not only your actions but your motivation. If you were on the board would you vote for someone who behaved that way?(This message has been edited by Bob White)

[John-in-KC]

Sven,

 

A very important rule of life:

 

Never, ever, ever burn a bridge behind you unless you choose to do it with malice and forethought.

 

You never know when someday you might need that bridge.

 

Read, very carefully, what BW just wrote. Are you really sure you want to take that next step? Trust me, the Council President and VPs know how the political game plays, and they do it better than most in their day jobs. I don't care if you're in the Timbuktu Area Council, that's a truism.

 

Tread lightly, for ramrodding yourself in does not mean you will be given rewarding and worthwhile tasks.

[svendzoid]

Bob,

You would plan to disrupt and possibly postpone the election process (a meeting of the council body as a whole that only happens once a year), just to try and get yourself on the executive board? And you think this will endear you to the membership how?

No, I would not plan to disrupt or postpone the election process, I would be following the policies and procedures in our by-laws which allow for nominations to be made at the meeting, and to postpone the elections if the nomination committee wished to meet again to discuss the new nomination. Following the council by-laws should not affect my membership at all.

 

I was only implying that there was another way to get elected, and that is to have a chartered rep nominate me at the meeting....I don't think its unheard of. It is after all allowed by the by-laws.

 

However, I will not be pursuing this route. It was just a senario that could happen. And lets be realistic, it would be impossible for me to find enough Chartered reps in a week who would be willing to vote for me. My Chatered rep election story was really to show Bob that there was another way to get elected if the nomination committee didn't include me on their list of reccomended exec board members at the annual meeting. Let me make it clear that I have never had the intention of doing this. I know what lines not to cross. I agree that showing my value at the distict and council levels is the best way to get myself noticed and asked to serve on the executive board.

 

I really hope you will reconsider not only your actions but your motivation. If you were on the board would you vote for someone who behaved that way?

 

If I were on the board, I would have thrown my support behind a young individual who wants to help further the council along time ago... it would never have gotten to this point

 

....ohh and I went to my scout shop and they did not have the Orientation Guide for Council officers and executive board members.....I ordered it!

 

(This message has been edited by svendzoid)

[NeilLup]

"I have tried to do my due diligence on this issue; I have poured over by-laws, looked over training manuals, looked up stuff on the internet, and even called the National Scout Office. It really comes down to the Council. Im sure that if my council wanted me on the Executive board at 20 years of age, they would find a way to get me on."

 

Wise on your part. And as I have followed the thread, I see some other elements of wisdom. Meeting with the nominating committee is good, and it is great that they gave you the time that they did. I was going to write that I thought the BSA Nationally mandated rule for Board members is age 21 as it is for many other jobs.

 

As was written, patience. You'll be over 21 for a long, long, long time.

 

Please don't take this next section wrong. It is possible that you are considered a person who is a pain in the tail, or a person with an agenda, by the current SE or by the current Board. If so, it won't happen while they are in charge. Are you a gadfly? That kind of person can be not appreciated, particularly by the "old boy's club."

 

What to do? Make yourself useful in positions which would lead to Board membership. Get a position on one of the Council Committees and do the job, acting as an adult. Get a full set of adult leader training, ending up with Wood Badge. Act as adult leaders do.

 

But, and this can be a matter of much more than age, if the SE and the nominating committee don't want you on the Board, you won't be.

 

What you DO need is some mentors and supporters. Do you know some of the Board members and possibly some of the council officers. Talk with them about what you would like to do. Get them to help and support you. That is a most likely pathway to getting what you want.

 

I know of people age 21 or so who have been elected to Executive Boards as full members. But by and large, they are people who have done pretty special things as leaders. (I think of one young man, in particularly, who organized and ran a Merit Badge University that ended up with over 30 MBs and over 400 participants.)

 

A very wise boss of mine once told me that the route to getting a promotion is simple, although sometimes very difficult to put into practice. He said that is is just that the person able to put you where you want to be has to be willing to put you where you want to be. If it doesn't happen, it has to either be because the person is not able or is not willing. If, for example, you want a promotion and they say the job is filled, then they are saying they are not willing. They could fire the incumbent. So you have to figure out who is able to get you on the executive board and then to figure out how to get them willing to put you on the board.

 

How is it to their advantage to have you on the board? Is there any way that they might consider it to be to their disadvantage to have you on the board/ Be very honest with yourself.

 

Thanks for your interest and enthusiasm. I suspect that it will happen and possibly sooner than you think.

[emb021]

"It is sad that in a youth oriented organization, that there are few youth who sit on the executive board."

 

Its interesting (or sad) that apparently youth have much more of an involvement in the organization. They will have youth sitting on their boards, even setup a youth representative group to ensure their feedback. Also, the adult leaders are usually younger then in the US, with people in their 20s and 30s being the typical age, instead of the 40s 50s that we seem to lean toward.

 

Something to think about.

 

 

[Mr. Boyce]

Just some final thoughts here for Sven.

 

(1) I served as a college student on the college curriculum committee, a senior college committee. I have to say that we two student representatives were unable to make much of a real contribution: we simply did not know much about higher education administration. Oh, we chipped in a few bits about students interests, but the people on the committee were teachers and we were pretty much just repeating what they already knew. The "youth participation" on the board was most likely prompted by the 60s student protests across the country.

 

(2) In lower level organizations, one's simple desire to be on a board can count for a lot. The more important settings require more than just ambition for personal distinction. A good board not only has a purpose, but its membership provides different kinds of individual expertise to help reach this purpose. For this reason, many community boards will have attorneys, bankers, accountants, and so forth, so much of senior board work involves serving as counselor and providing generalized professional oversight to the management of the organization.

 

(3) A person's desire for distinction can be very off-putting to the people around him. It can be perceived as an egotistical and shallow thing. I should know. . . at one time I thought being appointed a college trustee would be a great distinction, etc., but as I've gotten older, I realize that first and foremost, it's WORK. To really be a good college trustee would mean providing those things a college really needs.

 

I have to say, the ancient Greeks and Romans are probably why I had a negative reaction to Hillary Clinton: one should be suspicious of someone who wants power so badly.

 

(4) The older I get, the more I realize the importance of FOLLOWERSHIP. Everyone is raised to want to be a chief, which means a lot of nonsense when it comes to forming a team. I just joined a moderately prominent board: my first task for the next two years, really, will be to learn, not to yap, to get acquainted with the issues, and then see how I might best contribute. Good following and good listening traits mean a lot when working in a group. It's probably a mistake for someone to join an effective, working board with the intent to push one's individual agenda items.

 

(5) Sven, your best bet is to put in six or eight years at the district level. Get to know informally everyone who means something to the work of the council. And then take it from there. In the "real world", the adult world, just wanting something matters for nothing. Everybody would like to be a senator, everybody would like to be a millionaire--so what?

[scoutingagain]

Sven,

 

I've followed this thread for a while and havn't jumped in mainly because I think others are giving you pretty good feedback. At this point I will be blunt though.

 

Re-read John-in-KC's last Post. If you truely value your membership in the BSA I'd suggest you follow Neilup's advice.

 

If you think, "if I can get a majority of Chartered Reps to reject the slate of nominees made by the nomination committee, then they would have to re-evaluate who they want to nominate. Perhaps a deal could be made where if I'm added to the list the Chartered reps will vote in the rest of the nominees." I suggest you look into what occurred with the Chicago Area Council in recent years.

 

The BSA is a private organization. While it may have bylaws, etc. the bylaws are their own and can be changed at any time for just about any reason. Membership or position is not a right or guaranteed to anyone. If someone at a high enough level comes to believe you are more touble to deal with than your worth, a council, if it so chooses may revoke the membership of an individual just because they feel like it. They don't have to give a reason, provide due process or anything else. Others have tried what you describe above and have found themselves recieving a letter from the council simply telling them they are no longer a member of the BSA. It can be done in a few minutes at the cost of a 1st class stamp and there is absolutely no recourse. If the powers that be don't want you in the club, your out. Period, finito, done.

 

You seem like a reasonable young man but maybe a bit naive when it comes to organizational politics. If you value your service to the youth in the BSA, think about everything that's been said in this thread.

 

SA

 

 

 

[ScoutNut]

Svend - I'm just going to throw this out there for you to think about.

 

Aside from the issue of you not being 21 yet, do you think that part of the reason that the Exec Board wants nothing to do with you, could be the campaign you have been running for over a year now to get the board to not sell certain Council Camps?

 

I think there might be the perception with the board that you don't want to work WITH the board, for the Council as a whole, but in reality have your own adgenda you want to push and your own ax you want to grind.

 

You might have already burned your bridges with this board.

 

[svendzoid]

"Aside from the issue of you not being 21 yet.."

According to the Orientation guide for Council Officers and Executive board Members, there is no age limit, meaning that an 18+ year old can serve.

 

"...do you think that part of the reason that the Exec Board wants nothing to do with you, could be the campaign you have been running for over a year now to get the board to not sell certain Council Camps?"

 

Nope, The camp issue ended a long time ago, back in March of 2007. While I was disappointed with the outcome, I have moved on. In fact I was on a division of the Camping Committee that decided what to do With funds from the camp sale.....I think that shows that I am over the Camp sale issue.

 

I think there might be the perception with the board that you don't want to work WITH the board, for the Council as a whole, but in reality have your own agenda you want to push and your own ax you want to grind. You might have already burned your bridges with this board.

 

I don't think this is true. I have no hidden agenda or ax to grind. I really want what is best for this council, and want it to move forward just like everybody else. In fact, A board member just contacted me a few days ago asking for my help in a fundraising program he is planning....why would he ask for my help if he though I was going to halt potential?

 

[NeilLup]

In fact, A board member just contacted me a few days ago asking for my help in a fundraising program he is planning....why would he ask for my help if he though I was going to halt potential? >>

 

Do it .... do it, do it, do it , do it, do it.

 

There is nothing quite like fund raising and being known as a fund raiser to get one appointed to the Board. Plus this is the kind of person that may be willing to help mentor you and get you appointed to the Board.

 

 

[svendzoid]

My thoughts exactly Neil.

 

I told him that I would love to help!

[John-in-KC]

If you are over the issue, it might help matters if you took the website down.

 

Perception can be reality.

[svendzoid]

What web site are you refering to?

 

I'm not the web master of any scouting related web sites! I'm afraid you have the wrong person!

 

Anyway, I don't see what this has to do with my possible involvement with the executive board......besides there were many exec board members against the sale!

[GKlose]

If it makes any difference, I am part of the same district, and have recently met the 'zoid and talked with him directly about these same issues. I can attest to his altruism in these matters, and I believe he has no hidden agenda. He has plainly stated what his agenda is (youth"-ful" representation on the EB).

 

His dad is also a long-time Scouter, and I give credit to the 'zoid for recognizing life beyond the troop, and the district, and his desire to continue serving as a Scouter.

 

Guy