Den leader attendance for planning meetings incentives

[Simpkinsboys]

I am a committee events coordinator for my pack that averages 80 scouts. Our pack is going through a phase where our den leaders are attending less and less our monthly pack leader's planning meetings... for our pack wide events. I am looking to create some extra incentives for their attendance. Does anyone have ideas or experiences that could be used to encourage leaders attendance. We have found that with attendance better communication happens among the whole pack.

[JasonG172]

Totems, all leaders love swag. Totems with beads that hang from your temp button.

 

Honestly though they need to understand the importance of planning meetings. Also make them aware, dont Bitch about what we are doing if you didnt make the effort to attend the planning meeting. Next year attend and VOICE your opinion

[qwazse]

Fellowship opportunities at a bar or coffee-shop or someones back yard are often very helpful. These are really the most productive when you have one item to deal with (e.g. the next big event) and need people to relax and brainstorm a little.

[King Ding Dong]

^^^^we should be getting some interesting reports out of Colorado and Washington.

[scoutergipper]

Take a step back. Have you asked your Den Leaders why they aren't attending these meetings? Are you holding too many meetings they need to attend? Do the meetings run long? Does someone take time to find out a convenient meeting date/time that works for everyone?

[mattman578]

free beer

[mashmaster]

We do our meeting quarterly, the leaders for Tigers/Wolves would attend monthly. The older ranks the leaders would show up if they wanted something.

[Stosh]

I'm with scoutergipper, a productive meeting is more important than gimmicks.

 

Okay... I show up for a meeting. I put in a couple of comments, other people jump in and those are the ones that will forever do everything. All I have to do is wait for the results of their efforts and I don't have to go to a meeting to do that.

 

Then after a few months I get a phone call, they desparately need something, it's no big deal, I can do that.... and I don't have to go to a meeting to do that.

 

What I've been trained to do is just be patient, someone else will do the work, tell me what I need to know and I just show up with my boys. Piece of cake and I don't have to do anything to help get things ready. If the powers that are get to whining too much, I'll toss them a crumb or two just so they quit bothering me.

 

If you don't believe me look at Mashmaster's comments.

 

Stosh

[Papadaddy]

Could be their "one hour a week" is already spoken for?

[ScoutNut]

So, your monthly Pack Leaders meeting is just for planning events? Is that the only Pack Leaders meeting you have, or is this a second meeting that you are talking about that you want the den leaders to attend?

 

If this is a second monthly meeting that you are talking about, I can see why attendance has evaporated. There is only so much "spare" time to go around. The only folks that need to be attending the event planning meetings should be the folks in charge of the specific events being discussed.

 

A monthly Pack Leaders meeting should cover more than just planning events. It should include, first, and foremost, discussion about the monthly Pack meetings. Roses/Thorns about the previous month's Pack meeting, and then what is happening at the next Pack meeting. That would include awards, and what each leader/den is responsible for.There should also be a bit of advance planning for any upcoming Pack meetings that might need it.

 

Then there should be a discussion on what the individual dens are planning for the upcoming month, and if they require any assistance.

 

Next up would be where Pack-wide special events are discussed. The folks running the events would report on progress, and request help. Prospective new activities could also be discussed at this time.

 

Financial matters, and other business discussions should also be a part of a monthly Pack Leaders meeting.

 

Require that a representative from each den (does not have to be a leader) be at each Pack Leaders meeting to insure that the needs of the den do not get overlooked.

 

In other words - no extra meetings. Make better use of your time at your monthly Pack Leaders meeting.

[ParkMan]

Our park does essentially what ScoutNut describes. Generally we get about 75% of the den leaders. There's a couple of dens who's leaders attend about half the time.

 

The biggest problems we have are that 1) there is never enough time in 90 minutes to cover it all, and that 2) some leaders gripe that they are boring.

 

Of those leaders who do not attend, I definitely see the pattern Stosh describes. Folks who don't come and simply wait for other leaders to organize the pack level activities. I'm not sure how to break that pattern though.

[Sidney Porter]

I am a committee events coordinator for my pack that averages 80 scouts. Our pack is going through a phase where our den leaders are attending less and less our monthly pack leader's planning meetings... for our pack wide events.

 

Why does it need to be the den leaders? They are cordinating their den activities. Get other parents to join the committee and lead the pack level activities.

[Stosh]

Parkman:

 

I have seen the pattern broken especially in other programs. Scout groups tend to not have the nerve to do what it takes. Those that do have a substantially more than half the members quite active. Of course planning meetings and other micro-managing waste of time meetings are pretty much discarded.

 

How's having everything done before the year starts and no more meetings until next year sound? Works for me....

 

Stosh

[Eagledad]

Yes, we also do only one planning session for the whole year (June). The committee still meets once a month to keep the program running smooth, but the Den Leaders are left alone. We keep them updated with Committee Meeting minutes and news letters. Barry

[Sidney Porter]

I think this is another example where documenting the process makes these things go smoothly. Running the pinewood derby is 99% the same every year. But if a different person doing it each year and there is no recorded checklist of the tasks that need to be completed it becomes a much larger project.