The value of persistence in building a CO-unit relationship.

[Laurie]

About a year ago, noone knew the CR for the unit -- it turned out there was a CR on paper only as the person had left the CO but noone ever made the change. Noone knew anyone in the CO -- the meetings were scheduled, cleared by the CO and put on its calendar, but were often cancelled because the CO had an event and would call a leader to say the unit couldn't use the building. There was no service by the unit to the CO for at least 2 years too. Many changes were taking place in the unit, all backwards because they were beginning with the den leaders who were then getting training and recruiting committee members. It was so backwards that a leader was simply accepted as CC though noone knew him. Then the CR was "found" (there was an active one for another unit in the same CO), and things were put into place and some changes began.

 

The unit began providing service about every couple of months either representing the CO and therefore building up the unit's and the CO's reputation in the community or for the CO directly. The CR has been unable to attend many meetings but was upfront about that in the beginning and made himself very accessible. In return, the unit took the iniative to give him regular updates to keep him in the loop.

 

A situation came up recently that got a little ugly (grownups don't play nice!), and I began receiving phone calls from council asking what is going on. Fair question -- but I had no idea what was up or that there was a problem, though the CC had been unavailable for awhile which was beginning to become a problem (committee meetings weren't scheduled--that sort of thing). It seems the CC was unhappy for reasons still unknown to us, called the council, and then called the CR. The CR met with the unit during an event (not the first time he's done this, but the first time since the council began calling). The CR has been keeping up with what is taking place in the unit, and he was able to identify and correct the problem. What did the CR do? He offered to meet with the DE and anyone else who was concerned about the unit to assure them all that things were fine. He has become the CC as well, which is super because his Scouting resume is quite impressive. He knew the program was strong, saw it in action and liked what he saw, knew who was doing what, was able to identify that the problem was one unhappy person and not the program or other leaders, and he took action. He is doing his job in such a way that the unit leaders quickly relaxed and moved on with program, knowing that time didn't need to be spent on this thing (we're still not sure what the problem even is). And during this same event, while the CR was present, someone from the CO called a leader complaining of damage done by the unit on a night the unit did not meet there. The leader was upset. The CR was there, listened, and then said he'd take care of it. Again, a leader was able to relax and just focus again on program.

 

In a nutshell, the CR is acting as the go between, when necessary, between the unit and the council. He is acting as the go between, when necessary, between the unit and the CO. He is encouraging and advising and supportive -- and that goes a long way to building up the program. A year ago I could not have known how important this relationship would be; a year ago it didn't seem necessary. Today, I am very thankful that training and some experienced leaders here have brought to my attention the need for the proper positions to be filled and to be put to use (not in name only but real people doing real things). CRs and COs are often given a hard time on boards, and I know they aren't always easy to work with, but this unit tried hard to follow the book and sought out help over and over and then once on the right path, to keep everyone, especially the CR and those in the CO, informed of its program and as the focus of its service. It works.

 

Thank you to the many here who encouraged me personally not to give up on this. To those who think it might never work out for the unit you serve, well--maybe it won't, but maybe with persistence (and boy it was rough, to be honest!), it will work out.

 

What I did, as advised here, was to continually remind myself that is the CO's unit. That was catchy, and all leaders but one began do the same. It truly did make me look at how we did things, and it was clear that the unit could operate ok without the CO's help, but it is so much better now that the CO knows we view them as the ones who have provided us with a unit. Oh, and guess what? This past year not one meeting planned by the unit was cancelled due to conflicts -- the CO was very considerate of the meeting dates and this year worked around the unit. So thanks again--and I hope someone can be encouraged by this.(This message has been edited by Laurie)

[eisely]

Congratulations on the unit's and your personal success. Proof positive that the scouting approach to unit management does work when it is tried.

[Twocubdad]

I'm glad things are working out well for you, Laurie.

 

But it seems to me -- and correct me if I'm wrong -- but the key factor in the turnaround seems to be when your CO found an experienced Scouter to serve as COR. The guy had the experience and understanding of the program to realize that you are running a sound program and to leave you alone. He correctly took it as his job to run interferrence for the unit between the CO and the council.

 

The complaints expressed in a number of other threads is that many CORs don't understand the program and aren't functioning in their position as they should. There seems to be many chartered organizations out there who don't understand that they own and are responsible for their unit. They believe that all they are responsible for is providing a meeting space. How many of them think in terms of "the Scout troop that meets here?" At best, that leads to a situation of benign neglect or at worst the meddling we've heard about in other threads in otherwise generally healthy units.

 

Another think that I don't see being mentioned in any of these problem scenarios is the annual meeting between the institutional head and the DE which is supposed to be required for Quality District status. How many COs are civic groups or PTAs where the president changes annually? Or worse yet how many have been around awhile and simply never really understood their role? An annual QC check with the IH could go a long way toward solving these problems and moving the CO's along the learning curve.

[Laurie]

You are right that the CR is an experienced Scouter, but the unit "found" him. Having an experienced Scouter is a benefit indeed, but the relationship between the unit and CO was worked on by the unit for a year before this CR became involved, and the relationship was strengthened before his involvement, which shows that the unit can make it work--at least sometimes.

 

The unit did not have a good relationship with the CO. The CO treated it as a bother to it, and the unit wondered why it should care about a CO anyway since it was just a place to meet. That is the attitude when I became part of leadership and I quickly adopted it too then came here and learned it shouldn't be that way, and training confirmed that.

 

The unit brought about change with the unit-CO relationship, and it was a major hassle most of the time and incredibly hard to win the CO over and basically sell the program to them--when it was their program to begin with! They didn't understand that the unit is theirs though, so that made for some interesting conversations. The unit then had the good fortune to learn that an active CR was involved in the CO for another unit--and he is still fairly new to this unit. However, he is already an asset, and the CO-unit relationship can now be more his headache than ours as he is the CC and CR

 

As for that annual meeting, the DE and CC delegated to me -- in spite of my protests -- but this year the "new" CR will meet with the DE and IH -- at the CR's request.

 

Like I said though, I do understand it may not always work. We had no guarantees. We tried. I just wanted to share that going to the effort and even the hassle of winning over and educating the CO (they had no clue how they and the unit fit together) can be worthwhile.(This message has been edited by Laurie)

[Bob58]

Hi Laurie,

 

I'm sorry that your IH and/or CO didn't realize that they owned the program, but I'm not surprised. I'm very glad that the unit was still functioning when you came aboard. I think that many DE's, Dist Chairs, and Dist. Cmmssnrs have found this to pop up over the years. Regardless of the type of organization if the DE doesn't remind IH's of reselling their ownership the program d/ his annual visit the point gets lost somewhere. It might be the re-assignment or resignation of a pastor, the election of new leadership at a service club, or just the "march of time" as the units founders move on.

 

DE's often work with an institution to create a new unit & provide approved leadership, but sometimes boys & leaders are "just looking for a meeting place." In any case the first few years can be very important in building & maintaining the unit, but if the Chartering Organization starts out "just doing a favor" the Unit needs to develop the relationship through service (or at least generating some GOOD PR for the CO!)

 

Last Fall we had a pastor panic when our commissioner contacted him regarding a shrinking pack. Fortunately he recognized that this could eventually effect the 50 yr "veteran" troop that everyone was taking for granted. A former DE had established the pack about 10 years ago & the old leadership had carried on after their boys crossed over to Boy Scouts. Now that they were "aging out" of Scouting even the pack committee was falling away. Pastor _______ was not going to be the one to see the troop fold so "Shazam!" he gave Cub Scout Recruiting a priority!

 

I worry when I read that units don't have regular Commissioner Service and I sincerely encourage any who is committed to Scouting to take an interest in Commissioner service. Not everyone has the knack for it, and certainly not everyone has the time for it, but Commissioners can truly be a "unit lifesavers" on oacasion. (Personally I'd rather see them make 'house calls" once in a while & keep the units out of the Emergency Room all together!

 

Sorry, next time we can play "Sports Metaphors!" instead of "Doctor."

 

Bob