BSA: The POLARIS Method

[John-in-KC]

Direct from the National Commissioner Service Office

My comments:
Buzzword bingo. 

This is language straight from a business school. 

KISMIF. We have a host of educational attainment levels in our unit serving Scouter corps. If the language flies over them, they will blow it off. 

There should be only one goal for every Scouter above the unit serving level:  UNLOAD THE leader and committee chair time backpack. Their time needs to be with youth, or being provided tools FOR youth. Every other item in their time/task backpack needs to be thrown away. 

YIS. 
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https://www.facebook.com/513826472015701/posts/2062117233853276/

Edited September 15, 2018 by John-in-KC

[SSScout]

Who is the BSA "Client?"  What is our "Product" ?   What is the "inefficiency"  this lends itself to correcting?   How is any of this going to get the kids out in the woods?   

[DuctTape]

when all you have is a hammer, everything starts to look like a nail. the problem is too many businesspeople trying to run non-businesses like a business.

 

[John-in-KC]

1 hour ago, DuctTape said:

when all you have is a hammer, everything starts to look like a nail. the problem is too many businesspeople trying to run non-businesses like a business.

 

Or lawyers and safety people thinking everything a young person does is a liability suit awaiting filing. 

[Setonfan]

Or maybe National is serious about making life easier for volunteers and reducing some of the huge infrastructure that’s been built up.  Everything might not always have a hidden evil agenda.

[Sentinel947]

49 minutes ago, Setonfan said:

Or maybe National is serious about making life easier for volunteers and reducing some of the huge infrastructure that’s been built up.  Everything might not always have a hidden evil agenda.

Fair point. A lot of us are really jaded. Including myself. I saw the other day the BSA newsroom post about YPT applying to digital conversations between adults and scouts. It was three years old. All the comments were gloom and doom. Today, that rule is rarely complained about. 

[Eagle94-A1]

3 hours ago, Setonfan said:

Or maybe National is serious about making life easier for volunteers and reducing some of the huge infrastructure that’s been built up.  

🤣😆Funniest thing I heard all day.

 

[ParkMan]

I wouldn't read too much into the Polaris idea.  It's not that it's bad, but there is a lot of instituonal momentum built around trying the make the BSA work.   Truthfully, I see very little BSA overhead that we deal with in our unit.

I am in favor of the larger goal - improving Roundtable.  Roundtable is our district is a wasted resource today.  I'd love to see some attention on making it more relevant.

[RememberSchiff]

Those high-up with little field hands-on experience often conceptualize, create new buzzwords or , and seek advice from outside consultants. 

The Polaris Method  scouting website states the "Polaris Method Elevator Pitch" (so Peter Drucker) which got me thinking. Are there any elevators  in tents,  scout camps, council buildings? I suspect there are at Irving but anywhere else?

A theory ...Someone at a National meeting must have said  "I read on scouter.com that the Girl Scouts are working with an outside  (Meaning REI) consultant" which was misunderstood Say that a great idea lets bring in an outside consultant guru. My brother-in-law's company brought in this Lean Manufacturing consultant. ... can't get more outside of scouting than manufacturing.  

Will the Polaris Method become a polarizing method between National and employees,  pro's and volunteers?

My $0.02, 

[Sentinel947]

1 hour ago, RememberSchiff said:

 

Will the Polaris Method become a polarizing method between National and employees,  pro's and volunteers?

My $0.02, 

How about a little more patrol method out of national? 😂

[walk in the woods]

15 hours ago, Sentinel947 said:

Fair point. A lot of us are really jaded. Including myself. I saw the other day the BSA newsroom post about YPT applying to digital conversations between adults and scouts. It was three years old. All the comments were gloom and doom. Today, that rule is rarely complained about. 

It's not complained about because it's widely ignored.

[Sentinel947]

20 minutes ago, walk in the woods said:

It's not complained about because it's widely ignored.

Granted. I guess I should say, in my unit, it's a total non factor, our Scouts have a harder time following it than our leaders. Parents are supportive. 

[LVAllen]

"Today, all these layers feel burdensome and people are prioritizing their time, ignoring some parts and under-supporting others."

But surely, once we unveil the One Layer, the Layer to rule all other Layers, THAT will make Scouters listen.

[Oldscout448]

8 hours ago, walk in the woods said:

It's not complained about because it's widely ignored.

Yup

[desertrat77]

They can call it Polaris or whatever they wish.

At the end of the day, it's nothing more than another series of committee meetings.  Because scouting really doesn't have enough of those.

Results:

- Low hanging fruit--small changes that could have easily been made before all of those meetings and flip charts--will be heralded as proof of the BSA's new-found flexibility and concern for scouters.

- Big annoyances, the true morale breakers, the things that really need to change--these will remain the same.  Sure, the Polaris teams may delve into some "problem admiration" regarding these items but nothing significant will come of it.

I see that round tables are one of the first items up for dissection.   Low hanging fruit.  If RT works for your district, great.  If not, scrap them and don't look back.  You're welcome

 

 

Edited September 17, 2018 by desertrat77