BSA: The POLARIS Method

[BillG]

Hello fellow Scouter:

If you  posted on the Polairs Method Forum.

If you have question on The Polairs Method please call or email and I will give your the facts.

I have been a part of the The Polairs Method since it began and have the backstory. My name is Bill Goebel I am a volunteer, 336-202-6485 and my email is Bill@gmanc.com. 

Polaris-Brochure[5].pdf

[MattR]

Welcome to the forum, @BillG.

If you have the backstory you may as well tell all of us, as there is some doubt about whether this will work.

[dkurtenbach]

On 9/20/2018 at 12:38 AM, ParkMan said:

I learned more about Polaris today.  As I understand it now, it's really about providing volunteers and employees a process to solve problems.  In conjunction, it sets the expectation that those employees and volunteers are then empowered to go solve those problems.  The belief is that the net result of this is employees and volunteers going out and solving the problems that prevent the BSA from delivering value to Scouts and units.

That is a good description, based on what I've read on the BSA Polaris Method website and the content of the videos.  The fundamental weakness is "the expectation that those employees and volunteers are then empowered to go solve those problems."  It isn't an absence of individual employee and volunteer empowerment that is preventing problems from being solved.  It is that, with minor, strictly local exceptions, the problems that Scouters and units face on a daily basis arise from societal issues, demographics, program design, program policies, institutional inertia, and council budgets -- conditions that cannot be changed or corrected by employee and volunteer empowerment.  

[Eagledad]

1 hour ago, dkurtenbach said:

That is a good description, based on what I've read on the BSA Polaris Method website and the content of the videos.  The fundamental weakness is "the expectation that those employees and volunteers are then empowered to go solve those problems."  It isn't an absence of individual employee and volunteer empowerment that is preventing problems from being solved.  It is that, with minor, strictly local exceptions, the problems that Scouters and units face on a daily basis arise from societal issues, demographics, program design, program policies, institutional inertia, and council budgets -- conditions that cannot be changed or corrected by employee and volunteer empowerment.  

Exactly!

Because I was the Council JLT Chairman, I was asked to join a National sponsored forum with other Council Youth Training Chairman to discuss and pass along suggestions for the new NYLT course. Very few, if any suggestions by the list ended up in the course. I’m not quite sure why National wasted our time. 

Barry

 

Edited September 21, 2018 by Eagledad

[ParkMan]

38 minutes ago, dkurtenbach said:

That is a good description, based on what I've read on the BSA Polaris Method website and the content of the videos.  The fundamental weakness is "the expectation that those employees and volunteers are then empowered to go solve those problems."  It isn't an absence of individual employee and volunteer empowerment that is preventing problems from being solved.  It is that, with minor, strictly local exceptions, the problems that Scouters and units face on a daily basis arise from societal issues, demographics, program design, program policies, institutional inertia, and council budgets -- conditions that cannot be changed or corrected by employee and volunteer empowerment.  

I think you capture well the kinds of things that lead to the "status quo".  I'd also agree that there are some things that, yes, an individual employee or volunteer cannot change.  As example of that would be a rank requirement.

Even with the the reasons you list, there is still a lot that can be done. History is full of examples where folks look at whatever problem they have and come up with creative solutions to problems.  That's how innovation happens.  What I see if this being an attempt by the BSA to train, empower, and encourage folks to do just that.

Again - I think that's a good thing.

[dkurtenbach]

43 minutes ago, ParkMan said:

Even with the the reasons you list, there is still a lot that can be done. History is full of examples where folks look at whatever problem they have and come up with creative solutions to problems.  That's how innovation happens.  What I see if this being an attempt by the BSA to train, empower, and encourage folks to do just that.

Again - I think that's a good thing.

I appreciate the optimism.  😊  My personal observation and experience -- especially with Scouters -- is that when a local, solvable problem is identified, there are always folks with creative solutions or just stamina who are ready to jump in and try it.  The "empowerment" issue is not about them -- it is about convincing the people with authority over that area to say "yes -- go for it."  I have seen far too many skilled, eager volunteers give up on solving a problem because the person or group that holds the keys or writes the checks won't approve the effort, or won't decide, or won't even listen.  That's where we need a "method."    

[ParkMan]

On 9/21/2018 at 4:32 PM, dkurtenbach said:

I appreciate the optimism.  😊  My personal observation and experience -- especially with Scouters -- is that when a local, solvable problem is identified, there are always folks with creative solutions or just stamina who are ready to jump in and try it.  The "empowerment" issue is not about them -- it is about convincing the people with authority over that area to say "yes -- go for it."  I have seen far too many skilled, eager volunteers give up on solving a problem because the person or group that holds the keys or writes the checks won't approve the effort, or won't decide, or won't even listen.  That's where we need a "method."    

From what I see that is a big part of what this is aiming to do.  Provide district, council, etc. professionals and volunteers the tools and freedom to try things that they have not in the past.  

For example, a take the Roundtable topic.  I expect there will still be a goal to have some sort of networking and continuing training for Scouters.  In years past there would be requirement that you had to have a Roundtable meeting every month that follows the standard format.  Going forward, a district could come up with some other format for the meeting or other way to accomplish that goal.  It sounds like there would be more support to pursue innovative ideas like that.