Setting the tone with a new CSE

[ParkMan]

Just seems to me that a part of the problem is that the DE role is ill defined.  When they have to work 60 hours a week just to keep up, that's not good.  Our council seems to want to treat the DE as a jack of all trades.  Chasing money, membership, new units, supporting existing units, supporting the district committee, etc.  I'd suggest the BSA figure out a job model that can be done in about 30-35 hours a week.  Then, that gives the DE some breathing room to focus on new things that matter.

[SSScout]

On 1/1/2020 at 2:26 AM, skeptic said:

Where was the breakfast; I am always up for that.  Do I need a red coat?  Have one "official" and two event lights.

Oldscout and I turns out we were sort of neighbors.  Met at a local place, Dempsey's, to get acquainted.   Coffee and peach cobbler is always good. Scouty stuff makes it easy to recognize a brother Scouter. 

 

[SSScout]

Cautionary tale:   Before I retired from County Gov service, I met and was inspired by a man who I will call "Dave".  Dave was in charge of planning and was the go to fellow for just about everything. What he said got done, what he signed off on was Okay,  He negotiated contracts with private entities, oversaw mapping of routes and was not above calling folks "out in the field" to get eyeball information and opinions. He had a staff of three, and they were kept busy. 

When he retired,  TPTB  revamped his section, added THREE section heads, maybe 8 more staff, and totally redefined who did what when.    Made things a lot harder to get things corrected or done.  It became hard to find who was responsible for what duty or project.  I came away thinking it was because we had just had a new Department Head named, and he felt somehow jealous of Dave's  respect and personal assumed responsibility .

[RememberSchiff]

CSE from outside, is the National Executive Board next?

Jan 21, 2020 : Aerojet Rocketdyne CEO and President Eileen Drake has been selected to serve on the National Board of Directors of Girl Scouts of the USA (GSUSA). 

Drake joined Aerojet Rocketdyne in March 2015 as chief operating officer. A former Army aviation officer, Drake also worked in leadership roles at Ford Motor Company and United Technologies. Since becoming CEO at Aerojet Rocketdyne, Drake has overseen a fundamental reorganization of the company, creating efficiencies and developing new capabilities. Drake also serves on the board of Woodward Inc., as well as the Board of Governors and Executive Committee of the Aerospace Industries Association. Throughout her career, Drake has been passionate about promoting STEM initiatives and advancing the work of Girl Scouts.

I wonder if the BSA National Executive Board (72+ members)  consisting of many insiders will be restructured into a smaller board (25? members) of  nearly all outsiders (business leaders)? Consider the YMCA, GSUSA, 4H, 

YMCA of the USA (Y-USA), ...The Y-USA board is composed of 27 members who set strategic direction and policy to guide the national office’s work to increase the capacity of Ys to strengthen community through youth development, healthy living and social responsibility.

The Girl Scout National Board of Directors comprises 29 men and women, with expertise in fields ranging from financial services to publishing. 

4H Board of Trustees  - 28 members dedicated to the belief that helping kids achieve their boldest dreams empowers not only them but also our communities to thrive today, tomorrow, and beyond.

IMHO. such a reorganization would involve changing/ignoring the Charter and Bylaws of the Boy Scouts of America (June 2019) something a Chapter 11 bankruptcy process could facilitate.

Another $0.01,

P.S. I would have posted a  website link with a list of BSA National Executive Board members if I could find one. As @qwazse previously noted , that information  is in the Annual Report pdf ...well maybe.

Edited January 22, 2020 by RememberSchiff

[walk in the woods]

On 1/4/2020 at 10:08 AM, Eagle1993 said:

I’m a bit surprised our new CEO hasn’t sent out any message to the scouts and volunteers yet. Does anyone know if he sent anything to councils?  
 

I’ve been through transitions of leadership many times before and in all cases the new leader would have sent something out by now.  Not a major issue, just a bit odd.

The Autism Society of America is in a leadership transition.  Just saw this on FB.  https://www.autism-society.org/meet-our-new-ceo-a-letter-from-christopher-banks/?fbclid=IwAR1Z0ACpoTQ0mwddvQLR_TztmhlqLa0bBj9ThVWlOGgMKpkMrdtM5CCYkF8

FWIW, hired Nov. 15, assumed post Jan. 1.

Edited January 23, 2020 by walk in the woods
Additional info

[5thGenTexan]

https://blog.scoutingmagazine.org/2020/01/28/getting-to-know-roger-c-mosby-the-new-president-and-ceo-of-the-boy-scouts-of-america/?fbclid=IwAR2gA2T2DOoxJ45_UOV0127kPTgW4Reughn5ff1XPODnD4Asci0uh8FAeOU

 

The BSA is undergoing a period of extraordinary change right now. What are your thoughts on the overall direction of the Boy Scouts of America?

I’m a “for every door that’s closed, there’s another door that’s open” kind of a guy. When you think about it, the Boy Scouts didn’t change much during the early years of the movement. After World War II, a lot of things changed in America, but Scouting didn’t always adapt to those changes in the nation. When the organization’s growth plateaued and eventually began to decline, it still didn’t adapt. No business or organization can operate that way and watch its numbers continue to decline. That requires you to make some changes.

By the time we reached the 21^st century, the U.S. family looked very different than it did in 1910, and the BSA began finally making some of the changes that were necessary to reach that rapidly changing U.S. family. Making those types of moves after such a long period of things being relatively the same doesn’t come without some bumps along the road, but it was necessary for the future success of this organization.

One of the biggest changes we’ve made is that the organization has expanded its view on who can be a member of the BSA. That actually sets us up for growth. I’m excited about what that means – especially to see Scouting continue to grow in its diversity and become a place that welcomes the whole family. Because U.S. families need Scouting maybe more than they ever have.

Do you have any specific goals for your time as president and CEO?

I think we need to develop an aspirational growth goal. I like to be aspirational about it. Could we go from where we are today to double or triple (our membership) in a few years? I think we can. The market is certainly there. The program is certainly there. If we can get in front of parents and kids and really show them what the Scouting program can do for them, how it can improve their family life and set children up for a bright future, then phenomenal growth is certainly possible.

[carebear3895]

You have been a volunteer with Scouting for three decades. How will that help you in your new job?

"The (BSA Executive) Board knew what they wanted. They wanted someone who embraced the Scout Oath and Law. And that’s an easy one for me. I’ve spent the biggest part of my Scouting life on the volunteer side. But I’ve worked enough at the area, regional, and national levels to get a feel for how life is on that side. My perspective on the profession is not the same as someone who came up through the organization. I think I see it more from the viewpoint of what kind of services I’d like to see as a volunteer. What do I need as a volunteer to help me deliver a better program to that troop or pack? That’s the view I have"

 

oof. Well that answers that. We professionals are going to be in for a shake up 

Edited January 28, 2020 by carebear3895

[qwazse]

Looks like the marketing doublespeak will continue:

Quote

BSA began finally making some of the changes that were necessary to reach that rapidly changing U.S. family.

Can we please get a CSE/CEO who will plainly say that what 21st century  BSA did was 1) end the interstate witch-hunt of homosexuals, 2) said "Yes, but safely" to the girls who wanted to work our programs, 3) remove previously sanctioned independent youth meetings and activities -- including 18-20 year olds ASMs as "2nd adults" -- for the sake of stricter youth protection.

There is no "US family."  There were American families. They never fit one mold. But for the longest time, the majority of our fellow citizens found a particular nuclear structure wed to a particular location essential to assuring their offspring's future. We have a rapidly evolving post-modern nomadic generation. BSA turned its back on families who hewed rigorously to a narrow set of patterns in order accommodate what they hope will be a burgeoning majority of post-modern nomadic families.

We can debate the soundness of that bet, but the whole "changing to reach the rapidly changing US family" is, to use Mosby's words, "aspirational" at best.

Edited January 28, 2020 by qwazse

[Jameson76]

The BSA is undergoing a period of extraordinary change right now. What are your thoughts on the overall direction of the Boy Scouts of America?

When you think about it, the Boy Scouts didn’t change much during the early years of the movement. After World War II, a lot of things changed in America, but Scouting didn’t always adapt to those changes in the nation. When the organization’s growth plateaued and eventually began to decline, it still didn’t adapt. No business or organization can operate that way and watch its numbers continue to decline. That requires you to make some changes.

 

Very revealing and interesting.  The plateaued growth and decline he speaks of (which was 1973 - 1980) was in fact a direct result of change within the organization, the "Improved Scouting Program".  Really like the way that BSA's own part of that is sort of glossed over and the decline placed into the changes in America bucket.

Those who do not fully understand history are doomed to repeat it......

[David CO]

I would have liked to hear him speak about the relationship between BSA and the Chartered Organizations.  He talked about BSA.  He talked about families.  He talked about a changing world.  But he didn't talk about the Chartered Organizations.  Perhaps this indicates a viewpoint that the Chartered Organization has an insignificant role in the future of scouting.

[dkurtenbach]

This statement in the article caught my eye:  "Unlike his predecessors at the National Council of the Boy Scouts of America, Mosby’s title is not Chief Scout Executive. That title is reserved for commissioned BSA professionals — that is, full-time employees of the BSA who have undergone the required amount of training."  (Emphasis added.)

So, are they suggesting he is untrained or under-trained?  Or that he's not worthy to bear the "reserved" title of Chief Scout Executive?

[RememberSchiff]

29 minutes ago, dkurtenbach said:

This statement in the article caught my eye:  "Unlike his predecessors at the National Council of the Boy Scouts of America, Mosby’s title is not Chief Scout Executive. That title is reserved for commissioned BSA professionals — that is, full-time employees of the BSA who have undergone the required amount of training."  (Emphasis added.)

Huh? He is listed as CEO and President  in that article and according to the latest Charter and ByLaws , Article IV, Section 2 

Corporate Officers

Clause 1. The officers of the Corporation shall be the following employees: President, who shall be the Chief Scout Executive and Chief Executive Officer; Treasurer, who shall be the Chief Financial Officer; and Secretary, who shall be the General Counsel.

CHIEF SCOUT EXECUTIVE

Clause 2. The Chief Scout Executive shall be appointed by and shall serve at the pleasure of the Executive Board and shall serve as the chief executive officer of the Corporation. The Chief Scout Executive shall be a voting member of the Executive Committee, Co-Chair of the National Leadership Council, and an ex officio nonvoting member of all other committees except the Governance and Nominating Committee, where the Chief Scout Executive shall serve as staff advisor. The Chief Scout Executive shall not serve after attaining the age of 65 years.

[desertrat77]

4 hours ago, dkurtenbach said:

This statement in the article caught my eye:  "Unlike his predecessors at the National Council of the Boy Scouts of America, Mosby’s title is not Chief Scout Executive. That title is reserved for commissioned BSA professionals — that is, full-time employees of the BSA who have undergone the required amount of training."  (Emphasis added.)

So, are they suggesting he is untrained or under-trained?  Or that he's not worthy to bear the "reserved" title of Chief Scout Executive?

Well said.  Mr. Mosby should not lose much sleep over missing those classes.  After all, "commissioned BSA professionals"--who had the required training--have been at the helm until now, and they have steered our organization into dismal waters.   Societal changes and other external factors cannot be solely blamed. 

Edited January 29, 2020 by desertrat77

[desertrat77]

1 hour ago, RememberSchiff said:

Huh? He is listed as CEO and President  in that article and according to the latest Charter and ByLaws , Article IV, Section 2 

Corporate Officers

Clause 1. The officers of the Corporation shall be the following employees: President, who shall be the Chief Scout Executive and Chief Executive Officer; Treasurer, who shall be the Chief Financial Officer; and Secretary, who shall be the General Counsel.

CHIEF SCOUT EXECUTIVE

Clause 2. The Chief Scout Executive shall be appointed by and shall serve at the pleasure of the Executive Board and shall serve as the chief executive officer of the Corporation. The Chief Scout Executive shall be a voting member of the Executive Committee, Co-Chair of the National Leadership Council, and an ex officio nonvoting member of all other committees except the Governance and Nominating Committee, where the Chief Scout Executive shall serve as staff advisor. The Chief Scout Executive shall not serve after attaining the age of 65 years.

RS, excellent point.  Here's my hunch.  Mr. Mosby graciously declined the CSE title to help assuage the hurt feelings that are no doubt percolating through the "commissioned BSA professional" corps as we speak.  Some gold loopers knew it was potentially "their turn" to be in the running for the CSE job.  Not only were they passed over, their whole world is about to change.

Edited January 29, 2020 by desertrat77

[ParkMan]

Possibly that he really thinks of himself as a volunteer who's now charged to run the ship.

If I were hired to the CEO role of our Scout council, I don;t know if I'd really consider myself a Scouting professional either.  I'd consider myself a volunteer who now has a job to run the council. It's neither respecting or disrespecting the professionals - just simply that he doesn't think of himself as one.