UK vs BSA Leadership

[yknot]

3 hours ago, scoutldr said:

I nominate Mike Rowe.  He's an Eagle Scout and an expert at "Dirty Jobs".

If it were 20 years ago, I would agree but he's kind of too old school now. He has also made some statements over the past few years that are pretty out of sync with what scouting's bankruptcy realities are.

I think it needs to be some younger people with an idea of what challenges current families face, preferably from some different demographics like minorities and women, and maybe even from outside scouting. I could be wrong about Bear Grylls, but I don't think he was ever even a scout when he was a kid for example. 

Social media is the most likely place to look for useful personalities today, not TV. I would start with reviewing some of the people who have youtube channels or frequently post on facebook pages. I'd also look for some scouts who have made it in sports or other fields. 

[mrjohns2]

He may be too old, but I’d vote for Jocko Willink. Author, navy seal, etc. 

 

 

[Cambridgeskip]

A UK scouter writes....

Having a celebrity chief scout is by no means the only factor behind rising numbers in the UK. There was far more to it than that. In the late 90s scouts in the UK was dying on its feet! Broadly because it had stagnated. While there had been the odd tweak here and there there had been no significant changes to the program, uniform, branding, or anything at all really.

In 2002/3 there were wholesale changes inclduing age ranges, uniforms, award scheme, branding. Having a known face is great, but it wasn;t the be all and end all of the turn around.

[InquisitiveScouter]

Our Chief Scout ought to be someone who deeply benefitted from the program... an Eagle Scout whose course in life was changed by their experiences in Scouting...someone who realized the "American Dream" and has continued in Scouting because of their success and a desire to give back.  https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/American_Dream

If we tell their story like that, and make them the "face of Scouting," imagine the appeal...

Demographics of the individual shouldn't matter, but the Chief Scout story would be more appealing if they were a minority, "underprivileged", immigrant, or etc.  It hasn't been long enough to have the Chief Scout be a female Eagle Scout...

However, IMHO, there are way too many other corporate obstacles to overcome for the installation of a Chief Scout to be a panacea.

As @Cambridgeskippoints out, the Chief Scout won't be the be-all the end-all of a "turn around"

Although I am weathering the storm as best I can in my little corner of the world, I get the feeling we are on a sinking ship, and there is not likely to be a "turn around" for BSA.  I don't have confidence in the crew or captain running the ship, and my life jacket is on...😞

I'll be looking for the film on the 16th, and interested to see if that story gains any further traction in detriment to BSA.

[MattR]

5 hours ago, Cambridgeskip said:

A UK scouter writes....

Having a celebrity chief scout is by no means the only factor behind rising numbers in the UK. There was far more to it than that. In the late 90s scouts in the UK was dying on its feet! Broadly because it had stagnated. While there had been the odd tweak here and there there had been no significant changes to the program, uniform, branding, or anything at all really.

In 2002/3 there were wholesale changes inclduing age ranges, uniforms, award scheme, branding. Having a known face is great, but it wasn;t the be all and end all of the turn around.

Yes, I'm more interested in the person that picks the face than the face.

4 hours ago, InquisitiveScouter said:

Our Chief Scout ought to be someone who deeply benefitted from the program... an Eagle Scout whose course in life was changed by their experiences in Scouting...someone who realized the "American Dream" and has continued in Scouting because of their success and a desire to give back.  

So, Roger Mosby?

[Tron]

On 6/11/2022 at 6:05 AM, DuctTape said:

There are plenty. I have met many, but they do not have tv shows so no one else knows of their names. Extrapolating to the entire country I am certain there are thousands of qualified young people who could fill the role.

If BSA wanted to, they could fund and create a show (start with youtube) to generate a media presence for the ambassador. This is not much different from what BSA did in its early days when authors wrote books and stories about scout patrols. These were not commissioned by BSA but they did not object to folks using "Boy Scouts" and other trademarks since it promoted the program. 

But, yes, there are many qualified young people who could do this. 

So this might be the path forward? Not 1, but many former Scouts iterating through a media campaign. It would allow BSA to hit all of the demographics by rotating people through, and the process could shift around to hit people who are survivalists but also those who took what they learned into become civic leaders (someone wanted that to be a part of the choosing process), and titans of industry.

[RememberSchiff]

On 6/9/2022 at 3:20 PM, Eagle1993 said:

...Looking at the UK, you frequently see Kate Middleton (who actually volunteered for a Cub Pack) wearing the neckerchief and talking about scouts frequently.  Matt Hyde is out, generating media and positive messaging about scouts.

Now I look to BSA.  Our national leadership is completely absent from national media.  I have see no ability to get scouts highlighted at major events (how about the super bowl, NBA, MLB, NHL, PGA, New Years Eve, Oscars, etc.)   They, for the most part are absent outside dedicated scout stories (which are limited).  

Where are our Bear Grylls, Kate Middleton, etc. ambassadors?  Bear Grylls was named Chief Scout at 34.  Young, energetic, media savvy. 

..

Kate Middleton, Princess of Wales, knot-tying with Cub Scouts.

Source: https://www.bbc.com/news/uk-wales-62968227