How would you handle this?

[blazer63]

First some short background: In this area there are 4 troops up and running. We all draw from a relatively small pool of potential new Scouts. Over the past 2 or 3 years most of these potential Scouts have joined one particular Troop, I will call them Troop A. I would understand if Troop A was outstanding and far above the other 3 troops. However I do not believe this to be the case as I have been involved at the district level and have seen some of the things that go on in this troop first hand and really do not feel that their program far outpaces any of the other 3 troops.

Now to the issue at hand: Recently my troop held our annual open house for any Webeloes preparing to cross over. In past years parents have told us how well organized and enjoyable these events have been and the boys all seem to really enjoy themselves. I was speaking to one of the parents who I have known for several years and she informed me that when they were at the Troop A open house the Scoutmaster (who is also a District Executive for a neighboring District) told all the parents that they really should not bother coming to our troop as the boys run the troop and pick on any new boys that come in. Now the only part of this that is true is that the boys do run the troop as they should. I have never allowed any sort of hazing or teasing by any boy in my troop, nor would I.

My question is how should we react to this situation? It seems incredibly unfair that we are not bringing any new Scouts into our Troop because we are being bad mouthed by another troops leader (who is a professional scouter at that!!). Should I respond and if so how? I would never go around bad mouthing another troop and in fact usually tell parents that all 4 troops have good programs and that you really need to fit the boy to the program that best suits his personality and likes/dislikes. I would rather have a boy stay in scouting with another Troop than leave scouting all together. I am at a loss as to how to handle this situation and would certainly appreciate any help that can be offered.

[SemperParatus]

Not that there is any reason to think that the parent you spoke with was not being anything but honest, but you are getting this information second hand. Personally, I would ignore it. Continue to run a solid scouting program and boys will join.

 

If it is true, then the other troop's Scoutmaster is only making himself look bad. Talking down another troop to a bunch of folks makes him look like a gossip-mongering jerk. Those scouts and parents with two-brain cells (the kind you want) will do their own investigation and will discount slanderous remarks as a cheap recruiting gimmick.

 

I sat through a similar spiel one time with a scoutmaster extolling the great virtues of his troop and slamming a number of other ones. It did not go over well with the crowd...he just came across as pompous and slanderous.

 

Make your program as great as it can be, speak positively about scouting to all, don't slam the efforts of other units and everything will work out for the best.

[crgholthus]

Sounds like some extra testosterone going on.

It depends on if you want to be the bigger person,or not.

A "professional" does not always mean better.

He/she gets paid for this. You spend your time at work supporting your "scouting habit". i.e. gas, time at camp,training,food,uniforms... you get the point.

Just put on the best program you can,& dont badmouth the other.

Dont sweat the petty stuff & dont pet the sweaty stuff!

Good Luck

[Eamonn]

When I was a kid in London the Milkman delivered the milk. On top of each pint of milk there was the cream.

The cream will always rise to the top.

I would use what I heard to really go out of my way to make sure that the troop really is the Best Show In Town!!

(Then in a very un-scout-like way I would watch as they ate my dust.)

Eamonn.

[fotoscout]

Since this guy is a professional Scouter there is most certainly a higher standard that he must be held accountable to!

 

First I would confirm the offensive comment. Then I would schedule appointments with your SE, and his boss the SE in your neighboring Council. Of all people this man should know better. It makes you wonder what else he is telling these parents and boys about his troop?

 

[anarchist]

Program, Program, program!

Some observations-

1). many parents, not understanding the scouting program, are totally freaked out when observing the 'control' chaos of a boy led troop (so when being visited stress to your boys the need to 'tone it down for visitors). I sit hear looking at a photo of 5 Cub scouts (four from my older son's den and my younger son) taken YEARS ago. When they bridged it didn't take six months for the PARENTS of one of those boys to decide that the lack of strong structure was no place for their son. A shame.

2). One open house is just not enough...Your troop needs to; provide den chiefs, invite Webelos to joint camp a few times, offer training classes and drop by to help webelos dens with scouting skills...if your troop becomes family it will be good for your troop.

3. nothing succeeds like success...if most of the Webelos II's are going to Troop "A" the simple monmentum of the situation is difficult to overcome.

4.reputation is hard to overcome...even if it is underserved.

But never bad mouth another unit or leader...continue to encourage Webelos parent to 'shop' around to find what is best for their boy...USE THAT FACE TIME TO EXPLAIN BSA Program AND WHAT BOY LED means ...and why we do it this way...Plant the seed that 'boy led scouting, like making sausage is not always pleasant to watch' but the results are worth it!

 

and that brings us back to PROGRAM...you want to be top dog?...ya gotta beat the top dog! You need to objectively look at your program and maybe shake out some dust and truely make it shine!

 

Are you in an activity rut? Same comfortable camp and activities each year? Encourage the SPL and the PLC to reach for the stars and then YOU HAVE TO SUPPORT THEM...find a way to make it happen...they want a three day campout...adults take a day off and give them the ability to make it happen...

They want to take a long trip? Help them figure out how to do it rather than saying...no!

 

If you have a good boy led Troop and you offer the BEST program...not just a comparable program...THE BEST PROGRAM...you can, in many cases, win the boy and he will bring the parents along...Our current Scout Master was dragged into our troop by his son! He is a RGG {really good guy) who readily admits 'others' had bad mouthed our troop and he really didn't want his son to join a 'bad troop'! But the cool stuff we did and the friendly craziness of our boys and their 'outreach program' (classes and pack visits) 'won' his son...the boy actually said "dad, don't make me join Troop 'A'"... then RGG 'came along for the ride, figuring after a while 'he could always transfer out'...As he got to know us, he decided we were probably 'ok' (not as strange as he had heard) and we seemed to be headed in a good direction... so he signed on to help out!

 

SO ...TAKE A HARD LOOK AT your total program...ask WEBELOS this year what they are looking for- what they like AND what they don't like in your 'offering' (The Program). They are your customers after all! Then ask your SPL to design it...polish it and make it happen...

If Troop 'A' does a program 'something' better than you...copy it, improve it, do it better! STRETCH THE ENVELOPE! This will be an evolving process and will take a few years but in the end you will grow a larger (be careful what you ask for) and stronger troop and program!

good luck

[scoutldr]

I'm sitting here wondering how in the world a DE has the time to be a Scoutmaster. I dont' think that should be allowed, especially in the same Council.

[OneHour]

This sounds very close and dear to my heart. When my oldest was shopping for a troop, one man was out to recruit boys for his new troop (a troop that he wants to be a scoutmaster). He bad mouthed the two troops in existent and pit one against another. He happened to be a CC for one of the troops. The two scoutmasters happened to be two friends who came from the same Pack as we did. I confronted each scoutmaster with the allegations and both told me the facts. As Eamonn pointed out, the cream always rises to the top!

 

My take is that you should confront the DE/Scoutmaster of the allegation or at least find out the source of the allegation and put it to rest. I would and have done it. There is no room for this type of action in scouting. If his troop is that good then let their actions speak for themselves. He should be reminded that the objective is to keep the boys in scouting, be it one troop or another or both. I would remind your friend and his webelos (and his friends) is that for some reasons that they do not find a fit in this troop, there are three other troops that they can join.

 

There are (now) three troops in our immediate area. This past couple of months, whenever we invite a webelos den from the two neighborhood Packs, our boys would work with the webelos. I, on the other hand, entertain the parents. I don't sell our troop. I sell the program, scouting program that is. I talk about the surrounding troops and what their specialties are, ie. canoeing, backpacking, hiking, high adventure, explorer, etc. I sell them the importance of scouting and explain to them what the program is and how our troop's program is run and its specialties. I remind them of the fact that it's up to the individual boy and his family to decide which troop that they would like to participate. If I find that the boy is interested in a particular activity, I would recommend the troop for them to seek out. Two years ago, we got 25 new Webelos and our brother troop got 2. Last year, we got 8 and they got 16. This year is still remain to be seen, but we always talk great about each other and the program.

 

I guess that the competitiveness in some people does make them forget about the Scouting aims, promise, and law!

 

Good Luck,

 

1Hour