Scout Leadership Position Evaluations

[OldGrayOwl]

Have you ever passed out a form to the members of the troop asking for their evaluation of how their elected officials in the Troop are doing? This would be from the Patrol leaders to the Senior Patrol leader.

 

This would be for the Scoutmaster's eyes only, so he could help out the low performers in the troop to be able to better themselves.

 

It is just a thought, for discussion.

[PeteM]

It sounds like a nice idea, that way the Scouts are helping to be extra 'eyes and ears' to help the boys in the troop in their leadership positions.

[Beavah]

OGO (and others) - What do yeh feel the anonymous paper report would gain over a Roses & Thorns type discussion in person? Or a SM discussion with da boys in a patrol in the normal course of business?

 

 

[LongHaul]

What would an anonymous paper report gain over a Roses and Thorns or SM Conference? COULD allow for honesty in the absence of a.) retaliation outside the program, b.) offending the person being reported on PERSONALLY (R&T), c.) Eliminates the rapport the boy may NOT have with the SM. (If I am critical of Jim will the SM hold it against me when I'm in the position?) It can lead to things being said that are not correct and would not be said to a person face to face either about them or someone else. But I could lead to things being said that would not be said to a person face to face either about them or someone else that are in fact totally correct and need saying. Speaking as a SM of 13 years I think I'd get more useless info that constructive material. Just my take on the boys I've dealt with. The criticism would be about things that may be lacking but that are not correctable in the frame of the POR. "Billy is too much of a Boss". By the time you quietly try to figure out just what this is relating to, have a chance to talk with Billy about it, figure out if you want to handle this directly or use it as a chance for another youth leader to mentor the scout, give Billy a chance to correct his behavior the POR is finished and the correction never gets implemented. Billy was a Boss his whole term. Talking it out face to face, R&T gives you a chance to get to the core, get Billy's side, get the rest of the patrol or troops side, involve the senior youth leaders and the corrections if deemed appropriate start immediately.

LH

[OldGrayOwl]

Could you give more info about the "Roses + Thorns" that you reffered to?

 

This idea came to me from a parent. i told them that I would give it some consideration and let them know.

 

Pete,

Thanks, but it isn't my idea.

 

 

Thanks

[mdutch]

It's an interesting idea, but something about it strikes me as not quite right. Sorry that I can't be specific about its problems, but it is more a gut feeling than anything else. I guess, that if the scouts in the troop feel that they can't talk to the SPL/SM about problems with leadership, then time would be better spent strengthening those relationships.

[MarkS]

Seems to me that a leadership evaluation form wouldn't provide you with any additional information of value than can be obtained through observation and from your SMCs and BORs of the boys. I ask the boys questions like, "what would you like to see the troop start doing, continue doing, and stop doing?" Or perhaps, "if you were the PL of your patrol (SPL of the troop), what would you do differently? The same?"

[John-in-KC]

"thorns and roses" is a discussion. Scouts on expedition at Philmont use it DAILY.

 

Each Scout has to, in turn, talk about what he sees going on that is right, and what he sees going on that is wrong.

 

Some programs have a rule of 2 rights for every wrong!

 

Often, a spirited discussion begins, and some truly creative solutions to the thorny challenges come on the table. A couple of days later, there may be a rose where once there was a thorn.

[MarkS]

http://www.longspeakbsa.org/resources/thornsroses.shtml