Adult Leader Succession Planning

[rkfrance]

This is a common necessity for most Packs, but it can affect all units, districts, and councils. Adult leader succession or lack there of.

 

As Commissioners, we are likely to see which leaders are the most likely to change positions, move from one program to another, are on the verge of burn-out, and many other similar situations.

 

Before I took on the role of a commissioner, I had been involved with several units. None of the units I served had any real plan for leader succession. It was always milk the poor sucker dry who was in the position at the time until he/she either moved on, got burned-out, or just disappeared without notice. Then it was the mad scramble to find the next sucker, er... volunteer! Many times the scramble turned into plodding for months, until the next roundup or right before recharter. Then, many times, someone was cornered for a signature with little or no expectation of that person stepping up to take on the responsibility of the position.

 

This isn't about just recruiting new leaders. It's the planning and execution of a system by the unit, for the unit (with the active support of the commissioners) to continuously update and improve, and to not lose anything in the transition process. To effectively have the next leader trained and ready to go before that leader is REALLY needed to take over.

 

Are we counseling our units to plan ahead and be prepared? What are the best methods you've found for helping with unit leader successions? Does your council/district have an effective leader succession plan?

[John-in-KC]

A Pack I serve is 12 months out from CC and CM taking their kids to Boy Scouting.

 

I spend more time at Committee meetings than I do program events, counseling smooth succession.

 

I did do a stand up gig at their B/G. Brought up some Cubs. Brought up the Den Chiefs. Hip-Hip Hooray for the Den Chiefs.

 

Brought up the CC/CM. Cubs again 3 cheers for them, and audience applause. Then had them sit down.

 

Told audience to look around. Where was the top leadership??? This would be a reality next February.

 

Told them to expect conversations and phone calls. Asked them for now to prayerfully and carefully consider supporting the Pack.

 

Turned the show over to Mr FOS.

 

CC and CM have both since told me they're getting phone calls and emails about what's needed for the PAck.

 

It's a start

[Hal_Crawford]

When I was in my last year of cubs (and dinosaurs walked the earth) my dad was the CC. They had a committee/parents meeting at the beginning of the year. On the blackboard my dad had written a list of jobs and he said "the door is closed and this meeting isn't over until all these jobs have names next to them". At the end of the meeting all the jobs were taken, some reluctently.

 

35 years later, same pack, now it is my son who is the cub. The CM announced, my youngest son is moving up to boy scouts in a month. If no one steps up to take the job they there is no troop... and that is how I ended up as CM for my son's last year in Cubs.

 

Hopefully, parents will care enough to step up.

 

Good luck,

Hal

[Buffalo Skipper]

When I was cubmaster (we had a weak committee chair), I was costantly on the lookout for my replacement. I was fortunate to have found him in a 3rd generation Eagle (whose father is on the regional committee and whose grandfather is still an active cubmaster; his aunt was the cubmaster who recruited me!). This was a no brainer, but he could have been overlooked if I had not put forth the effort, as he was more interested in Boy Scouts than being a Pack leader.

 

I spent 2 years as Cub Scout Roundtable Commissioner. I inhertited the job (literally) when I was working on staff and the sitting commissioner lost his battle with cancer. The first thing I did was identify potential candidates for staff who could replace me. I recruited 3; one of these became a standout, and 2 years later, I stepped down and he remains a strong and effective CSRTC. The other 2 whom I recruited to assist me still work with him on his staff.

 

I showed up on the doorstep of our COs troop for a committee meeting some 3 and a half years ago. I announced that I was the cubmaster of a 70 strong cub pack and, as of that month, we were now to be a part of the same CO. The effect was stunning. I spent 3 years on the committee, and without much talk, they groomed me for the SM job, because everyone did the math and figured out that the the same time the SM's son was to turn 18 (8 days ago) my son was going to be crossing into the troop (7 days ago). I allowed them to prepare me, and I became an actively involved with meetings and campouts a year ago (thereby establishing myself as a leader in the eyes of the scouts before they ever met my son).

 

I have been the SM for less than 3 months, but I am already looking for my replacement, and I have found him. He is the CM of the other pack our CO charters. He earned his Eagle in our troop in 1990 and has never really left scouting (his father was the longest serving SM in our troop's 72 year history and one of the more prominent vetreran scouters in the district). He and I are already working together planning for when he and his son cross over to the troop, next year. Am I wanting to step down already? Not on your life! I love this job, but he and I are already discussing what we want to see happen in the troop. The troop had 60-70 active when he was a scout, and we are working to see that the troop is made strong and that recruiting is healthy again. It is obvious that we share much common ground and that is good.

 

I believe that the most important job you can do is identify, recruit and train your replacement. It works.

[dg98adams]

All this is good info....but when I stepped up as CM for our pack (my son started as a Wolf and I was asst DL), I had been working with the existing CM for 6 months. I knew he was burned out as I was picking up more and more. the CO was not interested in the pack.

 

Anyway, other than a couple BSA CM resource books, he did not have anything to give me.

 

So, I started a CM 3-ring binder. First thing I added was the CM training section, then the BALOO & Outdoor Skills section.

 

I also put sheets in so I could quickly lookup internet links for BSA forms, council info, etc.

 

I also would put in sheets/links of cheers, songs.

 

Special things like contacts to the local Troops, the DE's contact info (our UC never returned calls and would show up late with recharter paperwork so I usually go the DE to give me whatever info/paper work he would have given him) also went it there.

 

I also had sheets for online acct info/logon's/password/web page for the Pack.

 

I usually had 2-3 activities/games for when I had to "fill in" something at a pack meeting. Very handy, as it made it look like I always was prepared, even though a CM never is "completely prepared".

 

All this and a more populated Pack Master was given to the next CM when I crossed over into my son's boy Scout Troop 2 years later.

 

Did he use it? Or even pass it along? I don't think so.... 3 years later the CM's assistant after him is calling me for ceremonies/information I had performed....

 

In all, I guess what I agree with it looking for a replacement is good, but you need to be able to give them something to "help" them get started. But they have to use it.

 

 

[AnniePoo]

I'm CC and co-Webelos den leader for a fairly large pack, as well as Cub district trainer. We try to get an assistant CM lined up about 6 months to a year before the CM leaves. Fortunately, we're set for CM's for the next couple of years.

 

I'm finding that I have my hands full as CC and den leader, although both are easier as time goes on. Unfortunately, it seems that senior den leaders often end up doing double-duty as CC or CM in many packs. Troop leadership in our town is strong, and I probably won't be needed in troop leadership when my son crosses over in a year. Thus, I'm planning to stay on as CC of the pack for at least a couple of years, or until I find a suitable (non-den-leader) replacement. Being an experienced CC, with no den to handle "on the side" I think will enable the pack to continue to flourish, and will make life easier for the den leaders.

 

To all of you pack CC's out there - please consider doing the same.

[AnniePoo]

Oh, and my successor will get my pack filing cabinet. I keep good records, and am working with other leaders in our pack to do the same.

[highcountry]

I beleive that succession planning in a volunteer organization is extremely difficult. No one has to be there and if the percieved work load or politics or un-desirable factors are too much no one will step up and that is what frequently happens. The previous SM and his wife the CC tried the door will not open until these blanks are filled method once while I was still ASM. The result was several adult volly's who put their name in the blanks so everyone could leave but had no intention of actually doing the job and ther result was some troop critical functions going completely un done. At least in the working world thereis the incentive to promote and possibly get a pay raise as well, besides, nearly everyone Has to work so the threat of someone not doing the job or no one stepping up in a succession plan has some teeth. No one has to volunteer.

I have watched the 2 local packs that feed our troop go through problems for the past 5 years due to CM succession problems. I won't go into all the details other than the most recent CM at teh one troop (he is a firefighter on the same department as I am)notified the pack over 6 months ago that they needed a new CM and he had no clear succesor to take over. The burnout and political backstabing that caused this man to make the decsion to be finished at re-charter also did not end. Now the pack is without a CM and the committee that remains is bewildered what to do.

I myself took over our troop 2 and a half years ago as no one else was going to and the previos SM had no succession plan. The 2 ASM's he had were both nearing teh point of dropping out as theri boys made Eagle, one aged out and the other dropped out after making Eagle. Since then I have weeded through teh wheat and chaffe and now have 6 good SM's and a decent committee, yet I cannot see a clear succesion plan. I too have told the troop I am done as SM with the February 2010 recharter, yet no one is hinting at any interest. Of my Committee, my CC would like to do SM but he says no way as he can see how much time and effort goes into the job. My Treasurer is excellent but he is approaching some burn out and does not want the workload associated with being SM. No one lese on committee shows the ability or dedication to become SM although they do their current jobs very well. Of my 6 ASM's, 2 are Recent Eagles who aged out last fall and stayed on until going away to college as they enjoyed the troop so much. They mentor the youth leadership. Neitehr will be able to take over. A third ASM made Eagle a week before turning 18 2 years ago, an excellent and really dedicated scouter, great resource for ther troop in every way, yet he lives down the hill in town and is in college, he does not have a drivers licvense yet so pulling off SM would prove difficult. He would be my A choise to take over for me if not for those obstacles. ASM # 4 is a great help on activities and has taken training but due to other time commitments, I don't know that he can step up to all the demands of the job. The remaining 2 ASM's are fellow firefighters who had once been scouts but who's kids are grown. They are in it for the love of scouting but don't want to take the troop over once I am gone, they are there partly for what the troop is with me running it. One of the local pack's CM may be a candidate, his one son just crossed over to our troop and the CM appears to be an excellent candidate. I don't yet know if he is staying as CM or not yet. Would love to have him decide to take over the reigns from me next year.

Anyway, that's my story and I'm stickin to it......