moving on

[8ball3]

New to forum,thought I would ask some of you old salts for advice.

Been the CM of our unit going into third year. Also the Web leader of my origial Den. My proplem is that I going to move on soon. My Den is Web 1 but they could cross by June. Need AOL

I have decided to keep them in the Pack till next B&G. Parents and kids ok with that.

We have a strong Pack, run around 40 boys. All the Dens have two leaders, I would say they all they are all great people. They do what ever is ask of them,they just wont take over as Cm. CO is a stand away type. CC is past CM before me and he will not take it back. Comittee members all from troop, so thats out. Sent a letter to all the parents asking for help in the matter, no response. Now what?

[beardad]

I would make a list of who you think would do the best job, and visit each person in order individually and ask them. It's harder to say no when asked face to face, rather than in a blanket call for help.

 

if the first guy(or gal) says no, move on down to the next person on your list.

 

 

[8ball3]

Guess I forgot to say, been there done that. Sorry. The Pack does so much nobody want to take on the work. Takes alot of time nobody is willing to take it all on. Do not get me wrong, I am no super hero. I am a Grandparent. I have the time because I do not have to raise kids to. I also get alot of help from my wife.

[SeattlePioneer]

I'd start by recruiting one or two Assistant Cubmasters. Once you have those in place and have cut the job down to a manageable level, recruiting a Cubmaster ought to be practical.

 

Also, look at the issues you are doing as Cubmaster that should be done by others, and start offloading those responsibilities.

 

If the pack is functioning properly, being Cubmaster should be a lot easier than being a den leader.

 

 

Also, I'd attach your Webelos Den to various Scout Troops to participate in suitable Troop Outings, Camporee, Klondike or whatever. You really needn't meet with the pack unless it suits your plans.

 

Also, if your council has a resident Cub Scout Camp, I'd consider taking the 1st and second year Webelos Dens to that. If your pack hasn't done that, it would be a new experience for your Webelos, and NEW, FRESH, EXCITING experiences are what a quality Webelos program should be about. Recycling events the boys have done several times is not the preferred practice unless the boys are really HOT to do them again.

[DLChris71]

Your e-mail to the pack was probably a shot in the dark and it might have hit a mark. Someone that read it might have gotten a twinge but may have some doubts or may need an encouraging nudge. Of course the fact that you don't know who's all twingy doesn't help you out.

 

If I might ask, are there any parents or Den Leaders that regularly attend Pack Committee meetings. Any Den Leaders that go to District Roundtables or have taken Baloo and IOLS. I'm not familiar if a CM can view the new online training through myscouting.org but if so is there anyone attached to your pack that has recently taken any of the CM or Committee member training online that you haven't talked to yet?

 

Have you ever sat down and written your own job description...such as what you do in the current pack, how much time you put in, things you enjoy. If you have it written down it might help when you have to talk to a potential CM or ACM candidate.

[Eagle92]

Only thing I would add to Bear dad's advice it make it two or three folks visiting.

[Basementdweller]

The best advice here is from Seattle......

 

I am going to guess your a one man show....You are the Advancement Chair, The FOS chair, The outings Chair, Blue and gold and popcorn kernel.

 

 

Your never going to find a replacement till you get some help......

 

Recruit all of the above positions and you will soon have a new cub master.......

 

 

 

 

[Brewmeister]

>>Now what?

 

You just do what you were going to do according to your own plan and needs.

 

If you decide it's time to move on and nobody has stepped up to be CM, so be it. It is your CC's responsibility to fill your role or fill in as CM if nobody is willing.

 

If the CC is unwilling to do it, so be it.

 

"somebody" has to if "everybody" wants the pack to continue.

[Papadaddy]

The "book answer" is, "it's not your job". Notify the CC when your last meeting will be. It is then his/her responsibility, along with the Committee and COR, to recruit and fill the position. Good luck and thanks for your service.

[noname]

Do what you heart tells you. Im the one man show here.Im all of the dens leaders and any other position. No committee, no district help and council? Well...Sure its a lot of work but the rewards are, the best as you know. Remember we don't take photos of the kids playing videogames do we? Or tell the group of 100 parents that they have to tell their boys why the pack folded!

[ScoutNut]

If your Pack is so strong why is it that you must look to your Charter Org's Troop for Committee members?

 

As CM, and den leader, you are already doing 2 jobs, which is one more than you should be doing. How many more jobs are you doing that are not really in the CM's job description?

 

At your next Pack Leaders meeting (for den leaders, committee members, and any and all Pack leaders) discuss finding folks to take on all of the different jobs you do. Ask each den leader to recommend a parent from the den for each available job. Discuss who the group feels would be the best for each job. Then get to talking those folks (face to face) into taking on the responsibility for their Pack. Make sure they know they will have all of the help and support they need.

 

One off topic question - How would all of your 4th grade Webelos be able to earn their AOL and join Boy Scouts by this June? Did they all turn 10 years old between June and December?

 

 

[Jeffrey H]

I became Cubmaster because the former Cubmaster asked me face-to-face. I was not the first person on his list but I know that when the first person said "no", he moved on to me. Personal invitations do make a difference.

 

Final thought. I was a former ACM with the Pack and was asked about 3 months before he had to step down, so I had some time to think about it and begin a transition.

 

Ask your CC (former Cubmaster) for help. The CC's job is to ensure that leadership is in place for the Pack and also to take over as CM if the CM position becomes vacant. It would be in the CC's best interest to help you.

 

[SeattlePioneer]

I am always evaluating new parents and current parents for their abilities to do various tasks. I aim to offload tasks as soon as possible once I identify a likely prospect.

 

I prefer to start by asking people to do easy tasks to see if they actually do the work that needs to be done. If they do, I look for another job for them to do.

 

 

And it's always best to ask people to do a job, not to volunteer. Ideally, you ask the best person to do a job that needs to be done, or at least a person who is likely to be a competent person.

 

 

[Second Class]

Someone once told me that "Sometimes to pass the torch, you have to drop the torch".

 

Do what you can to get the best 2 or 3 people trained up, as much as they'll do, then give them 6 months notice that you're outta there.

 

There are fewer things that bother me than cub masters that stay on "for the boys" when the FATHERS of these same boys stand by and do little.

 

 

[SeattlePioneer]

>

 

I'd call that a last resort.

 

 

There ARE good methods of identifying and recruiting new leaders. Unless you've tried those, I wouldn't recommend dropping the torch as your method of finding new leaders.

 

I've described some of those in my earlier post. I've made them work pretty well in several different units.