Help for new patrol leaders

[mk9750]

HERE! HERE! to KoreaScouter's answer. If we try to find the best candidate to do any job in Scouting, all we'll ever have doing the job is the same boy. Leads to a Troop that is easier to run, but it doesn't meet the expectations, which is to teach leadership.

 

Man, it's hard sometimes to watch a boy struggle while he's learning. It really is hard. But it's just those same guys that will get the most out of the effort (his and yours) when the light goes on. There is no better feeling in Scouting, in my opinion, than watching a boy who has made the job hard for himself finaly "get it" and be successful.

 

What has always bothered me about the process (at least in our Troop) is the election process, which has boiled down in most cases to the boys electing someone because it his "his turn". I've talked about this in other threads. There is nothing official about this, but it just seems that the ASPL is always elected SPL, the best PL is always elected ASPL, and the APL is always elected PL. The boys understand that it doesn't have to be this way (I think - at least we've tried to convince them). but they still follow this pattern, almost like it was a rule. I'd love to find a way off this merry - go - round.

 

Good luck to you!

 

Mark

[red feather]

Not fear, but respect. A scout in a leadership position deserves respect, just as an adult in a leadership position deserves respect. Once the scouts learn this controversy usually ends.

 

Youth leaders do not speak for the SM. Their instructions carry the same authority. Scouts who try to take the road of speaking for the SM are taken aside and the meaning of their leadership position reexplained to them.

 

Usually not a problem.

yis

 

 

[Bob White]

I guess I see it differently. Leaders earn respect by the way they lead. Scouts should cooperate because they took an Oath to be trustworthy, helpful, friendly and courteous. The behaviour we seek needs to come from inside the character of the scout not by the authority of the other person.

 

my humble opinion,

BW

[red feather]

BW, in many ways we say the same thing. Any adult leader or scout leader starts with my respect, it is their actions that maintains that. That is what I try to teach the young scouts in the troop and that is how I live my life. I try to reach scouts that have preconcieved ideas about people who are differentis that the scout that appears different is the same as all others until proven otherwise then they deserve respect (again untill proven otherwise)

 

I respond to all scouts as 'sir' or as a group 'gentlemen', they address me as Mr.___ as asign of respect of who they are and expected to be. (or in some cases required to be)

 

Same song, different melody I think.

 

yis

 

 

[Scoutmaster Ron]

At our troop meeting last night two PL's came foward and said they had no clue what to do at PL...So are SPL is planning a JLT course on a Saturday for all PL's...I'm glad the boys came foward training,training and more training...Personally I thought it was great that they really cared about doing a good job as PL