Leadership Term

[eggerskf]

Our troop has adopted a one year term for leadership positions to enable Scouts the opportunity to develop the skills necessary to lead and execute those skills through a series of repetitions of demonstrating leadership.

 

We did this after leaders were just beginning to get an understanding of their roles and responsibilities and it was election time...

 

I am wondering what you think of a one year term?

 

 

 

[Twocubdad]

It's fine if it works for you.

 

Our troop's terms rum six months starting in Feb. and August, but there's a lot of flexibility in the number of terms one serves. We've had a tradition that the SPL has the option on a second term, if he chooses to continue serving (some do, some don't). Other troop offices are appointed so it's up to the SPL to decide if he wants to appoint someone for a second term. Generally the Troop Guides and the ASPL responsible for them agree to a year-long term, to see the new Scouts through their first year.

 

Patrol officers are elected by the patrols and there are no term limits. Whatever the patrols decide....

 

A year is a long time for a kid. My experience is after a year in the same job, most are ready for either a new challenge or a break.

[Thomas54]

 

I think its a great idea. Although we use the six month rotation its easy to see how it takes a full year to develop the scout into his position. Schools use one year terms for their student councils. Why shouldn't BSA?

[Crew21_Adv]

Eggerskf,

 

 

Greetings and welcome to the forum!

 

My troop that I serve. We have six month terms. Jan-Jun, Jul-Dec. Though the leadership may possibly be re-elected.

 

I also serve a crew. They have decided a one year term. July thru June, to follow the traditional school year.

 

 

Both terms seem to work fine with my troop and crew.

 

Scouting Forever and Venture On!

Crew21 Adv

[Frank17]

It probably depends on how often you meet an have activities.

 

We meet weekly and have at least one Troop trip per month and encourage one Patrol "trip" per month(it can just be getting together socially & hanging out at someone's house). If the leaders are engaged, and told up front what the expectations are for their positions, usually 6 months is sufficient experience for them. Even if they do not attend all the activities, they know they are responsible for scheduling and training a substitute for that event. As a result, we too switch PORs twice per year, although the scouts have an option to repeat once if they desire.

[Buffalo Skipper]

Our troop has 6 month terms. And it was something that came up at last night's PLC meeting. Sure, it takes 6 months for some people to get really comfortable in a position and hit their "stride." The culture in our troop for years had been that someone only serves for 6 months and moves aside (with no formal term limit in place). This was when we had a small (12-15 member) troop with a reasonably balanced age range. That went out the window a few years ago when we had a recruiting "gap." Now, we are looking to a 13, 14 and 15 year old to lead the troop. We need to have a culture where we keep these scouts in the positions for some time while we grow our younger leaders and start getting these boys more scouting experience.

 

On the same lines, we have one scout who is PL of a young patrol, and he is very directive. His scoutcraft is fine but his communication skills are mediocre at best. Elections are coming up in September and he will have served for 6 months; we do not expect that he will be re-elected. Would giving him another 6 months (a one year term) do better for him? I think it would do better for him to step away and "reevaluate" his position. He will be a great leader (we can see it in him) but being voted out may give him the humility he needs to do the job right in the future.

 

I like the 6 month term. It allows the scouts to cut away the "dead wood" or to keep the budding branches.

[Stosh]

Welcome to the forum!

 

Our troop has no elections and no term limits.

 

All positions are fulfilled by the boys themselves. If a boy wishes to be PL he simply rolls up his sleeves and does the job. If a second boy wishes to be PL he can either pitch in and work with the existing PL and work it out to transition when it is convenient for both, or the second PL can go out and recruit a second patrol.

 

Another boy just this past week asked to borrow my bugle so he could learn to play and be the bugler. No problem.

 

Another boy started doing the meal prayers, now has a prayer at every closing flag ceremony and has worked up devotions for the evenings of campouts. He's been doing this faithfully for 3 months now and asked if it would be okay to wear the chaplain aide patch. Yep. No problem.

 

A boy lined up summer camp this year, worked out the equipment (QM), signed the boys up for MB's (Scribe), collected the funds (Scribe/Treasurer), etc. When it came time to put on paper who the troop SPL was, he asked whose name should be put in there, I told him to put his name in there because he was doing all the work anyway. He functioned as SPL of a single patrol troop and the regular PL stepped back to APL and let the boy do the PL/SPL for the week.

 

Another boy came and said he needed a POR for advancement. The boy who is the chaplain aide sat down with him and basically did a TLT session with him explaining all the POR's, their duties, and answered any questions he might have on the subject. By the way, the CA is a second year scout who's Star rank and the boy seeking POR is a third year scout who needs POR for Star.

 

Every boy in the troop has the same opportunities as the next. It is based on whether or not he is going to step up to the plate and play ball or sit around for 6 months, collect the reward just because his buddies voted him the patch.

 

I have another scout who fancies himself as a "leader". However, he does nothing but cause trouble. He "volunteered" to be the OA Rep, but has never attended a single OA district meeting, did not line up elections last year, didn't remind any OA member of any OA event going on, etc. All of these things he was told will be part of the SM conference/evaluation when it comes time for rank advancement, and unless I begin to see some functional leadership developing, he's going to have a tough time justifying completion of the POR requirement.

 

Another boy wants to be instructor, but over the past year has not been able to produce one teaching opportunity for anyone. Yet, he's the first to admit that he has done nothing to justify wearing a patch or getting POR credit. The opportunity to change remains open for him when he's ready for it.

 

Leadership is based on what one does, not what they are or whether or not their buddies vote them into a position.

 

I guess our boys feel that elections really aren't really an honest way to deal with leadership in the troop.

 

Right now I have two boys vying for top leadership in the troop/patrol. My second oldest scout (Star) who did the summer camp logistics (QM and SPL/PL/Scribe) and my second youngest scout (Star) who is function as chaplain aide and instructor. Neither of which I would have placed money on as a bettin' man, but who have stepped up to the opportunity and are doing quite well.

 

Stosh

[Lisabob]

My son's troop has 6 month terms for everything except SPL and ASPL, which are 1 year terms.

 

I do think the 1 year is necessary for SPL/ASPL because it takes a good 4-6 months for boys to understand and grow into the job.

 

For PL and the other appointed positions (scribe, historian, etc) I think it depends greatly on how your troop actually uses those roles. I could imagine troops where some of these positions - PL, maybe QM - really require a whole year, but I don't see much need for a troop librarian to serve for a full year to learn his job (actually I don't see much need to have a troop librarian at all, but that's a different thread I guess).

 

 

[boomerscout]

6 month terms are fine, one year terms are fine, 9 month terms are good, too. I would suggest staggering the PL elections so you don't have all new guys all at once in the PLC

[Eagledad]

I like the idea of one year terms for the ASPL and SPL, but it does require a program scouts like to hang around. I know of a few troops that only elect the ASPL because they knowing they automatically step into the SPL position in the next year or term. Troops that use that method are typically very mature because any Scout running for ASPL is planning the next two years of his life in the troop. The ASPL and SPL are typically 16 or older in those troops. Their programs are typically very active and have an active outdoors adventure program.

 

Barry

 

[Beavah]

Yah, eggerskf, welcome!

 

You'll find troops that do things every which way. Some like jblake's have open terms, like an employer. When yeh take on a job, there's no term limit. Yeh stay for as long as you are interested and you're wanted.

 

Others do terms of different lengths. 6 months and one year are most common. Loosely speakin', I think da 6 month thing has it's origins in the rank requirements for Life and Eagle rather than in a more well thought out system of youth leadership, but folks make it work.

 

To my mind, the longer terms (or six month terms where re-election / re-appointment is common) are a bit better suited to developing young leaders. But a lot depends on da troop, how positions are used, and how old the lads are. High school leaders are fine for longer terms, but middle school lads might not be.

 

I think what's more important than what system yeh settle on is how yeh settle on it. If the boys change the terms or abolish 'em because they see a need, and the adults are enough of that conversation that they buy in as partners, that's best. Doesn't matter so much which system yeh use; in fact, da best units often allow the boys to tweak things back and forth over the years as they have a "new idea", even though for the long time adults it means its just a return to what it was 6 years ago .

 

Dat's a long way of saying that I reckon your change will be just fine, and good for your troop. Nice job being thoughtful about your kids and your program, and having a vision and da courage to make changes to get there.

 

Beavah

[eggerskf]

I appreciate all of your timely feedback. The diverse responses demonstrate the experience of quality leaders!!

 

Sincerely,

 

Ken

[Chippewa29]

My troop does six month terms, starting March 1 and September 1. The reason we do that instead of a full year is that a lot of our Scouts (and most of our best leaders) are in other activities throughout the year. Some may be really busy in the fall with football, marching band, etc. Others may be busier in the spring with baseball, track, lacrosse, etc. During their busier season, they may have the time to be a regular troop member or a lower level leadership position, but they don't have the time to really put in for a green bar position.

[Eagledad]

>>The reason we do that instead of a full year is that a lot of our Scouts (and most of our best leaders) are in other activities throughout the year.

[Stosh]

Whatever happened to ASPL taking over when SPL wasn't able to attend? I'm thinking that with all the rules and regulations things have a tendency to bog down and fall apart.

 

Okay, SPL goes out for cheerleading squad for the football team , and the ASPL takes over. Oops, the ASPL is busy too, so the senior most PL steps up. Or maybe TG can garner up some experience at that level, so he steps up to the plate.

 

Sometimes we over-think or over-regulate some of these things and paint ourselves into corners.

 

I just figure that if everyone in the troop goes out for football (and the cheerleading squad) that maybe the troop shuts down for a while. Otherwise if there's only a handful of boys left over because they are in orchestra instead of sports and band, then why is it so vital that there even BE an SPL and ASPL. Reorganize a bit, and let the boys do some fun things on their own until the other boys are done with sports/band.

 

Think paper bag instead of iron box! "Hey, guys, there's only five of us left until the football season is over with, how's about we all rent some kayaks and head on out to the river? Anyone game? Pete, you want to take point on this? It'll give you a chance to try on the PL role for a few weeks to see if you like it. Fred, you want to try out Grubmaster?" (Yes, this sounds a lot like adult lead leadership, but remember, your leadership team isn't around and it's time to start back into training mode as a SM.)

 

Too often rules and regs tell you want you can't do, it sometimes kinda crimps everyone's style.

 

Stosh