Newly Elected PORs

[Padilan]

Well, two weeks ago my troop had POR elections.

 

I myself ran for Quarter Master. However, I am not of a stocky, or even medium build. The boy against me was a boy who joined the troop weo months ago, only went to one campout, and his speech was "Vote for me 'cause I'm taller then Andrew."

Long story short, I lost.

 

This campout, he said he and his assistent will be late to the camperee. So who did he ask to fill in? ME! I don't know if I should take it or let everyone suffer due to his tardyness.

 

Recently elected PL hasn;t been to the last THREE campouts. He's been in the troop for four months. Our troop is very small, (16 kids, 8 Active) so the choices are small.

I have no idea what to do. Please help!

[Eagledad]

I think you know what to do. I don't mean to sound flippant when I say a Scout I Trustworthy, Loyal, Helpful, Friendly, Courteous, Kind, Obedient, Cheerful, Thrifty, Brave, Clean, and Reverent. So that is why I think you know what the right think is to do.

 

What is bothering you is that you dont feel that youre being treated fairly. And I agree from your side of the story. But, I think people will notice. When things get tough, people look for those they can trust and count on. If you want to stand out and be the best choice, then you have to stand out as the best choice. Those who make promises and dont keep those promises will stand out as well, but not as the best choice. They will in the long run be left behind.

 

The bible says we grow by our struggles. Those who dont struggle dont grow. You are in the middle of one of those life struggles. These things will keep happening as you get older, so now is the time to learn how to deal with it. Learn now so you can help your friends when it happens to them.

 

There are several paths you can take in your frustration and anger, but generally the Scout Law will lead you to the best path. You base your next steps from the law, and your choices become easier. And when you are confronted with this same situation as you get older, you will be more prepared then the others.

 

Remember, everything we do in life is practice for the next thing we do in life. And what we practice, we learn. Dont let the anger and frustration drive you to practice the wrong thing. When you think of yourself as a Scoutmaster one day, what would you want a scout in the same situation to do?

Its not just you, but the rest of the scouts who are needing a Quarter Master. And I think you will find that serving others sure eases the pain.

 

You are better than the other guy. Hold your chin up and prove it to everyone one. Next elections are only a few months away. You can prove a lot in those few months.

 

If I were your scoutmaster, I would be proud of you for just asking for advice. You didnt react, you are thinking about what is best. Those are the great scouts.

 

Good Luck.

 

Barry

 

[Bob White]

Padilan

The patrol chose who they wanted to be their leader. The Patrol leader chose who he wanted to to fill in for him if he was not there.

 

Who do you feel should be there to lead the patrol?

 

 

[Stosh]

Tough call Padilan but having a POR patch on a shirt does not make one a leader and not having a POR patch doesn't mean one isn't. When I need someone to function in a leadership role, I seldom look for patches, I look for the scouts I can count on. Is that fair? Probably not, but if one wants to lead they are motivated by factors other than patches or credit for advancement. Eventually those around will figure this out and the votes will probably fall differently next time. If not, don't let others deprive one of an opportunity to lead even when things don't go well for them. If one continues to lead through the tough times, it will be a piece of cake to get through the easy times. Making others look good, makes oneself look good as well.

 

Stosh

[scottteng]

QM is a tough position my son did a turn there and hated every minute of it. He actually likes being librarian. He also hated patrol leader. He was under the impression that all the other boys would do what he said without smarting off to the PL like he would. He got a rather rude awakening.

[Bob White]

Okay, new approach. I just read your intro padilan and you say thqat you are a Patrol Leadr. Are you saying that the patrol leader of amother patrol wants you to be responsible for your own patrol and his patrol for the campout?

 

 

[evmori]

Yeah sometimes it's tough to swallow when you feel you should get something and you don't. What to do? Prove to everyone you would have been the better choice. Do your best & be the best Scout & patrol member you can be.

 

Where does he say he's a PL, Bob?

 

Ed Mori

1 Peter 4:10

[Padilan]

As a response to BW, i am a former PL.

[scottteng]

http://www.scouter.com/forums/viewThread.asp?threadID=184794

 

The PL reference came from his intro thread above.

[evmori]

Thanks scottteng.

 

Now that begs a question Padilan - If you are currently a PL, why did you run for QM? Something doesn't make sense.

 

Ed Mori

1 Peter 4:10

[Bob White]

2/21 aond 6:30 PM

Just wanted to say hello. Im a scout from ye old Sunshine State. I'm currently a patrol leader and working on Star. Thanks.

 

2/22 Around 7 AM

As a response to BW, i am a former PL.

 

 

Not sure what happened, but it sure happened fast.

[ScoutNut]

Guys, you need to read the whole post!

 

Padilan is a FORMER PL, who forgot to include the word former in his introduction.

 

That is how/why he ran for QM (& lost).

 

The current PL seldom shows up at campouts, but has NOT asked Padilan to fill in for him.

 

The new QM (and the ASST QM) will both be arriving at the Camporee last. The new QM HAS asked Padilan to fill in for him until he arrives.

 

Padilan, leadership is not something that springs into being instantly. It has to be learned. Both the PL and QM are fairly new Scouts and (obviously) have much to learn. We all had to start somewhere, even you. Give them a break, and give them a hand.

 

[Padilan]

Thank you ScoutNut, you are absoulutly correct.

[Kudu]

My short answer is "A Scout is Helpful." Help other people at all times without dwelling on how unfair life is.

 

You will actually feel happy if you do the right thing!

 

In a perfect world, everyone would soon realize that you are a natural leader and vote for you in the next election. But as you have discovered, people do not vote in their own best interests, they always vote for the most amusing personality (see "Bill Clinton" and "George W. Bush").

 

If you are interested in the "big picture," my long answer is that your experience is the natural result of the fact that the BSA does not follow the Scouting program as it was designed by Lord Baden-Powell (the inventor of Scouting).

 

Baden-Powell's vision of Scouting is based on his observation (as a military man interested in military patrols) that boys tend to hang out in small gangs and a natural leader always emerges. Since boys in England and the United States are similar in this respect to boys in the most remote cultures of Africa and India where he was stationed, this universal experience was most likely a human instinct.

 

When it came time for B-P to invent a game for boys based on his famous military book (that was being used by boys to play army), he called it the "Boy Patrols." In later drafts he changed that to the "Boy Scouts."

 

This game was centered on the desire of boys at the time to hang out in small groups and organize their own hikes with the purpose of practicing outdoor skills like hiking, tracking, stalking, cooking over a fire, and the other outdoor things you can still learn in Scouts.

 

Because the business of a Patrol was to do these things in single groups while hiking in the woods without adults, the Scoutmaster's most important job was to make sure that the best natural leader was in charge of the Patrol. In this version of Scouting, the Scoutmaster is required to meet with the Patrol or the PLC and then appoint the agreed-upon best leader. B-P's Scouting concentrates more on observation and deduction skills, so perhaps it is therefore more obvious who the best leader is.

 

The Scoutmaster's job is exactly the opposite in the BSA. Rather than helping the Scouts find the very best leader, his job is replace the best leaders using regular elections and required "PORs" so that he can teach as many Scouts as possible the business manager theory taught in Wood Badge.

 

To this end Scoutmasters learn a fake Baden-Powell quote, "Scouting is a Game with a Purpose." The basic idea is that if the best leader looses an adult-mandated election because his opponent makes a joke out of Scouting with slogans like "Vote for me 'cause I'm taller then Andrew," then the Scouts learn some kind of deep meaningful lesson by suffering under leaders who don't do their job.

 

In Baden-Powell's version of Scouting, the Scoutmaster is fully responsible for bad leaders. In the BSA version of Scouting, the Scoutmaster gets to roll his eyes and say stupid things like "You Scouts must learn that elections are not popularity contests!" as if national elections in the United States are not decided by swing voters who choose candidates based on who they would most like to have a beer (see "Bill Clinton" and "George W. Bush").

 

So the point here is that you lost your election because adults who wear pink kerchiefs have screwed up Scouting beyond beyond all recognition.

 

The lesson to be learned is 1) life is not perfect, 2) Render unto Caesar that which is Caesar's, and 3) Learn how to do a stand-up comedy monologue for the next election!

 

After you win Patrol Leader or SPL, suffer through the lame leadership training (that is what gives adults with boring management jobs a "purpose" in Scouting) then use your position to lead your Troop to the best outdoor adventures you can.

 

Oh yeah, and make sure you use your "POR" to keep your stand-up comedy routine highly polished!

 

Kudu

[Its Me]

 

If you were a scout in my troop and came to me with this story I would expect the following:

 

One hopefully I am aware enough to recognize the situation. Second I would advise you that you help to troop out where you can. If it means to some extent doing another guys job than do it. This exact scenario happens all the time in business and the adult world. Finally, I would give you a recognition maybe at a Court of honor or similar venue calling attention to your services.

 

If your scoutmaster is not in-tune with the situation, still do what you can to help the troop and point out without whining or too much bragging to the SPL and the Scoutmaster how it is you and not the taller guy who is meeting the jobs' duties.