Introduction to

Leadership

Skills for Troops

(and Adult Volunteers)

Welcome

• Course Vision

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• Course Description
1. Troop Organization
2. Tools of the Trade
3. Leadership & Teamwork

Course Vision

“Training leaders to run their troop is the Scoutmaster's most important job.”

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—Robert S. S. Baden-Powell

BSA Mission Statement

The mission of the Boy Scouts of America is to prepare young people to make ethical and moral choices over their lifetimes by instilling in them the values of the Scout Oath and Law.

Course Vision

Troop 742 Mission Statement

Troop 742's mission is to develop future leaders according to the principles and values learned and lived in the Scout Oath and Scout Law combined with outdoor activities, community service, and leadership training and opportunities.

“Train ’em, trust ’em, and let ’em lead!”

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—Elder Tad R. Callister

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• Scouting is a values-based program with its own code of conduct. The Scout Oath and Law help instill the values of good conduct and honesty. A Scout who spends one year in a Scout troop will learn lifetime skills. They will learn basic outdoor skills, self-reliance, and how to get along with others. Scouting will prepare them to live a more productive and fulfilling life.

What is Scouting?

Youth Leadership Training

• ILST = Introduction to Leadership Skills for Troops

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• NYLT = National Youth Leadership Training

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• NAYLE = National Advanced Youth Leadership Experience

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What makes a

Trained Leader?

For youth leaders in a Troop, completion of ILST is the first step in leadership training.

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What is the difference between a trained leader and a good leader?

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What makes a good leader?

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We will explore this question in our course today.

MODULE ONE: UNIT ORGANIZATION

What is a Unit?

• A Unit is a group of similar objects or individuals.
• In Scouting, a Unit is a Pack, Troop, Ship, or Crew.
• A Troop is made of a Scouts, Leaders, Parents, and a Chartering Organization.
• A Troop’s youth are organized into smaller units called Patrols.

Senior Patrol Leader (SPL)

Assistant Senior Patrol Leader (ASPL)

Patrol Leader (PL)

Assistant Patrol Leader (APL)

Troop Guide

Den Chief

Historian

Order of the Arrow�Troop Representative

Librarian

Quartermaster

Scribe

Instructor

Chaplain Aide

Webmaster

Leave No Trace Trainer

Junior Assistant

Scoutmaster (JASM)

Scoutmaster (SM)

• The adult responsible for working directly with the Scouts to help them create the program for the troop.
• Trains and guides Scout leaders.
• Provides direction, coaching, and support to Scout leaders.
• Meets regularly with the PLC to advise in the planning and coordinating of activities.
• Completes Scoutmaster Conferences with Scouts as needed.
• Works with other responsible adults to bring Scouting to youth.
• Delegates program duties to a team of Assistant Scoutmasters.
• Uses the methods of Scouting to achieve the aims of Scouting.

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Assistant Scoutmaster (ASM)

• Completes Scoutmaster Conferences with Scouts as needed.

Troop Committee Chair

& Members

Committee Chair

• Recruits and approves Scoutmaster and Committee
• Leads the Committee meeting
• Oversees that all the responsibilities of the Committee are delegated, coordinated, and completed.

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Committee Members

Treasurer

Secretary

Advancement Coordinator

Training Coordinator

Outdoor Activity Coordinator

Fundraising Coordinator

Membership Coordinator

Members-at-Large

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Troop Chartered Organization Representative

• Serves as the liaison between the Troop and the Chartered Organization.
• Helps recruits the Troop Committee.
• Approves Scoutmaster and all adult leaders.
• Participates in the District leadership.

The Scout-Led Troop

• Empowering Scouts to become leaders is the core of the Scouting program.

“The patrol method is not a way to operate a Boy Scout troop, it is the only way. Unless the patrol method is in operation, you don't really have a Boy Scout troop.”

—Robert S. S. Baden-Powell

Coordination of Youth

and Adult Leadership

• The PLC is run by Senior Patrol Leader and includes the ASPL, patrol leaders, and troop guide. Other Scouts can be included as directed by the SPL.
• The PLC plans the activities of the Troop with guidance from the Scoutmaster and other trained adults.
• Annually or bi-annually, youth leaders present a plan to the Committee, who may offer logistical suggestions to the Scoutmaster team and PLC prior to approval.
• The finalized plan is approved by the Committee.
• Adult leaders complete the administrative tasks of the plan (reserving camping sites, accepting payments, providing two-deep leadership, and monitoring communications).
• Youth leaders organize and complete the programmatic tasks of the plan (guiding hikes, duty charts, tent set up).

Leadership Discussion

What is Leadership?

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• Leadership is defined the action of leading a group of people or an organization.

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What are the Principles of Leadership?

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• The principles of leadership are the best practices that you can implement to be a successful leader.

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Principles of Leadership

Qualities of a Good Leader

• Keep your word.
• Be fair to all.
• Be a good communicator.
• Be flexible.
• Be organized.
• Delegate.
• Set an example.
• Be consistent.
• Give praise.
• Ask for help.  
• Criticize in private.
• Accept criticism as a gift.
• Have fun.

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Servant Leadership

• The servant leadership style is based on the idea that leaders prioritize serving the greater good.
• Leaders with this style serve their team and organization first; they don’t prioritize their own objectives.
• A servant leader accepts responsibility for the team.
• They set the direction and lead team members in that direction.
• They hold members accountable, to make tough decisions, and push people to excel.
• They listen to the members of their team.
• They strive to achieve consensus.
• They set and maintain high standards.

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Poor Leadership Techniques

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• Doing it all yourself: You are not leading anyone if you do it all yourself.
• Controlling behaviors: You should listen to suggestions and opinions and allow each person to work at their own ability.
• Intimidation: Yelling, threatening, and calling people names do not have a place in Scouting.
• Wanting everyone to like you: You cannot let your desire to please everyone paralyze you from taking correct action.

MODULE TWO: TOOLS OF THE TRADE

Tools of the Trade

• Communications

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• Planning

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• Teaching EDGE

Communications

• Communications have 3 parts:
• Sender
• Message
• Receiver
• The sender must make the message clear to the receiver for information to be understood.
• The receiver must listen carefully and be receptive to the message.

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Active Listening

• Active listening is focusing on the person who is speaking and on what is being said, and making sure you understand what people are saying to you.
• Tricks for active listening:
• Repeat back what was said
• Ask questions
• Reiterate the main idea

Planning

• Planning is thinking ahead and being prepared.
• The PLC is responsible for planning meetings, camping trips, and other outings.
• The PLC should meet yearly to create a broad, annual plan, and then monthly to work out the details.
• The PLC can consider using Program Features to assist with planning.

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Planning

• Planning starts with a vision and a goal.
• A vision is short, clear statement that describes the changes that should result from what you want to do.
• A goal is the actions you will take to make the vision happen.

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SMART Goals

• Specific
• Measurable
• Attainable
• Realistic
• Timely

Planning

Ask these questions:

• What is our goal?
• What do we need to do to reach our goal?
• When and where are we going to do this?
• What needs to be prepared?
• Who is going to prepare it?
• Who is going to lead activities?
• Do we need any adult assistance?

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Teaching EDGE

• The EDGE method the primary training method to teach skills in a troop.
• EDGE should be used for all teaching opportunities.

Teaching EDGE

• Explain
• Demonstrate
• Guide
• Enable

Teaching EDGE

• For some skills, the Explain and Demonstrate can be combined into one step.
• Watch your learners and match their pace.
• Ask questions to make sure your learners are learning.

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MODULE THREE: LEADERSHIP AND TEAMWORK

What is a Team?

• A team is a group of individuals that come together to solve a problem or achieve a goal.
• In Scouting, examples of teams include patrols, the PLC, or the entire troop.
• High-performing teams work well together, energizes and supports all members, and produce highly effective results.

Team Development

• Skill level of a team generally starts low and increases as the team grows together and gets better at working together.
• Enthusiasm usually starts out high, but then can take a sudden dip. As the team aligns and starts reaching their goals, enthusiasm increases.
• High-performing teams have high skill level and high enthusiasm.

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Team Development

• Teams generally go through four stages: Forming, Storming, Norming, and Performing.
• Forming: Low skill, high enthusiasm.
• Storming: Low skill, low enthusiasm.
• Norming: Moderate skill, moderate enthusiasm.
• Performing: High skill, high enthusiasm.

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Leading EDGE

• Leading EDGE is a process that leaders use to enable a team grow as they strive towards their goal.
• Directing: Focus on explaining and teaching tasks.
• Coaching: Focus on improving task competency and giving feedback when a person demonstrates behaviors and tasks.
• Supporting: Focus on guiding the person; not the tasks.  
• Delegating: Fully enable a team member to carry out tasks and duties with minimal intervention or support. 

High-Functioning Teams

• Understand the vision
• Clear, SMART goals
• Everyone is respected and valued for their unique qualities and skills
• Everyone is included, has a role, and is held accountable
• Open communication and collaborative climate
• High standards and continually working on improvement

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Leadership Values and Ethics

• The Scout Oath

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• The Scout Law

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• Being a Servant Leader

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• Maintaining the Vision of Success