Are You Promoting Limits or Potential?

This recent post from Seth Godin encourages us to think about the way we approach our work as Scout leaders:

We train kids to deal with teachers in a certain way: Find out what they want, and do that, just barely, because there are other things to work on. Figure out how to say back exactly what they want to hear, with the least amount of effort, and you are a ‘good student.’

The attitude is a matter of self-preservation… Take initiative and you might fail, leading to a reprimand…

It leaves no room for real growth…

The opportunity of our age is to get out of this boss as teacher as taskmaster as limiter mindset.

Is Scouting a program of limitations or a program of potential? That’s easy, right? Obviously we strive to be a program that promotes a Scouts potential for development, not one that imposes limitations.

We promote potential by coaching our Scouts giving them real responsibility and watching what happens. Potential is a two edged sword – there’s potential to succeed and potential to fail.

Scouting does have limitations but these limitations are not restrictions so much as they are demarcations defining the field of play just like chalk lines on a playing field.

One limitation we can control and overcome is the level or our patience and foresight in dealing with the volatility, uncertainty and sometimes chaotic energy of promoting potential.

Naturally it’s much easier and safer to default to the methods of the school or workplace; methods designed to minimize volatility and uncertainty.

“It is not the curriculum of Scouting that is the most striking feature, but it is the method… it affords an opportunity for initiative, self-control, self-reliance, and self-direction.

“In the development of initiative Scouting depends [on] a splendid opportunity… to break away from any encrusting method. It comes about in the Patrol and in the Troop. It teaches the boys to work together in teams. It secures co-operative effort for a common end; that is a democratic thing in and of itself . . .

… you can do more for them even than by encouraging their proficiency or their discipline or their knowledge, because you are teaching them not how to get a living so much as how to live.”

Dean James E. Russell quoted in Baden-Powell’s ‘Aids to Scoutmastership‘

Larry Geiger says

April 21, 2011 at 10:52 am

Here are some questions to evaluate whether your troop is about potential:

1. Are your Scouts planning activities that, in general, are stretching not just the Scouts but the adults also? How many adult leaders are not stretched by a Philmont Trek, or OkPik at 20 below in late December, or a 50 miler on the AT? Very few.

2. Are the Scouts really in charge? Do they really camp in separate areas? Do they really set up their area and cook ALL of their meals together? Scouts are not in charge at school. Teachers are taught from day one about “classroom control”, “how to be in charge of your classroom” and how to teach from the front.

Scoutmasters lead from the rear. We teach the boy leaders and then put them up front. We follow in the rear. When your troop goes hiking, who is up front? An adult leader or a Scout? Do the Scouts have the maps? As Scoutmaster, go on your next hike without a map or compass. Consciously decide that you are going to depend on your boy leaders to find the way.

3. If I showed up at your troop meeting and looked in your Scout’s handbooks, whose signatures would I find next to their Tenderfoot through First Class advancements? There are two advancements, one in Scout and one in Second Class that parents sign off on or may confirm that they occurred. Adult leaders sign off on SM Conferences and Boards of Review. Adult leaders should not be signing off any other advancements in those ranks. Right? Do you trust your Troop Leaders to lead?

Caveat, I know, I know all about new troops full of Webelos Scouts. That’s an exception.

4. Does your troop have a trailer? Who loads the trailer on Sunday morning? Do you have a bunch of obsessive adults leaders that have to pack the trailer just so? Whose trailer is it anyway? Whose gear is it anyway? This is an easy one. Everything on the outside of the trailer walls belongs to the adults. If you are going to pull the trailer with your vehicle then you are responsible for insuring that the lights work and the tires are inflated and the trailer is properly attached to your vehicle. I get that.

Inside the walls of the trailer belong to the Scouts. Adults stay out. Scouts unload the trailer Friday evening. Scouts pack the trailer on Sunday morning. The Scouts own the gear. Can you tolerate your trailer looking sort of like your son’s room? Does thinking about something like this give you the willies?

5. Do adult leaders sit in on your Troop’s annual planning conference? Have your conference in a place with two rooms. Two separate rooms with a doorway. Scouts in one room. Adults in the other. If the Scouts need something, they come out and ask. Otherwise, the SPL is in charge and he leads the meeting of his Scouts.

We have our meeting at my house. The Scouts are in the dining room at the big table. The adults are outside on the porch. Mrs. Geiger provides lunch at the end.

6. Do your boy leaders ever meet somewhere for a PLC without any adults?

7. At summer camp, do your adult leaders sit in camp and wait until all the Scouts have left for meals and then walk down together without the Scouts? Can your SPL gather up his Scouts and get down to a meal without you reminding him or nagging him or getting on his case about stuff? You know, the one things boys rarely miss is a meal. This is a motivational thing.

Disappear. Yep, that’s right. Have all of the adults at camp disappear before meals. Make the Scouts figure it out. Don’t even be around for them to ask “Can we go to dinner now?” If they don’t get it then they miss dinner. Make them figure it out. Don’t even be there to answer the question with “Go ask the SPL.” Just be gone.

8. Do you ever stop at a restaurant and have a meal with the Troop? Do the adults sit off away from the Scouts? Do you suggest that the adults travelling with the Troop make sure that their Scout has his own money, so he doesn’t have to come ask his dad? Not McDonalds. Something like Sonny’s BBQ.

9. How much time are adults up front during a Scout meeting. Ideally, in an hour and a half, an adult will be up front for one minute  Get someone to watch your meeting and actually time it. Then get those adult leaders outta there!

10. How often does your SPL speak at the Troop Committee meeting? Once a year when he presents his annual plan is essential. More often is good. What happens when the Scouts need new patrol boxes? Who goes and talks to the Committee? It should probably be the Patrol Leaders.

Comments

Frank Maynard says

April 23, 2011 at 2:12 pm

Larry,

You posted some terrific soul-searching questions. A few years ago our troop would have failed nearly every one of these tests. I’m gratified that in the last few years we have moved toward more and more youth responsibility. It’s a never-ending battle, as there will always be some adults who just have to get in and mess with the boys’ business, but I agree that the boys will not take charge unless we get out of their way.

As to the last item, our SPL is an ex-officio member of the troop committee and sits in on every meeting. Sometimes it’s only long enough to deliver his report at the beginning (then it’s off to do homework) but he has a seat at the table and is welcome to stay. He needs to know what the committee does and what we have to work with, and to be there so we can understand the boy end of things.

This is terrific Roundtable material. It would get a great discussion going.
Larry Geiger says

April 21, 2011 at 10:52 am

Here are some questions to evaluate whether your troop is about potential:

1. Are your Scouts planning activities that, in general, are stretching not just the Scouts but the adults also? How many adult leaders are not stretched by a Philmont Trek, or OkPik at 20 below in late December, or a 50 miler on the AT? Very few.

2. Are the Scouts really in charge? Do they really camp in separate areas? Do they really set up their area and cook ALL of their meals together? Scouts are not in charge at school. Teachers are taught from day one about “classroom control”, “how to be in charge of your classroom” and how to teach from the front.

Scoutmasters lead from the rear. We teach the boy leaders and then put them up front. We follow in the rear. When your troop goes hiking, who is up front? An adult leader or a Scout? Do the Scouts have the maps? As Scoutmaster, go on your next hike without a map or compass. Consciously decide that you are going to depend on your boy leaders to find the way.

3. If I showed up at your troop meeting and looked in your Scout’s handbooks, whose signatures would I find next to their Tenderfoot through First Class advancements? There are two advancements, one in Scout and one in Second Class that parents sign off on or may confirm that they occurred. Adult leaders sign off on SM Conferences and Boards of Review. Adult leaders should not be signing off any other advancements in those ranks. Right? Do you trust your Troop Leaders to lead?

Caveat, I know, I know all about new troops full of Webelos Scouts. That’s an exception.

4. Does your troop have a trailer? Who loads the trailer on Sunday morning? Do you have a bunch of obsessive adults leaders that have to pack the trailer just so? Whose trailer is it anyway? Whose gear is it anyway? This is an easy one. Everything on the outside of the trailer walls belongs to the adults. If you are going to pull the trailer with your vehicle then you are responsible for insuring that the lights work and the tires are inflated and the trailer is properly attached to your vehicle. I get that.

Inside the walls of the trailer belong to the Scouts. Adults stay out. Scouts unload the trailer Friday evening. Scouts pack the trailer on Sunday morning. The Scouts own the gear. Can you tolerate your trailer looking sort of like your son’s room? Does thinking about something like this give you the willies?

5. Do adult leaders sit in on your Troop’s annual planning conference? Have your conference in a place with two rooms. Two separate rooms with a doorway. Scouts in one room. Adults in the other. If the Scouts need something, they come out and ask. Otherwise, the SPL is in charge and he leads the meeting of his Scouts.

We have our meeting at my house. The Scouts are in the dining room at the big table. The adults are outside on the porch. Mrs. Geiger provides lunch at the end.

6. Do your boy leaders ever meet somewhere for a PLC without any adults?

7. At summer camp, do your adult leaders sit in camp and wait until all the Scouts have left for meals and then walk down together without the Scouts? Can your SPL gather up his Scouts and get down to a meal without you reminding him or nagging him or getting on his case about stuff? You know, the one things boys rarely miss is a meal. This is a motivational thing.

Disappear. Yep, that’s right. Have all of the adults at camp disappear before meals. Make the Scouts figure it out. Don’t even be around for them to ask “Can we go to dinner now?” If they don’t get it then they miss dinner. Make them figure it out. Don’t even be there to answer the question with “Go ask the SPL.” Just be gone.

8. Do you ever stop at a restaurant and have a meal with the Troop? Do the adults sit off away from the Scouts? Do you suggest that the adults travelling with the Troop make sure that their Scout has his own money, so he doesn’t have to come ask his dad? Not McDonalds. Something like Sonny’s BBQ.

9. How much time are adults up front during a Scout meeting. Ideally, in an hour and a half, an adult will be up front for one minute  Get someone to watch your meeting and actually time it. Then get those adult leaders outta there!

10. How often does your SPL speak at the Troop Committee meeting? Once a year when he presents his annual plan is essential. More often is good. What happens when the Scouts need new patrol boxes? Who goes and talks to the Committee? It should probably be the Patrol Leaders.