Scoutmaster Podcast 114

And now the old Scoutmaster Trail mix. It has trail in the name. It tastes like trail. I had this. I was sure I'd been into a twig. I'll tell you what they do.

They put M&M's in there to fool you. So you're about to spit it out. You go: oh twig, Oh no, M&M, No twig.

Now that's a twig M&M. I Make my own trail mix.

Now It's a one-pound bag of M&M. Comedian John Panette. Yeah, on trail mix, I agree, John. My trail mix is a one-pound bag of M&M. Sounds good to me. Hey, this is podcast.

You.

Back to the Scoutmaster podcast. This is Clarke Green. Hey, looking in the mail bag, Let's see over on iTunes. Another five-star on iTunes titled give me strength and, And it is left for us here by long-time scouter. Great podcast, Clark. You offer great lessons and experiences that make my job a lot easier.

You've given me the confidence to lead a contingent to the 2013 National Jamboree. Not sure what I've signed up for, but I'm really looking forward to the experience.

Any further guidance on How to plan for this event? We're planning several unit meetings with our newly assembled troop and we appreciate your thoughts on logistics. I Not going to be at the National Jamboree. Actually, I was offered a Scoutmaster position, but Scheduling and money- That's what's not working for me, because we're on our second trip to Switzerland in 2014.

2013, I'm committed to a canoe trip up to Canada and so jamboree time just isn't going to cut it and It's just so expensive- Wow, It's like almost as much as going to Switzerland for us, So we had to kind of make a decision about that. But you are going and Thoughts on logistics and things.

Well, you know, the way that this works is you get a contingent troop and Rather than spending any time messing around with logistics and thinking about that, I would concentrate very heavily on the effectiveness of your patrols and patrol leaders. I remember that when I went, way back in the day, we Appointed patrol leaders and that was a big mistake. Don't do that. Get the boys together several times and Have some activities where they can just be together as a big bunch and let them form their own patrols and let them elect their own patrol leaders, maybe two or three meetings in, because most of the things that they're going to end up doing at the jamboree are going to be patrol based. And I mean, if the jamboree is run, Anything similar to what it was when I went- Oh gosh, it's, it's been five or six jamborees ago- the, the makeup of the patrol and the effectiveness of the patrol leader- seemed to be like the principal pivot point that the jamboree experience went on. For an individual scout- if he had, if it was in a decent patrol on- the Patrol leader was a good patrol leader.

He got around, He saw a lot of stuff and they had a pretty good time. If the patrol was meh and the patrol leader was meh, they had kind of a meh time.

So That's my, that's my best Advice to you. You know gear and everything. They're gonna have all your gear there.

The other thing that I've read about the jamboree that I think is really encouraging is they're they're favoring younger scout leaders, So people who are in their 20s rather than people who are in their 40s and 50s like you and I. So I think that is very, very positive And you will have one in your troop and I would do my best to put them forward at every opportunity.

So my best jamboree advice right there. I got to one early on and I I'm gonna miss this one.

Maybe we'll get to one in the future, Who knows, But I think it'll be an exciting time at the summit- the first national jamboree there at the summit- and Let us know how it goes. Would you further into the mailbag? Bob holster says: excellent advice For both new and experienced Scoutmasters. Thanks, Well. Thanks, bob. Thanks for the kind words and thanks for being in touch.

Greg Come says: thank you so much for your podcast. How do I do download the older podcast from the archives?

All right, so you get to the archives page. First of all, Go to scoutmastercgcom. Scoutmastercgcom. Go to the archives page.

You will see a big long table of uh podcasts there and there's a little play button for each podcast. Right click with your mouse And then, according to the browser you're using, you're going to see the option to save file as or download or something Like that.

Click on that option when it comes up in the menu after you, right click on the play button And then you'll be able to download it to your hard drive. How about that? And thanks for being in touch, Greg. I'm I'm glad you're finding the podcast useful. We scout or got in touch any uh referring to podcast 113 Where we had the Scoutmaster panel discussion. Part of what we talked about was blue cards.

He says. You know that was a great podcast. Unfortunately my son and I are leaving a troop because of many reasons, But a big one is the leader's misinterpretation of the use of blue cards. Our Scoutmaster would not approve a blue card for my son who was going to a registered counselor, Because it caused a scheduling conflict.

Well, that is a sad story. That Scoutmaster has got Things a little back to front. You're not in control of a boy schedule. If he wants to challenge americ badge, let him go ahead. It's his choice. Sometimes they make it, sometimes they don't, but it's none of your business.

Sign the blue card, Would you please? Thank you very much. BA scouter says: got back from andrew skirka's gear and skills presentation in iowa city a few minutes ago.

We had to travel two hours but it was well worth it. We had some great dad and son time to and from the presentation and learned a lot of good info from andrew. Uh, an added benefit is the renewed high level of enthusiasm My son has towards his scouting goals.

A big thanks to andrew for getting out and doing what he's doing And thank you, by the way, for persevering with andrew to get the interview and that interview, I think, is one 11 podcast, number 11, And I hear that there were some challenges. Yeah, there were a couple of little challenges, it was just scheduling stuff. Andrew skirka is the author of New gear guide and we had him on the podcast a couple times ago And, uh, we interviewed him and andrew is just like this incredible Backpacking massive hiker. I mean he has, if I have the numbers right, he has hiked Equal to two and a half times around the earth's equator, like 30 000 miles in the past decade, Which is just floors me.

He wrote a great book and he is on a speaking tour right now And that's what caused the the difficulties getting him for the interview. Uh, you know, he was on his own.

He's driving or flying between cities and, uh, you know, staying in hotels And anybody who's been on business travel know what that's like. So his schedule was a little unpredictable But he finally found some time to sit down and talk to us and I'm really glad he did. I'm glad, uh, ba Scatter, that you got out there To uh his talk in Iowa City. Take a look on andrew's website to see What the remainder of his speaking schedule is. And, of course, he leads trips and events and everything. And if you check with us at scoutmastercgcom, You can also read my review of his book.

It's so nice when people get in touch and they let me know how things are going. I get a number of email questions and comments every week And I want you to become a part of the conversation Now.

I periodically try to remind everybody about this, but, uh, if you think about what I am doing right now, I'm sitting in my office at home, I'm talking into a microphone, I'm watching as my words are recorded and then I'm going to edit them And I'm going to put them up on the web and people are going to download them and listen to them And that's all great and you know, a fair number of people find this useful. Still amazes me, but they do.

And here's the only thing that I ask of you: Get in touch, Let me know what you're thinking, Let me know if the podcast is useful to you, Let me know if I get something wrong- Certainly, and people do- Let me know where you are and what you're doing in scouting. This needs to be a conversation. I need to hear back from you, and you can do that very simply by going to scoutmastercgcom and filling out the contact form.

You can also email me at scoutmastercg, at verizonnet, scoutmastercg at verizonnet And there's a couple other ways you can stay in touch. There's social media stuff. You can even give us a phone call, but you'll hear about that towards the end of the podcast.

So,

On this podcast and Scoutmastership, in seven minutes or less we're going to talk about contribution syndrome. Maybe that's a familiar, uh, a familiar subject. If it isn't, it soon will be.

And then we're going to reach back into, uh, the history of radio And, uh, we can play a little, uh, part of a radio show for you That I found about an old, uh, it's a kind of a superhero scoutmaster. Oh, that's right. I hear squeals of glee out there from a few of you and some of you really could care less, but That's right.

We're going to hear from brick mason And then we're going to go back into the archives to podcast number 65 for a scoutmasters minute And, uh, that's the whole podcast today, That's right. So let's get started. Shall we Scoutmastership in seven minutes or less. David axon is the author of the management myth busters And he asserts That successful leaders ask great questions. Great questions, not lots of questions necessarily.

Now, i'm a big fan of scoutmasters asking questions and not doing a whole lot of declarative, You know, telling, Telling scouts what to do, but helping them to discover What to do through asking questions. My personal problem is that I talk way too much. Hey, you're listening to me on a podcast. Come on, I like to talk, I like to talk to people. I I really enjoy talking to scouts.

I don't think they enjoy it quite so much as I do. You know, sometimes I just get on a terror and I natter away and I watch all the interest in life and engagement In my scouts faces turn into this kind of bleak despair, Like when is he going to shut up?

Have you had that experience? Oh well, So join the club. I read, uh, david axon's description. I've diagnosed myself And I have what's called contribution syndrome. That's right. Here's his description of a contribution syndrome.

Is this? No matter what the situation, It's the compulsion to contribute, to show how smart you are at every possible opportunity. Our whole merit system is based on On getting the answer right. As we move into the business world. Contribution syndrome Infects are every poor. We must be seen to be contributing in every meeting or in every project.

For some, this manifests itself in a complete inability to quietly sit and listen. It seems part of their dna to feel they are That if they are not talking then they are not working.

Armed with this knowledge, You know I readily recognize the compulsion That I have to contribute all the time I have to get my two cents in. Axon goes on to explain it this way. He says the best leaders stop talking, That I stopped talking there. I was practicing. They sit quietly, Taking the contributions of everyone else and limiting their own contribution to asking a few pertinent questions That lead the discussion in a constructive manner. Great questions Are not complex questions.

In fact, the best seem blindingly obvious. Unfortunately, a relative small proportion of people in leadership positions have the courage, Confidence or even the basic communication sense To ask the right questions. The most potent question anyone can ever ask is the simple three letter inquiry Why The key is to keep asking dumb but great questions. This demonstrates a level of humility that is essential for effective leadership.

I want to say that again because I really like the way that that is phrased. The key is to keep asking dumb But great questions. This demonstrates a level of humility That is essential for effective leadership. Complexity has become synonymous with sophistication.

How do we get better at asking great questions? We practice, We practice.

So what does this actually boil down to for you as a scout leader? Well, sometimes it's just asking why. Sometimes it's just asking why, and sometimes that's a rhetorical question.

I ask myself: Why are we doing this this way? Is it because it's A particularly effective way to make things happen, or is it just the way that we've become used to?

Why are we Instructing this way? Is it a good way to instruct, or is it just the Easiest one that we can come up with?

Is just, you know, the one that we can come up with? This can be a little aggravating. I aggravate myself sometimes.

If you're aggravated with me, imagine what it's like now anyway. But uh, Sometimes just asking that simple three-letter inquiry, as axon puts it, why We'll begin to open the world into another way of looking at things That will help you create a better experience for your scouts- And a better experience for your scouts is always the one that they make for themselves.

Why are we doing things this way? Why do we make, uh, the scouts do this particular thing, or Why do we have a prohibition against that particular thing.

All these things should stand up to good logic, and I think they're questions we should ask frequently. It's also a wonderful way To help guide boys to think for themselves: Why are you doing what you're doing right now? That's a Can be kind of an unsettling question for for a scout, And if it's asked in a spirit of actual inquiry and humility, You get some very interesting answers.

So I want to encourage you to Think about two things. One is contribution syndrome- And you know, hey, if you have it, welcome to the club, And you may just be aware of that and you may want to stop talking quite so much. I know that I've been working on it for a long time. Oh, it gets better after a while.

But- And the other one is: is that great questions are not complex questions? And complexity, Accident says, has become synonymous with sophistication.

So we think that if something is terribly complex and and convoluted and complicated, Well, that means that it's very sophisticated and and smart. Not necessarily so. Hey, I hope that's useful for you. Let me know what your thoughts are. You can get in touch and I'm going to tell you how to do that in just a moment.

So This is Cliff Jacobson and you're listening to the Scoutmaster podcast with Clark green. I'm marked by a lack of truth. The world turns to. I

Find that the purchase of new camping equipment is necessary both to safety, Comfort and, being an exemplary Scoutmaster, I am also able to demonstrate to my scouts a number of options available to them In the way of camping accoutrements done over there. Have you got your tents set up? Yeah, they're all set up. Mr Ram wants to talk to everybody again. Yeah, come on over here, fellas.

Do we have scouts gather around over here? Gather around?

I think mr Ram wants to. I don't. Yeah, Come on.

Hi, mr Ram, Have I your- uh, Undivided attention? I think so. It is my pleasure to announce that I have obtained a new 10 security engineered structured fabric shelter.

Yeah right, Mr Ram, What is it? 10 security engineered structured fabric shelter?

Yeah, that's what she said the first time: a canvas, A domicile, perhaps, I don't know what, a tent? Oh well, why didn't you say that in the oh?

I mean, that would have been easier if you just told us you bought a new tent, you know, And I would now like to demonstrate the features of this shelter to you, For it is made out of the most a lot of current space age materials. This particular tent is constructed with an elaborate system of poles that support the fabric shell. Wow, The first pole must be a big tent. And let me see, get the poles. Oh, be careful. The first set of poles Is 17 feet.

You don't want to pinch your finger by a assembling pole number one in Taking that, And into pole number 43 we can. They are put like, so Inserted into the ground, And then a parabola is developed by bending the pole from its anchoring point to watch out a another point. Oh, That's a long way. He went all the way up in the tree.

Are you okay up there in the tree, mr M? Um, I wonder if one of you would be good enough to loan me Your cellular telecommunications.

To that, mr M, I remember you told us we weren't allowed to bring them. Yeah, Yeah, that's right. Yeah, Did bring my own, but it seems to have been dislodged. Oh, yeah, from my pocket. Yeah, during my flight through the air. Yeah, this tree.

Would one of you be good enough to retrieve it? Well, we're not supposed to go in the lake, because I think I saw it go in the lake. I see At that.

Well, yeah, Could we perhaps? Yeah, One of you would be good enough to consult the ranger as to the presence Of a ladder here in camp. Yeah, john went to do that already. Thank you, scouts. The demonstration has concluded. Thank you, mr M.

Mr M, Join us again for another exciting episode in the career of Jones. Well,

This past weekend we had an Eagle Court of Honor with our troop, Two of our guys having reached the rank of Eagle, and we had a presentation for them. And, uh, you know what I got to say a few words, surprising, isn't it? Yeah, I know, I tried to keep it brief. This is what I had to share with everybody who attended our Eagle Court of Honor. Boys joint scouting as they begin to leave childhood and enter the years of transition into adulthood. During these years they're both predictable and Kind of unpredictable.

We think times have changed and that things are so radically different. But boys are still much like they were a century ago when scouting started. They have the same basic interests, talents and needs. They act on the same basic instincts and motivations. As a crowd They're pretty predictable.

But as individuals, Well, you never can tell. At this point in their lives They wake up in a new world every morning. Who knows what they'll be thinking and doing today. Yesterday they may have been really passionate about skateboarding or something like that, and tomorrow they'll have their heart set on a career in medicine.

I mean, who can tell? Scouting accepts all this uncertainty and presents boys with a set of surmountable obstacles That help them ask the right questions and guide them towards the right answers. Scouting provides a safe environment to exercise real responsibility, where failure has real consequences And where success is rewarded, and it's rewarded by the satisfaction of Scouts doing something for themselves And serving the interests of others. Each one of them is going to make their own way, But only four percent of boys who become scouts make it to an eagle court of honor. Over the years, our scouts have gone from here to do some pretty remarkable things. They've become college professors and army captains and engineers, and teachers and television personalities, lawyers, executives, doctors, salesmen and tradesmen.

As diverse as all those pursuits are, they share some common characteristics: They've also become decent, contributing citizens with a sense of service and decent human beings with a sense of compassion. Now that's our measure of success and that's our aim. Our eagle scouts stand to strive their futures. It'll be some time before we know what they'll become, But they approach the future having succeeded, having proven to themselves They have what it takes. This badge, this medal they received today are symbols of this achievement, And as symbols, they're a reminder that these young men can do whatever they set out to accomplish. So