Volunteer Management & Burnout on ScoutmasterCG Archive

Scouters are Extra-Ordinary

Sun, 09 Jul 2017 00:00:00 +0000

Anyone who answers the call to service in Scouting is extraordinary. “Extra – Ordinary” – get it?

Scouters do extra things.

Ordinary folks bring their boys to a Scout meeting.

Extraordinary folks are already there to make the Scout meeting possible.

Ordinary folks pack their sons up and send them out camping.

Extraordinary folks pack themselves up and go camping along with them.

Ordinary folks enjoy a quiet evening at home or a round of golf or maybe even a night at the movies.

Retirement

Thu, 06 Jul 2017 00:00:00 +0000

You gotta have a cake!

I am more interested in the bigger ideas of Scouting rather than writing about my own Troop or my individual experiences. Bear with me today as I share what’s been going on recently.

Short of two years ago I delivered this letter to our Troop Committee: Tuesday, October 09, 2012 To The Committee Troop 24 April 2014 marks my 30 th year as Scoutmaster and I have come to the decision that September 1, 2014 will be the date of my retirement. Our long-range plans at this writing include a trip to Kandersteg in the summer of 2014 and with your permission I would like to lead that trip as my last as Scoutmaster.

Committee Chair Conflict with Scoutmaster

Sat, 19 Sep 2015 00:00:00 +0000

Our Troop Committee Chairman has stepped down and another parent has volunteered. This is fine and I look forward to working with her. The problem is with her husband is a military man used to having people answer to him. He’s already commented loudly when something displeased him at a meeting “there are going to be changes next year”. He called me the other night wanting to make changes to the program for our next Court of Honor and changes to our openings at troop meetings.

Run to the Scouting Resource

Fri, 29 May 2015 00:00:00 +0000

No volunteer is expected to be an expert with an encyclopedic knowledge of Scouting (see the links to Scouting resources below). All we really need to is the will to learn and the good sense to accept and apply what we learn: We ought to take advantage of as many training opportunities as possible.

Familiarize ourselves with informational resources. Have the humility to correct ourselves if we find we are off course. Be open to new methods and ideas.

The Most Important Volunteers in Scouting

Wed, 11 Mar 2015 00:00:00 +0000

Who are the most important volunteers in Scouting? They have more power and influence than Council Presidents, Commissioners, Scoutmasters and Cubmasters all put together.

Without their participation and support Scouting would quickly come to a complete halt. They bring endless energy, resources and real transformational power to their role. They are the only volunteers we simply cannot afford to lose. Have you guessed it yet? The single most important volunteers in Scouting are the Scouts themselves.

Resolving Conflicts Among Scout Leaders

Sun, 08 Mar 2015 00:00:00 +0000

Anyone who spends several years as a Scoutmaster will probably experience a disheartening conflict with a fellow leader, committee member or parent.

While these conflicts aren’t inevitable they are unfortunately probable. What follows is plain-spoken advice from Ask Andy, a fantastic resource for Scouters with questions or difficulties.

Having weathered several of these conflicts I can assure you that this is solid advice.

Study it carefully and follow it faithfully – it will save you a great deal of heartache. In the course of many years of service as a Commissioner at many levels, I’ve seen far too many cases where wonderful and dedicated people serving in the same unit, committee, district, etc., have come to differences in how their visions of Scouting are to be executed.

A New Scoutmaster - Chapter Six

Mon, 22 Dec 2014 00:00:00 +0000

This is the sixth of twelve installments in a story that follows a new Scoutmaster, Chuck Grant, attempting to use the patrol method in a troop that has forgotten how. I’ve based this work of fiction on the stories shared by readers and listeners, questions they have asked, and the advice I commonly share in reply.

CHAPTER SIX Two weeks before our mountain climbing trip I sat at the picnic table with our patrol leader’s council. Jake and I had exchanged several emails and talked on the phone a few times since we last met. We discussed appointing a quartermaster, and Jake chose Alex Monroe, the last of the five older Scouts I originally met with who had yet to take on a specific responsibility. Jake had been preparing for what came next and he looked like he was ready to get things moving. “I have a couple of things to do, so Jake is going to let you know what happens at tonight’s meeting.”

Can a Volunteer be Too Involved?

Thu, 09 Oct 2014 00:00:00 +0000

Can a volunteer be too involved in their work? Yes. Need is constant and concerned human beings want to fill the need. They can’t. Most volunteers will not encounter a situation that demands truly heroic action or sacrifice yet they impute such importance to their work they can overextend themselves.

Volunteers often get involved past their capacity of time, experience and skill.

Subtle influences of ego are involved. We may be asked to take on a prestigious position, we may see the offer of awards or recognition, we may seek to have influence or power.

Term Limits for Scout Leaders?

Thu, 09 Oct 2014 00:00:00 +0000

This post is a bit of a bait and switch. You think this is about term limits for Scout leaders and it is – kind of.

Thing is I don’t have a strong opinion one way or the other.

I can see good arguments for and against the idea of a limited term of service for a Scoutmaster, Cubmaster, or any key leadership position. It really depends on the person and the situation.

Scoutmaster Longevity

Sun, 24 Aug 2014 00:00:00 +0000

Behold, there went out a sower to sow: And it came to pass, as he sowed, some fell by the way side, and the fowls of the air came and devoured it up. And some fell on stony ground, where it had not much earth; and immediately it sprang up, because it had no depth of earth: But when the sun was up, it was scorched; and because it had no root, it withered away. And some fell among thorns, and the thorns grew up, and choked it, and it yielded no fruit. And other fell on good ground, and did yield fruit that sprang up and increased; and brought forth, some thirty, and some sixty, and some a hundred. And he said unto them, He that has ears to hear, let him hear. The Gospel of Mark New Scoutmasters tend to throw themselves into their position with great energy. One or two years later they will , more or less, find themselves in one of the four scenarios in the parable above. The decisive factors are subtle. Some are enthusiasts and run a bit hot and cold.

Scouter Training Do's and Don'ts

Thu, 21 Aug 2014 00:00:00 +0000

I’ve headed up a number of Scouter training events, and been trained in several different volunteer positions.

Scouters are typically gregarious, good-spirited folks; but the dedication and single-mindedness required to be a good Scouter sometimes makes us difficult trainees. Here’s my do’s and don’ts for getting the most out of a Scouter training course: Do Expect to Learn. To get the most out of training you have to be open to new ideas and techniques, even those you have may have tried and rejected deserve a second chance. If you go to a training course thinking you won’t learn much, well, you won’t learn much. Do Listen Actively and Cooperatively. As a trainee, I find taking notes helps me follow the course. As a trainer, I am always encouraged when I see people taking notes because it indicates they are following along. Do Ask Questions but Don’t Interrupt.

Preventing Abuse

Sat, 12 Oct 2013 00:00:00 +0000

Working in Scouting has its rewards, challenges, and responsibilities.

Every Scouter should be well versed in recognizing, reporting and, most importantly, preventing abuse.

Abuse is a difficult reality in society; it can and will find its way into Scouting.

April is National Child Abuse Prevention Month, a good opportunity for all of us to review our organizational policies and individual preparedness.

Excellent abuse prevention, recognition and reporting training is available from the BSA: Youth Protection & Adult Leadership And from Prevent Child Abuse America : Recognizing Child Abuse: What You Should Know (PDF) An Approach to Preventing Child Abuse (PDF) Ten Ways to Help Prevent Child Abuse (PDF) Emotional Child Abuse (PDF) My darkest days as a Scouter have been spent dealing with incidents of abuse.

Reluctant Scouts

Fri, 11 Oct 2013 00:00:00 +0000

A question from a Facebook fan: My son just bridged over into Boy Scouts from Webelos.

I feel he is losing interest, he keeps saying he doesn’t want to go to the meetings or camp. My son and I have been active in cub scouts since he was a tiger. How should I help get him and keep him motivated?

There’s usually an adjustment period for any big change like this. When boys go from the Pack to the Troop they may not like the change, just like when they go from elementary school to middle school; it may not be what they expected. From my point of view parents often give up on Scouting too soon when they meet a little resistance from their sons. A boy’s attitudes, likes and dislikes change very quickly at this age (sometimes from hour to hour!). To temper this volatility I suggest that you set a time period or other goal (six months, six camping trips, twelve Scout meetings) that are non-negotiable – that you require him to attend.

Volunteer Boundaries

Tue, 11 Jun 2013 00:00:00 +0000

Have you ever been described as “generous to a fault’?

Volunteering is a wonderful, generous way to spend our time but we all have a breaking point. If we don’t have volunteer boundaries there’s a pretty good chance we are headed for a crisis. Call it burn-out fatigue, or what-have-you – it’s the point where it all piles up and makes us doubt whether we can keep going.

I can’t tell you exactly what boundaries you need to set up, I can share some basic thoughts that will help you find them. You may be headed for burn-out if your boundaries are being crossed by these thoughts – If I don’t do it nobody else will. If nobody else will take on a position or task maybe isn’t as important as we think. It could be the last person who filled that role burned out because they ignored their own boundaries and made the role so big that nobody else want’s to take it on.

Why Do We Volunteer?

Tue, 20 Nov 2012 00:00:00 +0000

How many volunteers are involved in Scouting and what do we do? A 2011 U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics report notes that 64.3 million people volunteered last year 29.9% of women and 25% of men in the U.S. volunteered. 35 – to 54-year-olds were the most likely to volunteer.

Persons in their early twenties were the least likely to volunteer The volunteer rate of parents with children under age 18 (33.7 %) is higher than the rate for those without children (24.1%). 42.4% of volunteers were college graduates compared with 18.2% of high school graduates.

Three Keys to Scoutmaster Survival

Sun, 11 Nov 2012 00:00:00 +0000

Scoutmaster survival can hinge on these three P’s – proportion, perspective and preparation, every Scoutmaster should know: Proportion You can only do so much, you have limitations and you have a breaking point.

Having a sober estimate of these things about ourselves is important. Your Scouts can only do so much, they have limitations and they have a breaking point.

Focus on building their enthusiasm and vision for the possibilities in front of them.

Lack of Volunteers?

Mon, 05 Nov 2012 00:00:00 +0000

I’ve often heard about the difficulty of recruiting adult help from other Scouters and I wonder, sometimes, if it has to do with the way we ask? When the coffee is flowing and the discussions range wide we volunteers commiserate with each other. How many times have you heard things like: “Why are we the only ones who will do this?” “How come I can’t get anyone else to help?” “All those other parents are so irresponsible – they think we’re just here to babysit!” We love the work but are bothered by the fact that we do it all; a perfectly natural, perfectly understandable reaction to the apparent or actual lack of volunteers.

Scout Parent Problems

Mon, 24 Sep 2012 00:00:00 +0000

Most Scout parents are supportive, encouraging and make a positive contribution to their son’s experience in Scouting. If you volunteer long enough you will eventually run into Scout parent problems. Some are minor irritations, some are very upsetting.

Questions and challenges from parents usually come from honest misunderstandings. When parents raise concerns it can feel like a personal attack.

Remember they aren’t trying to be mean, they are acting in the best interest of their child the best way they can.

Don't be a 'Dog in the Manger'

Fri, 29 Jun 2012 00:00:00 +0000

A dog in the manger guards the manger (where hay is put for animals to eat) not because he wanted to eat the hay but to prevent the other animals from doing so. In the context of Scouting I think of a few instances that illustrate the point; Volunteers who get so stuck in one way of doing things they refuse to let anyone else help them, let alone share their responsibilities. “Its easier for me to do this than to explain it to someone else.”

Volunteer 25-60-15 Rule

Wed, 27 Jun 2012 00:00:00 +0000

No matter what community volunteer effort or organization, whether local, national or worldwide in scope, there’s a fairly immutable rule of the way people will perceive your efforts: 25% of people will actively support the effort by volunteering, contributing financially and talking positively with their friends, coworkers and family about the work. 6o% of people will be neutral. They will neither support or detract from the effort. They will have a reasonably balanced opinion about the work. 15% of people will have a negative opinion of at least some aspect of the work.

What Don't People Get About Being A Scout Leader?

Tue, 13 Sep 2011 00:00:00 +0000

This article at the Atlantic got me to thinking about what people don’t understand about the work of being a Scout leader. (I am not really interested in what you think of the article. You can comment to the author on their website if you like – let’s not discuss the article here please.) Scout leaders have to explain themselves and dispel certain persistent misconceptions pretty often. Here’s a few things I think people don’t get: 1.

Ask Andy

Fri, 13 May 2011 00:00:00 +0000

“Ask Andy” is an on line column by a commissioner who answers Scouting questions with a good deal of humor and common sense. Andy gets it.

Commissioners deal with some hairy situations; Andy’s advice indicates he has seen it all.

There are a not so surprising number of questions that amount to ‘how many square knots can dance on the head of a pin’ (I am constantly amazed people have time to worry about the alchemy of proper patch placement) but there is much that will help any Scouter. Andy doesn’t pull punches either; Answering a Commissioner who described his duties as a patch inspector: As a Commissioner, the only thing worse than being known as “the council cop” is making a reputation for yourself as “the patch police”! Why?

Recruiting Scouts

Sun, 17 Apr 2011 00:00:00 +0000

We recruit Scouts from two general populations

Webelos
Everybody else

Webelos recruitment is simple to understand although it requires a fair amount of effort. Much has been written on Webelos transitions so I will not retrench the subject here. Here’s discussions of the mechanics of the process , retaining the Webelos you recruit and some notes on transitioning Webelos leaders . By way of review - Find all the Webelos Dens in your community within reasonable driving distance of your Troop.

Looking Ahead - Leadership Transitions

Wed, 30 Dec 2009 00:00:00 +0000

Third in a series of thoughts about looking ahead: Who are our key unit leaders for the next five years?

Typical Scout units change key leaders every three to five years.

Anyone in a leadership position, especially key positions, should have their eye on suitable replacements.

Responsible outgoing leaders should see that there is a clear plan in place for those who will take on their positions.

Several months prior to the change the new leader and the outgoing leader should be working together. New leaders should be trained before they are actually in the position and need to observe the outgoing leader actually doing the job. Once it is time to hand things over a simple ceremonious announcement to Scouts and their families is in order (preferably at a court of honor or blue and gold banquet). This is important in reassuring everyone that the unit will continue to be healthy.

Looking Ahead - Recruiting and Membership.

Tue, 29 Dec 2009 00:00:00 +0000

Second in a series of thoughts about looking ahead. What’s your recruiting goal, the minimum annual number of new members (youth and adult) to maintain your unit? Our Troop has hovered around thirty to thirty five Scouts for many years now. We maintain an active contingent of five or six uniformed adult leaders (ones that we usually see at a Troop meeting) and four or five core committee members. We need to recruit about five to ten new Scouts every year to maintain the Troop over time. “Five to stay alive” is our watchword.

Getting Parents Excited About Scouting

Wed, 14 May 2008 00:00:00 +0000

Scouting Magazine’s Front Line Stuff asks the question: Some parents aren’t as eager to participate in Scouting as others. As a result, their Cub Scout or Boy Scout sons don’t attend as many events as the children of active parents. How do you create excitement about Scouting among your Scouts’ parents?

I am not sure if this is a resolvable situation, or if it should be. One of the key features of Scouting is that Scouts and their families are able to participate at a level that works for them. We leaders may feel like they are ‘missing out’ but they may be doing all they can, or want, to do. It seems to me that sports teams, schools and churches are constantly expanding their expectations for attendance and participation; sometimes with little consideration for the other activities in any given community. We may also, with the best of intentions, be making parental participation more difficult than it needs to be.

Scoutmaster's Reward

Thu, 01 Dec 2005 00:00:00 +0000

Even the happiest man in the world still has difficulties to contend with. It is the satisfaction of having successfully faced difficulties that breeds real accomplishment. Don’t expect your life as a Scoutmaster to be a bed of roses; there would be no fun in it if it were. You are bound to meet with disappointments and setbacks. Be patient. You will have to bear patiently with irritating criticisms and red tape bonds to some extent but your reward will come. The satisfaction of trying brings rewards. This is the spirit with which Scoutmasters and Commissioners, Committeemen work.