How to lead millionaires
Having more money than we could ever imagine is a dream far from the reality of most Scouters. Indeed, most of us give up a lot – not only our time, but our money and other resources – because we …
The Bloggers
Bobwhite's Blather
- Active 2011–2020
- Posts 459
- Words 89,533
Every post, newest first
Showing 301–350 of 459 · page 7 of 10. Each title opens the post in a new tab.
Scrub your jargon
Have you ever listened to a talk, attended a training session or even tried to read an article or paper that contained unexplained abbreviations and terminology that you were unfamiliar with? If so, then you know what it's like when …
Committee chair timeline: Every month
If you've been reading for a while, you've picked up on our monthly summary of things the committee chair needs to give attention to for the following month. We finished up the year last month with the March version, so …
Who's driving the car?
There are a lot of ways to visualize how Boy Scouting works. We can look in the handbooks and training literature and read all about the patrol method, how elected patrol leaders make the decisions and how the Scoutmaster and …
A warm Scouting handshake
Last week we discussed some of the ways we can overcome the hesitation that Scouts and families may have at joining a troop. After as much as five years in Cub Scouts, preparing to become Boy Scouts, most boys will …
"And," not "or"
We're into the time when our Webelos brethren have made or are making the decision about continuing on in Boy Scouting. There's always a range of interest levels among our incoming Scouts. In my experience, about half are coming over …
How to be a better Scouter (opens in a new tab)
It goes without saying that every Scouter is in on the mission of Scouting to provide and support an excellent program for our boys. We're looking for ways to better relate to the Scouts and our fellow Scouters. In what's …
Committee chair timeline: March
March is nearly here, and with it longer days and the urge to get outside. But before we lace up our hiking boots, let's talk about some of the business items the committee needs to tend to this month. Your …
Scouting's triangles (opens in a new tab)
A triangle is the simplest two-dimensional figure and is one of the strongest in nature. The world is made of triangles, from honeycombs to bridge trusses. Three is a magic number in many ways beyond the familiar Bob Dorough song …
Sharpen your saw! (opens in a new tab)
There's an old story about two lumberjacks who each thought of themselves as the very best wood cutters in the world. One day they decided to have a log-cutting competition to determine, once and for all, who really was the …
You talk too much! (opens in a new tab)
You talk too much, you worry me to death You talk too much, you even worry my pet You just talk – talk too much! John Lee Hooker's lyrics made famous in a song by the 1960s R&B singer Joe …
Committee chair timeline: February
As we move through the cold winter months, here are some thoughts of things to keep you and your committee occupied and looking forward to warmer days ahead. Webelos Scouts are putting the ribbons on their Arrow of Light requirements, …
New policy prohibits individual Scout fundraising accounts
A Scout works to pay his own way and to help others." This wording, or a version of it, has been in the explanation of "A Scout is Thrifty" in the Scout Law for decades. And while a Scout might …
The New Cub Scout Adventure Program
I don't often write about Cub Scouting – there are lots of resources out there for Cub leaders. But once in a while, something super exciting comes along that merits a look, even for old jaded "seen-it-all" Scouters. Last week, …
Update on Boy Scout program changes
A bit over a year ago, we wrote about the five-year BSA 4-1-1 Strategic Plan that looked at all aspects of the Boy Scouts of America and provided ways for volunteers and professionals to provide input on the future of our …
Committee chair timeline: January
Happy New Year! I hope you had a great holiday season and maybe enjoyed a little break from weekly Scouting, or perhaps a change of routine if your troop planned any special activities. You'll be back at it soon enough, …
Knowing when to leave
Go while the going is good / Knowing when to leave may be the smartest thing that anyone can learn -"Knowing When To Leave" by Burt Bacharach & Hal David We all remember when we first took the plunge into Scout leadership. …
What are you asking your committee?
There are two basic definitions of the term committee. One, a legal definition, refers to someone who has been placed in the charge of another person by reason of insanity. While Scouting can sometimes drive us to the brink, or so …
We have to get it right!
What if the coach of a basketball team let eight or nine players play at a time? Or let them shoot into both baskets? Have you ever seen a baseball game where the batter could swing at as many pitches …
The moving target of social media
Back when most of us were teenagers, what we now know as "social media" consisted of long hours tying up the family telephone chatting with our friends, or perhaps time spent cruising the boulevards or at the town soda shop. …
Committee chair timeline: December
December can be the most hectic month of all, with holiday preparations, family visits and vacations, shopping, cooking and cleaning. Fortunately, if you do your Scouting duty to "be prepared", your workload will be lighter and you'll have more time …
Feeling overwhelmed? (opens in a new tab)
Last week we discussed ways to keep from taking on too many jobs. As a follow-up, let's consider ways to keep the one job you supposedly have from being overwhelming. I realize that many of us have multiple responsibilities in …
Are you trying to do everything? (opens in a new tab)
Many of us got into Scouting leadership because we wanted to share in the fun and adventure with our sons and wanted to help our pack or troop provide a great program for the boys. "An hour a week," we …
Can Cubs go ziplining, and other questions
Over the last couple weeks I've received questions on various issues from readers. Since they're probably subjects that others may have questions about, I'll discuss them here. (And as Joe Friday would say, the names have been changed to protect …
Committee chair timeline: November (opens in a new tab)
While the Scouting calendar just keeps going, the end of the calendar year is almost upon us. This means there are some important housekeeping items to take care of before the clock strikes twelve. Your charter year may be almost …
Why do volunteers falter?
Scouting is a volunteer organization. We knew that already. Except for a relatively few paid staff members at the national and local council levels, almost all of the work of Scouting is done by volunteer adults, giving of their own …
What Cub Scout advancement chairs need to know
Last month we explored one of the essential but often neglected committee functions in a Cub Scout pack – the membership coordinator. In this article we'll look at another position that's essential to smooth operations – that of the advancement …
Know the rules! (opens in a new tab)
Every game has its rules. They can be very basic or highly complex. Any baseball fan who knows the infield fly rule can tell you just how complex the rules of the game can get. Scouting is a game. Our …
Committee chair timeline: October
October's here. Across the great deciduous forests of the north, the leaves are changing and crisp camping weather is here. Sunsets are earlier too, leaving less time to set up camp in daylight and more things for committee chairs to …
Your "open door" policy
Committee chairs have a lot of people who either report to them or who they serve in one way or another. The Scoutmaster or Cubmaster, the various coordinators on the committee, the chartered organization representative and the unit commissioner all …
Micromanaging: a bad idea (opens in a new tab)
We've all been there, I'm sure. We've worked for, or with, someone who quite figuratively can't see the forest for the trees. Someone who fusses over every small detail of a project, process or workplace and who directs even the …
More on "sports parents" and Scouting (opens in a new tab)
In February, we posted an article titled Signing Day in which we explored the high-profile world of high school athletes committing to play sports in college and how the "race to the top" ends up costing parents, families and youth dearly, …
What Cub Scout membership coordinators need to know (opens in a new tab)
Cub Scout packs are making plans to get their programs going for the next year of fun and excitement. Join Scouting nights are getting scheduled and all the recruiting materials are being updated. But Scouting's raw material is membership, for …
Committee chair timeline: September
Now that school has started, many troops that scale back in the summer are in full swing again or are about to, and a new year of camping and activities is underway. Since starting this series of articles a few …
Is your Scouting knowledge obsolete?
We tend to think of Scouting as a perpetual program – something that's always been there and always will, without much changing. The ideals, the oath and law, the principle of the boys running the troop are all things that …
We're in the creativity business
Like most readers of this blog, I'm a parent of teenagers (well, my older son turns 22 this week, so there's just one teenager left) and as we all have come to realize in recent years, our kids and most …
The true meaning of Scout (opens in a new tab)
Our troop has experienced a rash of Eagle Scout activity in recent months, the most recent of which was an Eagle Court of Honor on Sunday in which the 48th Eagle Scout in our troop's 30-year history received his medal …
Committee chair timeline: August
August is almost here. Summer is flying by, fall is in sight, and with it, a ramp-up in Scouting activity. Here are some things the committee chair needs to be on top of as we get busier: Many troops (packs …
The 2013 Guide to Advancement, part 2
In last week's article, we listed some of the changes incorporated in the 2013 Guide to Advancement, the current revision to the comprehensive 2011 edition. Many policies have been tweaked and clarified, and since most of us have become familiar with …
The 2013 Guide to Advancement
The long-awaited 2013 revision to the standard reference text for Scouting's advancement programs has been released, leaving a somewhat bewildering series of changes and clarifications in its wake. The 2011 document did a great job of consolidating, codifying and clarifying …
The 2013 Guide to Advancement, part 1 (opens in a new tab)
The long-awaited 2013 revision to the standard reference text for Scouting’s advancement programs has been released, leaving a somewhat bewildering series of changes and clarifications in its wake. The 2011 document did a great job of consolidating, codifying and clarifying BSA’s rules relating to advancement.
The advancement treadmill
Of all the attributes we associate with Scouting, certainly the uniform is the most directly visible, but the advancement program is certainly the most palpable (and visible when the insignia of recognition appear on the uniform). Scouting is measured by …
Stop telling and start guiding
As adults, we sometimes feel the need to improve the flow in our troops. When this happens, it's all too easy to tell our Scouts what to do. Have you ever directed the setup of a weekend campout, or stepped …
Committee chair timeline: July
July is a fairly quiet month for a lot of troops. Troop meetings are more casual and often the schedule is scaled back. You may be camping, but the emphasis usually shifts to summer camp or high adventure. There are …
The adult role at summer camp
Soon our troop heads off to summer camp, as does just about every troop. This week I sent out the following advice to our troop parents: Summer camp is coming up in just a couple weeks. Summer camp is a …
What you can't get online
From the beginning of our movement, it's been clear that training is the key to success. Baden-Powell had a way with training, in that he believed that it was important to educate the soldiers he led in battle so they …
How Scouting helps identity development
Last week I attended an orientation session at the university my son is attending in the fall. There were separate sessions for the new students and for the soon-to-be parents of a college kid. Besides the expected talks on dorm …
Committee chair timeline: June
Many troops scale back a bit during the summer months, so in the coming weeks the list of things to pay attention to will shrink somewhat. There are still several things you need to ensure get handled before the break. …
Professional education at a volunteer price
Where can you get professional quality leadership development training, worth many thousands of dollars, for a bargain price? One of the perks of our serving as Scouting volunteers is the opportunity to learn and improve our own leadership skills as …
Advancement educational presentations
One could argue that uniforming is the most visible of the eight methods of Scouting, even though a lot of boys would rather be invisible while in uniform! The method of advancement, however, certainly has a lot of impact and …