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Boy Scout Development in the 21st Century: Where Have All the Leaders Gone?

A few years ago I joined a group of scouts who were gathering to march in a 4th of July parade held in West Jordan, Utah. I was impressed by the group of explorers who were excited to walk a few miles in warm weather, carrying the banner of the scouting program. The scouts enjoyed marching alongside their scout leaders. The march was grand: thousands of people lined the street to applaud and, in some cases, wave to the explorers as they passed by. The explorers had a wonderful experience. I envisioned that many of these explorers would become future leaders of their community, state, and nation.

John Gardner spent his entire life studying leadership in the United States. In a post on leadership, Gardner posed the following question: Where are today’s leaders? The United States has a current population of over 300 million people. America should produce more leaders. I believe that the scouting program is the source for producing America’s future great leaders. I’ve been a part of the scouting program for more than four decades, and I’d like to offer seven strategies for developing our future leaders.

First, recognize that we are losing a lot of our guys.

The number of children who drop out of school is dramatic. The number of young people who go on to university is rapidly shrinking. Many young people are more attracted to gangs, pornography and violent video games. The population of our prisons is increasing while the number of men in the workplace is decreasing. To reverse these trends, Scout leaders must be creative, innovative, and seek more resources to improve the quality of their programs.

Sir Robert Baden-Powell, the founder of the scouting movement in the United States, observed: “The spirit is present in every child; it had to be discovered and brought out. Today’s scouts need energetic leaders who give them the tools they need to fulfill their potential.

Second, develop a strategic plan that includes specific goals for each explorer.

Taking the time to plan is taking the time to succeed. A few years ago I visited a scout pup den in Albany, Georgia. The leader of the scouts was a busy doctor. Although this doctor was busy, he made time to plan interesting activities for the explorers. It was obvious that he spent many hours using software on his laptop to develop a strategic plan for the show. The leader had a spreadsheet detailing progress toward badges for each scout.

The scouts in this program were highly motivated and looked forward to attending every week. Powell observed, “Be prepared…the meaning of the motto is that an explorer should prepare by thinking ahead and practicing how to act in any accident or emergency so that he is never caught unawares.” The same goes for scout leaders: if they are prepared, the program will succeed.

Third, update your activities and resources.

To inspire and motivate today’s explorers, the latest information is required. Many online resources and training activities are available to every Scout leader. Albert Einstein said, “True genius is access to information. The genius behind successful programs is found in leaders who are lifelong learners and are motivated to learn the latest program or activity available to their explorers. One way One way to see how things have changed is to take a look at a Boy’s Life magazine from twenty years ago and a copy of today’s magazine.

The latest magazine focuses on new technologies, exciting browser topics, and innovative programs. Powell urged leaders to: “See things from the children’s point of view.” Survey your scouts and find audience-focused activities that increase their motivation and enthusiasm.

Fourth, approach one.

Successful leaders take the time to survey explorers and work with them to develop explorer-focused activities. Successful leaders have individual interviews with each explorer to assess her personal needs and interests. Successful leaders are wary of the explorer who doesn’t participate or doesn’t seem to fit. Sir Robert Baden Powell said, “If you listen and watch your occupation, you will earn much more than you can talk about.”

Fifth, manage your meetings, don’t let the meetings manage you.

Too many meeting agendas get lost when reviewing upcoming activities. A carefully written activity booklet reduces the number of questions. Today’s meetings should focus on how to increase retention. Too many kids are finding other activities more appealing. Use the meeting time to brainstorm and strategically plan for the future. Powell observed: “We never fail when we try to do our duty, we always fail when we refuse to do it.”

Sixth, be avant-garde.

Leaders need regular readers of current issues of Boys’ Life. This magazine is a great example of “state of the art” articles, humor and games. For example, a recent month included articles on innovations in automobiles, GPS technology, and paper airplanes. I attended a scout meeting in Deland, Florida, where each scout made his own rocket. The competition was fair. Cutting edge competitions encourage the explorer (not the parent) to build the project, earn the badge, and complete the job. State-of-the-art programs encourage explorers to go to college and become lifelong learners. State-of-the-art programs include the latest technology and inventions. State-of-the-art programs teach Scouts effective interpersonal communication and leadership skills. Powell observed, “I’ve always believed: that if there’s the right spirit, we can get the ‘im’ out of ‘impossible.’

Seventh, it promotes a proactive strategic vision.

The 21st century presents a number of challenges for Scout leaders. How do you deal with the competitive distractions kids face: electronic video games, local team sports, the Internet? The old days of scouting are gone. It’s a new day, with new challenges. In an increasingly negative world, scouts can be taught to be optimistic and proactive role models. Tomorrow’s leaders will need to know complex technology, possess strong communication skills, and recognize the value of working together to achieve success in our home, our communities, our nation, and the world.

Baden Powell was a great optimist. He recognized that the future may be bright. To ensure a bright future for our young scouts, adult leaders must be ahead of the curve, be excellent role models, and move with innovation and flexibility in developing a strategic and exciting program for their scouts. Baden Powell concluded: “What is most worthwhile is putting happiness in the lives of others.” The opportunity to bring happiness to the lives of explorers has never been greater.

Markham reed
eagle scout
Former US Supreme Court speechwriter
Faculty, Daytona State College

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