Training Corner April 2010

Much of the following article is from the “Commissioner Corner Article” I wrote in June, 2005. Some of it is verbatim and some paraphrased. John Raducha  

Here is a quote from Dick Vitale about his life style………”I know I’m loud and I talk alot, but I’ll match anybody in the three E’s: excitement, enthusiasm and energy.” No one can question Dick Vitale’s success with the three E’s. As we look at the attrition rate and loss of scouts in our traditional programs, maybe we need our leaders to show the three E’s: excitement, enthusiasm and energy. As we look at the Units who are losing membership and have mediocre programs, do we see leaders who do not exhibit excitement, enthusiasm and energy? Whereas when we look at the Units who have leaders with the three E’s, they keep their membership, they have exciting programs and a steady flow of advancement.

When a person makes the commitment to become a scout leader, they are committed to delivering a quality program to the youth. The leader must maintain a high level of the three E’s to be successful. How does one do this when the going starts to get tough? Easy, get involved with other leaders and pick up new ideas to spruce up your exciting program. Scouting offers several different ways to do this and all of those ways are in the form of leader training. Here are a few examples: (a) Roundtables are offered on a monthly basis within your district and you can rub elbows and share ideas with other leaders, (b) Attend OLS/WOLF to get ideas about exciting outdoor programs, (c) Attend Wood Badge where the emphasis is upon improving your leadership style and the emphasis is upon putting you with other leaders, and (d) A very simple way to get “trained” is to ask other leaders what they do that is successful with their units. This is often referred to “picking brains” but it is a very good form of informal training.     

Leader training is a must! It does not stop in the month of May at the end of the school year; it is ongoing, formally and informally. Go to summer camp and talk with other leaders, find out what’s “hot” and what’s “not” with programs in other units. But over all do not let yourself lose the three E’s: excitement, enthusiasm and energy with your scouting commitment. Work to keep it. When your scouts are having fun their energy will rub off on you and you will deliver the scouting promise. You know youth join scouting to experience the great outdoors. Take your scouts camping, hiking, backpacking, canoeing, rock climbing, spelunking or other outdoor adventures. Get your scouts into the great outdoors and as ever, please do all you can to keep the “outing” in scouting.

John Raducha