How Outdoor Scout-Led troops Create Great Leaders.

  

 

(Scouts cook up breakfast)

   How many times in your life have you had an adult tell you what to do? As a child, there is much to learn that adults can teach you. But at what point during a child's life does he/she turn from learner to leader? Enter Scouting. Scouting is an organization that prioritizes young Scouts leading each other rather than adult interventional leadership. This type of leadership is coined "Scout-led troop'' and it creates the most effective leaders out of any organization. This blog will explain why.

    Oftentimes when children extend themselves in unfamiliar territory such as riding a bike an adult waits next to them ready to correct their errors at a moment's notice. In a Scout-led troop, children are left alone to take charge of leading each other. The safety net of adult supervision has been suddenly cut and the Scouts are left without instruction. For the first time in many of these young Scouts' lives, they are on their own.

    Scouting is unique in that it takes place outdoors which is unforgiving. An improperly made fire won’t cook the eggs because you were close enough. Knowing this, the margin of error in the outdoors slims especially when it is considered there is no adult to catch the child's errors. Oftentimes, the possibility of not having breakfast becomes real to the Scouts. In times of desperation, leadership between the Scouts becomes vital as they realize the only way to thrive in these unrelenting conditions is to work collectively.

    Cooperation is difficult. One Scout does not possess all of the knowledge of how to thrive in the outdoors as an adult would. However, different Scouts from the patrol will know different tidbits of information that collectively form competence in the outdoors. For example, James may know how to get the coals lit, while Harden knows how to cook bacon. Together, breakfast can be made. In these types of conditions, the stage is set for great leaders to surmise. It is said that, “only through real hands-on experience as leaders can boys learn to lead”, and this is no exception (Scoutmaster 1). A great leader is someone who can contribute to and also bring individual ideas together and then use this collective knowledge to complete jobs. In this case, the difference between a great leader and an okay leader could be a delicious breakfast compared to no breakfast at all. This type of leadership is called servant leadership which is focused on, “enrich[ing] the lives of individuals” and is what is naturally produced as a result of Scout led troops (Green Leaf).

    There grows an increasing demand for servant leaders as we progress into the digital age. A servant leader can bring together an entire company full of creativity and organize it so it runs like a machine. Leaders such as Jeff Bezos, Bill Gates, and other leading tech figures all demonstrate aspects of servant leadership to have a well-run company. Be a leader, not a follower. 😎

(Scouts led each other in tying knots)

Glossary

Scouting - an organization that focuses on development in young boys and girls taking place in the outdoors.

Adult interventional leadership - leadership where adults immediately intervene if something goes wrong.

Scout-led troop - a troop whose leadership system consists of boys and girls. Adults do not get involved unless necessary.

Works Cited

BSA. "Parentsʼ and New Leaders Guide to a Boy-Led Troop." BoyLedTroop, 2 Nov. 2002, pp. 3-4. Scoutmaster.org, scoutmaster.org/boy%20led%20troop.pdf. Accessed 15 Jan. 2021.

Green Leaf, editor. "What Is Servant Leadership." Center for Servant Leadership, www.greenleaf.org/what-is-servant-leadership/. Accessed 15 Jan. 2021.

Los Angeles Public Library. Scouts Cook up Breakfast. 1957. Calisphere, calisphere.org/item/31880d7a08a5b5e821ba01d4da45f9a2/. Accessed 19 Jan. 2021.

Tyler Morning Telegraph. Boys Leading Each Other. 2018. CBS19, www.cbs19.tv/article/news/local/boy-scout-troop-335-celebrates-80-years-of-teaching-life-skills-leadership/501-546049362. Accessed 19 Jan. 2021.