MODULE ONE
Unit Organization
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INTRODUCTION TO LEADERSHIP SKILLS FOR TROOPS
MODULE OVERVIEW
CONTENT TIME
Introduction to the Course—5 MINUTES
Introduction to Vision—10 TO 15 MINUTES
Troop Organization—15 TO 25 MINUTES
The Team-Based Troop—25 TO 30 MINUTES
Leadership Styles—10 TO 15 MINUTES
PREPARATION
• Obtain or create a troop organization chart for your troop (see appendix), or use the
samples found in the Troop Leader Guidebook (volumes 1 and 2).
• Understand the roles and responsibilities for every leadership position in the troop. Identify
assistant trainers who may be needed to effectively review these roles and responsibilities.
MATERIALS NEEDED
» A copy of the Patrol Leader Handbook for every patrol leader, or at least one
copy per troop as a reference
» Position description cards for every Scout leadership position
» Troop organization chart for your troop
» 10 to 20 balloons for the Role Balancing game
» A permanent extra-broad-tip marker for writing on balloons
» A rigid lightweight stick or hula hoop for the Helium Stick game
» A white board, chalk board, or easel with a pad of paper (optional)
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LEARNING OBJECTIVES
At the end of this module, participants will
• Understand the various leadership roles within the troop, both elected and appointed, as
well as the dynamics of having everyone be involved in the success of troop activities.
This module provides examples of troop organization charts and position descriptions. It is
important to have clearly defined responsibilities for each troop position. It is recommended
that each troop use the materials provided by this course as written, but troops are allowed to
modify these assignments as long as all responsibilities are fulfilled and real leadership remains
a youth role.
INTRODUCTION TO THE COURSE
DISCUSSION: Explain to the Scouts the purpose of this course.
SAY:
You have been selected to be leaders in your troop. This is both an honor and a responsibility.
Being a leader is not about being the person in front, or wearing the patch, or being the boss.
Good leaders are not “all about themselves.” You will learn that the reason to lead is because you
can make a difference in your troop and help make those you lead successful. The purpose of
Introduction to Leadership Skills for Troops is to provide tools you will need for fulfilling your role
as a leader in the troop.
Discuss any necessary logistics—when and where Module Two and Module Three will be
taught, etc.
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INTRODUCTION TO VISION
SAY:
A vision is critical to success in any role or project. You must first know what success looks like
before you can reach that success. In other words, you need a vision of where you are going.
WHAT IS A VISION?
It is a short clear statement that describes the changes that should result
from what you want to do.
Share the BSA Vision Statement and discuss it briefly:
“The Boy Scouts of America will prepare every eligible youth in America to become a responsible,
participating citizen and leader who is guided by the Scout Oath and Law.”
SAY:
A vision is a picture of where you want to be. When you can see your destination—when you can
envision it—you can take the steps to reach it. A vision does not say, “I want to do something”
or “I’d like to do something.” A vision says, “In the future, I clearly see myself in this picture of
success.” If you can see it, you can be it.
How do you realize a vision? By accomplishing one goal at a time. They are the bite-sized pieces
of the vision that you complete step by step. Fulfilling a vision might require just a few goals, or it
might take many. In setting your goals, make sure they are “SMART”: Each goal must be specific
(clear and understandable), measurable (you know when you are done), attainable (you can do it),
relevant (why you are doing it), and timely (done when it is needed).
As an individual, you probably have a number of visions or ideas, but you may not have articulated
them. Each Scout should be thinking about a personal vision of success in the new position,
as well as a personal vision for the troop. Give each youth a few moments to write down some
thoughts, and then record and discuss them briefly. The vision form on page 27 of the Senior Patrol
Leader Handbook could be used for this purpose.
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TROOP ORGANIZATION
NOTE: Show the troop organization chart for your troop. (Adapt your chart to the organization of
your troop; two models are provided in the appendix for typical large and small troops.)
SAY:
Notice that across the organizational chart, youth positions are associated with adult positions:
The senior patrol leader works closely with the Scoutmaster; other troop leaders work closely
with other adults. No position is completely independent. Cooperation and teamwork between
adults and Scouts is essential. This youth-adult association is one of the eight methods
of Scouting.
Also notice that Scouts with leadership positions have responsibilities to one another. The senior
patrol leader manages other Scout leaders and is responsible for their performance. Elected Scout
leaders can have appointed Scout leaders to manage, and be responsible for, as well.
Your troop has a number of important youth leadership positions. The highest positions are
elected and serve for a period of time in those positions (a “term of office”). A number of appointed
leadership positions are available, with varying levels of skill and commitment required to fulfill.
The Youth-Led Troop
DISCUSSION: Briefly discuss leadership in Scouting and the value of the youth-led troop.
Empowering youth to be leaders is one of the core principles in Scouting. Scouting is designed to
help youth prepare to participate in, and give leadership to, American society. A troop is a small
democracy. Within the safety framework provided by the adult leaders, and with the Scoutmaster’s
direction and mentoring, the Scouts plan and implement the troop program. Scouts serve in
positions of responsibility to make that happen.
Individual Roles and Responsibilities
YOUTH POSITIONS. Introduce and distribute the BSA position description cards to each appropriate
individual recently elected or appointed to that position. These description cards are available in your
Scout shop as item No. 30521. Similar descriptions can be found in the Awards and Advancement
section of the Scouts BSA Handbook and in chapter 7 of the Senior Patrol Leader Handbook.
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SAY:
Look over your card for a few minutes to see what you are responsible for.
Then discuss with the group the responsibilities that are the same, such as “set a good example,”
“wear the Scout uniform appropriately,” etc. Have individuals share some of the differences in their
roles and discuss the implications briefly.
ADULT POSITIONS. Explain to the Scouts that adults in the troop are responsible for providing
training to the troop’s youth leadership and enabling them to carry out their duties. The adult
leaders also provide resources for the troop’s youth leaders and serve as mentors to all Scouts in
the troop.
The number of adult leaders and committee members needed is dependent on the size and needs
of the troop. Each of these individuals has a job description similar to the ones each youth has.
Some of the adult leader positions might include the following:
• Scoutmaster • Committee member
• Assistant Scoutmasters • Chartered organization representative
• Committee chair
THE TEAM-BASED TROOP
For any troop to work effectively, cooperation and teamwork are essential. Activities that help
build cooperation and teamwork are used throughout this training. Let’s get started.
GAME: ROLE BALANCING—BALLOON TOSS
Play this game to illustrate the importance of delegating one role to each
Scout in a troop.
EQUIPMENT—Balloons (about a dozen) inflated, permanent extra-broad-tip marker
INSTRUCTIONS: Ask the leader (preferably the senior patrol leader) to step forward. Ask the
leader to name a responsibility needed to run the troop’s program, and write that on a balloon.
Hand that balloon to the leader with instructions to keep that balloon in the air and avoid having
it fall to the floor.
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After a moment, ask the leader for another responsibility, write it on another balloon, and add this
to the task of keeping the balloons in the air. Repeat until the leader has too many balloons in the
air and is struggling to handle all the “roles” alone.
Explain: “As the leader, you are responsible for keeping all these balloons, representing all your
roles, in the air and getting them accomplished. Would you like some help? (Response: “Yes.”) Ask
someone to handle one of your roles—and give them that balloon.”
Repeat the giving of new roles and passing those roles (balloons) to others until everyone in the
troop has a balloon and a responsibility. Ideally, no one has more than one balloon at the end.
If the group finds this activity easy, increase the difficulty by requiring them to adapt when a leader
(or two) is removed from the game, just as a Scout leader might need to take a break from a
specific role because of illness or another emergency.
REFLECTION: How well could the leader juggle all those balloons, and why? Why is it important to
get everyone involved so that everyone has one role to fill?
SOME KEY TEACHING POINTS
• Spreading the work helps ensure that no one will get burned out.
• Spreading the work helps ensure that “no balls are dropped.”
• Giving all the youth leaders a meaningful role makes them feel respected.
GAME: DISABILITY OBSTACLE COURSE
This game will demonstrate to the Scouts the importance of cooperation and
working together as a team.
EQUIPMENT—Deck of playing cards, some blindfolds
INSTRUCTIONS: Shuffle the playing cards. Each Scout takes a card from the pack which denotes
a specific disability:
• Clubs—cannot use their legs • Hearts—cannot speak
• Spades—cannot use their arms • Diamonds—cannot see
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In accordance with these restrictions, each group will navigate the track as the group members
work together and help each other.
The roped-off track should be 4 feet wide, 50 to 60 feet long, and winding with curves, turns, and a
step-over or two. The track can be created by using tables or chairs or yellow caution tape.
REFLECTION: Lead a discussion regarding working together as a team and the purpose and value
of the Scout-led troop. Ask a few brief questions about the game, then shift into a reflection about
the Scout-led troop and how it’s implemented in your troop. Use open-ended questions until the
teaching points are all brought out.
SAMPLE QUESTIONS
• During the game, who led the group?
• Did someone step in as the leader, or did the group cooperate as equals?
• If someone stepped up, why did the group follow their lead?
• Why does the Scouting program have youth take on leadership roles in the troop?
• What aspects of your troop do the youth lead?
• What do they not yet lead?
SOME KEY TEACHING POINTS
• Often, natural leaders will step in when a leader is needed to help the group succeed.
• Sometimes the group can accomplish a task through group cooperation and a mutual
interest in success without a specific leader.
• Most everything in Scouting can be accomplished by youth of various ages and sizes
working together as a team.
• Scouting gives youth the opportunity to learn and practice leadership skills.
• Scouts will learn to lead by practicing leading and experiencing the results of their
hands-on leadership efforts.
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THE PATROL LEADERS’ COUNCIL
DISCUSS THE PATROL LEADERS’ COUNCIL IN YOUR TROOP. Ask leading questions to get the
group to discuss how the patrol leaders’ council operates, and share information with Scouts
who may be new to the process. If necessary, use this time to coach the group in how a properly
conducted patrol leaders’ council meeting works.
SAY:
Participants in the patrol leaders’ council plan and run the troop’s program and activities.
Composed of the senior patrol leader, assistant senior patrol leader(s), patrol leaders, the troop
guide for a new-Scout patrol, and the troop scribe to take minutes, this group of youth leaders
meets routinely (usually monthly) to fine-tune upcoming troop meetings and outings. The senior
patrol leader runs the patrol leaders’ council meeting, and the Scoutmaster and other adult leaders
attend as coaches, mentors, and information resources. The Scoutmaster allows the senior patrol
leader and Scouts to run the meetings and make decisions, stepping in with suggestions and
guidance whenever that will enhance the program for the troop and Scouts.
GAME: HELIUM STICK
This game will teach Scouts how to cooperate and rely on each another.
INSTRUCTIONS: Have the Scouts stand in two lines facing each other an arm’s length away
and hold out their two index fingers in front of them at chest height. Place a light, rigid stick
(e.g., a bamboo stick) horizontally between them so the stick is resting on each Scout’s two
index fingers. The stick should be resting equally on the Scouts’ fingers. No one may grasp the
stick or curl their fingertips around it.
Ask the Scouts to lower the stick to the ground as a group with no fingers losing contact with the
stick. Every Scout’s fingers must remain in contact with the stick while it is lowered. If someone’s
finger comes off the stick, restart the group at the starting position and try again.
NOTE: The tendency is for the stick to rise because the collective force used to keep fingers in
contact with the stick is greater than the gravitational force (weight) of the stick. For this reason,
use a stick for the exercise that is light enough for this effect to occur, given the number of people
in the group.
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There are many ways of improvising the needed stick—any rigid, lightweight stick or tube will do.
The more Scouts involved, the heavier the stick can be, but it’s important the stick is not too heavy
to outweigh the lift tendency. You can use other materials than sticks—a hula hoop will also work
if you can get all the Scouts around it. Other ideas for sticks include interconnecting tent poles,
taped-together houseplant sticks or kite struts, straightened-out wire coat hangers, wooden dowel
rods, bamboo poles, and fishing rods.
If the group is successful quickly, try some variations on the game:
• Start with the stick at ground height, raise it to shoulder height, and lower it back to
the ground.
• Issue two sticks per team—one finger for each stick.
• Just before starting the exercise, ask team members to press down hard with their
outstretched fingers onto the edge of a table for 30 to 60 seconds. This confuses the
brain still further and increases the tendency for the stick to rise.
REFLECTION: Lead a discussion regarding working together as a team and the purpose and value
of having the Scouts as the leaders of the troop. Ask a few brief questions about the game, then
shift into a reflection about how the patrol leaders’ council is implemented in your troop. Use open-
ended questions until the teaching points are all brought out.
SAMPLE QUESTIONS
• Why did the stick rise when we wanted it to go down?
• Did you anticipate the problem? How did you fix it?
• How did you deal with people’s fingers losing contact?
• During the game, who led the group? Did someone step in as the leader, or did the group
cooperate as equals?
• Have the patrol leaders’ council meetings been running as effectively as they could?
• Do Scouts in leadership positions usually come to the patrol leaders’ council meetings
well prepared?
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• What would the group like to do differently or improve during this leadership term?
• What guidance and coaching do you want to share with the newest members of the
leadership team?
SOME KEY TEACHING POINTS
• The stick has a tendency to rise because the collective force used to keep fingers in
contact with the stick is often greater than the gravitational force (weight) of the stick.
• Cooperation, teamwork, and coaching each other were likely keys to everyone getting the
stick to settle down and being able to manage the stick to the ground together.
• Coach the Scouts through developing possible ways to implement their improvement
ideas for the patrol leaders’ council meetings.
LEADERSHIP PRINCIPLES
LEADER COMMENTS. SAY: Just as adult leaders must step back and enable Scout leaders to
lead the troop, senior youth leaders must work with, train, and encourage others in the troop to
fulfill their roles and practice their own leadership skills.
DISCUSS LEADERSHIP: Ask the Scouts to define leadership. Refer them to the position cards
previously given as a reference. Topics to emphasize during this discussion include:
• Teamwork • Being responsible
• Using each other’s strengths • Caring for each other
• Not trying to do it all yourself • Delegating
• Doing what you said you’d do • Setting the example
• Being reliable • Praising in public, criticizing in private
• Keeping each other informed
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GROUP DISCUSSION: Review some tips for being a good leader in the troop. Rather than reading
this list to the group, ask leading questions to get the Scouts to develop most of these tips and
ideas themselves.
Consider having the scribe, historian, or another Scout write the tips on a
whiteboard, chalkboard, or easel pad as the Scouts come up with their ideas.
• KEEP YOUR WORD. Don’t make promises you can’t keep.
• BE FAIR TO ALL. A good leader shows no favorites. Don’t allow friendships to keep you
from being fair to all members of your troop or patrol.
• BE A GOOD COMMUNICATOR. You don’t need a commanding voice to be a good leader,
but you must be willing to step out front with an effective “Let’s go.” A good leader knows
how to get and give information so that everyone understands what’s happening.
• BE WILLING TO ACCEPT IDEAS FROM OTHER PEOPLE. It encourages other youth
leaders to offer suggestions and ideas you may not have thought of. Their ideas may help
deliver a better program for the troop. When you are open to their ideas and willing to
adopt good ones, the other youth leaders will have more ownership of the final plan than
if you (or an adult) simply dictate to them what the troop is going to do.
• BE FLEXIBLE. Not everything goes as planned. Be prepared to shift to “Plan B” when
“Plan A” doesn’t work. Think about “Plan C.”
• BE ORGANIZED. The time you spend planning will be repaid many times over.
• DELEGATE. Some leaders assume that the task will not get done unless they do
it themselves. Most people like to be challenged with a task. Empower your team
members to do things they have never tried, because they want to be trusted to
perform their duties.
• FOLLOW UP. When people are given assignments, follow up at appropriate times to
make sure they haven’t forgotten what they are supposed to do and when. This can avoid
problems when a critical aspect of an outing hasn’t been planned or supplies weren’t
obtained. However, be careful not to micromanage others to the point that they stop
doing things on their own and simply wait for your instructions.
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• SET AN EXAMPLE. The most important thing you can do is lead by example. Whatever
you do, your troop members are likely to do the same. A cheerful attitude can keep
everyone’s spirits up.
• BE CONSISTENT. Nothing is more confusing than a leader who acts one way one
moment and another way a short time later. If your troop knows what to expect from you,
they will more likely respond positively to your leadership. If you need to change the plan
or change your instructions in light of things you didn’t consider earlier, explain this to the
troop so they will see the need to follow you.
• GIVE PRAISE. The best way to get credit is to give it away. Often a “nice job” is all the
praise necessary to make Scouts feel they are contributing to the efforts of the troop.
• ASK FOR HELP. Don’t be embarrassed to ask for help. You have many resources at your
disposal. When confronted with a situation you don’t know how to handle, ask someone
with more experience for some advice and direction.
• CRITICIZE IN PRIVATE. There will be times when you must provide a Scout with critical
feedback. Pull the Scout aside and quietly explain what could be done better. Add a
suggestion on how it should be done correctly. Criticizing in public will undermine the
Scout’s self-esteem and may cause that Scout to quit trying. Never criticize a patrol
leader in front of other Scouts. Doing so will undermine the patrol leader’s authority and
make it more difficult than ever to be successful.
• ACCEPT CRITICISM AS A GIFT. You may get criticism from other Scouts and possibly
from the adult leaders. If someone tells you that you aren’t doing a good job, ask them
what they mean and how you might improve. Criticism, when offered and received
properly, can give you ideas for performing your role better. Being open to suggestions
and adopting those that will benefit your troop are signs of a good leader.
• HAVE FUN. Most of all, have fun learning to be a leader. Your joy and enthusiasm will
spread to other Scouts and will help energize the activities of the troop.
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GAME: WILLOW IN THE WIND
This game will get the group up and moving after the discussion and will help
Scouts develop trust and confidence together as a team.
INSTRUCTIONS: Have the Scouts stand shoulder to shoulder in a circle with one person (the
“faller”) standing rigid (arms crossed with elbows on chest and fingertips at shoulders) and
trusting in the center. Remaining rigid, the center person falls slowly in any direction. Before the
faller moves very far off center, the people in the circle redirect the faller’s impetus to another arc
of the circle. This fall-catch-push sequence continues in a gentle fashion until the center person
is relaxing (but remaining rigid) and the people in the circle have gained confidence in their ability
to work together toward handling the occasional weight shift of the faller. Change Scouts in the
center until everyone has had an opportunity.
Servant Leadership
DISCUSSION: Lead a discussion of why Scouts should choose to be leaders. Ideally, the
Scoutmaster leads this section.
SAY:
What is the relationship between a leader and the team? Many people’s first reaction is to state
that the team “works” for the leader, performing tasks for one person. Most Scouts will very quickly
tell you that they would rather tell people what to do than be told what to do. That is human nature,
not just the nature of a Scout. When this happens, the leader isn’t simply a leader; he’s more like a
“boss” or an “owner,” and most people don’t like being part of such a team. Leadership in the troop
is not about the title or even about being the person doing the telling.
It is about a choice to lead. It is about a choice to give rather than to receive. What we need to
build into the makeup of our Scout leaders is the concept of servant leadership. In a team led by
a servant leader, the leader is one part of the team, and isn’t necessarily more important than any
other member. Being a servant leader means accepting responsibility for the team—its members,
objectives, reputation, morale, and more. Servant leaders recognize that they are responsible to
the team, not the other way around, and they act accordingly. Servant leaders lead teams that
people want to join.
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Servant leaders understand what success looks like, not just for the team as a whole but also
for each member. Servant leaders enable the success of those they lead, removing barriers and
creating an environment for the team to succeed. To be a servant leader to a high-performing team,
you’ll need to listen carefully, be attuned to the people around you, and empathically understand
what they’re thinking. Servant leaders know their team’s capabilities and desires.
At the same time, servant leadership is more than just doing what the others want. Leaders need to
lead—to set direction and lead team members in that direction. Sometimes they need to hold team
members accountable, to make tough decisions that some won’t always like, and to encourage
(push) people to excel. Sometimes, this is uncomfortable—for the leader and for team members.
If leaders don’t do this, however, teams may become too “cozy”; they may lose their edge and start
to fail their members.
Effective servant leaders care about others and about helping them succeed as individuals and as
a group. Group members can see when a leader cares about their needs and is focused on their
success. That service earns the leader the group’s respect. A Scout who has that respect has
earned the title and role of leader.
In your lives today and in the future, you will have many opportunities to lead. If you accept the role
of a servant leader, you’ll find that teams will seek you out to lead them, your advice and opinion
will be sought, and your team members will also grow and succeed.
From a point/counterpoint perspective, servant leaders:
• Need to listen and know when the time for discussion is over.
• Achieve consensus, but know when to preserve things that are good without floundering
in a constant storm of question and reinvention.
• Set/maintain standards and know when to reject what does not maintain those
standards or the team vision.
• Serve their customers and know how to make a difference with the team.
Please think about how you can be a servant leader in your current role in the troop.
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REFLECTION: Lead a discussion about servant leadership. Use open-ended questions until the
teaching points are all brought out.
SAMPLE QUESTIONS
• Why do you think Scouting encourages us to be servant leaders?
• What does that mean to you? How can you be an effective servant leader in your role?
• Is servant leadership focused on the team, the individuals, or both/all?
• What do you think other members of the team think of a good servant leader?
• How can a Scout serve as a servant leader? What are some examples?
SOME KEY TEACHING POINTS
• Servant leadership is about making the choice to lead, to give more than you receive, and
to make a difference.
• Effective servant leaders care about others, about helping others succeed, and about
making the group successful.
• It is important to build up the idea and value of servant leadership in our Scout and
adult leaders.
• A good group leader is focused on the success of the team members—as individuals and
as a team. Servant leaders understand what success looks like not only for the team as a
whole, but also for each member of the team.
• Group members can see when a leader cares about their needs and is focused on their
success. That service earns the Scout the group’s respect. A Scout who has that respect
has earned the title and role of leader.
• A troop leader who seeks to serve knows the troop members well enough to help them
succeed, helps the troop through its day-to-day operation, manages and delegates troop
duties, focuses on how to help all members be successful in their assigned tasks, and
works to bring the troop together as a team.
• Servant leaders want to lead because they know they can help make a difference and
provide a better experience for every individual.
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OTHER LEADERSHIP STYLES
SAY:
Now that we have covered servant leadership, here are some styles that tend to be less successful:
Doing It All Yourself
This isn’t really leadership at all, because you aren’t involving the rest of the group to reach the
goal or accomplish the task.
Controlling
A leader can fail by never listening to suggestions or other opinions and not letting others
mention things that might have been overlooked. When this happens, something the leader hasn’t
considered may cause the plan to fall apart, or others in the group may stop listening and fail to do
an important task. However, there are times when controlling can work for a short while, such as
an emergency that calls for immediate action.
Intimidation
This means yelling, threatening, or calling names while issuing orders. Sure, the job might get
done this time if everyone doesn’t just quit, but few will want to work with or even be around that
“leader” anymore.
Wanting Everyone to Like You
It’s natural to want people to like you. But it is impossible to please everyone. Don’t let your desire
to please everyone paralyze you from taking any action just because some might not want to take
a particular course.
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