Boy Scout Troop 325 Scoutmaster Minute

Responsibility

August 18, 2009
Andy Duprey, Scoutmaster

"The more responsibility the Scoutmaster gives his patrol leaders, the more they will respond."-Lord Baden Powell

You have elected tonight, your patrol leaders, asst. patrol leaders, scribes, and quartermasters.

You may rightly ask, why do we bother to do this?

According to Robert Baden-Powell, "The more responsibility the Scoutmaster gives his patrol leaders, the more they will respond."

Another way of saying this is that the more you have control over your patrol the more you will invest in it.

Now, in some troops the Scoutmaster appoints the Patrol Leaders, in consultation with the PLC and the Committee

We do not do that, as we trust that you will look for the qualities of leadership needed in a Patrol Leader.

Your patrol is yours. If it functions well, that reflects well on you.

If it does not function well, that also reflects on you (and me).

Your patrol should be an independent entity within the troop.

An independent patrol will:

• Go on a patrol hike or camping trip
• Advance together
• Do things outside of scouts together

The main reason we have patrols and patrol leaders, is to give you the opportunity to lead, to fail and to succeed.

Learning leadership is a kinesthetic process, that is you learn leadership not by talking about it, but by doing it.

That is why we bother.

Thank you and good night scouts.