Team building among leaders

As a new Group Commissioner, one of the things I am trying to foster is a sense of community among all the leaders in our group - leaders in each section tend to know one another, and some sections have a good 'team sense', but there is not enough connection between leaders in different sections. I started Scouting as a leader in another group and Area, where the sense of 'team' among the leaders was strong, and you knew that if you needed help, you could ask - to fill in for a sick or absent leader, to help with camp or activities, or whatever.

I have started with hosting social events for the leaders and spouses ( evening dinner party), and leaders and families (potluck and BBQ with games). Our Cub pack also hosted an evening of Laser tag, and when the Cubs went home, a group of Leaders carried on. What other sorts of events or ideas are there out there to foster community and team building for groups and sections?

>As a new Group Commissioner, I find its the sense of 'team' across the leadership that's missing - there's a tendency to a 'silo' approach between sections, and I am trying to encourage not only linking activities, but social activities among the leaders and their families, to build a sense of team and community for the whole Scouting group. (The next 'leaders and families' BBQ is this Saturday; then I'll host something in October to include the new leaders with the continuing leaders).

This is quite common, unfortunately. I've seen groups that are very integrated and have lots of group wide activities, and others where the sections practically go out of their way to frustrate each other. The silo mentality is probably the norm, where each section only wants to worry about themselves. The leader BBQ idea is good, we have done it a few times, but it can sometimes be hard on leaders to dedicate another time to Scouting when they are away (hopefully) so many weekends as it is.


Allan.

Our group shares a common mailing list/bulletin board for leader-to-leader communications so everyone can know what the other sections are doing. Leaders from any section can contribute, and often do.

This year we've tried creating the role of "linking czar" in each of the sections. That person is responsible for keeping in contact with the adjacent sections, advocating linking opportunities for their youth to the senior section and facilitating linking opportunities within their own section for the junior section. Hopefully the role will evolve to one of mentoring the Kims and Keeos since managing the linking activities is a natural fit for them as part of the leadership team.

We do Wii Nights... tons of fun for the leadership team, and the leaders kids have a blast seeing their parents act like goofballs..

Also once and a while after a pack meeting we will go watch the hockey game at someone's house!
But not as fun as Wii nights.. Bring in a Office projector and put it up on the wall !! Its a blast!

Marc
www.knwcubs.com

We had this in the past, but this is where a strong group committee consisting of leaders and parents come in. Common linking activities like group swim night, group halloween party, group skating (you get the picture) help link up the sections in a more social setting. Add in the all-section or part section camping, and you have a lot of linking going on. This involves organization from the group committee and leaders, and even parents. If a section is "silo'ing", then the group committee can invite the section. It may aggravate some leaders, but are we doing this for the kids OR for the egos of leaders. The whole basis of scouting is the progressive advancement of the youth, and leadership fostering this, through linking and team building, is essential. I have witnessed too many egos destroy sections or entire groups.

I want to encourage more of this as well but at the area level and not just the group. As commissioner I often discover that there is a strong disconnect between groups that are almost next door to each other geographically. My local laser tag facility has offered free use of the place to hold some meetings so I'm thinking of inviting a bunch of leaders and group commissioners to come out and have some fun. I'll supply some pizza and we'll talk about what we can do to grow, improve quality and reduce wheel reinvention that is often occurring.

Garth

Okay, since I'm new to this board, I am once again thread resurrecting...this is my oldest revivification yet! Almost two years dormant, hopefully kicked into life.

Firstly, our Colony leadership really is a team, and we work to be inclusive of the newbie leaders, who often seem so lost in those first meetings of the year. I'd love to extend that to our Group Committee

As I have said elsewhere, I am a relatively new Scouter (Colony), and last year, I got much more involved in Group Committee, which has a meeting about three times a year (too few, in my view (but who needs another meeting. Sheesh!)). The "silo effect" noted above is very much in evidence, despite the efforts of the Colony leaders to link more often. Our three sections are very independent of each other, though it appears that the Beavers and Cubs are much closer and cooperative than are the Cubs and the Scouts. The Beavers and the Scouts barely acknowledge each other's existence. Sponsors are NEVER present for GC meetings, nor are parents. NOT EVER. As far as I know, the Cubs never link with the Scouts, except in a year-end camp, and a Kim? Forget it. We do have two Keeos.

I have noted that the Scouters on my GC have loooong experience (20+ years), and most are well over fifty. There are four who are under fifty, two of whom are my wife and me. In addition to the silo effect, I have noticed an "old guard effect", though not a horrible one. They have welcomed my ideas, and one or two seem excited about a more active GC, but it seems that there is an attitude of "lets keep doing what we have always done", and I don't think we can afford to stay there. We have a tiny Troop of only ten Scouts, three of which have severe physical or developmental disabilities, and two smallish packs that have had their only growth coming from our bursting-at-the-seams Colony. We need to take action on growth, especially in the area of Scouts and Venturers, and especially in developing long-term volunteers under the age of 35. As a "mere member", and a super-keen newbie, I am grateful for the contribution of all of these senior Scouters, and that this resources is invaluable. At the same time, I don't want to push for sustainable growth initiatives, and make them feel like they are being pushed aside in that process. In fact, I very much want them to be a part of it.

Does anybody out there have any ideas on breaking down some of these walls, and helping me convince my GC to take a new approach without alienating the older leadership?

I also am new to the board. I totally agree with the need to break out of the "old" style of Scouting with respect to Groups. I was instrumental in forging cross Group bonds and I did that as an AAC Cubs and visiting the Groups (Packs) then ask what they wanted and needed. Once onboard, the GC we then asked the same question to try and bond the local Area. Over 5 years later and many rebellions by the "old" style, the Area is now "listening" to the new Scouters and the kids are benefiting. Get involved Area wise and join hands as an Area Scouter.

I homebrew. Team building? Taken care of.

I homebrew. Team building? Taken care of.

jkees, a little elucidation if you please? Homebrew makes me think of extra-strong home-made beer during university days (oh, so long ago).

A good homebrew is a balanced beer that is usually made in batches of 22-26 litres. It's good stuff, ranging in involvement from pre-boiled wort (festabrew kits) to doing your own mash. Making by the 22L batch makes it ideal for sharing. Mine is a little strong, but that's because I like making it in the Belgian fashion (a secondary fermentation in the bottle.)

After meetings, we usually take off the uniforms and sit back for a good brew of my stuff or our local pub. We blow off steam from the week and make plans, share ideas and keep each other in the loop about how other sections are doing. This weekly ritual is vital to our team-building.

A good homebrew is a balanced beer that is usually made in batches of 22-26 litres. It's good stuff, ranging in involvement from pre-boiled wort (festabrew kits) to doing your own mash. Making by the 22L batch makes it ideal for sharing. Mine is a little strong, but that's because I like making it in the Belgian fashion (a secondary fermentation in the bottle.)

After meetings, we usually take off the uniforms and sit back for a good brew of my stuff or our local pub. We blow off steam from the week and make plans, share ideas and keep each other in the loop about how other sections are doing. This weekly ritual is vital to our team-building.

Ah, it is all clear (or is that fuzzy? ) to me now! A good idea, but not always workable in some groups, or certain individuals (not me, I enjoy a good brew (and Belgian is among the best!)). Still, the concept is down time together. Hard to balance with work and family commitments, though.

Thank you

Good post

I like your post.