Patrol Leader

What Did John Thurman say to Patrol leaders? Richard Francis “John” Thurman (4 April 1911 – April 1985) became the third Camp Chief at Gilwell Park in 1943 and ably developed Gilwell Park and leader training for 26 years. Author of 15 books on Scouting He made a considerable impact on World Scouting and his influence will live on through his books and through the leaders he trained. We can learn a lot listening in as he addresses patrol leaders in his introduction to his 1950 Patrol Leader’s Handbook....

Anyone who takes on a position of responsibility as a leader will feel pretty self-important at first. After all, you have been chosen, or you stepped in when no one else did. It’s a big ego boost to have a title, to have people follow your directions. That’s a pretty heady feeling isn’t it… all that power? Power scratches an itch, and some leaders never quite lose their addiction to power....

We tend to focus only on directive leadership roles when we are thinking about engaging our Scouts in leadership, but every Scout can (and ought to) be a leader. Here’s some thoughts you can use to encourage all of your Scouts to engage in leadership. **Leadership is much more than standing in front of the group giving directions.**There are four ways every Scout is a leader – First you lead yourself, second you follow cooperatively, third you help your fellow Scouts, and fourth you shape the directions and plans for your patrol and troop....

*During his lifetime Robert Baden-Powell, founder of the worldwide Scouting movement, wrote many books and articles directed to Scouters.*Each Sunday I’ll publish a selection from his writings in the hope that you’ll draw inspiration and understanding from his timeless ideas. ONCE when I was at sea in a fishing yacht owned by my brothers, we ran on the rocks. I thought that all was up with us, and was anxiously watching my eldest brother, our skipper, for a sign to get into a life-belt and take to the boat; but when at length he looked at me it was to glare and shout angrily, “Look out for that boat-hook, which is slipping away under your very nose....

Authoritative leadership should not be confused with authoritarian leadership; in this context they are polar opposites. Authoritative leaders have high expectations, respond actively, listen more than they talk, and readily reason with those they lead. In Scouting our expectations are clear and well-defined but it’s a mistake to apply that clarity and definition in an authoritarian or obedience-oriented manner. While we encourage obedience we don’t want Scouts to be unquestioning drones, we want Scouts asking questions so we can help them find answers....

Experience, maturity and skill are not prerequisites to leadership; they are the traits produced as we practice leadership. We often get email or comments from Scoutmasters with a troop of young Scouts wondering how they can be anything like boy led. They look around a bunch of immature 11-year-old boys and don’t see anyone who measures up to their preconceived notion of a leader so the adults take over the leadership and may never let it go....

Bruce Tuckman first offered a theory of group development in the mid 1960’s. Tuckman’s model has been a part of Woodbadge training for about a dozen years. Here’s Tuckman’s three stages: Forming Individuals want to be accepted by the others, avoid controversy or conflict. The group is busy with routines: who does what, when to meet, etc. Individuals gather information and impressions about each other about the groups goals and how to approach it....

From Baden-Powells Outlook – THE best progress is made in those Troops where power and responsibility are really put into the hands of the Patrol Leaders. It is the secret of success with many Scoutmasters, when once they have half-a-dozen Patrol Leaders, really doing their work as if they were Assistant Scoutmasters. The Scoutmasters find themselves able to go on and increase the size of their Troops by starting new Patrols or adding recruits to existing ones....