How many times have you been asked to attend a meeting but you had no idea what the meeting was for? It’s like being ambushed or held hostage – you don’t know who’s going to be there, how long it will take, what’s going to be discussed, or – worst of all – what you’ll be asked to be prepared to contribute. It’s an unsettling feeling, something you may dread looking forward to, and certainly that sense of the unknown will be remembered more than what, if anything, was accomplished at the meeting. Sometimes you just walk away and say to yourself, “did we actually do anything?” Continue reading “Effective committee meetings: Introduction”
How to not be helpful
I’d like to continue the series of posts following up on my presentation at last fall’s University of Scouting, in which I offered some suggestions on how committee chairs could better serve their unit committees. We can do this is by viewing our responsibility the way we encourage the boys to: as servant leaders, primarily concerned with the well-being and performance of others on the committee. Continue reading “How to not be helpful”
Ignorance can be powerful
Recently we discussed the power of asking questions. By embracing the likelihood that others’ wisdom can teach you something, you can expand your circle of influence and learn at the same time. Continue reading “Ignorance can be powerful”
Asking the right questions
Continuing our discussion on developing your own management and leadership skills, let’s consider the importance of asking the right questions. It may seem that you, the committee chair, are supposed to know and dispense all the answers, but in reality you, and those you lead, can learn a lot more when you pose pertinent questions. Continue reading “Asking the right questions”
Five important skills
A committee chair’s job would seem to need to entail many different areas of responsibility, but it can all be handled if you develop five important areas of competence. Â These, plus your understanding and knowledge of the Scouting program, can go a long way to helping you be effective and to provide support to your Scoutmaster and your committee. Continue reading “Five important skills”