mcs 309 good commissioners need head and heart (class handouts)

8/8/2019 MCS 309 Good Commissioners Need Head and Heart (class handouts)

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University of Scouting 2010 MCS 309

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The Hallmarks of Good Service

1. Unit service must be unit-oriented oriented to the needs and goals of unit adults. Because units are

so different, commissioner service must be flexible in adapting to unit needs.

Try to view life from the unit leader s point of view. That s called empathy. A commissioner with a unit-

oriented attitude will not be overly district- or council-centered. Try to fit the service of the district tothe unit, not forcing the unit to always fit the mold of the district. It s a mistake to use a single strategyfor multiple markets. Turn the organization chart upside down to put the unit on top.

2. Be a good listener. Listen intently. When we listen to unit people, we pay attention to what they are

saying, but we are also alert to the feelings behind the words. Developing a good service attitude begins

with listening.

3. The attitude of the commissioner dictates the quality and effectiveness of unit service as perceived byunit adults. Unit leaders want a commissioner who seems to be interested in their problems; that s as

important as resolving the problems. What works well is what is perceived to work well.

4. Caring is a habit. The more we view Scout units with a caring attitude, the more good service attitudes

and behavior become a part of us.

5. Good unit service really means exceeding unit leaders expectations. Average commissioners willusually do those things most unit volunteers may expect. Excellent commissioners go beyond unit

expectations.

6. Good commissioners take ownership of service responsibility. They are committed to service and theywork to make units succeed.


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7. In recent years, we ve heard a lot about the contrast between high-tech and high-touch. There isa place in Scouting for high-tech, such as cell phones, iPods, fax machines, computers, video, and the

Internet. But unit service is an interpersonal event, and many people today strive for the high-touchcontrast to technology. Scouting is a very person-oriented service, and commissioners need goodinterpersonal skills.

8. Commissioners must be available to unit people. Good service requires frequent contact and

opportunity for communication.

9. Service providers know and use their resources. For commissioners, that includes members of thedistrict committee, the district executive, Scouting literature, and the commissioners initiative inlocating other resources in the community.

10. Good commissioners are problem solvers. They have the can-do attitude.

11. Good service providers appreciate good humor and enjoy the process of service.

12. Alert unit commissioners provide feedback to the council on its service to units. They often know

what council improvements would better help more units to succeed.

In the years ahead, cou ncil success will i ncreasi ng ly depe nd o n the respo nsive ness of commissio ners to u n it needs. Service is truly the hallmark of commissio ners a nd theassura nce of Scouti ng s future.


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The Te n Comma ndme n ts of U n it Service

1. A unit leader is the most important person in Scouting.

2. Unit leaders are not dependent on us; we are dependent on them.

3. Units are not interruptions of our work; they are the purpose of it.

4. Unit adults do us a favor when they call.

5. A unit Scouter is central to our team not an outsider.

6. Unit leaders are not cold statistics; they are human beings with feelings and emotions like our own.

7. A unit leader is not someone to argue or match wits with.

8. Unit adults bring us their needs; it is our job to help meet those needs.

9. Unit volunteers are deserving of the most courteous treatment we can give them.

10. A unit is the lifeblood of this and every other council.


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A Parable

This parable is told of a farmer who owned an old mule.

The mule fell into the farmer s well. The farmer heard the mule praying or whatever mules do whenthey fall into wells.

After carefully assessing the situation, the farmer sympathized with the mule, but decided that neither

the mule nor the well was worth the trouble of saving.

Instead, he called his neighbors together, told them what had happened, and enlisted them to help hauldirt to bury the old mule in the well and put him out of his misery.

Initially, the old mule was hysterical! But as the farmer and his neighbors continued shoveling and thedirt hit his back, a thought struck him. It dawned on him that every time a shovel load of dirt landed on

his back, HE COULD SHAKE IT OFF AND STEP UP! This he did, blow after blow. Shake it off and step up shake it off and step up shake it off and step up! he repeated to encourage himself.

No matter how painful the blows or how distressing the situation seemed, the old mule fought panicand just kept right on SHAKING IT OFF AND STEPPING UP!

It wasn t long before the old mule, battered and exhausted, STEPPED TRIUMPHANTLY OVER THE WALL

OF THAT WELL! What seemingly would bury him actually helped him all because of the manner inwhich he handled his adversity.

THAT S LIFE! If we face our problems and respond to them positively, and refuse to give in to panic,bitterness, or self-pity, THE PROBLEMS THAT COME ALONG TO BURY US USUALLY HAVE WITHIN THEM

THE VERY POTENTIAL TO BENEFIT US AND BENEFIT SCOUTING, TOO!


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E verythi ng I Need to K n ow I Lear ned From Noah

Don t miss the boat.

Don t forget that we re all in the same boat.

Plan ahead. It wasn t raining when Noah built the ark.

Stay fit. When you re 600 years old, someone might ask you to do something really big.

Don t listen to critics; just get on with what has to be done.

Build your future on high ground.

Two heads are better than one.

Speed isn t always an advantage; the snails were on board with the cheetahs.

When you re stressed, float awhile.

Remember that woodpeckers inside are a larger threat than the storm outside.


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W ords of W isdom

The only things we keep permanently are those things we give away. Waite Phillips, Philmont

Scout Ranch donor

We cannot direct the wind, BUT we can adjust the sails.

Life is 10 percent what happens to you and 90 percent how you respond to it.

Lead your life so you won t be afraid to sell the family parrot to the town gossip.

To the Scouting world you might be one person, but to one unit leader, you might be the Scouting

world.

The bridge you burn now may be the one you later need to cross.

Learn from the mistakes of others. You can t live long enough to make them all yourself.

A Lesso n From Geese : As each bird flaps its wings, it creates an uplift for the bird following. By flyingin a V formation, the whole flock adds 71 percent greater flying range than if one bird flew alone. Agroup of Scouters who share a common direction and sense of community can provide better service

because they are traveling on the thrust of one another.

Laughter is the shortest distance between two people.

There are no seven wonders of the world in the eyes of a child; there are 7 million.

The mark of an effective Scouter is to see something in a mud puddle besides mud.

No man stands so tall as when he stoops to help a boy.

Character is what you do when no one is looking.

Praise does wonders for a boy s sense of hearing.

More W isdom From Geese : Whenever a goose falls out of formation, it suddenly feels the drag andresistance of trying to fly alone, and quickly gets back into formation with those who are headed wherewe want to go (and be willing to accept their help as well as give ours to the others).

A bend in the road is not the end of the road unless you fail to make the turn!

If you always learn from your mistakes, then your mistakes will seem worthwhile.

Remember this: When a person goes into a hardware store looking for a drill or a drill bit, what he or

she really wants is a hole. As a commissioner, ask yourself, What kind of holes do my unit leaderswant? Then make sure you are providing them with the holes they need.

mcs 309 good commissioners need head and heart (class handouts)

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