Boy Scouts of America and Leadership Coaching

The Center for Management and Organization Effectiveness talks with Dennis St. Jean, Assistant Director Professional Development Division, Boy Scouts of America, Irving, Texas.

CMOE: Having recently attended one of your leadership conferences I walked away with a totally different view of Boy Scouts of America. Can you tell us about your organization?

Dennis: Our intent is to have the volunteers in the community, and the youth, receive the recognition. As a result most people think of us as a volunteer organization and don't know that we have 3,500 full time commissioned professional staff working in 326 local Boy Scout Councils. Our Staff Leaders work with our first level professional, Unit Serving Executives.

CMOE: What is the role of a Unit Serving Executive?

Dennis: They are the workhorses of our organization, responsible for fund raising, recruiting volunteers, recruiting new members, and starting new scouting units. They work directly with the volunteers and their efforts determine our success in meeting our Mission and Goals.

CMOE: So the Staff Leaders manage the Unit Servicing Executives?

Dennis: They do more than manage, they lead and develop. Even though we are a not-for-profit organization, we operate like a business. Since our staff salaries are the biggest line item in our budget, we must maximize the contribution of our people. We believe that maximization is more acute for the Scouts. Every dollar spent has to be raised. It is absolutely imperative that the Staff Leader sharpens the skills of those reporting to them and constantly develops them to become even better.

CMOE: What role does leadership coaching skills play in achieving this goal?

Dennis: Our Operational Management System (OMS), like many other performance management systems, has four phases: Clearly communicating expectations, Providing feedback on barriers and needed development, Coaching to improve, and Rewards based upon performance.

CMOE: Are your Staff Leaders good coaches?

Dennis: They are good people and we assumed that leadership coaching behaviors were natural. Our feedback from some of our highly rated people who left, and current valued employees, told us that both the quality and quantity of coaching was lacking. They were not receiving enough coaching, feedback/direction, and the coaching was either not effective or focused only on barriers, not on developmental plans. Even when discussing barriers there was not enough emphasis on "why" and "how to improve."

CMOE: Then the Professional Development Division got involved?

Dennis: Only because our Chief Executive Officer after a number of focus group sessions with new Unit Serving Executives, recognized that our organization hadn't provided the tools or process to be a good coach. Our projected growth and increased competition for attracting and retaining top caliber people further spotlighted this. Then we were asked to get involved.

CMOE: What has been your experience with the CMOE's Leadership Coaching Workshop and Coaching Model?

Dennis: We know this gives them the tools to implement the Coaching function of our OMS and be more effective in their day to day interaction with the professional staff.

CMOE: Can you give us some examples of the Coaching Model working?

Dennis: Two come to mind. A Field Director attended the workshop two weeks prior to the quarterly reviews. He called back to relate how well they had gone and that they exceeded his expectations for a positive performance feedback and development session. The second was a Staff Leader who used the model in a corrective discussion. She called me to report that with this tool, the results were more positive than she had ever expected and that the employee was making some real progress. There are many more examples but these two are the most recent.

CMOE: Any other thoughts you would like to share?

Dennis: As a not-for-profit organization we are excited about helping our leaders become even better coaches. This will help them maximize the contribution of our employees and volunteers and better enable us to achieve our Mission.

To learn more about Leadership Coaching and CMOE's experience with organizations around the world please visit CMOE or contact one of our Regional Managers at (801) 569-3444

---

Why the Squirrel Kept Winning!

I had the good fortune (or misfortune depending on your... Read More

Elements of Timeless Leadership

Great leadership is timeless, always in vogue. The world has... Read More

The Seven Secrets to New Age Leadership

Did you ever notice that In our American culture, we... Read More

Two Leadership Traps: How To Avoid Them and How To Get Out Of Them (Part 2)

Here's how to get out of, or avoid, the "I... Read More

Professional Organizations: Join or Fold?

All of us join professional organizations for a reason--a friend... Read More

The Happy Jar

I just delivered a free speech. I am a great... Read More

Sometimes Leaders Need to Get the Boot

Today I stood up to a guy right in front... Read More

Are You a Good Manager or a Great Leader?

Your word is your truth - Know that when you... Read More

5 Leadership Power Principles!

95% of Workers Fail Because of This...But They Can Fix... Read More

Leadership and Power - Being the Boss Doesnt Guarantee Either of Them

Some people mistakenly associate supervisory positions, or seats of power,... Read More

Character -- Why It Matters In Leaders

"Character is much easier kept than recovered." -Thomas Paine"The best... Read More

The Defining Moment: The Straw That Stirs The Drink Of Motivational Leadership (Part One)

Decades ago, as a rifle platoon commander in the Marines,... Read More

Dissolving Conflict Through Reframing

Reframing is looking at the situation with a new set... Read More

Leadership Tips From My Dad

Lee (L.B.) Weiss (Sept. 21/25 ? April 30/82)My dad has... Read More

Common Mistakes Extraordinary Leaders Dont Make

When people make a decision (either consciously or unconsciously) to... Read More

Make the Most of Your Mentoring Relationships

Mentoring is one of the best ways to learn, to... Read More

The Personality of Leadership

Have you ever wondered what type of person or personality... Read More

Characteristics of a Good Leader

It's interesting to hear the responses from executives when I... Read More

3 Ds For Leadership Action... Dedicate, Direct, Dialogue!

"...And winged hope, with heart of fire, To gain the... Read More

Transformational Leadership

"What is leadership?" When this question is asked most of... Read More

Evil, Hostile Grumpy Listeners? Think Again

I hated Kyle Sisk*. A notorious bully, Kyle punctuated my... Read More

Pay No Attention To The Man Behind The Curtain!

As the 'Great And Powerful Oz' once said to Dorothy,... Read More

To be, or Not to be (Average)?

When is hate OK? When it's the feeling you have... Read More

Leadership ? Push vs. Pull?

At your next staff meeting consider leading your team through... Read More

Leadership Is Power: Test Your Ethics

"The payoff for the ethical person is a reputation for... Read More

Leadership Skill Training

Quality leadership is a positive asset that is needed in... Read More

Top Skills Of Extraordinary Leaders

1. Good Communicator. Extraordinary Leaders are those who can take... Read More

Take the Road Less Traveled

"Two roads diverged in a wood, and I, I took... Read More

Managing Monsters in Meetings - Part 1, General Strategies for Unproductive Behavior

It happens easily. You're conducting a meeting and suddenly a... Read More

Leadership Training: The Bit They Didn?t Tell You About Changing!

A willingness to change first is one of the major... Read More

Mr. Shoaffs Simple Strategies to Success

(Excerpted from the Jim Rohn Sampler single CD)My first mentor,... Read More

Premature Articulation

Ask anyone about what makes a good leader and they... Read More

Five Surprisingly Hip Politicial Ideas From Plato

Don't you love politics?Me, neither. But I do like thinking... Read More