A Patrol Leader’s Guide Part II
Managing Your Responsibilities
In part one we defined what a patrol is and what a patrol leader does. Now let’s look at some ways to manage all your responsibilities and still be an active participant in a meeting or outing—after all, you’re here to learn and have fun too!
One way to make sure you’re being an effective patrol leader is to always be thinking about The Three Relationships. This simple framework for supporting your patrol is based on an article by a Scout named Cole, the Eagle Scout behind the Scoutsmarts blog.
The Three Relationships
Patrol to Troop. Ask yourself: Is there anything going on in your patrol that your SPL or Scoutmaster needs to be aware of? Do you need to help your patrol prepare for any troop activities? Is your patrol making it easier or harder for the troop to run effectively?
Patrol to You. Ask yourself: Are the Scouts in your patrol comfortable speaking with you? Does your patrol pay attention when you speak?
Patrol to Themselves: Ask yourself: How is your patrol getting along? Is everyone contributing and meeting their responsibilities? Are they having fun?
Asking yourself these questions regularly will help ensure you’re keeping an eye on the big picture. It will identify where you’re being successful, what needs work, and where you need help. Then you can make a plan to address any needs or concerns.
Organize Your Thoughts
This works if you set aside a few minutes each week to actually ask yourself these questions. Keep some space in the back of your notebook to write down “Patrol to troop, Patrol to me, Patrol to themselves” and record your thoughts, questions, and observations under each. It’s a good idea to do it after each troop or patrol meeting. It can be something you do on the way home, or before bed. You can even take quick notes during meetings. The point is to record your thoughts when they’re still fresh. This is the noticing part of leadership.
Planning & Action
Taking notes is a good first step. The next important step is to take action. This is the doing part of leadership. Let’s say there’s a troop meeting coming up. You’ve reviewed the agenda so you know we’ll be working on planning meals for a campout. In your “Patrol to troop” category your notes will probably include something like “need to come up with 4 patrol meals for campout.” That’s an activity you need to help your patrol prepare for. If you review your notes several days before the meeting, you’ll have time to communicate with your patrol to bring meal ideas to the meeting. You’ll be helping your patrol succeed, and building their trust in your leadership. All it takes is a little organization.
That’s a simple example, but the same idea applies to bigger issues too. We’ll discuss those in part 3.
Patrol Leader Resources
