Over the past few months, some of our scouts have attended NYLT (National Youth Leadership Training). And next week, you guys are selecting your new troop and patrol leaders.

This got me thinking about something I hear from people regarging leadership (bout youth and adults)

“They don’t listen to me.”

Getting people to follow you is pretty hard. So I’m going to share with you a secret. It’s a secret that is shared in almost every major world religion, and the best CEO’s, sports coaches and other leaders know it too.

What is it?

It’s servant leadership. If you take care of your people, they will take care of you. If you give them what they need to be their best, they will trust you. When they trust you, they will follow you.

Before you step in front of your team to lead, ask yourself, “Do I serve them? Or do they serve me?””

Good Judgement comes from experience

Experience comes from bad judgement

Next week is our court of honor, and we’ are all going to gather back here, put on our complete field uniform, with neckerchiefs, sashes, up to date ranks, the whole nine yards.  Did I say up to date ranks?

This room will be full with scouts, leaders, parents, grandparents, and some guests.

You guys will be recognized for your achievements over the past 6 months, and be reminded of all the cool ranks, and awards we get to wear on our uniforms.

But that uniform in only ½ the story.

That uniform shows others where are from, and how far we’ve gone.  And it is a great and important part of scouting.  But all those patches get sewn on the outside.

That uniform also shows you’ve sewn something onto the inside.

The scout oath and law have been sewn into your mind and your heart, and that is our biggest award.

Remember this, even when we’re not wearing the scouting uniform, when we are at school, at work, at home, anywhere…….

We still have scouting sewn to us.

Last week I was listening to a survival podcast, and this episode was based on the story of 2 hikers in South America.  Late afternoon, these guys were out exploring an oxbow lake when they heard the unmistakable sound of a jaguar.

The jaguar is the world’s 3^rd largest cat, and the largest in the Americas.  They can be over 6 feet long and weigh over 200 lbs. In other words, this is not good.

With nowhere else to go, they climbed a tall tree growing on the edge of the oxbow lake.  And waited.

For the rest of the day and into the night, they waited for the jaguar to leave.  It didn’t until the next morning.

So, they took off their belts, and strapped themselves to the tree, strapped their packs to the tree, and started talking.

Into the night they talked about whatever came to mind.  And without realizing it, they became very good lifelong friends. And had a story to tell forever.

Something about sitting in a tree all night hiding form a jaguar will do that to you.

This reminded me of you guys some,  Now, we’re not hiding from jaguars, but we are often hiding from rain, from the cold, or suffering through a long backpacking trip (coming up in April)

That’s how you guys bond as a troop too.

Huddled into cars at Vilbig waiting for the lightening to pass, or under the cover at a climbing tower in New Mexico.

Overturned canoes, and wet socks down on the Brazos or at Broken Bow, burned pancakes on the beach, lumpy sticky spaghetti pretty much anywhere.

Or sob hill on day 2 of the backpacking trip.  Going uphill this time.

These are the things we remember from our adventures, embrace them, they only make you stronger, and your troop stronger.  You’ll have a story to tell, and some good friends to tell them with.

The words “Thank You” are not used as often as they should be are they?

How often do you use it?

How often do you say thank you to the persons who are closest to you, your mother and father? How often do you say it to your friends or even other scouts when they do something for you?

It’s so easy to forget, especially if the Good Turn is done by somebody in scouting.

A simple thank you costs nothing, but it can mean a great deal to the person being thanked.

So, that said:

Thank all of you who came out for Scouting for Food, Thank you to Mr Miller who organized our day, Thank you to Mr Banda and Mr McGaha who cooked food and kept home base.  Thank you for everyone that drove scouts.

And thank you to the scouts that came out and did the uniform inspection for a cub scout pack over the weekend.  Your presence at cub meetings goes a long ways.

I know I don’t say it enough either, but for everyone in the room, volunteer, parent, or both.  Thank you.