In this episode of WBtv, I find myself in an interesting situation. I had planned on interviewing the new Chief Scout Executive … Since I was chosen to fill that spot when Bob Mazzuca retires later this year, I’ll spend my time in this episode discussing the reasons I wanted to be Chief, as well as my thoughts on the direction of the BSA. As always, please take a moment to leave a comment. What are some of the things that we can do to continue the exciting momentum that Scouting is experiencing?
Wayne, I’m delighted that you’re continuing the journey that began with Bob’s leadership supported by the operational expertise of the entire management team, with you at the head of that effort as COO. I feel that the BSA Strategic Plan, supported by the project management system, has significantly improved the focus of national activities to those areas that truly benefit the movement. None-the-less, that focus can and must continue to improve over the next few years to increase membership and improve the quality of the program, The Main Thing. Let us all know how we can help in that effort.
Look forward to reading your comments.
Resist the tempataion to do things the way we use to do them that yeild short term gains and long term losses.
Keep engaging the media to tell our story.
Continue to focus on a quality Scouting program and that membership is a result of program. Poor membership means poor program not poor recruitment methods.
Continue to develop volunteer leadership.
Don’t develop any more new initiatives without getting rid of already existing ones.
Continue to embrace and use existing technology to make Scouting easier to manage on all levels, especially the unit level.
Bob had it easy, 100 year anniversary was easy to get people focused and excited about. What will be the one thing that you get everyone excited about?
Thank you for your continued leadership, service, and friendship.
Congratulations!!!
Wayne’s World via Scouting will be an adventure. Your efforts are focused on the excitement of working with youth and the integrity of our service to youth, families and the communities we serve. Talking with volunteers who are engaged with their Scouts on adverntures this summer, it is apparent they are seeing the improvements we are delivering.
We are the underpinnings of Scouting, shoring up the platform from which our councils are able to deliver Scouting. Our councils are in that same mold.
Wayne, I am pleased that you are going to continue WBtv because I like being able to see & hear from our Chief Scout Executive and have an opporutinty to direct comments to you in this internal communication each month. Will look forward to WBtv in September.
I am glad that we will be continuing the journey. I met and listened to Wayne Perry in Seattle at the Finance Symposium. What a breath of fresh air. As we increase the opportunities for the youth to have fun in Scouting and continue the national computer program upgrades we will be on the hiway to increased success.
Congratulations on being promoted to Chief Scout Executive. One area that would help us tremendously on the local level is increasing our engagement of the media with a focus on the virtues of the Scouting program. Let’s steer the dialogue back to the benefits of Scouting for youth. How about producing and distributing a weekly press release about new program developments and positive news? For example, why don’t we put out a press release stating that the BSA has an increase in membership over the past year for two straight months?
Look at all of the great initiatives introduced at the National meeting such as the Messengers of Peace program, BSA cyber chip, Are You Tougher Than a Scout television show and Adopt a School Program to name a few. Those are exciting Scouting stories to tell the mass public. Generating a weekly professionally written “positive news” press release that can be distributed nationally and sent to local councils for forwarding to our local media would have a profound impact in furthering our mission.
Great stuff. My mantra is now, for Scouting Professionals and Volunteers alike: “Let’s Build Something”. Sustainable, expanding campaigns in FOS, youth recruiting, Scouting for Food–you name it.
Starting over every year, having to explain why we threw a campaign or unit together only to see it disintegrate, needs to be a thing of the past.
Basic processes, repeated until we get it right, will bring the desired result eventually…and get us closer to it every time we build toward that end.
Congratulations Wayne, Great that you are seeking input. I’ll just say that every boy that joins will stay if we meet his and his parents expectations. They leave and don’t come back if we fail. Retention is the path to growth. Good Luck!
Congratulations Wayne. We are organizationally on the right path- your selection as CEO supports that. We need to continue to put the right people on the bus- at the unit-district-council and professional/staff level. We need to continually challenge ourselves with demanding expectations. Focus on quality delivery of programs, services and support….and look for ways to improve and understand the wants, needs and desires of our customers—then deliver it. Have a great summer! Look forward to staying in touch!
“Our IT needs to improve to suck.” This are is one example where the National organization can remove roadblocks that limit volunteers’ and professionals’ ability to focus on the really important things.
I was very impressed with Wayne Perry’s direct approach to leadership. Coupled with your outstanding leadership skills we are in for a great run.
It is an exciting time for the BSA! I am glad you will be leading the charge!!!!
Better promotion of our best kept secret…Venturing, and the fact that girls can join. Most of the people I talk to are unaware and they are looking for a structured setting for their daughters to be in a coed program that will teach them values as it does the boys. Most do not know they can earn awards if they know about venturing. We need TV, Radio, newspaper, school night flyers in September, etc.
Congratulations Wayne. Best of all success in the comming years and my God Bless your efforts for our youth in the Scouting program. You can count on the Northern Star Council to lead the way.
Congratulations Wayne!! I think you are going to make an excellent Chief Scout Executive. I appreciate that you will be continuing the WBTV and know that as a new District Executive I can learn all I can from a man of your knowledge. Just like the Northern Star Council, the North East Georgia Council promises to help lead the way as well!!
Congratulations on the new promotion. I’m excited to see what will follow as you continue the journey begun by our national leadership.
I’m excited to continue to see us develop our use of technology and social media as a way to bring scouting back to the public eye in a positive way.
I look forward to seeing what your leadership will bring to our movement.
Congratulations! I have enjoyed hearing from you via these video blogs and I am glad you will continue to do them.
As far as the future of Scouting goes, I think we need to focus on our core business of Cubs, Boys and Venturing. I think our biggest need is marketing Scouting in today’s world. We need more exposure on television and the web. Your WBTV has been a great way for you to communicate with us. Could we not develop the idea further and get more Scouting content to more people?
Again, congratulations and thank you for your service to Scouting.
Thad Cloer
District Executive
Congrats Wayne. Like others, I’m pleased that you plan to continue WBtv.
I urge you to redouble the effort and quarduple the funding that will rebuild our IT infrastuctures to give us computer systems that work fast and in a fully integrated fashion. Systems that aren’t integrated and are undependable are an enormous distraction from our “main thing” mission.
Wayne, congratulations on the new position! Please keep moving forward with WBtv. It has been effective, and a big hit in this region.
As you turn the pages in Scouting history, one thing I would ask of you is when we adapt in the future, you allow Scouts and Scouters on each level to adapt together.
Wayne
Our focus should be about our onboard program for families-Cub Scouts! Contests, societies and circles can only do so much-we need a fresh look at this important program.I also believe we need to put more time and emphasis on not only the care and feeding of our traditional chartered partners but look hard at ways we can make new friends on a National scope with those organizations who are doing creative things on behalf of young people. New partnerships that could lead to introducing families to Scouting has got to be a big part of our strategy going forward.
You are the leader to do it! I signed on to the National Council five years ago-because I believe in you as a leader!
Go get ‘em Wayne!
Rob Hofmann
Wayne,
Thank-you for your leadership! I do think that the leadership of the Boy Scouts is going in the right direction and has made significant progress toward connecting with the Scouting world; connecting with the internal publics (professional Scouters and parents) and with the needed external publics, although there is a lot of work to do.
I would encourage you to stay connected to the Councils and as many external publics as possible.
Technology, technology, technology. Its what the boys are using, its what the parents are using, its what the leaders are using except when it comes to scouting. Why isnt training available on mobile devices? If you want more trained leaders make the training easier to take. Why do I have to be stuck at my desktop computer to access training? When I am mobile and have some time, why cant I make sure my training is updated? Why arent the handbooks available digitally, if we are supposed to be stewards of our environment and teaching our sons to also be stewards why are their books and pamphlets and leader guides not published digitally? This seems to be a whole lot of do what I say not do what I do. What are you waiting for? What is Tozzie doing? I just have to say that for an organization that I so admire, I am so deeply disappointed in lack of technology employed in ways that should be so simple and on point with the messages of scouting.
Wayne
Thank you for continuing WBtv. It’s nice to know that our input is valued! I really loved Anthony Bergers comments. I would add that you have a very challenging job. As someone who has experienced all that Scouting has to offer, it is apparent that you love the program. Scouting is also a business. I see your challenge as being able to balance the business side of Scouting with the grass roots effort of volunteers. Technology is a wonderful thing when it works and our systems still need a lot of help. Let’s not forget the many families in rural areas who don’t have internet service and those in inner cities who can’t afford computers. These are the people who usually need our help most of all. I look forward to future WBtv episodes and thanks for all that you do!
Wayne,
Once again, congratulations! I’m confident the BSA is in good hands.
I, too, liked what Anthony had to say, and Sara. I also agree in part with Andrew C. We should be using technology to its fullest. It isn’t going away, and the kids are tech savvy before they get into school. Technology is also necessary to efficient council management. However, Sara’s point is well taken. There are many for whom technology is either not available or financially out of reach. And Scouting should be for all youth, and adult volunteers. There are also many for whom technology is not a good educational medium. That’s not the way they learn. We need a balance.
The Unit-Serving Executive has enough on his/her plate. Don’t add to the load. If anything, it might need to be lightened a little. They need time for their family, and time to develop a full, and fully functioning, District Committee and Commissioner Staff. Once they have that, they will have time for their family, and time to do their job effectively. I learned a long time ago that the right, trained, volunteer could do a better job than I could. I just needed to recruit the right person, train them, then support them.
Quality programming, a result of trained and committed volunteers, leads to retention. It also gets the community’s attention and people and organizations start wanting to be part of it. Fund-raising becomes easier, as does growth through additional units, and it’s fun to work in that environment. The basics haven’t changed.
I look forward to your leadership as Chief. We have a lot to offer the leaders of tomorrow.
Mike Bartlett
Wayne: I’m excited about the new direction Scouting is taking with your appointment. We started about the same time (NEI ’71). I’m presently retired in Dominican Republic after my last responsibilities as Area Director, Area 3 EC Region under Jere Radcliffe. I grew in scouting under Ben Love’s era. He was like a friend to me.
Scouting has a way of choosing the right leadership for the times. They hit the target again.
Congratulations
Thank you Carlos.
The great story that is the BSA is being overshadowed as of late. As an Eagle (Class of 1971), father of 4 Eagles, and long time volunteer (currently Council Camping Chair), I have struggled as of late with the conflicts between the new, future leaning direction of the BSA and what I call some of our 20th century view points. It has been hard to articulate, but this recent online article (from Hartford, CT ?) really sums it up. I hope you’ll take a few minutes to read it. Thanks for your time…and thanks for all you do for Scouting!
http://www.courant.com/features/parenting/hc-boy-scout-troubles-teresa-pelham-20121025,0,2273022.story