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Utopian Advisors – A Three Part Guide: Part 1 – What Exactly Does an Advisor Do?
*Note: Anytime we mention “crew” hereafter also applies to “company”. Some aspects may depend on the individual group.
Advisors, How Do They Work?
Advisors are there to give advice when it’s called for, to guide youth through the program that the youth have created. While they should have a chance to weigh-in on program choices and development, they should not be planning or creating the program exclusively. Advisors should be able to identify weaknesses and strengths within their crew and suggest development for the members who need it and how to overall strengthen, support and solidify the leadership skills in their youth. Ideally, an Advisor ensures paperwork has been filed correctly and that the group has created a meeting plan, camp, hike or other event that will enrich the attendees in some way. (Keep in mind, that enrichment may be as simple as social interaction or the purpose of fun.)
Rover Advisors are the wonderful people who step up the aid us through this time in our Scouting careers – they understand that Rovers are at once self-sufficient, while still looking to have someone nearby to watch their successes and help pick them up and dust them off when they need it. For this age group, the Advisor should be attending meetings and should also be positive in the knowledge that if they cannot attend a meeting, event or camp that the Rovers will carry out the plans accordingly, having fun and enjoying themselves while being safe.
If youth seem stuck in a rut, an Advisor may do something to switch it up. An example could be little friendly competitions such as a camp meal challenge – “Youth plan and cook their own meals with recipes they haven’t tried before, Advisors do the same” to see how creative you can be. These are wonderful learning opportunities and will get youth thinking of ways to do better next time. Advisors: be creative in challenges and you will start to lead your youth in such a sneaky way that they don’t know you’re pushing them to do, and be, better.
How do they earn their paycheque? (It’s massive, trust us.)
Posted in Discussion, Utopian Advisors
On My Honour
An excerpt from “Launching A Leadership Revolution”
Foundational Quality 3: Honourable
Integrity can be considered as the condition of “not doing what’s wrong.” Character can be defined as doing the right thing for the mere reason that it is the right thing, even if that thing is difficult and unpopular. The two sewn together make honour. Author Jeff O’Leary, in The Centurion Principles, writes, “Honour’ encompasses the virtue of integrity and honesty, self-denial, loyalty, and a servant’s humility to those in authority above as well as a just and merciful heart to those below.”
Honour is such a rarely used word in our times that it seems a little old-fashioned. But living a life of integrity and character is timeless and, for a leader, absolutely necessary. It’s about choices, and a person’s choices in life follow him to the grave.
Is this to say that a person needs to be perfect to become a leader? Of course not. Perfection in this life is not possible, and we, the authors, are certainly not exceptions. However, a leader must strive continually toward perfection even though she knows she can never attain it. It is a question of the heart. The most effective leaders throughout history have led with their hearts, in trust, and with honour. If a leader cuts corners, misuses people, or misrepresents the truth, a time bomb begins ticking. Someday, somewhere, the bomb will go off. It is obvious in our times only too often: public figures at the pinnacle of power and fame crash and burn in a cloud of self-inflicted shame. From political scandals to high-profile corporate frauds, these calamities are brought on by a lack of honour in the leadership.
Posted in Scouter's Five