Leadership Keys to Success:

Recruiting, developing, and retaining staff is not an item that is done naturally. It takes years of experience, trial and error, and pivoting to figure out your leadership style. There is not just one book you can read to figure out how to have the best team possible. Below are some key takeaways I utilize as part of my leadership style:

1- You begin developing your leadership style from a mentor. Successful leaders tend to emulate their leadership style from past staff leaders. I have been blessed to receive mentorship from several previous staff leaders who challenged me every single day. Most of my previous staff leaders are not Scout Executives or have taken much larger roles with the Boy Scouts of America. Additionally, I have mentors outside of Scouting that have helped me grow and provide perspective that is not always Scouting.

2- Be creative when recruiting. Just using a recruiter’s website or going to a job fair is no longer going to give you the competitive edge to recruit the talent you need for your organization. I find unique ways to seek talent in action to help develop a bench of candidates. These strategies include interactions at community events, chamber of commerce meetings, or social mixers at a country club.

3- Be upfront about the expectations. The worst thing anyone can do is recruit someone to the position and not be upfront about the expectations. I make sure that the candidates know as much as possible about the role and responsibilities of the position.

4- I bring a team approach to the operations. While my team may have different roles and goals, we all have common goals and purposes. I make sure that each month we have an in-person staff meeting so our entire team has the opportunity to network, celebrate success, and work towards the next month’s goal.

5- Lead from the front. I make sure to be present with my team. My team knows that I am available any day and night for them. My team also knows that they can rely on me to help them. It is common to see me at roundtables, district meetings, popcorn distribution, district events, community events, and any other event that might require my support.

6- Learn from your mistakes. I would be lying if I told you that I am a perfect staff leader. I constantly reflect on how I can better serve as a staff leader for my team. Learning from your failures is not easy for many, however, it is something I believe is essential.

7- Be human. Everyone is human. No one is perfect, and I am certainly not perfect.

8- Set a high standard. I believe in setting a high standard. You will always be finding me trying to figure out how to achieve the next level. We may not always make it to the next level in a flash, but through development, we improve everyday.

9- Accept honest feedback. This is an area where many leaders struggle. Criticism is an area that many do not want to hear. I have learned that unless I make myself available for feedback, it is hard to move forward as a leader. My team knows that they can come to me and be honest. They are allowed to vent and we work through whatever is on their mind.

10- It is a lot of work, so let’s have fun while achieving success. There is no reason to have a toxic work environment. I find myself always figuring out how to make the job more exciting and fun. As I tell my team, there are times we need to be serious, but there many times we can have fun.