Quote:
Originally Posted by smokymountainrain
When I was about 27, I got called to be the scoutmaster in a Ward I'd just moved into about 2 months prior. When the Bishop asked me to do it, I said I won't turn down the calling, but I don't like scouts, I wasn't a scout as a youth and I have no experience. Hint, hint.
Well, he called me anyway. I did the best I could - I really did. It was hard and I didn't have the slightest idea what I was doing. I was in that calling for six months and the scouting program went downhill significantly.
My point: Forget "inspiration" when deciding on a SM - rather ask him flat out how he feels about scouting and how much experience he has in scouting. On a scale of 1-10, if he's below a 5 in both aspects, find someone else. Maybe a requirement could be that any potential SM be an Eagle Scout.
I feel terrible about the shape I left that scouting program in, but I honestly don't know what I could have done differently given the lack of knowledge and passion I had.
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I agree with this. Scouting is WAY too complicated in terms of training and bureaucracy, to be successful without a ton of support, and a lot of personal enthusiasm. No experience + no enthusiasm = disaster.
Sometimes you get the situation where someone starts with a lot of enthusiasm, but not a lot of experience. Experience can increase, while enthusiasm decreases. Parents nitpicking can also decrease enthusiasm quite a bit.