Leadership in Boy Scouting

Leadership is a vital part of the Scouting program. Boy Scouts in positions of leadership run the troop. They take care of the many tasks necessary for troop and patrol meetings and activities to run smoothly. By accepting the responsibilities of troop leadership, Scouts are preparing themselves to be leaders throughout their lives.

Opportunities to develop leadership skills are every bit as important, if not more important, to Boy Scouts and to Scouting in general as any recognition or advancement program. Scouting offers young people a rich and varied arena in which to learn and use leadership skills. It is also a way to keep Boy Scouts interested and involved—keep them busy, organized, and trained, and give them opportunities to lead.









Among the activities encountered by a troop’s leaders are:

• Organizing the troop
• Planning and organizing activities and meetings
• Assigning duties to others
• Planning menus and figuring out food costs
• Encouraging advancement
• Guiding a troop’s involvement in problem-solving
• Teaching outdoor, sports, or craft skills
• Ensuring the troop’s safety during meetings and outings
• Handling the troop’s finances
• Helping other Boy Scouts make the most of their own leadership opportunities
• Encouraging participation

YOUTH POSITIONS OF RESPONSIBILITY

• Assistant Senior Patrol Leader
• Patrol Leader
• Troop Guide
• Quartermaster
• Scribe
• Den Chief
• Chaplain Aide
• Historian
• Instructor
• Librarian
• Webmaster
• Order of the Arrow Representative
• Outdoor Ethics Guide
• Junior Assistant Scoutmaster

The badge of office presented to a Boy Scout who is accepting a position of troop leadership does not automatically make him a good leader.

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