Leader's Minute Library

We have two ears and one mouth. We should use them in that proportion. A Scout is Listen... wait, A Scout is Courteous. Part of courtesy is listening. You learn nothing when you are talking. You only learn when you are listening. Listen twice as much as you speak.

On a bicycle, the front wheel steers, but the back wheel provides the power. The Patrol Leader is the front wheel—steering. The Patrol members are the back wheel—driving. If you are not the leader right now, be a strong back wheel. Without you, the bike goes nowhere.

An auto-immune disease is when the body attacks itself. The cells get confused and fight their own team. A troop that has infighting, gossip, and cliques is suffering from an auto-immune disease. We are on the same side! Stop attacking your own body. Fight the problems outside, not the Scouts inside.

Even the best players spend time on the bench. It's not a punishment; it's recovery. You can't go 100% all the time. You will burn out. It is okay to take a break, to rest, to let someone else lead for a moment. A rested player is better than an exhausted superstar. Know when to sit a few plays out.

One of the wonders of the world, it guided ships to safety for centuries. A leader is a lighthouse. You don't run around the ocean chasing ships. You stand firm. You shine your light. And ships find you. Be a stable point of light in a dark, moving ocean. People are looking for a landmark. Be that landmark.

The Enterprise can travel at Warp Speed, but it can't stop instantly. It takes time to slow down. Camp can be like Warp Speed—running, playing, shouting. But when the leader raises the sign, or it's time for bed, we need to disengage the warp drive. A Scout has self-control. Learn to go from Warp 9 to a complete stop when safety or respect requires it.