51B UTILIZING LODGE TALENT: RETAINING THE TALENT TRAINER PREPARATION SESSION NARRATIVE. Order of the Arrow 51B-1 Boy Scouts of America

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1 51B UTILIZING LODGE TALENT: RETAINING THE TALENT Session Length: 50 Minutes Learning objectives:! Know that the key to Utilizing Lodge Talent is in retaining the talent.! Know and understand the importance of identifying and recruiting arrowmen.! Understand the importance that communication, recognition and program have on retaining the talent. Required Materials:! Flipcharts! Power Point presentation file! Handouts TRAINER PREPARATION! Prior to the arrival of the participants, have prepared an overhead transparency:! Session Name! Trainer s Name! Trainer s Contact Information! Have prepared an overhead transparency:! The learning objectives for the session! The references you will be using! Have adequate handouts for each participant to complete:! Have participants pick up and fill out the Resource Survey! Have adequate copies of Steps in Successful Recruiting handout! Divide the participants into three groups. SESSION NARRATIVE Introduction: 5 Minutes Imagine the following hypothetical situation: You are the brotherhood projects committee chairman or committee advisor for a very successful lodge. After a rebuilding period, your lodge has achieved Order of the Arrow 51B-1 Boy Scouts of America

2 National Quality Lodge status for the past three consecutive years, has hosted a very successful conclave due in large part to the work of your committee, and has just received the Order s National Service Award. Many people in the lodge, including a number of the old-timers, say the lodge has never been stronger or better. Nevertheless, many of the best and brightest leaders of your committee have indicated that they may be interested in taking a year off from active leadership with brotherhood projects. If this happens, another rebuilding period for the lodge is a certainty. As the committee chairman or advisor, how are you going to retain your committee members? The question of how to successfully retain team members is a difficult one to address. However, before we address the issue of how to retain your talent, let s take a quick review of the other key points of Utilizing Lodge Talent, identifying and recruiting team members. Trainer Tip: If the participants have not been divided into three groups yet, this is a good point in the session to do so. Identify and Recruiting Lodge Talent: 10 Minutes 1. Review the 8 steps of Successful Recruiting:! Determine what volunteer positions are needed.! Determine the best prospects for the job.! Research the prospect list! Make an appointment.! Make the sale.! Ask for a commitment.! Have a fall-back position in mind.! Follow-up. Ask each of the three groups to identify the important aspects of each of the 8 steps of Successful Recruiting. A number of issues can be examined in rapid succession:! What are some of the opportunities present in each step? The pitfalls?! Can any of the steps be skipped? Why or why not?! Personal examples of successes and failures? 2. Review the OA Resource Sheet: Discuss the importance of using resource sheets or questionnaires in identifying lodge talent. Several issues can be covered:! Are resource inventories important? Necessary? Why or why not?! How can resource questionnaires help lodges address its strengths and weaknesses?! What methods can be used to gather information? Can you gather too much information?! Personal examples of successes and failures?

3 Retaining Lodge Talent: 25 Minutes Now that we ve reviewed the important aspects of identifying and recruiting lodge talent, let s return to our central discussion of retaining team members. Recall our hypothetical situation. After several years of hard work, your lodge has reached a level of unprecedented success, in large part to the committee that you now chair (or advise). However, after lots and lots of hard work, many members of your committee are indicating that they may step aside. How can we keep these talented and valuable team members on the team? The answer is CPR. There are three key concepts to address in a situation like the one in our hypothetical: Communication, Program, and Recognition. Trainer Tip: Assign each group one of the three topics. During the next ten minutes, each group should identify and discuss what it thinks are the most important areas of its topic to address with team members who may leave the team. After the 10 minutes is concluded, re-assemble the groups for a fifteen-minute review of the role-play. 1. Communication! What are some ways that your lodge committee members can effectively communicate with each other?! How can we communicate the expectations of the chairman to the members? From the members to the chairman?! Is it important to communicate with the committee? Why?! Accuracy of communication? Completeness? Written down?! How can communication break down? What happens when it does?! Thank-yous: Are two little words that important? 2. Program! Is the program important? Why? How?! What does the program provide to the membership?! Quality of program? High? Low? Importance?! Impact? Can one person make a difference in the program?! Reverse impact? Can the program make a difference in one person?! Thank-yous: Can the program survive without them? 3. Recognition! Is recognition important? Why?! How much recognition is enough? Too much?! What happens when we fail to recognize?! How can we recognize our committee members?! Thank-yous: When, Where, How and Why? Trainer Tip: Keep a close watch on your watch for this segment: Fifteen minutes may seem like a lot to devote to reviewing these three concepts, but an active group could spend

4 fifteen minutes on each of these topics. Try to limit the discussion to five minutes for each topic. Conclusion: 5 Minutes When it comes to retaining lodge talent, communication, recognition and program are the critical components to keeping good folks on your team. Talk to your team members, get to know them, and find out what makes them tick. Recognize your team members, give them a moment in the spotlight, and show them how much you appreciate them. Tell your team members just how important they are to the program, how much the program needs them, and how much the program means to them. And lastly, say thank you again and again and again. APPENDIX: HANDOUTS The following is a recommended list of handouts:! Adult OA Resource Survey! Youth OA Resource Survey! Steps in Successful Recruiting APPENDIX: SOURCE MATERIALS AND RESOUCES! Selecting District People, ! Commissioner Administration of Unit Service, ! Continuing Education For Commissioners, ! College of Commissioner Science: Commissioner Recruitment, AV-005! 1998 National Order of the Arrow Conference Training Syllabus! 2000 Order of the Arrow Arrowman s Resource Disk, Lodge Leader Development Course, Identify, Recruit, and Retain session! 2002 National Order of the Arrow Conference Training Syllabus, Recruiting Allies training cell, Recruiting the Team session

5 Adult O/A Resource Survey Name: Unit Type & Number: Lodge/Chapter: Current Position: Years in Scouting: Years in OA: OA Level: Previous BSA & OA Leadership positions: Honors & Year Received: Area(s) in which I would be comfortable assisting our youth (please mark all applicable): Indian Lore Beadwork and/or Featherwork Leatherwork Training Acting/Public Speaking Finance/Bookkeeping/Accounting Camp Promotion Record Keeping Computer Support Newsletter Publication Event Planning/Organization Cooking/Dishwashing Providing Transportation Service Projects What interests, abilities and motivational factors have kept you involved in Scouting today?

6 Youth O/A Resource Survey Name: Unit Type & Number: Lodge/Chapter: Current Position: Years in Scouting: Years in OA: OA Level: Previous BSA & OA Leadership positions: Honors & Year Received: Area(s) in which I have an interest or experience (please mark all applicable): Indian Lore Beadwork and/or Featherwork Leatherwork Training Acting/Public Speaking Finance/Bookkeeping/Accounting Camp Promotion Record Keeping Computer Support Newsletter Publication Event Planning/Organization Cooking/Dishwashing Providing Transportation Service Projects What interests, abilities and motivational factors have kept you involved in Scouting today?

7 STEPS IN SUCCESSFUL RECRUITING 1. Determine what volunteer positions are needed. $ Identify weak areas or areas needing advisors to meet the Lodge goals. Keep in mind: $ Goals which have not been successful in the past. $ Goals which have not been set or set recently in the past. $ Goals or committees which do not currently have Advisers. $ Define the responsibilities of the position and write a brief job description. $ Assess the effectiveness of existing volunteers. $ List the qualities that are most likely to get the job done. 2. Determine the best prospects for the job. $ Consider many sources for prospects. $ Solicit suggestions from volunteers in the Lodge. $ Use Lodge/Chapter rosters; don t overlook Brotherhood members! $ List all possible prospects for the job. $ Consider their qualities for the job. $ Prioritize prospects based on the best fit for the job. 3. Research the prospect list. $ Contact people who know the prospect: Determine their interests, abilities and motivations. $ Identify individuals with the desire and/or the potential. $ Tailor your approach to the individual. $ Tell how this position will fulfill his/her needs. $ Ensure that someone who knows or has influence with the prospect is participating (someone needs to open the door). $ Anticipate questions or objections: Make sure you have the answers! $ Develop a high level summary of the job requirements, including: $ time commitments $ duties and goals $ training dates 4. Make an appointment. $ Try not to give too much information over the phone. $ Meet with the prospect personally (never recruit over the phone). $ Ensure that someone who knows or has influence with the prospect is with you; it is much more flattering to be asked by 2 or 3 people.

8 5. Make the sale. $ Make a good impression: Be properly attired and groomed. $ Introduce everyone (not just name, but Scouting position as well). $ Make small talk about the prospects interests, family and achievements, based on your research. $ Sell the sizzle. Deliver an exciting, enthusiastic and brief pitch on the position. Don t dwell on details. Speak to the purposes in serving youth that will most fit the interests of the prospect. $ Describe the job and its importance to the youth. Be specific! $ Remind the prospect that he/she is the best person for the job. $ Ask for questions. Be sure that the prospect understands what is expected. (We are all busy, but we can make time for that which is important: Character, Citizenship and Fitness of our youth). Know when to close the sale. (Don t oversell or undersell). $ Don t overlook the friendship and fellowship that will evolve. 6. Ask for a commitment. $ Let this person know that you really need him/her. $ Thank them for their consideration of your offer. $ Wait for the answer. 7. Have a fall-back position in mind. $ If the answer is no, don t let the door close. $ Ask if there are other opportunities that the prospect would consider. $ Ask for help in recruiting others. $ Thank them again for considering the position. 8. Follow up. $ Formal acknowledgment in a letter (whatever the answer). $ Invite and take the person to the next meeting. $ Prepare an appropriate news release or announcement. $ Within a week or two, follow up with specific orientation and an assignment.