Leadership Styles

Leadership Styles

Matching leadership styles to the needs of the Varsity Scouts, Squad, and Teams.

• Directing
• Coaching
• Supporting
• Delegating

Directing

For a youth new to Varsity Scouting, for a Varsity Scout taking on a new leadership position, or for a team undertaking a fresh challenge, what is often missing is a sense of structure and an understanding of what Varsity Scouts are supposed to do. A Varsity Coach can fill that need through directing—that is, giving clear guidelines. Telling Varsity Scouts, “Have the members of your squad use buckets of water to put out the campfire, and then we can remove any traces that it was here,” is one example of directing.

It might sound like this, "Watch me, I'll explain this step by step. After that I'll give you a chance to try your hand at it. Don't worry about learning everything at once because I'll be here to provide any assistance you may need."

Coaching

As Varsity Scouts are becoming more comfortable with their new roles and activities, a Varsity Coach can begin to step to the sidelines an allow young men to assume more responsibilities. Through coaching, the Varsity Coach continues to provide guidance and praise, but also gives Varsity Scouts more room to initiate action, exercise their own judgment, and learn from their own mistakes.

Here's one way coaching works. A Varsity Coach shows a team member show to do a skill, then the Varsity Scouts demonstrates his growing mastery of the skill by demonstrating it to the Varsity Coach. The Varsity Coach can provide feedback that encourages learning, ensures that the Varsity Scouts understands the skill, and helps him understand why some things are done a certain way. In simple terms, coaching can often be a form of 'show and do'.

It might sound like this, "I really appreciate your enthusiasm for this task. Let me explain why we do it this way and then I'll answer any questions you have. We'll make sure you have what you need to do an excellent job."

Supporting

Over time, the youth leaders of a Varsity team should become efficient, confident, and independent. A Varsity Coaches leadership recognizes this evolution by shifting from coaching to supporting—providing Varsity Scouts ;with the resources and opportunities they need to succeed, then stepping out of the way to let them thrive. Whenever necessary, the Varsity Coach provides supportive guidance, suggests alternative ways of doing things, and offers positive reinforcement, but alo makes it clear that the young men themselves are in charge and that the responsibility for much of what happens in the team is up to them.

It might sound like this, "Sam, we can all benefit from some of the approaches you have used in the past. How do you think we should proceed on this?"

Delegating

As individuals and as a team, Varsity Scouts, can reach a state of high productivity. Youth leaders plan and carry out worthwhile team meeting that lead to exciting outdoor adventures and other team events, and have the sense that “we did it ourselves.” A Varsity Coach who has helped a team reach this stage can again switch leadership styles, this time to delegating. The Varsity Coach is shifting most of the responsibility for the success of the team to the Varsity Scouts who are it members.

It might sound like this: "Jim, you know the results we are looking for. This project is right up your alley. Take responsibility, you know the parameters and the constraints. Call me if you need me."

Situational Leadership (Hersey, Blanchard)

A Lot of Supporting Behavior	Supportive For People with: High Competence Variable Commitment	Coaching For People with: Some Competence Some Commitment
Little Supporting Behavior	Delegating For People with: High Competence High Commitment	Directing For People with: Low Competence High Commitment
	Little Directing Behavior	A Lot of Directing Behavior