Specialization versus Generalization in Council Operations 

Like the military, we all have to start out as a District Executive where we fundraise, start new units, increase membership, run a district including recruiting volunteers, managing operations, budgets, activities, health and safety concerns. We perform quality control. Often we also have a camp assignment as well. We are often bureaucrats that check for accuracy in forms. When we excel at the growth areas of this task, we get to move up in the organization.

While that makes the job diverse and interesting, it often makes people above average in maybe one or two tasks, and a master of no one task. Human Resource management would conclude organizations that specialize are better run - they allow those that excel in one or two tasks to focus almost exclusively on those tasks. A one size fits all job description of district executive maybe the thing that needs to change to bring the BSA into the 21st Century. Most job descriptions in the real world have nothing to compare with the DE because the DE's generalize in so much. Because the career path focuses on growth, money, membership, and recruiting, they are the only tasks that are often rewarded - and we need much more than that in our talent pool if we are to be successful. We also need those that excel in unit service and district operations, program, marketing, etc., but may not be good at growing the organization through sales functions. I believe that program, marketing, statistical feedback analysis, and quality operations may be the key to retention and increasing our market share.

Restructuring councils to allow them to hire specialists may help out. I would recommend this be on a trial basis with one or two councils at first - but councils could hire sales and fundraising staff to focus exclusively on FOS, special events, endowments, capital, etc. They could also hire a community outreach staff that grow units, recruit kids, help retain kids, develope relationships, rechartering, etc. A program staff focuses on program, marketing, and activities, and an operations staff focuses on district operations, recruiting, and unit service. This would allow those with the right skills to be put in the right area. Job descriptions may change dynamically depending on which team you work. You could either organize field areas to have a specialist from each area, or you could organize field areas based on entire specialized job tasks. Giving councils different option and seeing which ones excel would help National in knowing which direction to go, or if they should maintain the generalist human resource structure at the entry level.

Online Membership Registration 

 In Progress

Please, please, please!!!!

We are doing many things online, please focus on online membership registration. We can allow for people to make digital signatures, pay online, (mark LDS units to bill LDS stakes), and input email addresses for unit leaders, committee leaders, and COR's to digitally sign registration forms as well. As we work to protect our youth, our volunteers have become more frustrated with the added paperwork. It we could streamline this by allowing people to register online, it would revolutionize where I could spend my time (more service to units!!!).

District Operations 

 In Progress

We are adjusting to the way that we communicate in 2008. Right now, we have a standardized training program for us to run district operations according to a set method (Key Three, District Meeting, Roundtable, Commissioner Report Meeting). I think we need to allow for localized adjustments and teach new DE's Total Quality Management with commitment to quality service, and then adjust their district operations based on localized needs (rural, technology-oriented, standing or activity-oriented committees). There should not be a one size fits all. We need to use technology to make district operations more efficient.