1. 10.Lecture LEADERSHIPSKILLS
Many yearsof experience inExploringhave shownthatgoodleadershipisaresultof the
careful applicationof 11 skillsthatanypostleaderor officercan learnto use.Withpractice,these
skillscanbecome apart of the adult’sor youthofficer’sleadershipstyleandwill prove helpful in
Exploringandall otherleadershipsituations
UNDERSTANDINGTHE NEEDS AND
CHARACTERISTICSOFTHE POST
Each individual participantof the grouphascertain
needsandcharacteristics.
1. A leadershouldunderstandhisorherownneeds
and characteristics.
2. A leadershouldunderstandthe needsandcharac-
teristicsof eachparticipantof the group.This helps
the leadertodeal witheachpersonas an individual,
to treat thatindividual withrespect,andtohelpthe
persongrow.
3. This understandinghelpsinplanningthe program
and ingettingthingsdone.
4. This understandingcreatestrustandbuildsconfi-
dence amonggroupparticipants.
Throughconversationand informal surveysof postpar-
ticipants,tryto findout:
• Whytheyjoinedyourpost•What theyexpectfromthe post’sprogram
•What theirmajorinterestsare
•What theirplansfor the future are

2. KNOWINGANDUSING THE
RESOURCES OF THE GROUP
Resourcesinclude all those thingsnecessarytodoa
job.Resourcesalsoinclude people,becausepeople
have knowledgeandskills.Knowledge iswhataper-sonlearnsthroughfamiliarityorexperience—what
you
know.Skill isthe abilitytouse whatyouknow.Attitude
includesthe desire todosomething—motivation—and
the belief thatyoucan doit—confidence.
Whenthe leaderusesthe knowledge andskillsof
groupparticipantsto geta job done,the participantsgainexperienceandimprove skills.Theyalso
develop
a positive attitude towardusingaskill.
• Keepthe post’sprogramcapabilityinventoryup-to-
date and use it inplanning.
• Understandthe purpose andresourcesof yourpar-
ticipatingorganization.
• Surveythe participants’parents;include theminyour
program capabilityinventory.
• Findoutyour postparticipants’skills,interests,and
resources.
COMMUNICATING
To improve yourskillsingettinginformation:
• Payattentionandlistencarefully.
• Make notesand sketches.
• Askquestionsandrepeatyourunderstandingof

3. whatwas said.
To improve yourskillsingivinginformation:
• Be sure othersare listeningbefore youspeak.
• Speakslowlyandclearly.
• Draw diagrams,if needed.Askthose receivinginfor-
mationto take notes.
• Have the listenersrepeat theirunderstandingof what
was said.Encourage questions.
PLANNING
Planningisanimportantpart of everythingwe do
inExploring.The followingisasimple processfor
planning:
• Considerthe taskandobjectives.Whatdoyouwant
to accomplish? Considerthe resources—equipment,knowledge,
skills,andattitudes.
Considerthe alternatives.Brainstorm.
Reach a decision,evaluatingeachoption.
Write the plandownand reviewitwiththe post.
Execute the plan.
Evaluate the plan.
CONTROLLINGGROUP PERFORMANCE
A leaderinfluencesthe performance of the groupand
individualparticipantsthroughhisorheractions.Why

4. iscontrol needed?
A groupneedscontrol as an engine needsathrottle—
to keepitfromrunningitself intothe ground.A group
workstogetherbestwheneverybodyisheadedinthe
same direction.If aplan isto be properlycarriedout,
someone mustleadthe effort.Control isafunctionthat
the group assignstothe leadertogetthe job done.
Control happensasa resultof recognizingthe differ-ence betweenwhere the groupisandwhere the
group
isgoing.The leaderisresponsiblefordevelopinga
planto helpthe groupget to itsgoal.
Settingthe example isthe mosteffective wayof con-trollingthe group.Whenworkingwithpost
participants,
do the following:
• Continuallyobservethe group.Knowwhatishap-peningandthe attitude of the group.
• Make your instructionsclearandpertinent.
• Pitchinand helpwhennecessary.
• Quicklydeal withdisruption.Guide the posttoward
self-discipline
EVALUATING
Evaluatinghelpsmeasure the performance of agroup
ingettinga jobdone and workingtogether.Itsuggests
waysin whichthe groupcan improve itsperformance.
There are twobasiccategoriesof evaluationquestions.
Afteranyeventor activity,askthese questions:
Gettingthe jobdone—

5. • Was the jobdone?
• Was the jobdone right?
• Was the jobdone on time?
gainexperience andimprove skills.Theyalsodevelop
a positive attitude towardusingaskill.
• Keepthe post’sprogram capabilityinventoryup-to-
date and use it inplanning.
• Understandthe purpose andresourcesof yourpar-
ticipatingorganization.
• Surveythe participants’parents;include theminyour
program capabilityinventory.
• Findoutyour postparticipants’ skills,interests,and
resources.
COMMUNICATING
To improve yourskillsingettinginformation:
• Payattentionandlistencarefully.
• Make notesand sketches.
• Askquestionsandrepeatyourunderstandingof
whatwas said.
To improve yourskillsin givinginformation:
• Be sure othersare listeningbefore youspeak.
• Speakslowlyandclearly.
• Draw diagrams,if needed.Askthose receivinginfor-mationtotake notes.
• Have the listenersrepeattheirunderstandingof what

6. was said.Encourage questions. PLANNING
Planningisanimportantpart of everythingwe do
inExploring.The followingisasimple processfor
planning:
• Considerthe taskandobjectives.Whatdoyouwant
to accomplish?
COUNSELING
Counselingisimportant
• To helppeople solve problems
• To encourage orreassure
• To helpanExplorerreachhisor her potential
Counselingcanbe effective whenapersonis
• Undecided—he orshe can’tmake a decision
• Confused—heorshe doesn’thave enoughinforma-
tionor has too muchinformation
• Lockedin—he orshe doesn’tknowanyalternatives
EVALUATING
Evaluatinghelpsmeasure the performance of agroup
ingettinga jobdone and workingtogether.Itsuggests
waysin whichthe groupcan improve itsperformance.
There are twobasiccategoriesof evaluationquestions.
Afteranyeventor activity,askthese questions:
Gettingthe jobdone—
• Was the jobdone?
• Was the jobdone right?

7. • Was the jobdone on time? SHARINGLEADERSHIP
While there are variouswaystoexercise leadership,
the goal of Exploringleadershipisexemplifiedina
quote fromthe ancientChinese philosopher,Lao-Tzu:
“But of a goodleader. . . Whenthe workis done,his
aimfulfilled,theywillsay,‘We didthisourselves.’”
The Exploringleaderwantstogive postparticipants
the skillshe orshe possesses,nottouse those skillsin
waysthat keepthe postweakor dependent.He orshe
offersleadershipopportunitiestopostparticipantsand
teachesthemthe skillstheyneed.
SETTING THE EXAMPLE
Settingthe example isprobablythe mostimportant
leadershipskill.Itisthe mosteffective waytoshow
othersthe properway to conductthemselves,andis
evenmore effective thanverbal communication.With-outthisskill,all the otherskillswill be useless.
One
wayto thinkabout settingthe example istoimagine
yourself aspart of a group and thinkabouthow you
wouldlike yourleadertoact.