2. Leadership is knowing what
you believe and putting it
into action.
—Meaghan, 14, Girl Scout Cadette
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3. The Girl Scout Leadership Model
Vision
To be the premier leadership organization for girls
Mission
Girl Scouting builds girls of courage, confidence, and character,
who make the world a better place.
Winning Proposition
Girl Scouts is the place for girls who want to change the world.
The Girl Scout Leadership Experience
Three Keys: Discover, Connect, Take Action
Process: Girl Led, Learning by Doing, Cooperative Learning
Program Cornerstone: National Leadership Journeys and The Girl’s Guide to Girl Scouting
Benefits to Girls: 15 Leadership Outcomes
Brand Positioning
Key Audiences
Girls are our customers:
• Younger girls focus on leadership skill development
• Older girls focus on leadership in action
Adults are our unique delivery system:
• They are ‘the leaders behind the leaders.’
Promise
Girl Scouting gives every girl access to life-changing experiences that inspire
her to do great things.
Leadership Differentiation
In Girl Scouting:
• Leadership is not only about acquiring skills; it is about how girls use
those skills to make the world a better place.
• Leadership is not an activity; it is a critical component of everything girls do.
• Our leadership experience is not a one-off event; it is a holistic, cumulative
program that serves girls from kindergarten to college… and for the rest
of their lives.
• The Girl Scout Leadership Experience taps into the power of girls—
sending them out into the world to make it better rather than insulating them from it
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4. Our Model: Integrated Leadership
Leading Self
Intrapersonal Leadership
Integrated Leadership
Leading Others Leading the Organization
Interpersonal Leadership Strategic Leadership
Our Cultural Values
Girl-Centered Girls are at the center of everything we do.
Inclusive We build and maintain an environment in which diversity is represented and valued.
Aligned We are interdependent and collaborative across all teams and the Movement. We are
empowered. We take risks to fulfill our mission to serve girls.
Accountable We hold ourselves and each other responsible for our work and relationships.
We are committed to excellence. We are honest, trustworthy, and respectful.
Innovative We are creative, innovative, learn continuously, and have fun together.
This is who we aspire to be.
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5. Our Leadership Values and Behaviors
Leading Self: Intrapersonal Leadership
Value Behavior
Accountable Possesses deep sense of self awareness
Accountable Lives by the Girl Scout Law
Accountable Approaches the future with optimism and energy
Innovative Is a continuous learner
Accountable Stands up for beliefs and values
Innovative Confidently takes measured risks
Girl-Centered Is accountable to self and others; Is committed to cause larger than self
Leading Others: Interpersonal Leadership
Value Behavior
Inclusive Fosters teamwork and collaboration
Inclusive Advances diversity and inclusion
Inclusive Shows empathy for feelings and idea of others
Accountable Practices constructive conflict resolution
Aligned Communicates clear, compelling leadership messages
Aligned, Inclusive, Creates a culture which builds community and promotes individual
Accountable development and excellence
Leading the Organization: Strategic Leadership
Value Behavior
Innovative Keeps Girl Scouts relevant and adaptive to change
Aligned, Drives for focus and assures alignment within the council and across
Accountable the Movement
Accountable Demonstrates accountability for results
Girl-Centered Stands up for girls and girl issues
Aligned, Accountable, Creates a high performance culture of shared values and common
Inclusive purpose
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6. Our Leadership Model in Action for Adults
We role model leadership by applying the three leadership keys we teach girls to ourselves.
Specifically:
Our self-awareness enables girls to Discover themselves and their values.
We demonstrate “leadership of self” by staying true to the values of the Girl Scout Law.
Our teamwork inspires girls to Connect with others in an increasingly diverse world.
We demonstrate “leadership of others” by advancing healthy relationships,
constructive conflict resolution, and diversity and inclusion.
Our ability to embrace change empowers girls to Take Action to change the world.
We demonstrate “leadership of the organization” by keeping Girl Scouts relevant
and by standing up for girls as they pursue their goals.
Our Leadership Manifesto
We are the leaders behind the leaders.
We hold ourselves and each other accountable for living up to the Girl Scout mission, Promise,
and Law. We lead with courage, confidence, and character. We make the world a better place.
We are sisters to every Girl Scout.
We proudly embrace our role as leaders of the Movement, with full knowledge and appreciation
of the fact that we are, in essence, the leaders behind the leaders. Through our actions we inspire
girls to do great things.
We take our role as mentors seriously, knowing that girls look to us and will learn as much—if not
more—from how we treat each other than from how we treat them. We practice what we preach:
there is no gap between what we say and what we do.
As the premier leadership development organization for girls, we embrace our role as champions
of the new Girl Scout Leadership Experience. We understand it, embrace it, and live by it. We guide
girls—literally and figuratively—on their leadership journey.
We commit ourselves, every day, to being the leaders girls aspire to be and the leaders that girls
need us to be.
We are the leaders behind the leaders.
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7. A good leader is someone
who works with others
to make things happen.
—Annie, 17, Girl Scout Senior
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8. Girl Scouts of the USA
420 Fifth Avenue
New York, NY 10018-2798
www.girlscouts.org
