“People don’t care how much you know until they know how much you care.” – Theodore Roosevelt

National Service Territory Commissioners recently reflected on how important it is for commissioners to help each other feel productive and appreciated. Keeping TR’s quotation in mind and mentally adding “about them” to the end of the wording can help. Remember that Teddy Roosevelt was himself a Council Commissioner and knew what he was talking about.

NST Commissioners shared great ideas about how to show our fellow commissioners how much we care:

“Be the heart. Build relationships. Change lives.” Keep the values of the culture statement in mind.

• Be authentic.
• Be a champion for other commissioners.
• Find opportunities to boost morale. Remember the fourth, fifth & sixth points of the Scout Law.
• Keep providing positive feedback in all interactions.
• Be a coach and a mentor to every commissioner in your sphere of influence, especially newer commissioners.
• Don’t feel that you need to know the answer to every question posed. “I don’t know but I’ll find out” is a perfectly acceptable response, as long as you follow up in a timely manner.

Show that you consider the commissioner role to be extremely important to Scouting’s success.

• Ensure that personal attitudes and skills guide the selection and retention processes for commissioners.
• Participate in commissioning ceremonies.

Be intentional in the way you engage in cabinet or team meetings.

• Remember that commissioner team gatherings are not “business” meetings but planning sessions where the most important result is that each person leaves the meeting feeling motivated and encouraged.
• Be both collaborative and inquisitive. You have a right and an obligation to know about any new units being formed. Ask about them and then find a commissioner to help each new unit establish a great start.

Build relationships through encouraging one-on-one conversations.

• Use onboarding materials to guide discussion, tailoring the conversation to individual needs.
• Provide a wealth of material to new administrative commissioners so that they can build on generic resources and make them their own as they work to keep in touch with all commissioners on their teams.

“Be there” for other commissioners at training events and conferences.

• Attend Colleges of Commissioner Science and other events and be sure to validate what commissioners are doing.
• Support their efforts in individual conversations before and after the big events.
• Remember that “90% of success is just showing up.”

Highlight the good work commissioners are doing to help units succeed.

• Express appreciation for commissioners at council board and executive committee meetings.
• Use special events to showcase the impact commissioners have.
• Encourage commissioners to take the onboarding process seriously and to work on achieving the Arrowhead recognition first. Then, dedicate yourself to continued unit service and lifelong learning through fulfilling and living the example of the Commissioner Award of Excellence in Unit Service, the Distinguished Commissioner Service Award and the Doctorate of Commissioner Science Award. Publicly honor those who reach this level of achievement.
• Consider hosting a gathering such as an annual picnic to celebrate commissioners.

Throughout your interactions with commissioners, help them feel agency and empowerment, knowing that they really can make a difference in the world.

• Communicate. Communicate. Remember that “knowledge is power.”
• Maintain a positive attitude – it reduces your blood pressure and reminds us all that commissioners are the Chief Morale Officers wherever they go in Scouting.

“Be the heart. Build relationships. Change lives.”