Rountable Help and Information

Recruiting the Roundtable Staff

  1. Recruit in person if possible, either at the prospect's home or office. Take another person with you; this creates a more relaxed atmosphere. Never recruit over the telephone.
  2. Staff members could come from various units in your district. Be careful not to weaken units.
  3. Let the prospect know why you have selected him -- how his particular abilities or skills will help meet your needs. It's good to feed needed.
  4. Tell the prospect what the task involves. Don't oversell (or undersell) the job or give too many details which will be confusing at this first contact. Give the prospect a copy of the written job description.
  5. Let the prospect know with whom he will be working and to whom he will be responsible. Give the prospect a copy of your staff organization chart.
  6. Let the prospect know he can count on your help and support in doing the job.
  7. Indicate how long the person will be expected to served -- 6 months, 1 year, etc. This lets the prospect know he is making a definite time commitment. It also gives him a chance to get out gracefully when the time comes, and give you an "out" -- a change to release him without embarrassment if he is not doing a satisfactory job.
  8. If necessary, give the person some time to think it over -- to talk to his/her family about it. Set a date when his response will be expected. This lends a note of seriousness to the commitment and lets him know that it is not something that should be taken lightly.
  9. Let the person be free to say "no." Persevere, but do not pressure.
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Supporting the Roundtable Staff

A supportive climate motivates people to do their best. Create a climate of "good old Scouting spirit." When this is a built-in part of the roundtable, it will rub off on the leaders who attend. The following are guidelines for supporting the members of your roundtable staff:

  1. Provide information. Open communications are important. Keep the staff updated on material necessary to roundtable. This update may occur at your staff meetings. When explaining a new program or policy, tell them why, and be sure they understand.
  2. Make assignments to fit the talents and abilities of the staff. Once the assignments are made, check with staff members to see how you can help.
  3. Make sure everyone has a meaningful responsibility. This is a very important part of a successful roundtable. Sharing responsibilities makes everyone's job easier.
  4. Be sure the staff knows what is expected. Give each staff member a copy of the monthly agenda and assignments. Follow up at staff meetings to be sure everyone understands their responsibilities. It is helpful to you, the roundtable commissioner, and your staff if the staff member is recruited to back-up one or two basic parts of the roundtable. A roster of unit assignments could be made at the beginning of the year for the benefit of the staff and the units.
  5. Encourage the staff to be prepared in the event the assigned troop does not attend.
  6. Use staff meetings to good advantage. Don't hold pointless meetings or let the meetings stray too far off the track. Time is valuable to everyone.
  7. Show confidence in individual staff members and the staff as a whole. Let them know you expect and count on them to do their best. Train them, trust them, and them them loose.
  8. Provide recognition. Give credit openly for good results. Remember to say a simple "thank you" for a job well done. Be interested in their personal development by encouraging completion of the Arrowhead Honor and Training Award
  9. Set a good example of attitude, uniforming, spirit, and loyalty. The staff will reflect your example.
  10. Develop teamwork. Remember why you're there. Avoid personal conflicts.
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Roundtable Staff Responsibilities

The size of your roundtable staff will depend in large part on the goals and activities you identified in your roundtable annual plan. The following job descriptions will help you determine the kind of staff members you need, and what their responsibilities will be. In some cases, two or more jobs can be combined (such as facilities/refreshments staff member, or roundtable historian/photographer.

Click on each staff member responsibility below to see a job description:

Staff Member Responsibilities are not available at this time

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Selecting the Roundtable Staff

Potential roundtable staff members are everywhere -- all you have to do is look. In recruiting your roundtable staff, be sure to look for people who are creative and innovative, and who have a "can do" attitude. You can build an effective roundtable staff with any of the following resources:

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