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Two Unforced Errors

If you have ever played sports or followed a team throughout it’s season then you know how frustrating it can be to witness unforced errors.  My high school basketball coach use to tell us that very few teams ever win with over 20 turnovers and if even 25% of those are unforced your season is likely to be cut short.  We are all going to make mistakes but, in most cases, in Royal Rangers there are guardrails you can put in place to avoid the unforced ones.

We always say that we are willing to share the gains and the pains so here are two pains that needed to be addressed.

Absentee Post Cards

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One of the things that we have put in place at Outpost 168 is post cards for those Rangers who were not in attendance that night.  You have heard us talk about the importance of knowing who is in attendance and the equally important list of who is not in attendance.  Once the rolls are taken to the lodge post cards are filled out for Outpost Commanders to sign at the end of the night.  I received an email one weekend from a dad who had already mentioned to his sons Commander that he was getting cards in the mail when his son had been in attendance.  You can imagine how this already shy boy felt when he was getting cards that suggested no one even noticed he was there.  Since I have been the AR Commander, I have noticed on several occasions that cards I was asked to sign were for boys that were present.

Two things:

• This is a huge role of the patrol advisor. Attendance, follow up, and record keeping are three of the most critical elements of this position.
• It’s so easy at the end of the night to just sign what’s in front of you, but if you stop and get a mental picture of the young man your about to write a note you probably would remember seeing him that night.

Awards Night

At OP169 we love awards night.  We call this our Ranger Rally.  Its boy lead, adult facilitated.  It’s loud, fun, but also very respectful.  One any given Rally we may be recognizing 200 accomplishments and for each boy his recognition is extremely important.  I dread the night when a parent or Commander is waiting for the room to quiet down so that they can inform me that we forgot a boy’s awards.  It’s so hard make up for that disappointment.

Some helpful items:

• Have each Commander compile their Outposts list then check those against the lodge records
• Have someone proof everything
• Once the certificates are printed have each Outpost look them over
• Have a few blank certificates ready in the event a mistake is recognized on awards night
• Have the MC read over the names days in advance to they know the pronunciations
• Have a dress rehearsal hours before the ceremony or rally

Final thoughts

When you make an unforced error own up to it immediately and get the Senior Outpost Commander involved.

If we were to miss a boys award the very next Wednesday Commander Wayne and I would, if full dress khakis, go down to his Outpost and present his award to him in front of his entire group.  If necessary, we would also recognize him again for that award during the next rally.

So, of these things see like the “small stuff”, and I know we’re not suppose to sweat that, but I have never found that principle to be very helpful.  How many of us would rate our server at a restaurant by how often they bring us a drink refill?  The small stuff and be the difference of a 15% tip and a 22% tip.  We need to be zooming in and addressing all the small things.  It’s the fit and finish of any Outpost and it can really make you shine.