The Old Scout's Funeral

“A few weeks ago I attended the funeral of a former assistant scoutmaster of the troop to which our sons belonged. It seemed as if about half of the attendees were either former scouts or parents of scouts.”

“I assume, Curmudge, that you were there to show your respect for the deceased.”

“If it were only respect for the deceased, Jaded Julie, we should have visited him while he was alive. It was more than that. I believe it was respect for what he stood for and for what Scouting—with the involvement of all of us—had done for our sons many years ago.”

“That sounds pretty important; and since we are talking about it here, it must have something to do with Lean.”

“Although Scouting and Lean occur at different points in a person’s life, i.e., they are not contemporaneous, they are quite complementary. Here are some Lean (and Scouting) examples: Respect for people (Do a good turn daily. Help other people at all times. A Scout is trustworthy.). Continuous improvement (advancement from Tenderfoot to Eagle Scout). Leadership (Patrol Leader, Senior Patrol Leader, and leading a team in the scout’s Eagle project).”

“Let’s talk about that ‘not contemporaneous’ thing, Curmudge. A lot of time can pass between Scouting in adolescence and when an adult assumes a leadership role in industry, the military, or a hospital. What keeps the lessons of Scouting from being lost in the interim?”

“They need to become hardwired, Julie. That comes from repetition, dedication, and advancement, and that’s why Eagle Scouts are valued in any organization. I know of a young man who enlisted in the Marines and because of his Eagle rank was promoted almost immediately.”

“Scouting sounds like a unique opportunity for boys, Curmudge, but these days being unique is not always considered a virtue.”

“The Venturing program of the Boy Scouts includes young women aged 13-21. Many cultural mores similar to those of Scouting are taught in other organizations ranging from Girl Scouts to kindergarten to Sunday school. Even in service clubs for adults, like Rotary International. It certainly appears, however, that Scouting is more fun. Here’s an interesting observation: ‘Scouting's genuinely egalitarian goals and instincts are more important now than they've ever been. It's one of the only things that kids do that's genuinely cooperative, not competitive.’ (1)”

“It would appear that former Scouts and members of many other groups will have a head start in learning Lean.”

“You’re right, Julie. They already have a humanizing background and should readily understand Lean principles and culture. Next they’ll need to hone their leadership skills and learn to use Lean tools and procedures. Ultimately, these people would be ‘early adopters’ and perhaps members of the organization’s guiding coalition. If you found these people in a Lean Overview class you were teaching, you’d feel glad all over.”

“I certaily would. But what if people had become corrupted by working in a command-and-control, dog-eat-dog environment?”

“They would need to start Lean training at square one. If they couldn’t adapt to a Lean culture, it might be better if they ‘got off the bus.’”

“Although over 30 years have passed, Curmudge, you seem to be as enthusiastic about Scouting as you are about Lean. What did you do in Scouting that was so great?”

“Camping with the troop in the north woods and running the Pestigo River rapids in open canoes. Developing the required coordination between father (paddling in the stern) and son (paddling in the bow) builds a bond that lasts a lifetime.”

Affinity’s Kaizen Curmudgeon

(1) Applebome, Peter (2003). Scout's Honor: A Father's Unlikely Foray Into the Woods. http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Boy_Scouts_of_America

Note: An observation on the practice of emergency medicine in a primitive location may be accessed via this link.