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You may be starting to get the impression that the Patrol Leader's job is a pretty big job, with a lot of responsibilities and extra work. Well, remember that a Patrol is just like a team. Just like any team, the patrol has a job to do, and each member of the team plays a part in accomplishing that task. Your job, as Patrol Leader, is to make sure each member of the Patrol has something to do to make the patrol successful.

Think of the patrol as like a football team. A football team has a quarterback, recievers, and blockers who have to work together to execute the plays, move the ball down the field, and score touchdowns. If the blockers don't block, the quarterback can't throw the ball. If the quarterback doesn't throw the ball, the recievers can't catch it. If the receivers don't catch the ball, the team doesn't score. Imagine what would happen if the quarterback was expected to block, throw, catch, and score all the time.

Your patrol is just like that team. You won't be successful if you try to do everything yourself. The other members of your patrol all have a part to play in making the patrol successful, and your job is to make sure they know what their job is, how to do that job, and that they get it done. That's why we have patrol positions like Quartermaster, Scribe, and Grubmaster. Just like the Senior Patrol Leader counts on you to be a good Patrol Leader, you should count on the members of your patrol to help you run the patrol.

By delegating responsibilities to other members of the patrol, you are making it easier to get things done. You're also making it possible for you to have fun. When each member of the patrol has a job to do, they'll recognize the patrol as their patrol. They'll do their part to make the patrol a success, and you'll find that you can count on them whenever you, or anyone else in the patrol, needs help.

Ben's Story

This Patrol Leader stuff is too much of a pain. I thought it would be a piece of cake being Patrol Leader, but all I ever do is work. I mean, I have to run patrol meetings, help plan troop meetings, plan the menus, buy the food, check out the equipment, make sure the campsite gets set up, and everything else. The SPL says I should delegate some of the work to the rest of the patrol, but they never do anything anyway, so I have to do it myself.

Mike's Story

I thought it was gonna be hard to be Patrol Leader, but boy was I wrong. The SPL said I could delegate the work to the rest of the patrol, and he was right! I don't have to worry about half the stuff other Patrol Leaders have to. Joe and the rest of the guys sure do make my job easy. All I have to worry about is them thinking I have it too easy.