I am a huge supporter of Boy Scouts, both of my boys are scouts and I like the way they have the system setup. So you may be thinking what does this have to do with business? Let me explain more about Boy Scouts and then show how you can model something similar for your business.
Boy Scouts is a program based on advancement. There are 7 ranks that Scouts need to earn, the last one being Eagle (the most prestigious and hardest to earn). Each rank has its own set of requirements, each Scout must takes it upon themselves to fulfill each requirement. Each scout must demonstrate their knowledge by showing/discussing the requirement with a more senior scout to earn a “sign off”. Once all the requirements have been completed, the Scout is responsible for requesting a Scoutmaster Conference. This is a meeting between Scoutmaster and the Scout to discuss the knowledge learned. Once they pass this (signed off) then they undergo a Board of Review. The Board of Review is usually several volunteers who panel interview the Scout about their experiences to achieve that rank and what it means to them. The further up the ranks the harder the questions asked. Only once they have received the approval of the Board of Review, have their earned their rank.
You may be thinking – that’s nice but what does that have to do with business? Think about your career path or those of the people in your company. Each level has a job description with individual tasks that a person needs to master to be successful. Only once they have mastered their position can they consider a promotion to the next.
Practically, that means your job descriptions need to up-to-date and accurate. Create a Career Path program which outlines the skills (hard & soft) needed at each level be sure to include lateral and upward moves. Include regular communication on their career desires and goals to achieve. Lastly, you will need to know, how or who will determine if someone is ready to take the next step.
So you can see they have similar tracks with slight modifications for businesses. At the core of each is the individual is responsible for their own growth or advancement. Remember not everyone will want to advance and that’s ok as long as they are productive and a positive contributor to the organization.
Need help getting this started? Contact me at [email protected] or 773.531.8199