The One Minute Commander

The One Minute Commander [long]

Once there was a bright Commander who having attended NTC began to dream of the perfect outpost. He wanted to work for one, and he wanted to become one.

His search took him all over the Internet, to every country that has Royal Rangers asking questions, and reading what others were doing..

He found some Commanders who said: "I keep my boys in line! If you let up on them for a second they just cause trouble... we keep a tight grip and make 'em shape up!"

These Outpost were very impressive. Great uniforms and good behavior. These Rangers could stand for hours at attention and do snappy color guard drills. *But the boys didn't seem like they were having much fun. Some advanced and got pins and badges, some didn't. But the one's who showed some interest were just like their Commanders! They said: "We are the junior leaders and don't let anyone get away with anything!" The Commanders smiled...

Other Outposts he visited seemed like really nice guys. They were easy going and likable, friendly and quiet. There was hardly anyone in complete uniform. "Stuff like that isn't important..." "Life is too short to hassle these kids over that stuff, it's *ministry that's important anyway, and I let them decide what they want to do, That's the Patrol method.... they know what they need.."

But their Outposts didn't seem very impressive and the boys didn't seem to be doing anything related to their Ranger handbooks, and wore only partsof the Ranger uniform. There was lots of goofing around and a lot of noise,so everyone was haveing a GREAT TIME! ...new boys and younger boys seemed confused and distant, but that was ok.

The visitor was tired, and wasn't happy with what he had seen, for there had to be "something more" than the extremes he had witnessed. A good Commander would run his Outpost so that the boys played fair and had a time to learn something useful, There would be a plan and not a lot of time wasted on noisy confusion. The Rangers would advance, but they would have fun as well with good friends...

Later he heard about another Commander who lived close by. This man was greatly loved by his Ranger boys and they were famous for their skills and abilities. He called and asked if the Commander could share his "secrets" with him.. The Commander answered and replied "sure.. any night except Wed. all my other nights are free" That was great, but the visitor/explorer wondered how this Commander had so much free time.. How could he head an active Ranger Outpost and do all the great things he had heard about him..

The appointment night came and the Commander invited the leader in to his home..

On the walls were collections of Ranger event patches and tokens of camps, and trinkets of FCF gear... "Welcome, what can I do for you?" "Well, I heard you have an excellent Outpost and wondered if you could share with me your slant on facilitating leadership in Royal Rangers?"

"*Sure... that's fine fire away... I don't do all that much, it's easy and even though the Ranger meeting is about an hour and a half, I only seem to work about one minute a week"

"ONE MINUTE?"

I gottah hear this!

The simple concept of One-Minute managing works just as well with adolescent boys as they do with adults in the work world. *Maybe Better!

The One Minute Commander agreed to share his wisdom, but not directly without sending the leader to visit his Outposts Rangers, Lt.Cdr's and Outpost Council members and Parents as well.. The "OMC" knew that each member of his outpost had their own slant on the agreements made and shared equally in the responsibility of leadership and the successes they acquired.

The OMC (*OneMin.Commander) believes that boys who feel good about themselves do good things. He knows that "Goals begin behavior; consequences maintain behavior" For that reason he uses one-minute goal setting, one-minute praising and one-minute corrections or reprimands.

The one minute concept is great for Ranger age boys, who are not into abstract thinking, lengthy goal setting meetings or deep evaluations. They know when they mess up, that they will receive a correction, but they can do without a long sermon They don't mind planning or goal setting as long as it is succinct, understandable,reachible and measured. The OMC knows that everyone is human and 80% of all good comes from about 20% of the goals.. He therefore skips what don't work and focus's on the 20% of goals that are productive and welcome. He sets brief, written goals with every Ranger.

The Rangers are part of the process, if they don't "BUY INTO" the goals, they won't be too excited to make them happen. Junior Leaders carry two sets of goals, one is personal growth and the other is goals for the good of the Outpost. All are short though, clean and quick.

What are these goals?

*Anything worthwhile falling under the meaning of the emblem,Code, pledge ect. but mostly they are real and fall under the 20% of the successful ones that work!

Of course boys are human, and that means mistakes and shortcomings, that's where the One minute reprimand comes in. The reprimand is never a "chewing out" and it is only given for a significant mistake. It is short, clear and explains what the boy has done, and how the Commander feels about it right then... The recipient will know that the leader knows that the boys is capable of better things, and that he's an OK person. The "behavior is criticized" not the boy!"

What the OMC looks for is not mistakes but rather opportunities to issue "One-Minute Praise!" He'll try to catch them doing something good and praise them right on the spot. He does this a lot, and enjoys his job Just like the reprimand, the OMC pointedly explains the right stuff the Rangers did to receive the *praise... and how good it makes him feel to be able to honestly say such things about a boy Both praising and reprimanding are up close and personal looking the boy right in the eye, and closing witha handshake,touch on the arm or pat on the shoulder to make it personal. *What a great feeling to receive a deserved praise, and how powerful a reprimand is when it is fair and deserved!

The interested leader went to the church for the Ranger meeting, anda sharp looking 15 year old Ranger introduced himself as "Josh, the Sr. Guide" "...so- you've met Commander eh'? He's pretty cool isn't he"

"Yea well the One Minute Commander. that a lottah hoo-wee isn't it?"

"No way" said Josh.. "Everyone thinks that at first though.."

Well, I'm here to see it... what happens when the adults take chargeof the meeting?"

"*They don't.. By the way it's time to start.. *I'll be back in one minute (smile)

(Sr.Guide called the meeting to order on time, with "Fall in!" and had the color guard post the colors, and led with the pledges ect. then asked the Patrol Guides to take charge and go to patrol meetings and begin the agenda of that night)

Sr.Guide Josh walked back...

"The patrol guides and my staff with me run the meeting. Commander never steps in, except in emergencies or of course for one-minute praiseings We give him time at the end of the meeting to leave the guys with a final thought... It's-"

"I know... it's the One Minute devotion right?"

"Yea...(smile) but he takes more a min. mostly, because what he has to say is important and well thought out. He told us at a Gold Bar meeting that if you can't get your idea out in just a few words, go back and think things through.. No one enjoys a windbag!"

"Ok but I'll bet he has a lot to say to you and the patrol leaders after

the meeting right?"

"Oh no.. he mostly hangs out, hands out papers and chats with parents...

We do most of our planning at short Patrol Guides meetings after, just to debrief and set up the next meeting... The agenda is set at our big council meeting where we lay out the segments for the main features of the Ranger meetings before hand.. We've even had a Patrol Gold Bar camp out and planned the entire year right at camp!"

"Commander is ready with one minute thoughts and praises"

"ah! or a one-min. reprimand! huh!!"

"Wrong again..sir Those only happen in privet back by another ranger

using 2-deep leadership and never in front of the entire Outpost. Our "old man" knows what leadership is and works to build the prestige of the job in the boys. Humiliation never works, it always backfires and can turn into disrespect. Mostly, when new boys come the patrol leader and the patrol guide him to understand the "game" we are playing. If we mess up, we all know it and Commander will say something quietly to build a boy up, and never tear him down.. and in any case he always ends with a *praise, so it goes easy

"He reprimands...then praises you? I don't get it! That sounds phony!"

(Sr.Guide sighed...)

"Simple. *If you do wrong- he tells you exactly what you did wrong, and why.. it was wrong behavior. then he tells you how he feels about it, *and pauses so you can feel it as well, then.. in a moment he begins to tell you how much God loves you and that we all have faults and that mistakes are made by everyone from time to time..

He uses it as a "teachable moment" and a point of personal ministry,but

builds back to your place in the group and how important you are to the Outpost. He says that "Goals begin behavior and that consequences maintains behavior" ...that we are a team and together we are the Outpost. You may be one way at home or school but at Rangers you have a clean slate, and a safe harbor to do your best- with God's help.

"Ok let's go back...If you do everything without the Commanders guidance, how do you know what to do at the meetings?"

Josh smiled- "It's really simple with the new program planning guide, and the prepared meeting plans... but we like to alter them and add or drop stuff to make it our plan. If we need resources we share that and the adults work to provide those items or suggest other things.. but the decision are ours to make."

"Any decision?"

"Well- I guess not... It would have to make sense and be safe as well as approved by the OP council and all the leaders, and the church But my point is that we can bring anything up and we look at the logistics of any idea, and try to work our plans to fit in the yearly schedule.. we boys have a real say because *It's our program.. We are learning leadership and sometimes that's tuff!"

The visiting leader was impressed by the depth of understanding Sr. Guide showed in explaining all the positives as well as the pitfalls of the One Minute Commander!

He could see that here was a leader who ran his Outpost by the Patrol method and it inspired the Rangers to perform and be a major part of the real leadership and direction that they would take. There was order, discipline, but there was also fun and incentive. The boys were there because they enjoyed it, and knew they would have a go at leadership their way soon, in one position or another...

Running an Outpost this way left the adults free to do other responsibilities that they had training in and expertise. What a Perfect outpost! what great kids! How could it be that no one knew about this style of leadership?

He asked the OMC who stood by....

"Some people do know about One-Minute methods of leadership, but not enough feel ready to do it. It works and all I ask is that you share

this idea with others! Please! *Some will find fault, or won't accept it, but some will see something and use it to their advantage... just remember-

"...goals begin behavior and consequences maintains behavior"

Mayby someday you will become a OMC yourself, but whether you do or don't if you use these methods with the people you deal with everyday you will find they work everywhere, because they are fair, and respectful of everyone's feelings.

Not surprisingly, the leader joined the OMC's Outpost and found himself become a leader. After every meeting he felt good, and that was easy!

?Duane Wheeler