By not thinking objectively I mean that it easier to see things through the glasses of familiarity than to take a step or two and see things from outside.

You know how your program runs. If you don't your problems with recruiting leaders are more fundamental than this series - go back to first principles and get some training!

You know how your program runs - you are very familiar with it. You know all the jargon. You know what the badges mean, You know how to run a nights meeting without referring to any paperwork. You're comfortable.

Did you know your new recruits know nothing about your program.
They have never heard of half the funny words you use.
Their mental gymnastics in acronym translation turn up very different results than your own.

In short they know nothing, they've heard nothing, they are feeling very insecure and just a little frightened.

Given two or three weeks of feeling like this - they're out of there!

Action Plan

Think back to when you started. How did you learn? There are a few key that will help here

1. Training
2. Apprenticing
3. Releasing

By following these three little steps your new leaders will say "Tar" to you! [this is a very clever pun - which most of you will not get! In Australia the common abbreviation for "Thank you" is "Ta" - get it...]

1) Training - this isn't just enrolling them in the next leaders training course. It's much more than that. You need to assume they know nothing. Explain why things happen. Why you have an opening parade [you do know don't you?] Teach them ahead of time the "correct" way to tie and then teach the bowline, for example.

When I started in Royal Rangers - I knew nothing. I had grown up in another organisation (Boys Brigade) but that was it. I learnt by reading the books. Give your new leaders books to read!

2) Apprenticing - this is the key. Have them with you as you run the program. Let them watch. Gradually give them responsibility for running elements of the program each week. Give feedback. If they do it well - tell them. If they do it wrong - tell them. Do it carefully. The aim is to encourage - not to discourage.

These are the people who you are entrusting your vision with. Support them. nurture them. Give them opportunities to succeed. Brag about them. And then...

3) Releasing - let them do it. Don't always be in their face. They are accountable - for sure. But they are also responsible. let them do it their way. Who says yours is the best anyway? Allow their personality to come out so that they "own" what they are doing. Cloning you is good to a point. At the end of the day though, they must do it themselves.

Conclusion - you don't know it all. You can't do it all. If you did - you wouldn't be needing new leaders! Think back to what it was like when you started. Help them into the boat - and you'll start developing quality, committed and successful leaders.