Defining the competencies of leadership

The fundamental aims and values of White Stag

White Stag Aims

These aims describe the outcomes we want to have on program participants, or outcomes we want to have on program participants, that is, what we want them to be left with 20 years after participating in the program. Everything we do must support the four aims.

Leadership Development. We inspire individuals to engage life as an ongoing adventure, to challenge themselves, and to lead others to pursue excellence.

Character Development. We encourage people to do what is right, no matter what, and to serve themselves and others.

Personal Fitness. We encourage individuals to accept physical and mental challenges, to surpass their own expectations, expand their knowledge, skills and abilities, and strive for continuous personal improvement.

Citizenship Training. We help individuals to develop a positive attitude, influence those around them, join in, and shape their community.

Program Values

The program has defined a set of values that govern how the program is implemented. These values form the foundation for achieving our aims. So essential are these values, just as if one were to remove a stone from an arch, the arch would fall, and we could not call the program "White Stag." 

Leadership competencies. In his research for his master's thesis, Bela identified 80 characteristics of leadership8. He condensed these into eleven leadership competencies which he then proposed be taught in a systematic process using six developmental levels tailored to the various needs of youth as they mature. These competencies are:9(13)

• Getting and Giving Information
• Understanding Group Needs and Characteristics
• Knowing and Understanding Group Resources
• Controlling the Group
• Counseling
• Setting the Example
• Problem-Solving
• Evaluation
• Sharing Leadership
• Representing the Group
• Manager of Learning

Outdoor learning. The outdoors environment provides a context for learning that is physically demanding and entirely different from that experienced everyday at home and in school. The outdoors stimulates new ways of thinking and approaching both task- and group-related problems. As participants learn they can exceed what they perceive to be their physical limits, they find their mental capacity also grows. We use the physical environment to tire the individual and open their minds to new ways of thinking. We do nothing indoors that can be done outdoors and encourage physical fitness through outdoor activities. Using the outdoors avoids the negative association of a standard classroom environment.

In addition, the program utilizes Scoutcraft skills to provide opportunities to practice leadership skills. Banathy commented:

...the leadership development process of White Stag takes place on the territory of Scout crafting. For example, a very first planning function that the leaders-in-training are to accomplish is related to the setting up of a camp site for their group.... The learning goal here is to learn how to analyze the task, how to plan and organize for the task, how to go about accomplishing it by using all the potentials of group, how to execute the plan, how to evaluate performance, how to correct, etc.(1)

Evaluation attitude. In his master's thesis, Banathy wrote:

Growth in leadership and improvement of leadership performance are dependent upon the leader's willingness to change, his ability to define the kind of change he needs and the experience of the particular change desired.

In this sequence, the leader's ability to define the kind of change he needs is predicated upon his competency to evaluate. Changes or learning in the desired direction can be brought about only by a continuous self-analysis and evaluation of goals and achievements. Learning to evaluate and analyze becomes, therefor, an objective of great significance.(2)

Spirit and traditions. One of the distinctive characteristics of the program is a body of ceremonies, traditions, songs, code, and spirit-related activities. These include a re-telling of the White Stag Legend based on thewhite stag of Hungarian mthology.

Bela wrote,

The name of this leadership development design is WHITE STAG; it is also referred to as the White Stag method of leadership development.

At the time of the initiation of this leadership developmental process a stylized emblem of a white stag was designed as the program symbol. This symbol was used as the badge of the Fourth World Jamboaree held in Hungary.3

The White Stag Legend is used to inspire in the participants a desire for reflection, continuous self-improvement, and pursuit of higher aims and goals. The spirit and tradition activities are used to communicate specific vision and values that include characteristics of servant leadership, compassion, enthusiasm, kindness, and selflessness.

Since its inception, the White Stag program has evolved several ceremonies that use the symbolism of the White Stag to recognize individuals' progress and levels of achievement. They include Baden-Powell's farewell speech from the Fourth World Jamboree, and a recitation of the White Stag legend. These ceremonies are used to communicate the program's vision, values, and ethics. The program has also developed a number of traditions, for example, woggles, waist ropes, staves, berets, and patrol names.

The participant ceremonies typically include a initiatory neckerchief ceremony, a legend ceremony, a graduation neckerchief ceremony, and a final tri-phase graduation ceremony at the end of summer camp. The youth and adult staff may also participate in additional ceremonies at various times during the year. All of these borrow themes from the thewhite stag of Hungarian mythology.

Hands-on learning. The White Stag program emphasizes use of specific experiential learning methods in the context of ourdoor education. These help participants retain what they learn about the eleven leadership competencies.

Patrol method. Baden-Powell wrote:

The Patrol System is the one essential feature in which Scout training differs from that of all other organizations, and where the System is properly applied, it is absolutely bound to bring success. It cannot help itself! The formation of the boys into Patrols of from six to eight and training them as separate units each under its own responsible leader is the key to a good Troop. The Patrol is the unit of Scouting always, whether for work or for play, for discipline or for duty. 4

Hurdle method. Banathy defined the Hurdle Method as:

...an approach used as an application technique in leadership development. The hurdle is a means to teach what was previously called the "leadership set" which is a readiness to be ready for and be able to act in a situation for which one is not ready. Unexpected tasks or problems are put before the leader and his group for which they have to organize themselves quickly and efficiently in order to find a solution or to accomplish the task.5

Direct approach. Banathy asserted that:

In conventional...leadership training programs, leadership learnings have not usually been defined as specific learning objectives, but as a by-product of other learnings or activities. This indirect way of training for leadership is what the White Stag Method challenges and transforms into the direct approach.

The Direct Approach to leadership development is conceived as one having a specific terminal behavior defined as leadership learning objectives...6

Banathy went on to define specific leadership behaviors and learnings, including the leadership competencies.

Manager of Learning. Banathy initially defined Manager of Learning in part as the Project Approach:

First, the leader-in-training is confronted with a leadership situation in which he is to act as a leader. In his attempt to act as a leader, he will internalize the need to have available some knowledges [sic], skills or techniques.

Second,. having internalized the need for learning because of the attempted action, the trainee enters a period of teaching or exposure...designed to teach skills, techniques and knowledges [sic] needed to cope with the situation...

Finally, having received instruction and having had proper practice, the leader-in-training engages again in an actual leadership performance, during which he will have a chance to compare his performance exhibited before nd after the instruction.7

Infinity principal. According to Banathy, leadership development must be ongoing:

Leadership behavior cannot be developed during a few weeks, not even during severalmonths. Essential leadership knowledge can be learned in some weeks; it will take months to learn leadership skills; it requires years to shape leadership behavior."10

The White Stag badge denotes an ever ongoing, a becoming process. In the case of the White Stag leadership development program it means the long-term process of leadership development and the never-ending process of becoming a person, with a special emphasis on using difficult situations as opportunities for growth.11

...leadership development will no longer be perceived as a single training course or as a one-shot event, but s a continuous sequence of closely chained and highly structured learning and experience-building opportunities, as an infinite challenge to change, as the nevelr-ending process of becoming a leader.12

The infinity principle of growth in leadership is what the White Stag symbolizes in this leadership development process.13

Uniforming. A uniform displaying the White Stag logo is a visible reminder of the program's founding vision articulated by Baden-Powell at the conclusion of the 1933 World Jamboree. The uniform reminds the individual wearing it of their commitment to the program's values. It instills self-esteem in the person and pride in the program. It eliminates class and socio-economic distinctions. Wearing a uniform improves member's behavior and lessens the impact a person's personal wardrobe.

References