Nature of Leadership (2001- )
Overview
In 2001, "Nature of Leadership"
started off as the next level leadership course for Venturers, done in a high
adventure environment. In Spring 2004, the term "Nature of
Leadership" will come to be the umbrella term for ALL the Venturer
Leadership training program. Nature of Leadership will consist of three
courses. All three courses will be covered on this page at this point.
The courses are:
I: Venturing Leadership
Skills Course
II: Kodiak (the original Nature of
Leadership Trek renamed)
III: Kodiak X
NOL I: Venturing Leadership Skills
Course
Overview
Venturing Leadership Skills Course was the
initial leadership training for Venturers rolled out with the program.
It’s a weekend course intended to be run by the Crews for ALL the
Venturers, not just the officers. Because many Crews are small, in some
councils this course has been taught by the council, initially by adults, but
hopefully by the Venturers as more experienced ones come along.
Program
VLSC is a weekend course meant to be run
in a retreat format by the crew leadership for all members of the crew.
It consists of a series of scenarios teaching Vision, Communication, Organization, and Synergism, and is
different in presentation style then used in NYLT or Wood Badge.
Insignia
In 2001, a new VLSC strip was released.
Similar in size to the Trained strip, its worn in the same location: below
the office patch on the left sleeve. Intended to be worn by the Venturers
only, even if the adults do complete the course. See above for a scan of
one of the patches.
Literature
Four releases of the VLSC course manual
have been put out. The second one adds a scenario and has some minor
editing, the third minor editing to reference Kodiak/Kodiak-X, the fourth a CD
and presentations to tie in Kodiak/Kodiak-X.
|
Venturing
Leadership Skills Course (#34340)
2003 Printing, #34340B, 64pgs |
|
NOL II: Kodiak
Overview
Kodiak is the new name (as of 2004) for the course that originally started as
the sole "Nature of Leadership Trek". Starting in 2001, a new
advanced leadership development program was created for Venturers called
"Nature of Leadership". With the rollout, two courses were run
in the summer of 2001, one at Philmont (a second one was cancelled) and one on
the
This is a formalization of the special Venturing treks run at Philmont in 2000, which included the first trial run of Nature of Leadership.
More information may be found at the National Website here. There is a NoL Trek Fact Sheet. There are no more plans for "National" treks any more, as it’s hoped that council/crews will run their own.
Fact Sheet: HTML
or PDF
2003 NoL Trek Brochure: Word
2002 NoL Trek Brochure: Word
A recent issue of Scouting magazine (May/June 2002) devotes a cover article to the Nature of Leadership Trek.
There is now a website devoted to Kodiak & Kodiak-X, with more info on the program, and listing of upcoming courses: www.kodiak-bsa.org
In spring of 2004, the course was renamed "Kodiak". The course has
been rewritten to allow for running the course over 2 weekends, in addition to the option of
a single week-long trip, and the intent is to make it widely available, such
that crews could run it as part of a high adventure trip. In 2004, there
was Kodiak/Kodiak X Course Director Conference offered at PTC. Starting the spring of 2005,
they were also held at the
A “Kodiak/Kodiak X Summit” was held in the Spring of 2007 by the National and Regional Kodiak leadership. It's unclear what changes came out of this, other then standardizing the CDCs and setting standards for area Kodiak leadership.
Program
Kodiak combines leadership development and service into a week-long high
adventure trek. The current syllabus does now allow for a 2-weekend
version of the course. The Venturers must be at least 16 years old and
physically capable for the trek (14 if the course is less strenuous).
During the trek, 5 leadership skills, called Commissions, will be
taught. The intent is to teach thru experience, instead of classroom
lectures.
The Commissions are: Effective Teams, Values/Vision, Communication, Decision-Making, and Planning.
Despite its name, the course is not based on the Stephen Covey book of the same name. It is a combination of leadership skills that can be found in many leadership development courses.
National NOLT:
2001 NoL Treks:
2002 NoL Treks:
2003 NoL Treks: Chisholm Trail (
No other National NOLTs are planned, as it's hoped that crews and local councils will organize their own Kodiak treks, with appropriate leadership.
Insignia
During the course, participants are given 5 wooden bear claws to represent the
five commissions. These they wear on a leather thong (either on a
necklace or on their leadership bag) as a reminder of the leadership skills
they learn during the course. They also are given a leather leadership
bag (available in mid-2006) to put various small reminder items given during
the course. On completion of the course,
they get a nice pocket medal (similar to the Powder Horn medal) to wear which
hangs from the left pocket flap. This was introduced late 2004. A
patch is also available. A staff item (a patch) is available for those
staff members who have themselves gone thru or taught all 5 commissions.
A certificate and leadership bag tag are also available.
The Kodiak Medal is a youth recognition item, and thus really only to be worn by youth. Adults may earn it, and are allowed to wear it during a course or before a course they are staffing to help promote it. The patch ideally should be worn on the left pocket, but some feel it a good alternative to wearing it on the left pocket. Wearing it above the right pocket, or on the sleeves of the Venturing shirt would be inappropriate.
|
Kodiak Medal |
Kodiak patch |
Kodiak Staff patch |
Literature
No literature apart from the course syllabus/staff guide exists. This
course syllabus is available from the Venturing Division to councils and crews
wanting to run the course. First draft edition was written by Dr. Dick Miller,
chairman of the Venturing Outdoor Committee and piloted at Philmont in summer
2000. In April 2001, a national taskforce revised Dr. Miller's first
syllabus into the second draft edition used for the formal courses in 2001
& 2002. Further work in September 2002 lead to the next edition,
which was further revised in March 2003, again in 2004 and 2006. A final revision appeared 2007 as a small,
spiral bound booklet.
First (Draft) Edition: Venturing Nature of Leadership Philmont Trek
Syllabus, 2000
Second (Draft) Edition: Venturing Nature of Leadership Trek 2001 Course
Syllabus, April 2001
Third Edition: Venturing Nature of Leadership Trek 2003 Course Syllabus,
September 2002
Fourth Edition: Venturing Nature of Leadership Trek 2003 Course
Syllabus, March 2003
Fifth Edition: Venturing Kodiak Course Syllabus, n.d. (Spring 2004)
Venturing Kodiak Syllabus (#34193) 2007, 152pg spiral bound |
NO PICTURE |
NOL III: Kodiak X
Overview
This course was developed as the next step beyond Kodiak. The
"X" can stand for eXtreme.
Program
This is a weekend course. It can be done in scout camp environment to
build on Kodiak. There will be two additional commissions beyond what is
taught in Kodiak: Evaluating Performance and Mentoring. This is a course to be presented at
the council level, and only by course directors who have completed a
Kodiak/Kodiak X Course Director Conference.
Insignia
Insignia was finally rolled out in early 2007, consisting of a medal, patch and
staff patch.
|
Kodiak X Medal |
Kodiak X Patch |
Kodiak X Staff Patch |
Literature
A course syllabus was developed. It was finally released in Fall, 2007.
First (Draft) Edition: Venturing Kodiak X Syllabus, Philmont classes, August 2004.
Venturing Kodiak X Syllabus (#34106) 2007, 94pg looseleaf |
 |
updated: 10/30/2009mrb