Boy Scout Rule

I enjoyed a lovely but tiresome hike last week. I went to Tenerife and hiked the GR-131 (Arona - La Esperanza), known as the Anaga-Chasna Nature Trail. You can check out the hike vlog here.

You need to sleep in a tent because there are not many, read almost none, hotels or pensions along the track. But there are not many official campsites along the track. Therefore, I had camp in the wild. Despite this, it is not allowed.

One golden rule when camping in the wild is the Boy Scout Rule: "Always leave the campground cleaner than you found it."

What does this mean? You take everything that you bring with you and also with you when you leave. You leave no plastic, food, clothes, or other things behind. What if you need to pee or even more? You don't need to take that with you, but you dig a hole for that. Look around when you go out in the forest and how many tissues you will see. A lot! It will take a few years before a tissue is completely decomposed!

But what about tangerine peels or the core of an apple? You take it with you. Tangerine peels will take at least a year to decompose!

You must take a bag or something to collect your trash while going wild camping. If there is already some trash on the site, you must take some or all of it. That is the price of camping in the wild. Living up to the Boy Scout Rule: "Always leave the campground cleaner than you found it."

How does this relate to your role as manager and leader?

When you are a manager or leader of a team or organization, it is your duty to help people improve. Every framework has at least one principle about continuous improvement. If not, I believe it is still your job to help people improve. In this case, the Boy Scout Rule is that you help the team improve in one or more areas. If you leave the team after some years or months, and the team has not improved, you do not live up to the Boy Scout Rule. That also requires the courage of you to look into the mirror and take responsibility when you see you can't live up to the Boy Scout Rule. There is no shame in acknowledging that you can't help a team improve. There is shame (IMO) in knowing you can't help the team to improve and reflect on your actions and behavior.

Have you ever entered a meeting room and found some dirty cups or a whiteboard that was not cleaned? I don't believe you if you say no 😀. What did you do? Did you clean up the cups and wipe the whiteboard clean? If not, why not? Remember the Boy Scout Rule! If so, perfect! It is about basic hygiene, IMO. However, I believe it is more. It is lead by example! If you, as a leader, show that dirty cups, etc., are not a good thing and you take action, you show the behavior that you expect. You show people that cleaning up other people's dirt is okay. Even making people aware that they need to clean their own dirt! However, leading by example is not just about keeping the office clean. It is also about behavior and living up to the organization's values. You should lead by example! You should make sure your behavior is aligned with the values. You should act as you expect other people to act. Why would other people do it if you don't show the correct behavior as a leader?

Be a hiker, live up to the Boy Scout Rule, and lead by example!