I receive a newsletter from the Independent Educational Consultants Association (consultants who help coach families on selective college admission.) This month's newsletter included a full-page ad touting the Girl Scouts Gold Award and how "Girl Scouts add Gold to a college campus."
I doubt you would ever see such an advertisement for the Boy Scouts. The Girl Scout Gold Award is the highest achievement in scouting, yet it does not have the anywhere near the status or recognition that the parallel award has for the boys.
When I say "Boy Scout", many people think "Eagle Scout", but when I say "Girl Scout", most people think "cookies". What is unfortunate is that they think "cookies" as in home economics, rather than as in big business. The Girl Scout Cookie Sale markets, sells and delivers nearly 200 million boxes of cookies each year and has net proceeds of about $700 million. Girls are involved in developing incentive programs, financial management, resource allocation strategies and planning. Each year in a Council, girls gain experience and growing levels of leadership in managing a complex business operation.
The Girl Scout organization calls the Cookie Program "America's leading business and economic literacy activity run for and by girls." But they don't sell it that way. Personally, I think it is time that the girls stop wearing cute little cookie costumes outside the grocery store and start sharing the seriousness of their enterprise along with the Thin Mints.
One of the greatest gifts you can give your employees is to help them articulate their value. Take a moment to help people reflect on what they are adding to your organization and how they are growing because of it. The intrinsic feeling of learning valuable skills is delicious.
-- beth triplett
leadershipdots.blogspot.com
@leadershipdots
leadershipdots@gmail.com
Source: www.girlscouts.org/news/news_releases/2007/2007_cookie_report.pdf
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