# Leadership Beyond Scouting Part of the Citizenship in Society Merit Badge Digital Resource Guide: [Introduction & Overview](https://merit-badge.university/merit-badges/citizenship-in-society/guide/index.md) *9. Leading Beyond Scouting* > **9.** Document and discuss with your counselor three or more areas in your life outside of Scouting where you feel you can actively provide stronger leadership in: > **9a.** Making others feel included. > **9b.** Practicing active listening. > **9c.** Creating an environment where others feel comfortable to share their ideas and perspectives. > **9d.** Helping others feel valued for their input and suggestions. > **9e.** Standing up for others. Everything you have learned so far in this badge — the terms, the ethical decisions, the scenarios, the conversations — leads to this question: *Where will you lead?* This requirement asks you to look beyond your Scout uniform and into the rest of your life. School, home, sports, clubs, work, your neighborhood — these are all places where you can practice the same leadership skills you have been developing throughout this badge. ### The Five Leadership Skills The requirement lists five specific skills. Let's look at each one and what it looks like in practice outside of Scouting. ## Requirement 9a: Making Others Feel Included #### Making Others Feel Included Inclusion is an action, not a feeling. It means deliberately reaching out to people who might otherwise be left on the outside. **At school:** Invite someone who is eating alone to sit with you. Include a classmate who is new or quiet in a group project. Notice who is missing from activities and find out why. **On your sports team or club:** Make sure new members are introduced to everyone. Rotate partners or groups so people are not stuck in the same cliques. **At home:** Include younger siblings in activities when they want to participate. Make room at the table for guests. ## Requirement 9b: Practicing Active Listening #### Practicing Active Listening Active listening means giving someone your full attention when they speak — not just hearing words, but understanding what the person is really saying. **What active listening looks like:** - Put your phone down and make eye contact - Let the person finish their thought before you respond - Ask follow-up questions: "What happened next?" or "How did that make you feel?" - Repeat back what you heard to make sure you understood: "So what you're saying is..." - Resist the urge to jump in with your own story or advice > **Did You Know?** > > Most people listen to respond, not to understand. Research shows that the average person remembers only about 25% of what they hear. Active listening is a skill that takes practice, but it dramatically improves your relationships and your ability to lead. ![Two young people sitting face-to-face, one speaking and the other listening attentively with engaged body language](https://ik.imagekit.io/doulacoop/tr:w-800/mbu-assets/merit-badges/citizenship-in-society/guide/active-listening-pair?v=8f9b81dc) ## Requirement 9c: Creating a Comfortable Environment for Sharing #### Creating a Comfortable Environment for Sharing This is about psychological safety — making it clear that people's ideas will be respected, not ridiculed. When people feel safe sharing, you get better ideas, stronger teams, and deeper friendships. **Practical actions:** - When someone shares an idea, respond with curiosity, not judgment: "That's interesting — tell me more" instead of "That won't work." - If someone's idea gets shut down unfairly, bring it back: "Wait, I want to hear more about what Alex was saying." - Set ground rules in group settings: no interrupting, no laughing at ideas, every suggestion gets heard. ## Requirement 9d: Helping Others Feel Valued #### Helping Others Feel Valued People need to know that their contributions matter. When someone takes a risk and shares a thought, how you respond determines whether they will ever speak up again. **Ways to show value:** - Say thank you. "Thanks for bringing that up — I hadn't thought of that." - Give credit. When an idea works, make sure the person who suggested it gets recognized. - Follow through. If someone gives you a suggestion, act on it — or explain why you went a different direction. > **Tip** > > Recognition does not have to be a big production. A simple "Good idea" or "I'm glad you said something" can make someone feel like they truly belong. ## Requirement 9e: Standing Up for Others #### Standing Up for Others You have explored being an upstander throughout this badge. Now, identify specific places in your life where you can commit to standing up — and what that might look like. **At school:** Speak up when you hear someone being teased, excluded, or talked about behind their back. **Online:** Report cyberbullying, refuse to share hurtful posts, and support people who are being targeted. **At work:** If you see a coworker being treated unfairly, say something to a supervisor or support the person directly. > **Be Prepared! What If No One Supports You When You Stand Up?** > > Sometimes you stand up for someone and nobody backs you up. That can feel lonely and discouraging. > > - **Step one**: Remember that doing the right thing does not require an audience. One voice can change the moment. > - **Step two**: Talk to a trusted adult about what happened. They can help you process it and decide next steps. > - **Step three**: Do not give up. The first person to speak up is always the bravest — others may follow next time. > - **Step four**: Find your allies. Look for other people who share your values and build a support network. ### Documenting Your Three Areas The requirement asks you to choose **three or more** areas of your life outside Scouting where you can strengthen your leadership. For each area, write down: 1. **The setting:** Where is it? (school, home, team, job, community) 2. **The skills you will focus on:** Which of the five skills above apply most? 3. **Specific actions you will take:** What will you actually *do* differently? 4. **How you will measure progress:** How will you know if you are making a difference? [Greater Good Science Center — Active Listening](https://greatergood.berkeley.edu/): Research-based resources from UC Berkeley on empathy, active listening, and building stronger relationships. --- Leadership is not a title — it is a daily practice. The five skills in this requirement are tools you can use in every part of your life, starting today. --- - Previous: [A Positive Turning Point](https://merit-badge.university/merit-badges/citizenship-in-society/guide/req8/index.md) - Next: [Stereotypes & Individuality](https://merit-badge.university/merit-badges/citizenship-in-society/guide/req10/index.md)