Group Dynamics and Management
Picture this: It’s the end of the school day, you’ve gathered up your troop and ushered them to your meeting space. You have some troop business to cover, a fun activity planned, and a healthy snack to round it out. You have about an hour and a half with your Girl Scouts until their families come to pick them up—it’s a bit of a tight squeeze to get everything done, but still seems doable so long as everyone stays on task. You start off with an icebreaker, but then things start to go off the rails. Girl Scouts aren’t listening, supplies are flying all over the place, and some troop members begin bickering. Timeout! How do we get back on track? Good thing you have some group management tricks up your sleeve—let’s explore.
Group Management 101 
Create a Troop Agreement
You’ve probably heard it a million times before: The best way to manage behavior is by setting clear expectations. That’s because it works! Research shows that this is one of the best tools we can use as troop leaders (and parents) to help kids understand how they’re expected to behave, and what will happen if they don’t follow through. When you’re upfront about what is and isn’t acceptable, everyone is working from a shared and common language. The rules for one Girl Scout are the same as the rules for another.
We recommend that troops draft a troop agreement (check out the guide below) during the initial meeting, but it’s never too late to make one. Remember that this agreement is for the troop, so it should also be created by the troop. Phrase rules in a language that everyone understands. Some Daisies might pipe up, “In our troop, we should respect each other,” but then stare at you blankly when you ask them what the word “respect” actually means. Instead, break down vague concepts into concrete actions. For example, instead of “We should respect each other,” Girl Scouts can agree to “Take turns talking.”
Post your troop agreement in a prominent place and take a few moments at the start of each meeting to review the house rules with your troop. This is a helpful tool to continue using while meeting with your troop. “In our agreement, we said we’d take turns talking, but everyone is talking over each other. Let’s keep that rule in mind.” It’s okay to have to refer back to the troop agreement often, especially early on in your troop. They’ll start to get used to and learn those expectations at troop meetings!
Set a Routine
Though it may not seem like it, kids thrive on routine. Think about a regular work day for yourself—you know when you have to leave the house, what you need to bring with you, and what tasks you need to complete once you get to your workplace. Generally knowing what happens next frees up mental space to think about other things, which lets your creativity and problem-solving skills soar! Children are the same way. A routine gives them a sense of security, and an added bonus, also cuts down on how often you have to answer when snack time is.
At the beginning of your troop meeting or field trip, share a rundown of that day’s activities (e.g., reciting the Girl Scout Promise and Law, badge activity, snack, then closing with a friendship circle). Of course, things will not always run on schedule, so flexibility is key. The activities might go past the allotted fifteen minutes, but your troop will still be comforted from meetings that follow a general structure.
Get Their Attention
When things get a little too noisy or you need to transition to another activity, use an attention-getter to re-center and refocus Girl Scouts. The Girl Scout Quiet Sign is a common and useful attention-getter, but like the troop agreement, work together to come up with one or two attention-getters that Girl Scouts will understand means that it’s time to listen.
Here are a few examples your troop could use:
Troop leader says: “One, two, three, eyes on me!”
Girl Scouts respond: “One, two, eyes on you!”
Troop leader says: “Mac and cheese!”
Girl Scouts respond: “Everybody freeze!”
Troop leader says: “Waterfall!”
Girl Scouts respond: “SHHHH!”
Sometimes It Just Doesn’t Work
Troop agreement? Check. Schedule? Check. Refocusing tool? Check. Chaos? Check. Sometimes, despite your best efforts and preventative measures, things will still go awry. That’s okay! There will be meetings where the stars align and there will be times when you leave the meeting space and think, “I survived.” Sometimes, you just have to embrace the fact that your troop (especially younger troops) have a lot of energy and shorter attention spans! Group management will get easier and easier as your troop progresses through their Girl Scout journey.
Your Girl Scouts will likely not notice or remember that things didn’t work out perfectly—but they will remember that you tried, that you showed up, and that you were there for them. In the end, that’s what matters most.
How to Create a Troop Agreement
This short guide is meant to support you in facilitating a discussion with your troop about creating a troop behavioral agreement. Creating a troop agreement is a great way to establish clear expectations for your Girl Scouts during meetings and activities.
Step 1 – What is a troop agreement?
- Share with the Girl Scouts that a troop agreement is a document, created together by the troop with guidelines for behavior that every troop member agrees to follow.
- Share that a troop agreement helps to make sure everyone can feel safe, respected, and included at Girl Scouts.
- A new troop agreement can be created each year as a way to incorporate new members and allow for growth and development.
Step 2 – Review the Girl Scout Promise & Law
- Review the Girl Scout Promise & Law
- Ask the Girl Scouts what words or phrases they like in the Promise & Law? What does it look like to be friendly, helpful, or considerate? How does it feel when someone is friendly, helpful, or respectful to you?
Step 3 – Brainstorm Ideas
- Ask the Girl Scouts to give examples on how they should behave at troop meetings.
- Talk about what it means to treat others how they would like to be treated. What does that saying mean? How should Girl Scouts treat others at troop meetings?
- Brainstorm ideas for your troop agreement. Topics could be related to your meeting space, materials, how to treat others, arriving/leaving, or others. Each Girl Scout should have a chance to share their thoughts.
- As a troop, choose at least five items for your final troop agreement. Examples include:
- Live by the Girl Scout Law
- Work together
- Be a friend, not a bully
- Support one another
- Treat adults and guests with respect
- Leave the space cleaner than you found it
- Be a good listener and don’t interrupt
Step 4 – Create a Troop Agreement Poster
- Use poster board and other art supplies to create your troop agreement poster.
- Girl Scouts can work as a group or take turns writing each agreement on the poster.
- Optional: decorate the poster with stickers, drawings, or other craft supplies.
Step 5 – Sign the Troop Agreement Poster
- Once the poster is completed, review the consequences for breaking the agreement, based on a Code of Conduct or decide on consequences on your own.
- Have each Girl Scout sign their name on the troop agreement poster.
- Display the poster at your troop meetings to remind Girl Scouts of the agreement they created together.
Teaching and Communicating with Girl Scouts
As a troop leader, you probably don’t have a ton of experience teaching Girl Scouts and leading them through activities. No worries! We’ve included our top tips for communicating with and teaching Girl Scouts.
Listen to Understand, Not to Reply
Giving a Girl Scout your full attention shows them that you care about what they are thinking and what they have to say. Hearing what’s being said is just part of the equation though—if you find yourself formulating a response or a bit of advice to give while they’re still talking, then you’re not fully listening.
When it seems like they’re done talking, instead of immediately trying to problem solve, paraphrase what was just said (and any emotions they might have been conveying). Give her a chance to correct you if your observations aren’t quite right.
Monitor Your Tone
You’ve heard it before—it’s not what you say; it’s how you say it. The same words can have completely different meanings if they’re said sarcastically, or if they’re spoken in a warm and friendly manner. This might be hard, especially if you’re talking to a Girl Scout who shares some information that you might not agree with—or approve of. Take a deep breath before you reply. Speaking with a civil and reasonable tone will help you be heard and keep the channels of communication open—much more so than saying something in annoyance or irritation.
Keep It Simple
When you’re making a request, keep it brief. Young kids especially can become overwhelmed if they’re given too many directions at once. If you have multiple instructions, break them into chunks, and dole them out step-by-step.
Be On Their Side
If your troop thinks that you’ll only listen to them or offer support if they’re “good,” then Girl Scouts might be less likely to go to you if there is a major problem or they feel like they really messed up. But you can disapprove of someone’s actions or decisions and still want to work with them to find a resolution. After all, respect is a two-way street. You want your troop to respect and listen to you—but they also want you to respect them and feel like they’re worthy of being heard.
Speak It, Show It, Do It
When you give your instructions in a variety of ways, you’re helping all of the different types of learners that may be in your troop. First, you’re benefitting auditory learners when you talk through the instructions. Next, you help out the visual leaners when you actively show how to complete an activity. Then, hands-on learners benefit when you go through and complete steps with the troop.
Tips on Leading a Larger Troop
There’s nothing like the sounds of a gaggle of Girl Scouts as they work together on a badge, venture out on a field trip, or sing “Make New Friends”. Leading a large troop can seem overwhelming, but with a few tips and tricks, it can be very successful.
Divvy Up Duties
Having several dedicated volunteers as part of your troop helps things run smoothly. Volunteers should meet a few times throughout the year to discuss upcoming meeting plans and activities. You can use that time to assign a task to each volunteer before the troop meetings, so they know what their responsibilities are before each meeting. Some of these tasks include leading a badge activity station, taking photographs, and helping serve snacks. By sharing this information ahead of time, our troop volunteers can prepare themselves and feel more confident in their role when they arrive at the meeting. You can also use the Family Interest Survey to gather information about how families can help out the troop in one place.
Role Call
Every troop has two leaders, but there are plenty of other volunteer positions that families can help with. Below are just a few examples of other volunteer positions that will benefit your troop.
- Troop treasurer: This volunteer makes sure dues and payments are collected at meetings. They also manage the troop checking account and share the troop balance with Girl Scouts and parents.
- Communication person: This volunteer shares important information like reminders about upcoming meetings and field trips with families.
- Troop cookie manager: This volunteer manages the cookie program and conducts a family meeting before the start of cookie sales, so everyone understands their roles and responsibilities during the cookie season. Troop cookie managers also receive additional training so they can be an expert on all things cookies.
We recommend starting to recruit troop volunteers right away at your first family meeting!
Use the Patrol System
Patrols are small groups of Girl Scouts that work together during part of a meeting. Breaking the troop into patrol groups of 5–8 Girl Scouts makes it easier for them to work on badge steps. Each patrol can also help plan an activity or badge to share and teach the rest of the group. This is a great way for Girl Scouts to start building their leadership skills. You can have the Girl Scouts be in the same patrol group all year or switch up the groups 2–3 times throughout the year so Girl Scouts have a chance to work with everyone.
Working in small groups also means troops don’t need to have enough supplies for every individual. Purchasing 30 pairs of scissors gets expensive! Since the patrol groups rotate through the activity stations, you’ll need fewer sets of supplies. During a troop meeting, patrols can rotate through a badge activity station every 15–20 minutes so everyone participates in each activity. It’s also helpful to have a few volunteers stationed at each activity to help the Girl Scouts complete it.
Communication is Key
With a large troop, it’s important to communicate well and often with families. There are a few different ways you can send out information. Private troop Facebook pages are great to share troop meetings and post pictures after the meeting. Rallyhood sites function in a similar manner. You can also email and text parents with meeting or activity reminders. After each troop meeting, you may choose to send an email recap to parents to let them know what everyone did at the meeting, and any steps Girl Scouts need to complete before the next meeting. These meeting recaps are also nice for Girl Scouts who couldn’t attend, so they know what they need to do or make up if they want to earn that badge on their own. Spend some time figuring out what works best for the families in your troop and for you!
