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:

NOL I: Venturing Leadership Skills Course

Overview
Venturing Leadership Skills Course was the initial leadership training for Venturers rolled out with the program.  Its 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 different topics, and is more in-line with current corporate leadership training then the items covered by JLTC or Wood Badge.

Insignia
In 2001, a new VLSC strip was released.  Similiar 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
Two releases of the VLSC course manual have been put out.  The second one adds a scenario and has some minor editing.

Venturing Leadership Skills Course (#34340)     1998 Printing      2000 Printing, #34340A looseleaf

  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 Yukon river.  Since the first run, plans for more NoL treks came in the summer of 2002 and 2003, several of which where run by local councils.  In the scheme of Venturer leadership development programs, Kodiak can be thought of as loosely equivalent to Council JLTC courses.   The course is intended to be run in the setting of a week-long or 2 weekends  high adventure trek or retreat. 

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 its 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.

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 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 a PTC course devoted to Kodiak & Kodiak-X.  It will be run again in Summer 2005.  One is also planned for Sea Base in February 2005.  I have been informed that courses must have a Course Director who has gone thru one of these CDC.

Program
Kodiak combines leadership development and service into a week-long high adventure trek.  The newest syllabus does now allow for a 2-weekend version of the course.  The Venturers must be atleast 16 years old and physically capable for the trek.  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: Philmont, Alaska (Yukon River)   Brochure With Images and Without. (both Word Docs)
2002 NoL Treks: High Desert Whitewater Trek (Oregon), Savannah Sea Kayaking, Alaska Wilderness Trek, Grand Teton Mountain Trek
2003 NoL Treks: Chisholm Trail (Texas), Adirondacks Canoe Trek, Linville Gorge Wilderness Area Trek (NC), Alaska Wilderness Trek

No other National NOLTs are planned, as its 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 as a reminder of the leadership skills they learn during the course.  On completion of the course, they get a nice pocket medal (similiar to the Powder Horn medal) to wear which hangs from the left pocket flap.  This was introduced late 2004.  Scan coming soon.  The design uses the above logo.  A patch is also planned.  A staff item (a patch) is planned for those staff members who have themselves gone thru or taugh all 5 commissions.  A certificate and leadership bag tag are also available.

Kodiak Medal(design)

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.

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)

NOL III: Kodiak X

Overview
This course is still being developed as the next step beyond Kodiak.  The "X" can stand for eXtreme or eXtra.  Time frame should be spring 2006 before we see it???

Program
This is a weekend course.  It should be done in a more extreme high adventure environment to build on Kodiak, but that's not clear.  There will be a two additional commissions beyond what is taught in Kodiak.  At this point, its planned that courses only be given by councils, not crews.

Insignia
Insignia is being developed.  No idea what form it will take.  Ideally they want something that will add on to the Kodiak medal.

Literature
A couse syllabus is being developed.  Have seen it.  It will be released in sometime in spring, 2006.

updated: 06/14/2005mrb