From a Parent,
Respect everyone you meet. They deserve it. Be nice to everyone you meet. You will have to work with some of them in the future. Again.
People (of all ages) know when they've messed up. No point in haranguing anyone. Ever. Support is better. Scouting allows for making mistakes in a safe environment.
Tell the truth, if you can. It simplifies things, and it's easier to remember what you said. Not every one tells the truth. Some people just can't be truthful to you. Try to figure out why. Not everyone tells you the whole story. Sometimes it's just too embarrassing to tell you. Figure that one out, too.
Training isn't everything. But it's way ahead of what's in second place for developing lasting values and standards. Every youth deserves trained adult and youth leaders. The best investment for your group/department/team is investing in training. Works for family members, too. At any age. The training I've taken and given as an adult scouter has had multiple, profound positive effects on my personal life, my professional career and all my other volunteer activities. Use everything you know in whatever you do, and learn more if you need to. Age has nothing to do with learning.
Celebrate success. Everyone likes recognition. Congratulate others on their successes. Parties are good. “Team building” events work great – if they are sincere.
Read this carefully: you need those you lead a lot more than they need you. If the team you lead is successful you, too, will be recognized as successful. There is NO exception to this rule, or its corollary: no matter how great your leadership skills, you can NOT succeed unless your team succeeds. Consider what success is for a college football head coach. Understand what organizational passive-aggressive behavior is. The group you lead can suffer from its dire consequences. “Back to basics” is the only cure.
Scouting is one of the few youth activities which provides interaction between adults and youth of many different chronological ages. It’s just like real life, and is a great experience for everyone involved. Scouting is a game played by adults and youth, often in uniforms, with a purpose: to produce adults capable of making ethical life decisions. But never forget Scouting is a game. It's supposed to be fun for everyone, especially adults. KISMIF: Keep It Simple, Make It Fun.
Adult leaders must set good examples. You are always, always setting an example, so let it be a good one. You are being watched, even when you don't think you are. Be humble. Hubris is not admirable. Know when to give in, even if you’re absolutely, unquestionably “right”.
Be grateful for the Scouting Movement and its value to our youth. You yourself have certainly redirected young men and women who otherwise were on the way to losing themselves. And you will never know who they were.
If you're an Eagle Scout, flaunt it. There are many good reasons for doing this. Not the least of which it is good PR for the Movement. Yes, there is good PR).
Promise less, but deliver more. The nice way to say this is “exceed expectations”. That way others (and you) will not be disappointed. Set realistic goals: things start later, take longer, and consume more resources, people, and funding than originally planned. So what else is new?
Being a parent is a lifetime sentence – and that’s a good thing.