Want to be a stronger leader? Ask any Arrowman who’s been to the National Leadership Seminar (NLS) – it’s the solution for you.

Get equipped for challenging roles at the forefront of units, chapters, and lodges with course material that complements other leadership development such as troop-level training, National Youth Leadership Training Course, and Wood Badge. From the National Order of the Arrow Chief Alex Call to your local lodge chief, many of Scouting’s top youth and adult leaders have picked up the skills they needed from this engaging seminar.

What happens at NLS?

The seminar begins on Friday evening (specific dates for your area are at the bottom of this post) and concludes with a luncheon early on Sunday afternoon.

At the start of the seminar, participants meet their table guide, who ensures each attendee’s understanding of the course. In fact, 2015 Order of the Arrow Western Region Chief Nathan Lee noted that his table guide, “not only encouraged me to keep going in the program but also truly served as a role model for my leadership efforts in the OA. This kind of mentoring has had a huge influence on me as a person and a leader.”

After meeting their table guides, participants jump right into learning the trade of a leader. Over the course of the evening these teams storm through the basics of leadership. The next morning they wake and do it all over again. Learning from the stories of true American leaders such as George Washington and Jim Lovell, NLS participants build an understanding of servant leadership. 

Sunday focuses on the application of these now fortified skills. At the close of this exciting weekend, participants seal their commitment in a contract to better lead and serve with the skills they gathered.

How can I attend NLS?

Arrowmen interested in attending the National Leadership Seminar should contact their local lodge leadership. Each of the four regions of the BSA are responsible for hosting three seminars per year, so finding an NLS near you at a convenient time isn’t difficult.

Participants in the NLS should be at least 15 years of age or a lodge officer. Having taken a Lodge Leadership Development (LLD) course will aid in participants’ understanding of the Order and will make the material easier to grasp. Additionally, adult Arrowmen (those 21 years of age and older) who have recently undertaken a supporting role as an adviser in the chapter or lodge are strongly encouraged to attend.

The OA offers plenty of opportunities for leadership development, and NLS is just one of the many paths to take. LLDs hosted by local lodges can provide a wealth of knowledge about OA programs and other local Scouting endeavors. Training sessions at the National Order of the Arrow Conference, a section conclave or a section training event provide Arrowmen with opportunities to see trainers outside of their lodge provide incredible information about lodge function and other ways to benefit Scouting and the local community. Lastly, but most importantly, the BSA provides many leadership development courses through the troop and council level to assist Scouts as well as the unit leaders who help them every day. For more information on all of these exceptional courses, you can visit the following websites:

For information on all trainings the OA has to offer, visit:

http://www.oa-bsa.org/pages/content/2015-training-opportunities

For information on the National Leadership Seminar (NLS):

Central Region – www.central.oa-bsa.org

October 9-11, 2015 – Camp Lake, WI

November 6-8, 2015 – Parkville, MO

Contact: Central Region Chief Joey Dierdorf

@OACentralChief | 2015chief@central.oa-bsa.org

Northeast Region – www.northeast.oa-bsa.org

November 13-15, 2015 – Alpine, NJ

Northeast Region Chief Matt Bell

@OANorthChief | 2015chief@northeast.oa-bsa.org

Southern Region – www.southern.oa-bsa.org

November 6-8, 2015 – Antioch, TN

Southern Region Chief Alexander Leach

@OASouthChief | 2015chief@southern.oa-bsa.org

Western Region – www.western.oa-bsa.org

October 9-11, 2015 – Larkspur, CO

November 20-22, 2015 – Seattle, WA

Western Region Chief Nathan Lee

@OAWestChief | 2015chief@western.oa-bsa.org

For more information on the Lodge Leadership Development (LLD) program visit:

http://lld.oa-bsa.org/2012/

For more information on conclave trainings visit: http://www.oa-bsa.org/pages/content/conclave-training-initiative

For more information on all BSA trainings visit:

http://www.scouting.org/Training.aspx