Running a Patrol Leaders’ Council (PLC) meeting is one of the most important responsibilities for any Scout leader. When done well, a PLC meeting helps your troop stay organized, plan exciting activities, and give every Scout a voice in how things are run. Whether you’re a new Senior Patrol Leader or a Patrol Leader stepping up for the first time, learning how to run a PLC meeting will help you build confidence, teamwork, and real leadership skills.
In this guide, you’ll find a clear, step-by-step approach to running a successful PLC meeting. You’ll learn about the roles involved, how to set an agenda, and proven tips for keeping things on track. By the end, you’ll be ready to lead your troop’s PLC with purpose and make every meeting count.
What Is a PLC Meeting and Who Attends?
A Patrol Leaders’ Council (PLC) meeting is the command center of your troop’s youth leadership. Think of it as the monthly gathering where the real decisions get made about what your troop will do, when you’ll do it, and how it’ll all come together. This is where Scouts take ownership of their program and learn to lead by actually leading.
The PLC brings together your troop’s key youth leaders in one room. The Senior Patrol Leader (SPL) runs the show, setting the agenda and keeping everyone focused on the big picture. The Assistant SPL backs them up and often handles specific planning tasks. Each Patrol Leader represents their patrol’s interests and brings feedback from their members about what’s working and what isn’t.
Your Troop Scribe plays a crucial role by keeping detailed records of attendance and decisions made during PLC meetings. Other youth leaders like the Troop Guide, Quartermaster, or Librarian might join when their expertise is needed for specific planning topics. The Scoutmaster attends as an advisor. They’re there to offer guidance and ensure safety standards are met, but they don’t run the meeting or make the final calls.
To see how a real PLC meeting flows from start to finish, this demonstration walks through the key roles and agenda items that make these meetings effective:
The video shows how patrol leaders work as a team to cover all aspects of troop operations (0:14), use structured planning tools to prepare meeting agendas (0:45), and ensure the full scouting program gets delivered through collaborative leadership (1:32). You’ll notice how the youth leaders take charge while the adult advisor provides support without taking over.
Most troops schedule their PLC meetings monthly, usually a week or two before the regular troop meeting. This timing gives the youth leaders enough time to plan upcoming activities, review how recent events went, and make any necessary adjustments to the program. The PLC is responsible for the monthly planning that keeps your troop’s program running smoothly.
What makes PLC meetings different from regular troop meetings is the level of responsibility and decision-making power. Here, patrol leaders create the plans that everyone else will follow. They decide which merit badge classes to offer, plan the details of upcoming campouts, and solve problems that come up between meetings. This is where you learn that leadership isn’t about having all the answers, but about bringing people together to find solutions.
Setting Up for Success: Preparation and Structure
The difference between a productive PLC meeting and one that drags on without accomplishing much comes down to preparation. A well-structured meeting with clear expectations keeps everyone engaged and ensures important decisions actually get made. The Senior Patrol Leader who shows up with a plan demonstrates leadership that other Scouts will respect and follow.
Choosing the Right Time and Place
Location matters more than most Scouts realize. Hold meetings in a quiet, distraction-free space where everyone can focus on the business at hand. Arrange seating so everyone can see and hear each other clearly. This simple step prevents side conversations and keeps the group connected to what’s happening.
Timing your PLC meeting strategically makes a huge difference in attendance and energy levels. Schedule meetings when your key leaders can actually show up, not just when it’s convenient for adults. Many troops find success meeting 30 minutes before regular troop meetings or on a weekend morning when Scouts are fresh and focused.
Creating and Sharing the Agenda
A standard agenda keeps meetings focused and fair by giving everyone a clear roadmap of what needs to happen. Share the agenda in advance so patrol leaders can come prepared with updates from their patrols and any concerns they need to raise. This preparation transforms a meeting from a casual chat into a productive planning session.
The agenda also serves as a leadership tool for the SPL. When discussions start wandering off topic, the agenda provides a gentle way to redirect: “That’s a great point. Let’s add it to new business and finish up patrol reports first.” This approach keeps things moving without shutting anyone down.
| Agenda Item | Who Leads | Purpose |
|---|---|---|
| Opening & Call to Order | Senior Patrol Leader | Start meeting, set tone |
| Roll Call & Minutes | Scribe | Confirm attendance, review last meeting |
| Patrol Reports | Patrol Leaders | Share updates, concerns, ideas |
| Old Business | SPL | Finish unresolved topics |
| Main Event Planning | SPL | Plan upcoming meetings, outings |
| New Business | SPL | Address new topics or proposals |
| Scoutmaster’s Minute | Scoutmaster | Share guidance and encouragement |
| Review & Closing | SPL | Summarize, assign tasks, adjourn |
Successful SPLs bring both a printed agenda and a timer to help keep the meeting moving. Most Scouts don’t realize how quickly time can slip away during open discussion, especially when planning exciting activities like camping trips. Setting time limits for each agenda item, and actually sticking to them, shows respect for everyone’s time and keeps the energy high.
Mastering PLC meetings requires understanding the relationship between your preparation (input) and the meeting’s effectiveness (output). If meetings consistently run long or fail to make decisions, change how you prepare beforehand. Better preparation creates better meetings, which creates better troop programs that Scouts actually want to participate in.
Running the PLC Meeting: Step by Step
Running an effective Patrol Leaders’ Council meeting requires a clear structure and disciplined execution. The key to success lies in following a proven sequence that keeps everyone engaged while accomplishing real work. Each step serves a specific purpose in building your troop’s program and developing leadership skills.
1. Opening and Roll Call
The Senior Patrol Leader calls the meeting to order with a clear, confident voice. This moment sets the tone for everything that follows. Start strong, and everyone will take the meeting seriously. The scribe immediately takes attendance and reads the minutes from the previous meeting, ensuring continuity and accountability.
Make sure the scribe reads action items from last time first. This creates immediate focus on follow-through and shows that commitments made in PLC meetings actually matter. If someone didn’t complete their assigned task, address it quickly and reassign if necessary.
2. Patrol Reports
Each Patrol Leader shares updates, concerns, and suggestions from their patrol in a brief, focused report. This is where the real pulse of your troop emerges: what’s working, what’s not, and what your Scouts actually want to do. Encourage patrol leaders to come prepared with specific information rather than vague updates.
Keep these reports moving by setting a two-minute limit per patrol. Ask patrol leaders to focus on three key areas: recent patrol activities, upcoming needs or concerns, and suggestions for troop activities. This structure prevents rambling while ensuring important information gets shared.
3. Old and Unfinished Business
Review tasks or issues from previous meetings systematically. Go through each item and decide what needs follow-up, what can be closed, and what requires additional action. This step builds trust in the PLC process because Scouts see that their decisions lead to actual results.
Don’t let old business drag on forever. If an item has been on the agenda for three meetings without progress, either assign it to a specific person with a deadline or remove it entirely. Sometimes the best decision is recognizing that an idea isn’t worth pursuing.
4. Planning Troop Activities
This is the heart of your PLC meeting: planning troop meetings, outings, service projects, and special events. Use planning worksheets or structured tools to assign responsibilities evenly across patrol leaders and ensure nothing falls through the cracks. Cover skills instruction for all age groups, from new Scouts learning basic knots to older Scouts working on advanced wilderness skills.
Effective planning means thinking three months ahead while focusing on the next month’s details. Discuss broad themes and major events for the quarter, then drill down into specific meeting plans, required materials, and individual assignments for upcoming activities.
The EDGE method (Explain, Demonstrate, Guide, Enable) should guide how you approach skills instruction planning. When assigning someone to teach a skill, make sure they understand they need to explain the concept clearly, demonstrate the technique, guide Scouts through practice, and then enable independent mastery.
For a comprehensive tutorial on using planning worksheets and implementing the EDGE method effectively in your troop meeting planning, watch this detailed video:
This video breaks down the four-step EDGE process with practical examples you can apply immediately. Key sections include the explanation phase (0:07), the critical guiding step that takes the most time (0:49), and the final enabling phase where Scouts demonstrate independent mastery (1:02).
5. New Business and Announcements
Discuss new ideas, proposals, or challenges that have emerged since your last meeting. Make sure everyone has a chance to contribute, but keep the discussion focused and productive. New business should generate specific action items, not endless debate.
If a topic requires extensive discussion, consider forming a small committee to research options and report back at the next meeting. This keeps your main PLC meeting moving while ensuring important issues get proper attention.
6. Scoutmaster’s Minute and Closing
The Scoutmaster offers a brief reflection or piece of advice related to the meeting’s discussions or broader leadership principles. This isn’t a lecture but a moment of wisdom from someone with experience who wants to help you succeed.
The SPL then reviews all action items clearly, confirms who’s responsible for what, and sets the date for the next meeting before adjourning. This final step transforms your meeting from a discussion into a plan with real accountability.
After each PLC meeting, develop the habit of conducting a quick personal audit. Ask yourself: “Did I lead this meeting well? How could I have kept things more focused? What will I do differently next time?” This simple reflection practice turns every meeting into a leadership learning opportunity and accelerates your growth as a leader.
Remember that effective PLC meetings create momentum for your entire troop program. When patrol leaders leave feeling informed, empowered, and clear about their responsibilities, that energy flows directly to their patrols and transforms the quality of your regular troop meetings.
Tips for Leading a Productive PLC Meeting
Running an effective PLC meeting requires discipline, preparation, and smart time management. Successful SPLs understand that a productive meeting is about creating an environment where every patrol leader feels heard and leaves with clear action steps.
Start and end on time, keeping meetings between 60 to 90 minutes. This timeframe gives you enough room to cover essential business without losing focus or energy. When meetings drag on, participation drops and important decisions get rushed at the end. Set a clear start time and stick to it, even if someone arrives late.
Keep discussions focused by tabling lengthy debates for later discussion. If a topic is taking too long, ask the group if it can be assigned to a smaller committee or handled outside the meeting. This keeps the main meeting focused and efficient while ensuring important issues still get the attention they deserve.
Use the EDGE method (Explain, Demonstrate, Guide, Enable) to train and guide new leaders during the meeting. When a newer patrol leader seems uncertain about a responsibility, take a moment to explain the task, show them how it’s done, guide them through it once, then enable them to handle it independently. This builds confidence and competence simultaneously.
Rotate meeting responsibilities so everyone gains valuable leadership experience. Don’t let the same patrol leader always give the first report or handle the same tasks. Mix up who takes notes, who presents new business, and who leads different discussions. This prevents any one person from becoming too comfortable in a single role while developing everyone’s skills.
Encourage respectful listening and active participation from all patrol leaders. Create space for quieter members to contribute by directly asking for their input on topics that affect their patrols. When someone is speaking, make sure others aren’t having side conversations or checking their phones. Model the listening behavior you want to see.
Effective PLC meetings balance efficiency with inclusivity. You want to cover necessary business quickly, but not so fast that patrol leaders feel rushed or unheard. Remember that these meetings are training grounds for future leadership. The skills your patrol leaders develop here will serve them well beyond Scouting.
Quick Takeaways
- The Senior Patrol Leader leads the PLC meeting with a clear agenda and shared responsibilities. As the elected leader of the troop, the SPL prepares the agenda ahead of time, often with input from other youth leaders and guidance from the Scoutmaster. This preparation ensures that meeting time is used effectively and that all patrol leaders come ready to contribute.
- Meetings should be structured, inclusive, and focused on planning troop activities. Successful PLC meetings follow a consistent format that allows every patrol leader to give their report, share ideas, and participate in decision-making. When every voice is heard and respected, the entire troop benefits from better planning and stronger buy-in from all patrols.
- Preparation and time management are key to success. Effective SPLs know that a 60 to 90-minute meeting requires advance planning to stay on track. They prepare materials, review the previous meeting’s action items, and think through potential discussion points before the meeting starts. This groundwork makes the difference between a productive planning session and a frustrating waste of time.
- Use worksheets and the EDGE method to build leadership skills throughout the meeting. The EDGE method (Explain, Demonstrate, Guide, Enable) isn’t just for teaching knots or camping skills; it’s a powerful tool for developing other youth leaders during PLC meetings. When training new patrol leaders or introducing new planning processes, experienced leaders can use EDGE to ensure everyone understands their role and responsibilities.
- The Scoutmaster provides guidance but lets youth lead. Adult leaders attend PLC meetings as advisors, offering wisdom when asked and ensuring the troop’s safety standards are met. However, the meeting belongs to the youth leaders, and the SPL runs the show. This balance between guidance and independence helps develop real leadership skills that Scouts will use long after they leave the troop.
- To master effective PLC leadership, focus on the specific actions that create successful meetings. If meetings run too long or get off track, work on better preparation, stricter time limits, or clearer agendas. The relationship between your preparation efforts and meeting outcomes is straightforward: better inputs create better results.
Frequently Asked Questions
How often should a PLC meet?
Most troops hold PLC meetings once a month, but some meet more often if needed. According to official BSA guidance, the patrol leaders council should meet monthly and at other times when necessary. Many successful troops also hold brief PLC check-ins after regular troop meetings to handle urgent planning items.
Consistency is more important than frequency. A troop that meets monthly and sticks to it will accomplish more than one that plans weekly meetings but cancels half of them. Your troop’s activity level and complexity should guide the schedule. Troops with frequent campouts or service projects might benefit from bi-weekly meetings during busy seasons.
Who sets the agenda for the PLC meeting?
The Senior Patrol Leader prepares the agenda, often with input from other leaders and the Scoutmaster. This responsibility belongs squarely with the SPL as the elected youth leader of the troop. However, smart SPLs gather agenda items from patrol leaders, the assistant senior patrol leader, and other youth leaders before each meeting.
The Scoutmaster should provide guidance on must-discuss items like safety concerns or upcoming district events, but the SPL controls the final agenda. This ownership teaches real leadership skills, such as learning to balance competing priorities, manage time, and keep meetings productive. When SPLs struggle with agenda-setting, it’s often because they need better input-gathering systems, not because adults should take over.
How long should a PLC meeting last?
Aim for 60 to 90 minutes, depending on the amount of planning needed. Research from active troops shows this timeframe allows thorough discussion without losing youth attention. Meetings shorter than an hour often feel rushed and leave important items unfinished. Sessions longer than 90 minutes typically see participation drop off as Scouts get restless.
Effective PLC meetings use time blocks: 15 minutes for patrol reports, 30-45 minutes for planning upcoming activities, 15-20 minutes for problem-solving, and 10 minutes for assignments and next steps. When meetings consistently run long, the issue is usually poor agenda management, not insufficient time.
| Meeting Length | Best For | Typical Agenda Items |
|---|---|---|
| 45-60 minutes | Routine monthly planning | Patrol reports, next meeting planning, brief updates |
| 60-75 minutes | Standard monthly meeting | Full agenda with activity planning and problem-solving |
| 75-90 minutes | Heavy planning periods | Summer camp prep, major events, leadership changes |
What if a Patrol Leader can’t attend?
A designated assistant or another patrol member should attend and give the report. Every patrol needs a backup system for PLC representation. The most common approach is having the assistant patrol leader step in, but some patrols rotate this responsibility among experienced members.
The substitute should come prepared with the patrol’s input on upcoming activities, any concerns to raise, and the ability to make decisions for their patrol. The representative needs real authority to speak for their patrol. When patrols consistently send unprepared substitutes, it usually means the patrol leader isn’t properly briefing their backup or the patrol isn’t taking PLC participation seriously.
Can adults participate in the PLC meeting?
Adults, especially the Scoutmaster, attend as advisors, but the meeting is youth-led with adults offering guidance when needed. The general principle is that any adult leader can observe scout activities, but contributions to PLC discussions happen at the SPL’s discretion.
The Scoutmaster’s role is to ensure safety standards are met, BSA policies are followed, and chartered organization requirements are addressed. Beyond these non-negotiables, adults should resist the urge to jump in with solutions. The goal is developing youth leadership skills, which requires letting Scouts work through challenges themselves, even when adults could solve problems faster.
Other adult leaders, including assistant scoutmasters, committee members, or parents, should generally observe rather than participate unless specifically invited by the youth leaders. When adults dominate PLC discussions, Scouts quickly learn to sit back and let the grown-ups handle everything, which defeats the entire purpose of youth leadership development.
Effective adult advisors ask questions rather than give answers: “What do you think might happen if…?” or “How could your patrol handle that differently?” This approach helps Scouts think through problems while maintaining their ownership of decisions and solutions.
