Oh, let me tell you about the Scout movement, quite a tale really. Started by Lord Baden Powell, right at the start of the 20th century. It spread like wildfire globally, and mind you, that was without much of the fancy organization or the tech we’re spoiled with today—barely any telecommunication, if you can imagine.
“This Scout Patrol setup isn’t just for climbing the organizational ladder; it’s about ensuring everyone knows their role, so when there’s a mountain to climb, you do it efficiently, step by tiny step.” John Puttick
Now, the crux of how they pulled this off, one of their clever little secrets, was something called the patrol system. Everything in the Scouts was built on this model. From the top brass right down to the greenest newbie, everyone was part of a patrol. Simple setup it was: you had your team leader, a second-in-command, you might say, and three or four, sometimes up to six, depending on what was needed, team members in each patrol.
But here’s the kicker, it wasn’t just static; it was dynamic, almost amoeba-like. Any member of a patrol could start another sub-patrol, stepping up as the new leader with their own team. This meant you ended up with this ever-growing, organic network, all structured but flexible, clear on how everyone’s supposed to behave without making a song and dance about it. Pretty smart, huh?
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John Puttick significantly shaped Australia’s IT sector by founding GBST Holdings, which processes about half of the Australian Stock Exchange transactions. He pioneered key enterprise system development techniques and project management methods. As an Adjunct Professor at the University of Queensland and Chair of QUT’s Faculty Development Committee, he has influenced academic programs and IT education. His career blends intense business involvement with substantial contributions to community and education