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Gain your identity as a leader

Your leadership coat of arms

Historically, the coat of arms (also known as a crest), was an emblem that represented an individual, family, or country. The symbols on the coat of arms represented and identified the individual, family, or country. These symbols were as diverse as the individuals, families, or countries and represented their spirit and values. Do you have a family crest or coat of arms?

For example, we have five scout districts in our scout county and each one follows the same boundaries as the London borough that they cover. Every London borough has a coat of arms and the five boroughs in South London Scout County are:

Borough coats of arms

 

Each coat of arms has a history and a meaning. Why not google your district and read about it?

Our founder Robert Baden-Powell has a family coat of arms…

B-P's family coat of arms

Can you pick out some of these elements:

  • Quarter 1 and 4, Argent a lion rampant guardant Gules between two tilting spears erect Proper (Powell)

  • Quarters 2 and 3, Argent a lion rampant Proper on the head a crown valley and as many fleurs-de-lys Azure alternately (Baden).

  • Baden-Powell was made a knight of the Royal Victorian Order in 1909 and this encompasses the shield

  • The Motto, which is welsh reads, “Ar nyd yw pwyll pyd yw”, “Where there is steadiness, there will be a Powell”.

The complete crest also shows two supporters (not pictured): Dexter, An officer of the 13th/18th Hussars in full dress his sword drawn over his shoulder and a ‘Boy Scout’ supporting a staff.

The Scout Association also have a coat of arms...

The Scout Association coat of arms

The coat of arms was officially granted on 10th March 1969 and is based on the arms of Robert Baden-Powell.

The supporters, "a Scout in the uniform of the present (in 1969)" and "a Scout in the uniform of the past (before 1967)", stand on a compartment representing Brownsea Island, where B.-P. held he’s experimental Scout camp in the summer of 1907. The three points of the fleur-de-lys represents the three parts of the Scout promise, and the five-pointed stars surmounting it represent the Scout laws.

As leaders we each have certain things that they value and view as significant and important. These items become our hallmarks of leadership – they become the things that we stand for as leaders. As a person's leadership philosophy develops, these items become more and more significant and guide the leader's vision of who they are as leaders. In this activity you will consider the items that most represent you and create your own leadership crest.

 

 

Click here to download our leadership coat of arms activity

 

Click here to download our leadership coat of arms template