Here’s a simple, smart way to remind yourself of the Scout Law at the office

The values enumerated in the Scout Law stay with you for life. But even the most faithful follower of those 12 points needs a reminder from time to time.

That’s why Joel Sampson, who became an Eagle Scout in 1987, printed a small copy of the Scout Law and tacked it to the walls of his cubicle at work.

The list is directly in his field of view — above his office phone and next to his monitor.

“I put it there for a constant reminder of the person I want to be and should be,” Sampson says. “We all fail at times, so it is a continual work in progress.”

What a great reminder to have always in view while you return a call to that pessimistic coworker, reply to emails from unhappy customers or read through those heated posts you saw on social media.

‘A reminder and guide’

Sampson’s Scout Law printout is a lot like Sampson himself: humble and understated.

He doesn’t tell coworkers he’s an Eagle Scout, unless the topic comes up in conversation. But he acts like an Eagle Scout every day, helping others solve their problems without expecting anything in return.

This trend continued when he decided to display the Scout Law at his desk. Sampson simply typed those 12 words into a Word document, hit print and cut it out with scissors.

He didn’t need a frame, fancy font or even a title at the top saying what the words signify. The list means something to him, which was the whole point.

“It serves as a reminder and a guide,” he says. “Unbeknownst to me, it serves as an example to others as well.”

A meeting with his manager

Anyone who visits Sampson at his office at Verifone in Lincoln, Calif., can see the Scout Law on his wall. It’s right where his coworkers sit when they visit his cubicle.

But Sampson wasn’t sure whether anyone had actually looked at the list until one day when his manager stopped by.

“He leaned over me to point at the list,” Sampson says. “Going one by one, he pointed out which ones he was pretty good with and which ones he needed to work on. We all have some we are better at than others.”

The values of the Scout Law aren’t just words Scouts can use. They apply to anyone who wants to be a better person.

That’s why Sampson doesn’t see his Eagle Scout award as the end of a journey.

“Learning these points does not stop at Eagle,” he says. “It is a lifelong journey. The journey to Eagle is the preparation for the lifelong journey to be that person of character and integrity.”

Print your own Scout Law

You could go really simple and just write down the 12 points and post them in your office.

Or you could take Sampson’s approach and copy and paste the list below into a word processor.

Trustworthy
Loyal
Helpful
Friendly
Courteous
Kind
Obedient
Cheerful
Thrifty
Brave
Clean
Reverent

Or if you want to go a tiny bit fancier, you’re welcome to print this simple PDF I made.

Share photos of the Scout Law at work

Do you display the Scout Law in your office? Share your photos below. But be sure to make sure there’s no sensitive info in the picture.