Wood Badge training was started over 100 years ago in 1919 by Baden Powell with the purpose of properly training adult leaders. Powell noticed that the youth joining the Scouting movement needed to have adult leaders familiar with leadership and therefore designed the Wood Badge course, which is taught worldwide to thousands of Scouters annually.

The combination of time-tested experiences by the Scouting movement along with current leadership theories and team development compose the Wood Badge curriculum. Current corporate America leadership models, academic research, and successful organizations significantly contribute to that curriculum.