The current Grand Lodge desires to change the term of office of the Grand Master to two years..........hmmmmm............okay I agree with the reasons given and the logic behind it. I am an engineer by trade and logic appeals to me. In addition I served as Master of my home lodge for two years and as well as I was prepared going into my first year, I found my second year much more enjoyable already knowing the ins and outs of the position after my first year. I had only planned on being Master one year but necessity arose where I needed to serve the second year. I then went on to serve as Master of my first affiliate lodge for two years. This was necessary since I needed to build and develop an officer line behind me so that the lodge could be self sufficient after I was out of office. They are now in their third year of new Masters for the first time in nearly thirty years, mission accomplished. So now I am in my first year as Master of my second affiliate lodge and like my first affiliate lodge it will probably be necessary that I serve for two years in order to properly develop their officer line for future success. So I know from experience what it is like to serve as Master for two years and yes it can be more effective than a one year term.
So........I would hope that if voted into effect and unfortunately the path being taken to get there makes it doubtful, but that is another blog......that the craft would have the right to vote to re-elect the Grand Master to a second term and that the Grand Master would have the right to only serve one term if so desired. Basically the same way we do the President, both decide if it is appropriate to serve a second term.
Wednesday, January 30, 2013
Sunday, January 13, 2013
Back In The East
2013 finds me back in the East for my fifth term as Master in my third lodge. A rare achievement in the craft or one that most brothers would simply not want to try..... I however like to remain challenged by the unique issues that each lodge faces. My new lodge faces financial challenges like many lodges across the state but one I have not faced before in my other two lodges. One of my goals for the upcoming year is to increase membership to generate more dues to fund the lodge. My track record shows that I am capable of doing this having added twenty two new members to my home lodge during my two years in office. I was always proud of this and yet I was recently told by a Grand Lodge officer that I had failed as Master since now five years later, seven have been dropped NPD. First if I had been in charge for the last five years he would have a valid statistic but lodges ebb and flow with the change of each new Master and you can only really judge a Master by his term in office. I received the Masters Achievement award by the Grand Lodge each of my years in office so by their standards.......I looked at the seven brothers dropped and I my conclusion was typical of what all lodges see: one joined for the wrong reason, three were a father and his sons who once the father unfortunately took ill their priorities shifted, the three others were co-workers who joined but could not attend because of the shift nature of their work changed. So basically life has a tendency to shift peoples priorities.
My home lodge rarely has repeat Masters so management changes on a frequent basis as a lot of lodges do. All new Masters have their strengths and weaknesses as we are all individuals. We all gasp at the compensation packages given to top notch CEO's but history has shown great leadership usually gives great results. Yet we change leaders like socks and expect great results from some men who have never managed in their lives. Yes we can set up customs and structure to support these brothers but the Master is still "the man in charge". So back to the NPD issue, you can't judge a manager but what a team does years after he no longer manages. It does beg the question, does our system of management still work.....or is it as old as the fraternity and needs to change.
My home lodge rarely has repeat Masters so management changes on a frequent basis as a lot of lodges do. All new Masters have their strengths and weaknesses as we are all individuals. We all gasp at the compensation packages given to top notch CEO's but history has shown great leadership usually gives great results. Yet we change leaders like socks and expect great results from some men who have never managed in their lives. Yes we can set up customs and structure to support these brothers but the Master is still "the man in charge". So back to the NPD issue, you can't judge a manager but what a team does years after he no longer manages. It does beg the question, does our system of management still work.....or is it as old as the fraternity and needs to change.
Wednesday, December 28, 2011
Third Time Is A Charm ????
Well tis the season for elections and one never knows....
This past year was my first year in ten years that I was not an officer, while I appreciated the lack of pressure to attend since I "did not need to be there" I also knew what I've always known and that is I'm not a good passenger. So when I was asked if I would consider becoming a Junior Warden, I said hmmmmm. Then when I was asked if I would be willing to do the east for the degrees, oh really. And if you want to be Master the following year.......well well well.
So I'm off to my third lodge with hope that I can have the same impact I had on my second lodge, a now vibrant lodge with a strong officer line and great degree work.
So here's to 2012: Third Time's a Charm
This past year was my first year in ten years that I was not an officer, while I appreciated the lack of pressure to attend since I "did not need to be there" I also knew what I've always known and that is I'm not a good passenger. So when I was asked if I would consider becoming a Junior Warden, I said hmmmmm. Then when I was asked if I would be willing to do the east for the degrees, oh really. And if you want to be Master the following year.......well well well.
So I'm off to my third lodge with hope that I can have the same impact I had on my second lodge, a now vibrant lodge with a strong officer line and great degree work.
So here's to 2012: Third Time's a Charm
Saturday, January 8, 2011
Driving The Bus
I was Master of my home lodge for two years, normally it was a progressive line and everyone served one year but my senior deacon had to drop out and we decided to keep the top three officers the same and move everyone else up behind us as opposed to trying to fill the whole.
The brother who served as my SW for two years took over and a few months into his term he commented that " it was much easier riding on the bus as opposed to driving the bus". He said I made it look so easy to be Master that he expected it to be easy. I think alot of officers watch and ride along and don't think much about what they would do when they are behind the wheel. And yes you are driving the bus; you are deciding the direction of your lodge and a lot of brothers are coming along for the ride.
So you have to decide when it is your turn to drive, are you going to hit cruise control or put the pedal down ? Of course with any big journey, pre-planning makes the trip all that smoother, so mapping out your course well ahead of time makes it go all the better.
Most of all, enjoy the journey on the path you pick, when it is your turn.
The brother who served as my SW for two years took over and a few months into his term he commented that " it was much easier riding on the bus as opposed to driving the bus". He said I made it look so easy to be Master that he expected it to be easy. I think alot of officers watch and ride along and don't think much about what they would do when they are behind the wheel. And yes you are driving the bus; you are deciding the direction of your lodge and a lot of brothers are coming along for the ride.
So you have to decide when it is your turn to drive, are you going to hit cruise control or put the pedal down ? Of course with any big journey, pre-planning makes the trip all that smoother, so mapping out your course well ahead of time makes it go all the better.
Most of all, enjoy the journey on the path you pick, when it is your turn.
Saturday, January 1, 2011
1-1-11 A New Beginning
2010 I did not do a single post, as they say, sometimes life comes at you fast. As I start 2011 I have no offices elected or appointed for the first time in ten years. Ten years ago I started in the officer line of my home lodge, through the years I joined the Scottish Rite, the Shrine, The York Rite and served as President of Blue Lodge Council. As I was reaching the end of my journey in my home lodge I affiliated with another Blue Lodge. I served as Master of my home lodge for two years and then as Master of my affiliate lodge for two years. Now I have time to reflect on this journey and share my thoughts.
As I said I served as Master for four years, a great honor and privilege. What I learned in those years is that to be effective a Master should: communicate, energize and socialize. Simply sending out two trestle boards a year does not cut it for communication. E-mail is quick and easy and is a great supplement to keep members up to date on upcoming events. Energize, the Master should be the biggest cheerleader, if the Master doesn't believe no one will believe. Socialize, get the members to get to know eachother through social activities such as dinners, CHIP programs, anything than just sitting there watching the Master blabbing.
As I said I served as Master for four years, a great honor and privilege. What I learned in those years is that to be effective a Master should: communicate, energize and socialize. Simply sending out two trestle boards a year does not cut it for communication. E-mail is quick and easy and is a great supplement to keep members up to date on upcoming events. Energize, the Master should be the biggest cheerleader, if the Master doesn't believe no one will believe. Socialize, get the members to get to know eachother through social activities such as dinners, CHIP programs, anything than just sitting there watching the Master blabbing.
Monday, October 12, 2009
POWER
I am Master hear me roar !!! I am Potentate bow before me !!! I am Grand (you fill in the blank) kiss my ring.............
Luckily most men don't seek power and even luckier most that do humbly seek not for their own benefit. But history is full of those who seek it for their own glory or who once get it become intoxicated with its effect. Our fraternity is set up with a system of government that is a dictatorship, one of the most abused systems in the history of the world since in this system the man at the top is the "The Man". To think that because of the nature and philosophy of our fraternity that we are immune to abuse would be naive. Now I still believe this is the right form of government for our fraternity and it has worked well for centuries. Most Masters only have one year to govern and any other form of government would simply be to cumbersome to operate under. Hopefully the cream still rises to the top but with thinning numbers and less willing to step up to the plate I think the odds have greatly increased for the wrong people to succeed.
I recently listened to a horror story that happened in one of our appendent bodies, the "leader" did so much damage in his one year that the ramifications will be felt for years to come. In a recent blog by a fellow mason he accounts on how after a degree a Grand Line officer suddenly quizzed his candidate on proficiency. I found this outrageous, what would possess a brother to potentially embarrass a candidate, the Master and the Lodge. I am sorry but talk about drunk with power, hopefully I will only be sitting on the sidelines when this one comes to power. I watched in disgust earlier this year after serving as Master on an elite degree team how the peacocks fluffed each other after the degree. I left thinking this is not the fraternity I know and love, will I serve again ????????
I guess us purest can still can still be proud of what we accomplish at the local level and help ensure that brotherly love still prevails. I will end with this word of caution: When you select Stewards this year, is this a man you want to lead your lodge ?
Luckily most men don't seek power and even luckier most that do humbly seek not for their own benefit. But history is full of those who seek it for their own glory or who once get it become intoxicated with its effect. Our fraternity is set up with a system of government that is a dictatorship, one of the most abused systems in the history of the world since in this system the man at the top is the "The Man". To think that because of the nature and philosophy of our fraternity that we are immune to abuse would be naive. Now I still believe this is the right form of government for our fraternity and it has worked well for centuries. Most Masters only have one year to govern and any other form of government would simply be to cumbersome to operate under. Hopefully the cream still rises to the top but with thinning numbers and less willing to step up to the plate I think the odds have greatly increased for the wrong people to succeed.
I recently listened to a horror story that happened in one of our appendent bodies, the "leader" did so much damage in his one year that the ramifications will be felt for years to come. In a recent blog by a fellow mason he accounts on how after a degree a Grand Line officer suddenly quizzed his candidate on proficiency. I found this outrageous, what would possess a brother to potentially embarrass a candidate, the Master and the Lodge. I am sorry but talk about drunk with power, hopefully I will only be sitting on the sidelines when this one comes to power. I watched in disgust earlier this year after serving as Master on an elite degree team how the peacocks fluffed each other after the degree. I left thinking this is not the fraternity I know and love, will I serve again ????????
I guess us purest can still can still be proud of what we accomplish at the local level and help ensure that brotherly love still prevails. I will end with this word of caution: When you select Stewards this year, is this a man you want to lead your lodge ?
Thursday, July 23, 2009
THE NUMBERS GAME
In my last blog I commented on the leasons learned from GM, although the issues facing GM are different than the problems facing our fraternity there is a common theme, the numbers game. In GM's case through the years they slowly lost market share and hence the volume necessary to maintain the size of their organization. In our case we have far fewer members than we did decades ago and time seems less available, so lets do the numbers game.......
Let's say I join the fraternity and fall in love with the organization therefore I attend all the meetings, twice a month. The next thing I do is join the officers line which leads to practice nights so lets say one extra night a month so we are up to three nights. Now we decide we want further light in masonry so we join one of the rites, lets say the York Rite. Wow this great, I love every aspect they have to offer so now I attend a night of Chapter, a night of Council, a night of Commandery every month therefore three more nights a month. So now we are up to six nights a month but wait I hear the Shrine has a lot to offer and supports a great cause so we join that, great, wonderful, we join a unit so now we do two nights a month for the Shrine. So lets see now we are up to eight nights a month. Realistic maybe for some but for most not really so what happens we spend our time where we can or devote all our time to the part of the fraternity we enjoy the most and become simply a dues paying member of the others.
Let's say I join the fraternity and fall in love with the organization therefore I attend all the meetings, twice a month. The next thing I do is join the officers line which leads to practice nights so lets say one extra night a month so we are up to three nights. Now we decide we want further light in masonry so we join one of the rites, lets say the York Rite. Wow this great, I love every aspect they have to offer so now I attend a night of Chapter, a night of Council, a night of Commandery every month therefore three more nights a month. So now we are up to six nights a month but wait I hear the Shrine has a lot to offer and supports a great cause so we join that, great, wonderful, we join a unit so now we do two nights a month for the Shrine. So lets see now we are up to eight nights a month. Realistic maybe for some but for most not really so what happens we spend our time where we can or devote all our time to the part of the fraternity we enjoy the most and become simply a dues paying member of the others.
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