Good morning MW. Clearly you're right. However there are certain situations in which your very solid logic won't work. The WM who has a bad idea may also labor under the illusion that contradicting him, even in the most friendly manner, is some kind of Masonic offense. That same WM may also suffer the delusion that his highest priority is prosecuting Masonic offenses. Perhaps this is rare but we've both seen it and when it happens there can be long term damage to the Lodge.
Certainly we have to choose our leaders very carefully. "It's his turn" should not be among the selection criteria. And we should train all of our upcoming leaders on something that is only indirectly expressed in our ritual: The most powerful thing a leader can do is to never resort to power."
There is no reason not to tell anyone, let alone a WM, that his “idea” may be lacking in fore thought. There is also no reason to tell the WM his “idea” is a bad one in a manner that would cause a public conflict or embarrassment. I learned a long time ago to praise in public and critique in private.
"Bad Idea" is certainly a subjective preposition. I've had (at least to me) plenty of good ideas shouted down because the old guard considered them "bad".
Take, for example, the idea I had during a recent election of officers. I suggested we have a single piece of paper with the five elected positions listed, much like how we vote in our county/state elections now. We wouldn't list the candidates, just a space to write in names. Pass the sheets around, and announce the position we're voting on, everyone writes down a name, then the next, and so on. Speeds up the entire process a little bit as the gathering of votes need only to be done once. Now, I didn't just come up with this idea. I had actually looked at the WMC to find any reason why I couldn't do it that way. There wasn't, as far as I could tell. The only restrictions is that it be by secret ballot and that all master masons that are members of that lodge had to vote. That's it.
But when I suggested it, it was immediately shot down because "I couldn't do it that way".
That was not a hill I was willing to die on, so I let it pass, but I was right.
As I said, bad ideas are subjective. All too often I've seen ideas get shot down (not just mine) because someone doesn't know the code, or what leeway we have in running our lodges. Yes, we should speak up if someone is attempting to do a bad idea, but we need to be aware of the rules first before speaking up.
May 25, 2023·edited May 25, 2023Liked by Cameron M. Bailey
I just had an experience with a Worshipful Master of a local lodge who was insisting on having a fundraiser that I knew was going to be a flop and cost the Lodge money. I spoke up but to no avail and the poorly designed fundraiser went ahead with no one showing up. We must elect good leadership and be willing to call each other out when we have bad ideas!!!
I think too often a WM takes the position with a selfish goal of being in power and weild their tenure as such. In my time as a mason I've seen this too often with lodge brothers seemingly paralyzed be to do anything. The unfortunate thing is that these brother's continue to ascert their control from the sidelines.
Early in my time we had a WM callout in lodge that he felt our SW was not fit to lead next year and asked the brothers for candidates who would be willing to take the helm. This was a surprise to all of us, most especially our SW. Our WM is a good man, but his error in judgement in presenting his worries went unchallenged.
For the two years I was WM I continually learned of a past master undermining my decisions and the direction I was taking the lodge. This was done outside of lodge and not in my presence and created a variety of struggles for me as master. This brother created a power struggle, disharmony and strife in a lodge that did not need it. Unfortunately, I was merely the latest brother to in be added to long series of struggles with this brother.
I provided these two examples to make this point. A lodge should be strong enough to support their WM, tell him when he's erring, reinforce that which they like him doing and to tell those brothers created dissent to stop. We are all skillful in areas and not it others. Lodge is a place for us all to work and hew our stones of skill. To not allow a brother the opportunity or support to hew his stones properly do him, the lodge and masonry as a whole a disservice.
A WM is a steward of the lodge, elected by his peers to carry that lodge forward so brothers and future brothers have a place for fellowship. The WM who enter into the post with power and control on their minds are not leaders. If we are to continue towards our perfection these brother's would do well to adopt an attitude of service rather than a selfish one of power and control.
Good morning MW. Clearly you're right. However there are certain situations in which your very solid logic won't work. The WM who has a bad idea may also labor under the illusion that contradicting him, even in the most friendly manner, is some kind of Masonic offense. That same WM may also suffer the delusion that his highest priority is prosecuting Masonic offenses. Perhaps this is rare but we've both seen it and when it happens there can be long term damage to the Lodge.
Certainly we have to choose our leaders very carefully. "It's his turn" should not be among the selection criteria. And we should train all of our upcoming leaders on something that is only indirectly expressed in our ritual: The most powerful thing a leader can do is to never resort to power."
There is no reason not to tell anyone, let alone a WM, that his “idea” may be lacking in fore thought. There is also no reason to tell the WM his “idea” is a bad one in a manner that would cause a public conflict or embarrassment. I learned a long time ago to praise in public and critique in private.
"Bad Idea" is certainly a subjective preposition. I've had (at least to me) plenty of good ideas shouted down because the old guard considered them "bad".
Take, for example, the idea I had during a recent election of officers. I suggested we have a single piece of paper with the five elected positions listed, much like how we vote in our county/state elections now. We wouldn't list the candidates, just a space to write in names. Pass the sheets around, and announce the position we're voting on, everyone writes down a name, then the next, and so on. Speeds up the entire process a little bit as the gathering of votes need only to be done once. Now, I didn't just come up with this idea. I had actually looked at the WMC to find any reason why I couldn't do it that way. There wasn't, as far as I could tell. The only restrictions is that it be by secret ballot and that all master masons that are members of that lodge had to vote. That's it.
But when I suggested it, it was immediately shot down because "I couldn't do it that way".
That was not a hill I was willing to die on, so I let it pass, but I was right.
As I said, bad ideas are subjective. All too often I've seen ideas get shot down (not just mine) because someone doesn't know the code, or what leeway we have in running our lodges. Yes, we should speak up if someone is attempting to do a bad idea, but we need to be aware of the rules first before speaking up.
I just had an experience with a Worshipful Master of a local lodge who was insisting on having a fundraiser that I knew was going to be a flop and cost the Lodge money. I spoke up but to no avail and the poorly designed fundraiser went ahead with no one showing up. We must elect good leadership and be willing to call each other out when we have bad ideas!!!
I think too often a WM takes the position with a selfish goal of being in power and weild their tenure as such. In my time as a mason I've seen this too often with lodge brothers seemingly paralyzed be to do anything. The unfortunate thing is that these brother's continue to ascert their control from the sidelines.
Early in my time we had a WM callout in lodge that he felt our SW was not fit to lead next year and asked the brothers for candidates who would be willing to take the helm. This was a surprise to all of us, most especially our SW. Our WM is a good man, but his error in judgement in presenting his worries went unchallenged.
For the two years I was WM I continually learned of a past master undermining my decisions and the direction I was taking the lodge. This was done outside of lodge and not in my presence and created a variety of struggles for me as master. This brother created a power struggle, disharmony and strife in a lodge that did not need it. Unfortunately, I was merely the latest brother to in be added to long series of struggles with this brother.
I provided these two examples to make this point. A lodge should be strong enough to support their WM, tell him when he's erring, reinforce that which they like him doing and to tell those brothers created dissent to stop. We are all skillful in areas and not it others. Lodge is a place for us all to work and hew our stones of skill. To not allow a brother the opportunity or support to hew his stones properly do him, the lodge and masonry as a whole a disservice.
A WM is a steward of the lodge, elected by his peers to carry that lodge forward so brothers and future brothers have a place for fellowship. The WM who enter into the post with power and control on their minds are not leaders. If we are to continue towards our perfection these brother's would do well to adopt an attitude of service rather than a selfish one of power and control.