Every day, our Fraternity changes.
As much as we hang on and permit no “innovation“, and adhere to our cherished forms and traditions, yet 'change' happens. The world we live in changes, and thus affects us, and the Craft. The clearest example is how generational change in society - whether we liked it or not - abruptly changed the vast pool of potential candidates from being largely civic-minded and fraternity-friendly (the WWII and Korean War generation), to a pool made up of men who were - more often than not - individualistic non-joiners (the majority of us Baby-Boomers) and fraternity-indifferent. This has affected us for forty years.
Try as we might to stay exactly the same, lodges still evolve in small ways, reacting, as society evolves in larger ways. --Witness the almost overnight emergence of Internet web sites for many lodges and grand lodges. Amazing. Such a rapid evolution in an organization that has operated word of mouth for hundreds of years...
The thing about change is, we can either master it, or let it master us. We can hide from it, believing we are safe from all change, whether for good or bad, safe in our lodge halls, or we can understand it, plan for it, and seek to harness its energy in ways that benefit the Fraternity. Change gets a bad rap more because of fear than from anything else. --Fear of the unknown, fear of loss, fear of failing. But one thing is certain: without adopting to some change, trying some new things, we are destined to a much smaller, uncertain future. For stagnation and irrelevancy is where the real danger lies. Change, properly applied, will help the Masonic Fraternity survive and flourish in the future.
It's been said that “Change is Opportunity's Nickname.“
Lodge Revitalization requires some willingness to change. But instead of simply reacting to change, it seeks to master it.
Let me define the term: Lodge Revitalization is a managed process designed to improve our Lodges. It considers and responds to societal change, it looks for good ideas in the broader world, and weighs traditional solutions against new ideas, ideas which still remain “Masonic“. It requires that we talk freely about our vision of what we want our lodges to become, then to create viable plans to get there. It requires that we honestly measure our progress toward our goals. Along the way, revitalization inspires us. And it assures and affirms that this Fraternity remains entirely relevant and necessary for our world.
A solid revitalization effort then, allows us to get in front of the process, and guide it, rather than just “hold on“.
There is a wonderful German proverb that says, “To change and to improve are two different things.“ Not all change is good. With that in mind let me be clear that I advocate our consideration of planned improvements - well-designed and well-managed changes - which will fit hand-in-hand with our cherished traditions. I don't advocate change just to shake things up, but neither am I afraid to try new things. Holding on too tightly can strangle the object of our affections.
Are we waiting for a thunderclap, announcing that suddenly society had turned and that the general population is now ready to embrace fraternity? I don't believe that will happen. In fact, I believe the turnaround in society began to occur quietly some ten years ago, perhaps as early as 1990, when young men from Gen X and the Millennial Generation started to come of age and a significant percentage began showing an eagerness to pursue membership in the Fraternity. At the same time we began to see an uptick in interest on the part of some Baby Boomers, reevaluating the role of such traditional civic organizations as Freemasonry within society as a whole. The free-est of those free-thinkers are now saying, “maybe our parents were right.“ The change has been gradual, but is real.
So it begs the question: If society is finally changing to our favor; how are we positioned to meet this rising tide and welcome and integrate these new prospective members?
At this point I could open the discussion up to talk about the “best“ type of lodge, assuming that #1, I have such an answer, and #2, that you'd put up with my telling you so. I'm going to leave that matter up to you, to your lodge, and to your grand lodge. Instead, I'm going to simply refer you to other resources and points of view whereby you can make this assessment yourself. There is a tremendous debate that has grown steadily in Masonic circles over several decades concerning the decline, numerically, of membership, and what to do about it. Is it a symptom of a societal ill? Or of a problem with our organization. Perhaps both. Some would have us make wholesale changes and adopt models that seem to succeed elsewhere. Others would have us re-energize our base because society has finally turned around and begun to embrace fraternalism. Still others feel that if we simply spent a little more money and made membership a little more exclusive, that this would solve our problems. The discussion can get quite heated, as desperation to find a cure has made some of us intolerant of alternative views. --You see the irony here... I, too, am fascinated by this question and have spent considerable time collecting resources and links for the LodgeBuilder website to make your consideration of this question easier. To avoid political snags I've also approached the matter with an open mind, as I believe that Masonry is very much a personal quest, and the paths to renewal are many. As such, this is a “big tent” approach, allowing the “best type of lodge to win.” --After we begin to see models of success we can start to emulate them.
Look under the Leadership topic on the LodgeBuilder Discussion Forums, where I've posted more material on this subject. It should help you and your lodge to develop your own vision for renewal. Meanwhile, there is a long list of things that we can all do to improve our lodges that aren't matters of debate. Which ever model you select, your lodge will have a far better chance at survival if you pay heed to the supporting business aspects of running a lodge. Properly managed, you'll then have the freedom to focus on the educational and cultural process that will help your members - and your lodge - grow.
The fact is, there are a number of lodges out there, scattered throughout North America, who have already found the means, the wherewithal, to revitalize themselves. But only some. The rest haven't recognized the change, or they aren't 'accessible' in any viable way, or they don't make a good impression when faced with a potential candidate. Many lodges are sleepy, or tired, or simply out of the game. For them, the entire message of this essay is that there is indeed light at the end of the tunnel, and that if they rally themselves for a few years of renewed openness and effort toward revitalization and recruitment, they can succeed. There are lodges in every jurisdiction that are already pointing the way. Proven methods of revitalization are already out there, if we can just identify them, share them, and pair the right strategies with the right lodges. This may require openness to some changes on our part, as fraternity leaders. This may require a leap of faith in the timeless values of our institution and in the good sense of a new generation. Both constitute change: There is a sea change occurring in society, which must be matched by both a change in perspective and in approach on our part. We ought not fear change; instead, we should harness it, control it, and make it ours.
Even slight change is difficult. The greater the change, the greater potential upset of our members. Therefore it is important to understand the dynamics of how to facilitate change in order to make success more likely. This writer doesn't have all the answers. But our fellow Masons do. The LodgeBuilder website provides a forum for capturing these strategies and publicizing them. This essay serves as a mere introduction into this process. Here are some strategies and suggestions to consider when you plan for revitalization. They will be discussed in greater detail in the LodgeBuilder Discussion Forums. Some of the points listed here may not work with every group, so use your practiced eye to understand what might work for you. LodgeBuilder's basic plan of attack for any revitalization effort is as follows: Begin YOUR lodge revitalization effort with an honest assessment of your current situation. Are you gaining ground? Losing ground? Ask why... Know your lodge's strengths and weaknesses, its opportunities and threats. Then, as Steven Covey says in one of his Seven Habits, “Begin with the end in mind.“ The person who leads revitalization must have a clear vision of where he wants to go before he can map out a strategy to get there. You don't have to have all the answers, but you should be clear on the general direction. This battle will not be won by dictate or top-down rule; instead, it is a process of persuasion and inspiration. Therefore, bring others along and share your vision. Plan, with your up-and-coming officers, key steps to achieve your goals; only they can ensure that the process will continue after your term is over. Praise your volunteers for every victory along the way, and pick them up and dust them off when they fail. Leaders manage morale. Finally, let revitalization be a lodge-wide project, ensuring that the work you start today continues as new officers progress in their chairs.
LodgeBuilder believes that complimenting our educational, moral and ritualistic aspects, healthy lodges operate as solid businesses, utilizing year-over-year planning, goal-setting, and broad distribution of responsibilities to achieve their aims. These are the keys to success of any organization, and in a Masonic lodge are as fundamental to the long-term survival and viability of the institution as the values that motivate us: Brotherly Love, Relief and Truth.
When the operations of a lodge are solid, members have freedom to concentrate on the mission of the lodge, which is to Make Good Men Better.
Now, onto lodge management... Here are my suggestions about things you can do TODAY to make a positive impact on your lodge that will set up a pattern of future success:
Set Attainable Goals - The fact is, people who write down their goals are more likely to achieve them, compared with those who don't. Most lodges that still have the potential to make a major effort and turn around their troubled program never do so because A) They fear how much work it will take, B) they don't know how to start, C) they don't want to face the hard truth, or D) they don't see the need to plan for the future.
Yet if we look at any successful business we see that planning and goal-setting are essential to achieving and maintaining success. Further, planning and goal-setting are an essential component of good leadership. Why not start a “Planning Culture“, and set in motion a commitment by your officers to continue the process each year? To learn how you'll find many suggestions in the Success Stories and discussion boards on this website. Some will work for you, others will not. Use these ideas to set your own agenda as you plan your year, and encourage your fellow officers to set the achievement bar even higher when it is their turn to lead.
We all know that membership is declining, and we all know that many lodges are faced with difficult, even severe, financial situations. Beyond just sensing that somehow we are off track, it is important to grapple with those numbers and know more clearly where we are now headed, so we can identify the course corrections that will fix the problem. The fact is, in some lodges, small adjustments would be enough to fix the problem, in others, a more extensive effort will be required. Leaders need to know what must be done, to confidently share their vision for revitalization and set their goals. A lodge or grand lodge can certainly work to identify these 'baseline' predictions on their own. Please forgive a small plug, but should a group desire assistance in this endeavor, because it is tough to do, the Lodge Solvency and Viability (SVR) Tool can really help. The Tool, discussed on a link elsewhere on this website, is a highly-refined and customized Excel worksheet designed to forecast your lodge's membership trends based on your prior performance. Plus it gives you a look at what your trends would be if you improve member retention and recruitment. You can use this tool to predict your lodge's financial stability too, as it shows you what your buying power will be in years to come, based on your dues rate and predicted membership. See the SVR Tool link for more details. Again, you can create this kind of analysis yourself. Regardless of my work, this general method is the best way I know of to manage to success: Set accurate and realistic goals and manage toward them. However you choose to create the goals and rally your lodge toward achieving them, do it.
People Respect what you Inspect - Set a consistent methodology to be used by the entire lodge or grand lodge for reviewing lodge progress, built around attainable and measurable goals. Then, inspect your progress regularly, alerting your officers (or local lodge leaders if you are a state officer) well in advance as to what you will be looking for them to do. Nothing confuses a lodge more than to have leaders that change the program each year. Work as a team with the other volunteer officers in your area to develop a standard system for measuring success that will remain the same no matter who is in charge, and no matter who is reviewing a lodge's progress.
Learn to Delegate - Some men who are successful in their own right will fail as leaders because they hang on too tightly and insist on doing the work themselves instead of sharing the burden. Delegation allows others to grow in their "ownership" of the shared work. The more people who have jobs within the organization, the more you will retain as active, interested members There is an absolute correlation between the number of stakeholders in an organization, and the rate of retention. Likewise, as you develop a culture where junior members are given authority to manage the business of their committee or position, you will see new leaders step up and ask for additional responsibility. You, as a veteran leader may certainly be able to do a job the best it has ever been done. However, if you give a younger or newer member the opportunity, even if he or she takes longer or makes small mistakes, you will see them improve and become more committed to the organization. Lodges where all power, decision-making and work is retained by a very small set of officers are dooming themselves to failure.
Openness -- Like most people, Masons have a tendency to shut down into a “siege“ mentality after years of non-interest from their communities. Sons have told us “Dad, I don't have time to join“, “It's not for me“, or worse. Anti-masons have piled on when we are already in retreat, charging us with all kinds of nonsense in their polarized worldview. In this environment, is it any wonder that we have stepped back, comfortable in our lodge halls, to spend time with our brothers, leaving the world to its uncharitable madness? It's understandable, but it does not position us for renewal. Now that society has begun to change, it needs the lessons we teach: political freedom, religious tolerance, and personal integrity. These younger generations mentioned earlier are actively seeking what we have, if we open ourselves to their inquiries, and turn our collective face outward once again. Beware of cliques, which turn off prospective members. Find a way to get the word out, find some form of publicity that tastefully informs the community at large that your lodge is vital, open, alive and kicking. Such openness and vitality is infectious. Prospective candidates, thirsty for depth, connections and meaning in a crazy world, will come. It's time to rally.
Understand your Base - Each lodge has a personality, a unique makeup that must be understood before attempting any change. Build your officers and committees around the kind of work that the men like to do. Within Masonic lodges, for example, there are four major types of programming: Social, Charitable/Community, Ritual and Educational. Each serve a valuable purpose, and lodges can be successful with programming to serve just one of these four areas. There are lodges which try to be generalists, “big tent“ lodges, supporting all four. Others have an inclination to be focused, “boutique“ lodges. There is no right way or wrong way to do this, all can be effective. Just know that it can be very frustrating to try to change a lodge from one interest type into another. Instead, build upon your lodge's strengths, on what your members' natural interests are. An excellent way to find out what your members want out of their fraternity experience is to survey them.
As a corollary to this point, it would be wise to spend time getting to know what motivates Gen X and Gen Y. There are a number of good books out, written by sociologists, that explain the differences between the WWII Vets, the Baby Boomers, Gen X and the Millennials. One of the best is Generations: The History of America's Future, by William Strauss and Neil Howe. I've posted a photo and a short synopsis of this and several other books on the Discussion Forums of the LodgeBuilder website, under the section “Understanding Potential Members.“ This brings us to the next idea...
Senior Masons can be wonderfully influential - “The power of a Grandfather” - I cannot overstate today's crucial linkage between grandfathers and grandsons when it comes to rebuilding the great civic fraternities, and the urgency of building these bridges right away. As noted elsewhere on this website, the Baby Boomers have not been joiners when it comes to civic organizations. There are of course exceptions, and this author, born in 1962, is one of them. Also, some Baby Boomers are showing a post-materialist interest in "deepening" toward the later years of their lives.
Fortunately for us, the generations following the Baby Boom are showing heightened interest in Freemasonry and other civic and social organizations. Sociologists who study these matters have identified "Gen X", individuals born between 1961 and 1981, as shunning the footsteps of the previous generation, and turning instead to more traditional values. These men, now in their 30's and 40's are of prime age to be approached by their grandparents in the hope that they will pick up the torch and join our organizations. Even more exciting, "Gen Y", those individuals born between 1982 and 2002, take this trend further and are being marked as the next great Civic generation, showing temperament and inclinations highly similar to that of the WWII and Korean War generation. Between the two generations we have a vast field of potential members, if only we would discover a way to reach out to them. Some lodges have found out how to do just that, by hosting grandfather/grandson nights at the lodge, or inviting the young men to help with community or charitable projects sponsored by the lodge, where half the participants are grandsons. These younger men may be unlikely to join if they see "grandpa's fraternity" as a group of old men. But, planned properly, a group of young men may see a place for themselves in the fraternity if they see others of their own age participating in events.
Share the Work - One college fraternity chapter I know of had shrunk to just a few members after the seniors had graduated. Their building was in ill-repair, and the only assets the men had available were their kitchen, their resolve, and some paint and brushes that an alumnus had donated for their use. In return for free rent, their mornings and afternoons were to be spent working on the building. They set to work, vowing not to eat unless they brought a friend or acquaintance over to join them for lunch. Afterward, they invited their friends to help with the work around the house. Some said no, but others said yes. The men who volunteered to help were soon having a great time, chipping and painting and hammering away. In the evenings they were invited to other fraternity halls, sure, but why would they want to join another fraternity when they had spent so much time fixing up the first one? The few active members hadn't said a word about joining; instead, they focused on making friends. Shared camaraderie and shared work led to a shared interest in the fraternity. Most of the helpers asked to join; they didn't have to be asked. At the end of the summer the chapter recruitment class had 92 men.
We can do the same thing in the "adult" lodges. Plan a community event or charitable effort. Invite friends, family and neighbors to participate. The "do-ers" among them will participate in a worthy project. Make a friend. Introduce them to your other friends in the lodge. Invite them to participate socially. Finally, long after they feel comfortable with you and with the lodge, invite them to join.
This seems counterintuitive to the all-too-common practice of recruitment, that has us shoving petitions at men we meet within three minutes of being introduced. But it works. Make the friend first, introduce him to your other lodge friends, and then invite him to join.
Create a Crisis - Sounds dangerous, eh? True leadership often demands that we focus our group's attention on the real problem looming before us. It's amazing to me, but sometimes groups with truly significant challenges to their future viability will ignore the biggest problem in the room in order to fuss over much smaller, and inconsequential, minor issues. There is nothing like a crisis to sharpen the mind. If you lay out the facts and carefully build the story up describing what will happen if your group fails to overcome their looming problem, AND if you show that there is light at the end of the tunnel, you may very well see a number of leaders step up to meet the challenge. Someone must first sound the alarm. That someone is you. Remember, when you share the dire facts, also show your members that all is not yet lost, that you have at least a partial vision to fix the problem. You'll see your strongest members rally to the cause, bringing the others along with them.
What other strategies have you seen used? Pass your suggestions on to tom.jackson@ideabuilder.com for inclusion on this website.
As a closing thought, I wanted to go back to the term “innovation.“ Most, if not all, Grand Lodges include in the Charge to the Master upon his installation, the admonition by Albert G. Mackey that “it is not in the power of any man or body of men to make innovations in the body of Masonry.“ What is not clarified in this snip out of a longer paragraph is Mackey's explanation that this particular statement refers to changing the Ancient Landmarks, which by definition are unchangeable. Sure, one could change a rule or policy, but then it would not correctly be called a Landmark. In other words, one would simply never think of changing a landmark precisely because of its nature as a permanent object. As part of his clarification, Mackey further states, “The non-essentials, such as the local and general regulations and the lectures, are not included in this term. The former are changing every day, accordingly as experience or caprice suggests improvement or alteration.“ --Therefore, no less an authority than Mackey makes it clear that innovation is allowed in the general sense, in our day-to-day management of lodges. You can look it up in his Encyclopedia of Freemasonry. Quotes are from the 1892 edition.
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