Leadership Conference - Ames 3/15/08

Change is the law of life. And those who look only to the past or present are certain to miss the future. 

John F. Kennedy

Today Arcadia Lodge #249, under the leadership of Worshipful Master Jeremy Davis sponsored the first Masonic Leadership Conference in central Iowa.

The fellowship at the meeting was excellent and the talks were all informative and interesting. All of the participants, Presenters and Presentees went away with new ideas to ponder over the next year.

Of course, this is my graphic for what a lot of the meeting discussed and that is the new paradigm which we deal with in our world. I took notes and will share some of them with you interspersed with pictures of the event. (Note Click on picture to see a larger version)

Before we began there was ample opportunity to visit and get to know one another. Coffee, rolls and conversation are always a necessary ingredient at a Masonic Function.

















Jeremy likes to stir things up and he was also the chef for the day as well as organizing the event.
He began his presentation with a talk on developing leadership with a quote from Henry Ford: "You can't build a reputation on what you say you are going to do."

He spoke about having a shared purpose and that developing leadership is a reciprocal activity. It is a collaborative event and takes the entire group for it to move forward. He said you need a reason for the purpose. You need to define what you want to do and then as a group work out what you are going to do. He spoke about shared leadership and stated that anyone could be a leader but they also needed to be able to empower others.

He spoke about the paradigm shift and the new reality of leadership. He said that the Lodge is about the people and not the building. He said that "taxes and change are the two constants in life."

Don Mosier, Grand Master of Masons in Iowawas the next presenter. He spoke about Leadership vs. management. Leadership is not the management activity of the day to day stuff to pay the bills. Leadership involves looking towards the future and to involve change. If you are not going anywhere it is just management. He suggested that you have a choice in leading the change or letting it happen. A leader will look to his vision as to where he wants the organization. A book he recommended was Leading Change by John P. Kotter. He also recommended The Master's Book by Carl Claudy 
(Note this is on-line at Don's Web Site and I have linked to it)
Addendum: Don has provided the links I could not find in the comments section.
Attributes he described a leader as having are:

• attitude - a leader must have a positive attitude
• vision - he must have a vision of what his organization is going to be. not just a wish but you have to believe it is going to be that way. This helps you relate to problems as they occur.
• communication - you have to communicate that vision and show through your actions what that vision is. The members need a full "buy in" they need to know what the vision is and why.
• delegation/empowerment - Assign people tasks and empower them (within due boundaries) to do those tasks. They need the authority to solve the problems.
• leading by example/rewarding - Recognition for what people have done.
• accomplishment -A public acknowledgement that there was success.
• training your replacement. - This is the most important task. If we don't train our replacement we haven't been a success.

He suggested we need to do the things which are necessary for the organization to be around in the future.

He mentioned two kinds of leadership - Leadership by position - because you are a policeman or the master of a lodge some people will follow you Leadership by trust. because the people in the Lodge know and trust you they will allow you to lead.

A good leader, a true leader will have a little bit of both.

Jack Butler also spoke on leadership. Jack is the Chairman of division and Reference and will be Grand Master next year. He likened a Masonic Lodge to Weight Watchers.

They both have/are

• a support group
• meet on a regular basis
• positive reinforcement
• change your approach to things
• reward their successes

He spoke of Freemasonry as a regular course of moral instruction and mentioned the desire for knowledge and the willingness to share that knowledge. He mentioned the use of the word advance throughout our work and how it is a forward, upbeat looking word. He wanted us to remember that we should have a willingness to serve and to work. There is no conflict with our duties to God, our country our neighbor or our family. We endeavor to be the "good guys" We will "help, aid and assist," We will not "cheat, wrong or defraud."

The job of the Masonic Lodge is to make Masons. Masonry is a choice on how you will lead your life. Masonry is not a destination, it is a journey. He asked, "Is this man a Mason because he does good things or does he do good things because he is a Mason." He answered, "The answer is Yes!"

A man becomes a member and will finally become a Mason.

Brother Dwight McDonald from Eldora spoke about developing and growing your own Lodge. He spoke about several programs of Past Grand Masters which had particularly inspired him to become involved with helping his lodge to grow and become more active. He mentioned the Brothers at Eldora started traveling all other and having fun together as they traveled. He called his van the Lodgemobile. He talked about some of the tools that are provided to help with membership development including the pocket petition and the prospect folder. He emphasized that the Lodge should be a "fun" place for the Brothers to come and mentioned in particular one Brother who had not attended Lodge for 20 years telling him that "I had fun, I'm coming back."

He spoke from the standpoint of a salesman who uses "small talk" to introduce Freemasonry to clients. He suggested that asking them what they would think about coming into a fraternity of men that the first thing you are going to do is come into that room and attend prayer with us. He also suggested that "Friendship, Morality, and Brotherly Love were "talking points" in telling the prospect about what we have for sale is a "way of life."

The Ashlar Award is a tool that is important to get a new Mason involved and active.










A very important part of the day was lunch.

Brother Kurt Hoffman ( Explodinglightbulb.com) spoke about Intergenerational Communications. He identified the several"generations" and described the differences in the way they communicate.

Traditionalists
Baby Boomer
Generation X (1965-76)
Gen Y ( 1977 - 2002)

Kurt pointed out that we have to be able to communicate with all four.

Traditionalists like to communicate face to face they are partial to printed newsletters and handwritten letters and cards. With the Baby Boomers you would add the telephone to that list. Generation X adds - face to face with a mentor some e-mail and web sites. Gen Y uses all of the above but particularly adds and is most comfortable with; Web Sites, e-mail, text messages, video conferences and mobile phone communications.

He said that in today's society you have to appeal to all four generations in order to survive and thrive.

Kurt shared that the average age of a Master Mason in Iowa is 68 - In 2007 there were 593 new Masons and the average age was 39. The youngest new Mason was 19 with the oldest being 79. The majority of the new Masons are of Generation X. In 2007 there were 14 Ashlar Awards given. The younger guys are the most active new Master Masons.

With the Generation Y members the seem drawn to the secrecy aspect of the fraternity. They want to learn more about out symbols. There is a hunger for Masonic knowledge. They like Instant communications with opportunities to learn and for mature friendships. Community service also appeals to them.

He spoke about Web Sites

• Is it kept current?
• Is it easily found?
• Is the content informative and attractive?
• Is it easy to navigate?
• Does it have contact information?
• What is the response time to an inquiry?

He suggested several sites to look at:

Helena Montana (Note: I linked to the site but had a little trouble getting there. There was a scrollbar running across it saying that it is being reconstructed.)
Austin Lodge # 12
Gnemeth #577, West Des Moines

Kurt has placed his presentations on line. You may view them by clicking here.
By the way I discovered that I am an outlier because I use a lot of Gen X and Gen Y things even though my age (67) would suggest my being a traditionalist.

Don Mosier mentioned here that Grand Lodge is setting up an award for Lodge Web Sites. He also spoke about the suspensions for NPD and Demits. If a young man does not have his expectations met by the lodge in 3 years he is liable to leave. To that end the Grand Lodge is having New Master Mason's Meetings and asking new members to answer 25 questions. Some of the things they are asking for are more activities and more mentoring. Don suggested that there was a place on his Web Site where we could answer the twenty five questions but frankly Don I can;t find it. So you will have to leave us a comment directing us to the spot.

One-day classes were discussed. At the next one day class there will be one degree out on entirely by members who received their work in a one day class. The Master;s part in one of the degrees will be done by a One-day class member who has since gone on to take his MI in all three degrees. One day class Masons are just as active if not more active as those who receive their work in the traditional manner.

Leadership is important. Listen to what the members have to say.

The Grand Master recommended some Essays by George Oliver. I could not find the Essays (Don help) but go read about Brother Oliver here.

Tim Anderson, Deputy Grand Secretary gave his presentation on mentoring and some of the tools we use to help with that process.

• Systematic Enlightenment Courses
• Ashlar Award
• Passport to Light
• Warden's handbook
• Candidate Instruction handbook
• Master Builder Program
• Lodge System of Masonic Education
• Videos
• Creston Masons Calendar
• Lodge Service Committee Web Site.

All of these tools, etc. are designed to open a dialog between the new Mason and his Mentor(s).

Jeremy summarized the day with a recap asking us to look at the 







pair 'a dimes


again:

Old 
Industrial Age
Stability
Control
Competition
Things
Uniformity
NewInformation Age
Change
Empowerment
Collaboration
People and Relationships
Diversity
mail out e-mail

People get involved and make the change happen. People must accept the change and allow it to happen.

All in all today was a great learning experience. The fast paced day led by articulate, knowledgeble Masons was well worth the time I invested in attending. I hope that you will find this (rather lengthy) post as being worth your time to have read. By the way this is post # 901 on my Blog. ARTYAL (for new readers that stands for Always Remember That You Are Loved) and I sign off with Hugs, J-bear (I used to be j-bird but have gotten old and growly.)

Oh yes, two signs today that spring is on its way. I saw RV's headed north (Welcome back snowbirds) and a group of canadian geese flew over the Temple heading North. ARTYAL Hugs, J-bear