by Midnight Freemasons Contributor
Todd E. Creason,
33°
So lets say I own a business that sells office supplies, and I begin
losing customers. I would immediately realize there's a problem.
Something changed and I need to figure out what that is. If I'm a smart
business owner, I'm not going to spend a bunch of money in advertising
to try to attract new customers until I figure out why I can't hang onto
my old customers . . . right? It's probably one of two things--I'm
doing something wrong, or somebody else is doing something better than I
am.
So why do Masonic Lodges have such a difficult time understanding that?
I
was at a meeting a couple weeks ago, and there was a discussion about
membership retention. Some of the comments went as follows: Our old
members aren't active. We get new members, and they come for a few
meetings and then we never see them again. The Shrine and the Scottish
Rite are poaching our members.
I didn't say it,
but it's obvious what the problem is. It's the Lodge! If your old
members aren't coming, it's because they aren't getting anything out of
it--or at least enough to keep them coming back. Same with your new members. And if appendant bodies are able to
get your members involved in their organization, it's because they are
getting something there they aren't getting from the Lodge.
And
how do lodges typically counter this problem with retention. In my opinion--in
the wrong way. They work to recruit MORE MEMBERS without ever
considering why they can't keep the members they already have--and the
cycle repeats.
If you want your Lodge to
thrive, there's no reason to add one single new member until you figure
out why you can't keep the ones you have. Doesn't that make sense?
Take a break. Talk about it. Talk to a few of those guys that aren't
coming anymore. Look at your meetings--are they boring? Do your active
members look forward to the meetings or do they suffer through them?
Do you have education at your meetings or invite speakers to come and
talk? Do you have social events at your Lodge?
There
are all kinds of things you can do to identify the problem your Lodge is having
once you recognize the fact that maybe it's not your members, or those
pesky appendant bodies--it might just be your Lodge. I think if you
take the time to look into the issue, you're going to find that the
problem isn't identifying the problems, it's in finding amongst your
membership a willingness to change.
Talk
about it. Come up with a plan. Start small. Try a few things. See
what works, and what doesn't work. And share those successes with other
Lodges--as often as this topic comes up, you're not alone.
~TEC
Todd E. Creason, 33°, FMLR is
the Founder of the Midnight Freemasons blog and is a regular
contributor. He is the author of several books and novels, including
the Famous American Freemasons series. He is the author of the From Labor to Refreshment
blog. He is a Past Master of Ogden Lodge No. 754 (IL), and currently
serves as the Secretary, and is also a member of Homer Lodge No. 199
where he serves as Senior Warden. He is a member the Scottish Rite
Valley of Danville, the York Rite Bodies of Champaign/Urbana (IL), the
Ansar Shrine (IL), Eastern Illinois Council No. 356 Allied Masonic
Degrees, Charter President of the Illini High Twelve in Champaign-Urbana
(IL), and a Fellow of the Missouri Lodge of Research. He is a charter
member of a new Illinois Royal Arch Chapter, Admiration Chapter U.D. He
was named the 2014 Illinois Secretary of the Year Award by the Illinois
Masonic Secretaries Association. You can contact him at:
webmaster@toddcreason.org
There's no cohesion, people keep piling the rope in different directions or stepping on it according to their preferences, point of views, personal circumstances, political and religious views, etc. It's done, it's dead, the only thing that keeps this corps alive is the new blood we inject in it but it eventually bleeds out too.
ReplyDeleteI don't even know what to say in response to that comment. First of all, religion and politics shouldn't be topics of discussion in any Lodge. As far as different points of view--the strength of Masonry is having men from with different ideas, different perspectives and different walks of life come together. Sounds like you have a lack of leadership, a lack of direction, and you've simply given up. But there are a lot of Lodges out there that are coming back stronger than they've ever been. But you can't get there without basic leadership and a belief that Masonry means something.
ReplyDeleteHi there, I read your article with mindfulness and found it very real. I'm the Worshipful Master of Imhotep No. 52 lodge of San Luis Potosi, MX now and were working in the ellaboration a retention strategy for several weeks until I found your blog and realizaed that I'm in the right way; I agreed that there may be some resistance but I also think that willingnes will appear as soon as others members see and live the effort of change, the effort for renovation. I would like to keep in touch to share ideas, comments and more. my email is delgadillo.julio@gmail.com
ReplyDeleteBest regards from San Luis Potosi, Mexico
I have found in my travels and in my lodges that there is always one ore two strong personalities. Always a senior past master. Often an experienced junior past grand lodge officer. In any group there is always a number of different types/styles of participants. The quiet back bencher that shows up at every meeting but rarely speaks. I always like to tease out information or opinions from these brethren. They don't say much but when they do its usually insightful or even profound. You get the busy bees that you can count on to organize events. You have the leaders. The chronic complainers.not a comprehensive list by any means. But it's good to understand the different types of participants. That all said occasionally you get one of those strong personalities, while meaning well they are abraisive or even offensive. They take liberties with respect to the master in the sense they are constantly jumping up and talking and not waiting to be recognized. Basically they can be described as bullies. Problem is that personality is driving people away.
ReplyDeleteHow do you deal with that bully? We're not talking about a school yard bully but a brother that offends nearly everyone yet is very involved in the lodge.
I make no sense of the first comment. Education at lodge is key in my opinion. Many members today are yearning for Masonic knowledge and wisdom. They won't continue to come to lodge if all that is offered is spaghetti dinners, introductions, and the reading of minutes.
ReplyDeleteI make no sense of the first comment. Education at lodge is key in my opinion. Many members today are yearning for Masonic knowledge and wisdom. They won't continue to come to lodge if all that is offered is spaghetti dinners, introductions, and the reading of minutes.
ReplyDeleteOne comment I wanted to make about Past Masters issue brought up earlier. We too have some strong personalities, but not at the expense of decorum. If you Master is allowing these guys to speak without being recognized, and be disruptive that's really on him. He's allowing that to happen in his Lodge. It goes back to what I was saying about leadership. That almost never happens in my Lodge. I did get interrupted one time when I was Master, and I knew I would. I'd been watching this guy talk out of turn for several years. First time it happened when I was in the East, I just stopped the meeting and looked at the offending member. "I appreciate you opinion, but next time you want to speak, you WILL wait until I recognize you." I didn't make a big deal out of it, but I'm sure he was ticked off. I'm sure it embarrassed him. But he never did it again, and has never done it since to any Master. The problem was, nobody ever corrected him, and he felt like he could do whatever he wanted. I think that reminded him to show proper etiquette in the Lodge. The Master has to assert himself and run his meetings.
ReplyDeleteI totally agree Todd. It's difficult as a first time master. I didn't want to disparige a master but I think many first tours in the chair of KS are like that. It's only once you have experience that you learn to navigate good leadership by effectively instructing and employing the brethren. The first time in the chair is like dringing from the fire hose. And by the time you find your feet it's over! Lol
ReplyDeleteThis comment has been removed by a blog administrator.
ReplyDeleteSometimes it's as simple as when you schedule lodge meetings. That's my situation. So my question is this: If I resign from my lodge am I allowed to apply to another?
ReplyDeleteCheck with your Lodge secretary or the Grand Lodge Secretary about what the best way of going about that is in your state. In mine, there are a couple ways you could transfer your membership to another lodge, but I'm sure the procedures vary from state to state. Good luck.
ReplyDeleteAnother great post Todd and you hit what I think is the mark most often missed - talking through the problems.
ReplyDeleteThere are many challenges have been seen before and more than a few solutions tried but because we don't talk about them we miss out on that shared experience and knowledge.
With regard to ask non active members why they are not participating; what questions would you ask them? Besides why are you not participating?
ReplyDeleteLook.. life changes impact the level of participation. I recently moved to a new country and GREATLY miss my Blue Lodge bretheren. Also.. as one progresses,he learns about other Masonic bodies, (like Shriners, York Rite, and Scottish Rite.) Things ebb and flow. Change is constant.
ReplyDeleteI love my Blue Lodge and feel an obligation to go for all my brothers, not for myself. As the group grows and/or turns over.. I have less of a sense of obligation for newer brothers.. I don't want to admit this publicly, but will in an effort to help all my brethren (and myself.)
How do we ingrain this sense of obligation to the Lodge and not to brothers who have worked the last 10 years WIITH me? I enjoy getting to know my new brothers, but current contemporaries have earned my trust and respect... How should I, translate this same admiration/respect/adoration to the newer brothers? I can do so by will, but how do I convert the true desire I have for older, well known, brothers to have the same admiration for newer brothers and help nurture new masons? I will do what I need to do to follow the footsteps of my mentor who unfortunately passed on), but I find it difficult to embrace new brothers, like I do for brothers who went through the line with me.... And frequently find myself congregating with brothers who have shouldered loads with me, more so than with new brothers.
In my opinion, homeostasis at a minimum... growth at the best and maintaining attendance, should come from a mentoring system. My Masonic mentor was instrumental in cultivating my love and admiration for older brothers. How should lodges endear the older brothers to invest time and effort in younger brothers? Do you all think that this might help attendance and dissemination of wisdom? I have not attended Lodge regularly in the US.. although being an American, so am not sure of American attendance trends... Only with Latin American trends. -One Curious Brother
Look.. life changes impact the level of participation. I recently moved to a new country and GREATLY miss my Blue Lodge bretheren. Also.. as one progresses,he learns about other Masonic bodies, (like Shriners, York Rite, and Scottish Rite.) Things ebb and flow. Change is constant.
ReplyDeleteI love my Blue Lodge and feel an obligation to go for all my brothers, not for myself. As the group grows and/or turns over.. I have less of a sense of obligation for newer brothers.. I don't want to admit this publicly, but will in an effort to help all my brethren (and myself.)
How do we ingrain this sense of obligation to the Lodge and not to brothers who have worked the last 10 years WIITH me? I enjoy getting to know my new brothers, but current contemporaries have earned my trust and respect... How should I, translate this same admiration/respect/adoration to the newer brothers? I can do so by will, but how do I convert the true desire I have for older, well known, brothers to have the same admiration for newer brothers and help nurture new masons? I will do what I need to do to follow the footsteps of my mentor who unfortunately passed on), but I find it difficult to embrace new brothers, like I do for brothers who went through the line with me.... And frequently find myself congregating with brothers who have shouldered loads with me, more so than with new brothers.
In my opinion, homeostasis at a minimum... growth at the best and maintaining attendance, should come from a mentoring system. My Masonic mentor was instrumental in cultivating my love and admiration for older brothers. How should lodges endear the older brothers to invest time and effort in younger brothers? Do you all think that this might help attendance and dissemination of wisdom? I have not attended Lodge regularly in the US.. although being an American, so am not sure of American attendance trends... Only with Latin American trends. -One Curious Brother