Freemasonry as a 'business'

       W Bro R. Pottinger,
Research Lodge of Wellington,
         New Zealand

    Published in the New Zealand Freemason, this paper represents one New 
Zealand Mason's solution to the common phenomenon of waning interest and fall-
ing  membership in these changing times. Little of it will be new in part to 
SAMN readers but in total it gives an insight into New Zealand Freemasonry as 
well as another stimulus to regeneration of our own Masonic activities.

    It has been said that mankind has acquired more knowledge in the last 50
years than was accumulated in all previous time. It is acknowledged that we
are in the midst of an 'information revolution', whose effects are more pro-
found than the Industrial Revolution that preceded it. In every facet of 
society, there is evidence of profound change since the 1940s. As one observer 
put it, 'The only constant in the market is change itself."
    One fundamental and important force driving change, is the power, views 
and needs of the educated consumer. The supremacy of the customer in the mar-
ketplace has resulted in a bewildering array of choices in almost every aspect 
of life. What is more important, it has forced changes in the fundamental 
'culture' of organisations. A change from their being organisation focussed, 
to becoming customer driven.
    Of particular interest is the effect of these social changes upon the 
membership and support of long established organisations such as churches, 
service clubs, voluntary organisations and youth groups. In most, support is 
falling, though a few have caught the wave of change and are flourishing. 
Freemasonry has not been exempt from the same adverse effects of change.
    To initiate change means first inverting the normal autocratic management
structure. It means being prepared to listen to customers (members) and meet
their needs. In some Lodges, Standing Committee literally makes or overviews
every decision. This is tantamount to saying that they know customers' needs
better than the customers themselves. It leaves the customers with no recourse 
to make their views known. The result is that they vote with their feet as 
shown by attendance levels.
    There is factual evidence available, from which it can be concluded that
Freemasonry is faced with:
    * a continuing and accelerating decline in membership;
    * the probability that it will fall from 25,000 to 15,000 members in New
Zealand in some 250 New Zealand Lodges, by 2000. AD;
    * significant rationalisation and mental changes for a great many Lodges;
    * implications for Grand Lodge in its size, structure, financing and per 
capita charges; and
    * membership fees will sharply increase and members will tend to be the 
affluent and professional men.
    The crisis is serious, with severe consequences for the organisation 
unless the problem is tackled. Even if steps are taken immediately, recovery 
to a point where net losses equal net gains, may not be able to take place 
before member levels of 15,000 are reached.

The solution
    It is becoming common practice to apply business and management principles 
to the operation of organisations such as Freemasonry. Business exists to 
create a customer, for without customers there can be no business. By supply-
ing services to customers (members and society), it follows that Lodges and 
Grand Lodge are each a business, both of whom are running out of customers. 
The key to this notion is that the customer (member) is the foundation of the 
system and keeps it in existence. The institution does not exist as an end in 
itself. It exists for society. If it fails to continue to be relevant to 
society, it decays. There are two pitfalls in this area.
    Management that perceives the institution as a means, and itself as an 
end, will fail. They have forgotten that they exist only to supply those 
customer needs. When they stay focussed on why they are keeping house, not 
the way they are keeping house, they become adaptive and responsive to change.
    The second pitfall is, that while we know and cherish our product, that 
blinds us as to why customers, both current and potential, hate it - or love 
it. Our customers see the product through entirely different eyes. Since their 
perceptions are what counts, we must not fail to listen to them. The auto-
cratic organisation management structure which has universely prevailed in 
commerce, governments and organisations, was inherited from the church and the 
military. Today this form is no longer appropriate to meet the needs of people 
and the marketplace. The emphasis is on customers and empowering people in the 
organisation to take responsibility for the quality of their own output. In 
effect endow them with a sense of ownership. The result of the change is to
turn the conventional organisation structure on its head.
    How management perceives the organisation is of no consequence to cus-
tomers. The only determinant is how customers see the enterprise. That has to
be the focus of management at all levels.

                                     CUSTOMERS
          Public at large - Potential new members group - Current members
                                 :
                                 v
                   Lodge officers in all lodges in N Z
                                 :
                                 v
                      All New Zealand lodges
                                 :
                                 v
                      Provincial management
                                 :
                                 v
                            Grand lodge 


What is our business?
    A mission statement is often a wish list, and is not to be confused with 
the question, "What business are we in?" Or the corollary, "What are we in 
business for?" An organisation has to have a clear and widely agreed under-
standing of its purpose. It must keep the system on track and continuously 
adapt to changing needs.
    The nature of the business is only a part of the marketing plan. There are
other questions such as: Who are our clients? What is our product? What niche
do we wish to occupy in the marketplace? What qualities do we have that make 
us unique and are our strength?
    Like any other business, Grand Lodge has many customers. The Grand Lodge
customer list includes:

Community at large
Males who are potential candidates
Cturrent members
Craft Lodges
Provincial administration
Masonic villages
Several different customer groups who receive charitable support
Endowed university chairs
Investors in Grand Lodge deposit scheme

The Craft Lodge list could include:

 Local community
 Members and their wives, family and friends
 Widows
 Persons visited by the almoner
 Potential members
 Charitable groups eg local Masonic home, school etc.
    
    Grand Lodge is responsible for the national scene. Lodges cannot fulfil 
this duty. The task of Grand Lodge is to talk directly to its wide range of 
customers. Therefore it has the responsibility to research community 
attitudes, including customers and potential customers. It talks to customers 
on a national basis to establish an environment both internally and externally 
that is conducive to Lodges and Freemasonry flourishing. Regulations should be 
removed that impede this process. Grand Lodge can neither actively acquire 
members, nor effectively act in every local area. It can only take care of 
material needs, support Lodges in their local endeavours and act as an over-
all coordinator of efforts.
    Grand Lodge needs to spend time on making itself understood and educating
members. It has to create a shared vision and provide a sense of direction 
that is keyed to the outcome to be achieved. It has to sit down with its 
people and say: "This is what we are faced with. These are the alternatives we 
see. These are the plans and strategies we have. Here is how we can help you. 
What can you do to help solve our mutual problems? This technique of 
establishing a partnership and putting power into the partnership overcomes 
the inherent negative atttude of it being the responsibility of someone else.
    Nothing will happen without commitment and participation by members. How-
ever it can only effectively start with Grand Lodge, who in turn can then
properly expect it of Lodges.

The plan of attack
    If the membership problem is to be effectively tackled, then to Grand 
Lodge alone falls the task of developing a plan and implementing an effective 
strategy. There are several facets to such a scheme:
    * acceptance by Grand Lodge that it has a responsibility to initiate and 
manage a national approach to increasing membership and to fund a campaign, 
otherwise there will only be fragmented efforts;
    * undertake professional market research to determine public, potential 
member and member attitudes to Freemasonry;
    * review Grand Lodge procedures to remove or add measures to facilitate
Lodges meeting member needs, and to open entry channels for new members;
    * develop a publicity campaign aimed at increasing awareness levels for 
Freemasonry and making the path to joining Lodges easy and readily identified;
    * develop detailed guides to enable Lodges before commencing the programme 
to streamline their activities, change meeting formats to better suit customer 
needs, and form teams with power to act in their allocated area.

Research
    It is vital to know how the public, the target potential male members of 
Lodges, and Lodge members view Freemasonry. No comprehensive membership or 
publicity campaign should be undertaken until there is a knowledge of customer
perceptions. Without this solid base of research, no campaign will be fully 
successful. Priority should be considered for the provision of budget money 
for this research work and any subsequent publicity campaign. This funding is 
crucial to the continued future of the organisation. Therefore, in the short 
term, savings may have to be made at the expense of other areas of Grand Lodge 
activities.
    Lodges must address their own systems from a customer (member) viewpoint, 
covering every segment of the business, including tyling times and dress.
There must be an emphasis on the needs of younger members, for it will be the
younger person who will be joining. To be successful means attracting and 
holding younger men by meeting their needs. It means integrating these with 
the needs of the older aged Brethren. The two needs are not mutually 
exclusive.
    In summary, the whole Lodge is made more appealing to customers (members).
The Lodge as a whole must accept the problem. It has to commit to a common
vision of the future as well as participating in the work of carrying out the 
solution.

Entry channels to Freemasonry
    Some preliminary qualitative research with younger Freemasons pointed up 
the difficulty which potential members have in finding an entry channel to 
Freemasonry. Many thought they had to wait to be asked. We are the victims of 
our own secrecy. This difficulty is a result of past attitudes by members 
where one's membership was a secret, and soliciting for members very tightly 
controlled. The recent change in the latter, can only be a helpful move.
    Lodges should be encouraged to place sensibly large advertisements in 
local newspapers concerning meetings, contact 'phone numbers and 'enquiries 
welcome'. The excellent series of pamphlets available from Grand Lodge need to 
be advertised more widely and regularly, particularly Don't wait to be asked. 
Research shows a need for information which helps answer the question: "You
are a Freemason, what do you do?" The collected rulings allow for adequate 
freedom to advertise meetings. There appears to be a view that publicising 
meetings of either Craft Lodges, or friends meeting, or meetings to inform 
about Freemasonry, is frowned upon, if not illegal. This issue needs address-
ing.

Dress code
    Freemasonry in general, and Lodges in particular, have to establish a 
climate which suits the needs of younger people. Today there is a more 
'casual' and relaxed attitude among people. Already there is a trend towards 
6:00 pm to 6:45 pm meetings. For example, in Wellington some 26% of Lodges 
meet in lounge suits. Assuming a Lodge tyles before 6:15 pm, there is no time 
to change into evening dress.
    The target group is more casual in standards, and this is part of modern 
fashion and trends. There is stiff competition for leisure time, and the Craft
must not lose by failing to keep pace with customer dress needs. Otherwise 
there is a risk of being seen as out of date, or not in touch.
    Standards adopted by Grand Lodge for its own members are quite a different
issue.

Lodge renewal programme
    A good Lodge is one which meets the needs of its members and visitors. 
Members will have a strong sense of pride and commitment. The Lodge will 
operate smoothly, with high standards of performance within the Lodge and in 
refectory. The crux of the matter is that the good Lodge meets the social 
needs of its members and strives to appeal.
    If a Lodge wants to solve its membership problem, it must first be pre-
pared to critically examine its own activities, before embarking on a member-
ship drive. The pool of potential customers (members) will belong to younger 
age groups. These people have different expectations and standards from the 
older generation-as noted earlier. The Lodge activities must appeal to these 
people, which will likely mean some changes. If it is to be mastered, change 
has to be welcomed as a friend and not opposed. Opposing change is like hold-
ing your breath. If you succeed then you are dead.

Communication
    A summons can often be just that - a notice of meeting. It offers the 
opportunity to be a newsletter designed to keep everyone informed, especially 
country members. It is designed to inform and interest members. Why not list 
the Lodge diary; candidates awaiting degrees; a 'chatty' note from the Master; 
information about social events; special Lodge activities; minutes of the 
previous meeting, including financial statements; annual budget and statement 
of accounts? This keeps absent members fully informed and made to feel part of 
the Lodge. The Lodge can think of other areas about their activiities that 
ought to be communicated.

Lodge business
    The business segment can be boring and needlessly prolonged. Circulating 
the minutes in advance saves reading them out, It also keeps absent Brethren 
informed. A motion "that the minutes having been circulated be taken as read 
and are a true and correct record" is all that is required. Correspondence is 
usually routine and can be summarised, accounts can be brief, and a simple 
motion approving payment is sufficient. It pays to have movers and seconders 
spread over members, and established in advance. These and similar moves will 
significantly shorten the time for the business session, without losing 
control.

Visitors
    Having visitors in the lobby for lengthy periods, is discourteous. We have 
no secrets about our business or ballots that cannot be shared with visitors. 
The procedures should be reviewed. Why not bring visitors in when you tyle? 
Visiting masters can be introduced by the DC immediately after Lodge opening.

Ceremonial
Who wants to attend a Lodge with sloppy ritual? Good quality ritual is a joy 
to behold. If the Lodge as a whole wants better ritual standards, they can 
demand it - be surprised how fast it happens. Even more important, is whether 
the work is spread around to involve as many members, particularly floor 
members, as possible. Why not divide the TBs or the WTs among floor members, 
particularly younger Brethren?

Tyling (opening) time
    There is a marked reluctance by members to be late in returning home. The 
old midnight homecoming is not appropriate today. It is important that 
refectory finish at a predetermined time. It means members will stay knowing 
they will not be late. This may be one reason why some do not either join in 
refectory, or do not attend Lodge. Streamlining the business segment and 
improving visitor entry procedures save valuable time early in the evening, so 
that adequate time is assigned to refectory. It may be worth asking Brethren 
if a changed tyling time is of interest, This is best accomplished by a postal 
questionnaire. For example:

Circle which tyling time you prefer:.
6:00 pm; 6:15 pro; 6:30 pro; 6:45 pm; 7:00 pro; 7:15 pm; 7:30 pm.
Underline which tyling time is your second choice.

    People dislike changes. A tested way to set up a change in tyling time is 
to advise members that the new time will be on trial for six months excluding 
installation. This provides a fair test of the new arrangements.
    With a change in tyling time, there should be a dress code change, because
there is insufficient time for evening dress for say a 6:30 pm tyling.

Refectory        
    Refectory should be a fun time. Often it is not. Tbe food in may cases is 
water, biscuits and cheese; sandwiches drying out and curling at the edges; 
and half warm sausage rolls. Quanities often inadequate. The table is dressed 
in an unappealing manner.
    Toasts can be interminable and uninteresting. Some members like to hear
their own voices. There may be a need to establish a time limit. There is 
merit in pre-warning people and expecting a good quality speech in support of 
the toast. The whole process of refectory needs to be examined to make it fun, 
and the close of a good evening - on time, every time.

Membership drive
    Grand Lodge has issued new guidelines for soliciting new members. It is 
important that the ruling be circulated to all members so that they are aware 
of the easier entry criteria. There are four prongs of attack:
    * regular advertising of the Lodge;
    * seek unattached Brethren;
    * potential candidates known to members; and
    * public meeting.
    Local community newspapers are a useful way of advertising a Lodge. This
need not be more than monthly, but it must be regular. It takes time to be 
known, and constant reminder is important. The advert should be of reasonable 
size. Say two columns by 50 mm. It should give the name, meeting time and 
place. Phone numbers must be included for people to contact "if you are 
interested in joining or knowing more." The advertisement should also note, 
"unattached are welcome." Outside Lodge rooms, a notice of which Lodges meet 
there and when is useful.
    The Lodge as a whole should be reminded that if they have friends, or
business acquaintances who might be interested, they should follow up to see 
if a new member can be acquired. In this respect, there is a range of 
literature available from Grand Lodge, and the Secretanry should hold a stock 
of these. As well, members should know of these, and if necessary, each given 
a copy. Otherwise, samples should be available at each meeting next to the 
attendance register.
    It can be useful to have a social evening for the Lodge, to which friends
can be invited. They find that Freemasons are normal open people who enjoy
social activities with their wives as an integral part of the Lodge 
activities. A follow-up is made easier after this event.

Public meetings
    For many Lodges, the age of Brethren makes it less likely they have a 
circle of friends of an age who would likely join the Lodge. Apart from this 
fact, it is also evident that entry channels for interested members are hard 
to find. There is a compelling need to have an advertised public meeting to 
which interested persons may come.
    Such meetings must be held in comfortable quality surroundings. Meeting
in a barren hall is not a good image. There should be some tea, coffee and 
light snacks available after the meeting. The meeting should not be longer 
than one to one and a quarter hours, with additional time for questions.
    The content of the meeting must be carefully developed and the speakers
picked for their ability to relate to an audience. Speakers need to be fluent 
in their subject.
    A promotional package should be given to every person attending. This
would include informative pamphlets, together with a note of thanks from the
Lodge and including phone numbers and names of persons available for sub-
sequent follow-up contact. Persons interested in receiving further contact are
invited to write their name etc in a register. Experience shows that most 
people like to go away and think about the issues raised and contact someone 
later. Quite often interested people do not attend but will ring a contact 
later. It is important that the advertisement carries phone numbers and names 
to cover this eventuality.
    Finally, the meeting should be attended by only a few key Lodge members.
Prospects must not be overwhelmed by a large turnout of the Lodge!

Continuous improvement
    Once a Lodge has reorganised itself, the process does not stop there. Once 
each year the Lodge should meet and consider how well the changes have 
operated. What worked and what did not? The upgrading process is never-ending 
if the Lodge is to keep up with change. Customer conscious people call it -
continuous improvement!


SA Masonic News, December 1993                                                                                        7

