W. Kirk MacNulty, 32°
4008 N. Richmond Street, Arlington, Virginia 22207-4815
appfutures@mindspring.com
Using the process of Vision-Based Planning
will overcome the difficulties inherent in
achieving necessary change.
At the Scottish Rite Leadership Conferences held in 2002, Bro.
"Skip" Boyer's keynote presentation made it very
clear that in today's world an organization that expects to
survive must adapt to its changing environment. There was a
general feeling among the Brethren in attendance that he was
correct and that the Scottish Rite should take Brother Boyer's
ideas on board and adapt to meet the needs of its members. But
there is a problem. Adaptation means change, and it is difficult
to introduce change. That is particularly true in Masonic organizations
whose members often believe that any change is strictly forbidden.
That, of course, is not the case. The principles of Masonry
cannot be changed, but Masonry's forms and practices have changed
a great deal over the years. Albert Pike, for example, did not
participate in Degrees conferred upon Candidates who watched
several Degrees in a single weekend. In Pike's time, Degrees
were conferred on individuals over an extended period.
Introducing change into a Valley can be difficult, but this
article outlines a process that will overcome those difficulties.
This method, called "Vision-Based Planning," depends
upon two principles. The first principle is that the action
to introduce change will be based on a Vision that is shared
by the members of the Valley. A shared vision is useful because
it specifies the nature of the change and it serves as a reference
point for decisions when unanticipated events occur.
The second principle is that the Vision and the Plan to implement
it are developed by a team which is representative of the Brethren
in the Valley. This ensures that the Brethren will "buy
into" the plan when it has been developed and appreciate
the change when it has been implemented. In the space of this
article, we will be able to consider only a brief outline of
this process. Brethren desiring more information can obtain
a detailed Planning Worksheet from Dr. S. Brent Morris, 33°,
G.C., the Supreme Council's Director of Membership Development,
(bmorris@srmason-sj.org,
or 1733 Sixteenth St., NW, Washington, DC 20009-3103).
Start by selecting the Vision and Planning Team. This Team
should include the Leadership of the Valley, the Personal Representative,
the Secretary, the Treasurer, and the Heads of the various Bodies.
In addition, the Team should contain members who are representative
of the Brethren throughout the Valley-particularly younger Brethren
and mavericks. In this context, mavericks refers to intelligent
younger Brethren who have a good knowledge of the Scottish Rite,
original ideas, and who are not reluctant to propose changes.
The Vision-Based Planning process consists of two phases. During
the first, the Expansion Phase, the Team seeks to "think
outside the box," to understand the Valley's situation
differently, and to formulate an imaginative Vision for the
Valley that answers the needs and desires of the Brethren. During
the second phase, Synthesis, the Team works to formulate a plan
that will enable the Valley to realize the Vision.
Preparation for the planning process should start with informing
the membership of the Valley of the intention to prepare a Vision
and Plan to introduce changes that will enable the Valley to
prosper in the 21st Century. A clear circular letter describing
this intention is a good idea. If the completed Vision and Plan
come as a surprise to the Brethren, it will be difficult to
sell to the rank-and-file members-especially if it involves
any significant change, as it probably will. During the vision
and planning phase, it is important to determine what the Brethren
expect of the Rite. Solicit information from all the Brethren
in the Valley by including a request in the circular letter
suggested above. Get as broad a sample as possible in order
to get a good picture of the attitudes of the membership. Team
Members should keep the Brethren of the Valley informed as they
develop the Vision and Plan.
There are four Workshops in the planning process. Workshops
#1 and #2 are in the Expansion Phase of the project where the
objective is to get new and creative ideas. Criticism of ideas
should be avoided during the Expansion Phase-the intent is to
get new thoughts. The First Workshop should start with personal
conversations conducted in small groups. The idea is to increase
the rapport and understanding between the members of the Team.
The remainder of Workshop #1 is devoted to defining the Valley's
situation at the present time and the sort of situation that
the Brethren of the Valley would consider ideal in the future.
At the 2002 Leadership Conferences, we described a variety of
techniques to develop ideas and insights of this kind. These
details and details of the other techniques discussed below
are included in the Planning Worksheet mentioned above. The
ideas and insights produced in Workshop #1 are recorded, and
each Team Member is given a copy. In doing his homework for
Workshop #2, each Member considers the new ideas and insights
and writes his own draft Vision Statement for the Valley.
The task in Workshop #2 is to prepare the Vision Statement
for the Valley. The Team discusses the individual draft vision
statements and consolidates them into a final Vision Statement
for the Valley. A good technique is to pick out the best elements
from those draft Vision Statements that the members really like
and integrate them. Note that a draft Vision Statement that
is voted out during this process may represent the views of
a substantial number of the Brethren in the Valley. If possible,
select a couple of good ideas from the rejected drafts and incorporate
them in the final Vision Statement. This is the place to start
introducing limitations, such as the "Antient Landmarks,"
with constructive criticisms and suggestions. Edit the Vision
Statement so that it reads well. In doing his homework for Workshop
#3, each Member considers the Vision Statement and asks the
question, "What will the Valley be like when we realize
this Vision?" Then each Member prepares, in as great detail
as possible, a description of the Valley as it will be five
years in the future.
The task in Workshop #3 is to generate a detailed picture of
what the Valley will look like when the Vision has been realized.
This is the start of the Synthesis Phase, and suggestions may
be questioned in a constructive fashion. The Team discusses
the descriptions of the Valley as it will be five years hence,
consolidates all the acceptable ideas, and formulates a Five-Year
Word Picture of the Valley. In doing his homework for Workshop
#4, each member considers the Five-Year Word Picture and asks
the question, "How do we get there?" The answer is
a list of those activities that must be accomplished to change
the Valley as it exists to the Valley represented in the Five-Year
Word Picture.
Workshop #4 concludes the Planning Project. Its purpose is
to prepare a list of Objectives that must be accomplished to
realize the Vision for the Valley. The Team examines and consolidates
the list presented by each Member. The list is refined by evaluating
each activity and ensuring that no essential activity has been
omitted. From this list of essential activities, they develop
the Objectives for the Valley's Plan. Those Objectives should
support the Vision and be based on the Five-Year Word Picture.
They are used to write a final Plan that includes provisions
for coordination of the various activities. All the Members
of the Planning Team should approve the final Plan.
When the Plan for meeting the Valley's needs has been approved,
it should be published and implemented. If the Planning Team
is truly representative of the Valley, there will be no surprises,
little objection, and probably much approval of the proposed
change. Seek the participation of volunteers from among the
Brethren in the Valley to help in the implementation. Meet regularly
to discuss progress and to provide mutual help. Use the Shared
Vision to provide guidance in unanticipated situations.
With good will and effort, every Masonic Body can use the principles
of Vision-Based Planning to transform and energize Freemasonry
for the 21st Century.
