Welcome! Robert Conley, PGM Administrator MRC. What Happened? How did we end up here? What can we do about it?

Welcome!

Robert Conley, PGM

Administrator MRC

What Happened?

How did we end up here?

What can we do about it?

©RCE Industries 2004

Where have we been? In 1959 there were 4,000,000 Masons in

the United StatesToday there are under 1,700,000Once we made the cover of LifeToday nobody knows our nameOnce we created change, today we

don’t even react to it!


Lets do some thinkingWhat do you believe is at the root of the

membership decline?

What caused this problem?


You AnsweredApathyTVMoral DeclineNo CommitmentNo Concern for TraditionYoung People are just stupidWho cares, I don’t like them anyway


Keep Thinking!What is the average age of your Lodge?What is the average attendance in your

Lodge?


The bigger picture.Every group has had significant decline

in numbers.Most organizations have not been able

to sustain themselves over the long term.

No single answer is available.Today we do know a great deal.


It isn’t all our fault.Society changed.People changed.Generations changed.Entertainment changed.Education changed.Our Membership ChangedAttitudes and Viewpoints Changed


Society Changed.Freeways took people out of city’sMen’s “roles” have changed since the

50’sWomen “certify” their men’s involvementMen take a more active role in child

raisingFamily structures are very different


People Changed.Men are living longer todayWomen are living even longerDivorce rates went from 5% to 55%The average family went from 1 home

per lifetime to 11Adulthood begins at 28 compared to 18More--


Our Members Have Changed In 1954 Married Couples composed

80% of the Adult Population In 2003 Married Couples composed

50.7% of the Adult Population11% of Children were being raised by a

single parent in 1970 In 2001 that percentage had risen to

33%


Generations Changed.1900-1945, Traditionalists-Chain of

Command, Loyal1946-1964, Baby Boomers-Change of

Command, Competitive1965-1979, Generation X-Don’t

Command me at all, Skeptical1980-2000, Millenials- Don’t Command,

Collaborate, Realists


TraditionalistsDiMaggioLindberghEdward R. MurrowBob HopePearl Harbor, Normandy, Bay of Pigs,

Korea, Victory Gardens and RadioThe New Deal and the GI Bill


Baby Boomers Martin Luther King JFK The Cleavers Manson Family and the Osmond Family Captain Kangaroo and Captain Kirk Monkees, Beatles and the Stones Watergate, Hanoi Hilton, Chappaquiddick,

Kent State, sit ins, Love ins, Laugh In, and Woodstock


Gen X’rs Bill Clinton, Bill Gates, Monica,

Ayatollah Beavis and Butthead and OJMTVNot Many Heroes


MillenialsPrince William, Chelsea Clinton, Tinky

Winky, Ricky Martin, Leonardo DeCaprio, Kurt Cobain, Barney and the Back Street Boys

Dawson’s Creek, Oklahoma City, Outer space to Cyberspace, 9/11


Entertainment Changed. From Paper, to Radio, to Television. 87% of Adults get their information from

Television. Movies make less than 20% in the theaters. DVD’s, MP3 files, digital music and movies

downloaded from the internet will continue to evolve, and change the entire industry, whether the industry likes it or not.


Education changed.

Today 89% of graduating seniors will go on to a four year college.

Emphasis in Grade school on problem solving.

Teach more, at a younger age. Schools must be accountable.

50% of students graduating 8th grade cannot read at a 3rd grade level.

The US is making progress with grade school students.


Education continues to change. The fastest growing age segment obtaining

an advanced degree or just going back to school are senior citizens.

The concept of Life Long Learning is becoming more predominant among all age groups.

Groups that provide education will be able to take advantage of these developments.


Attitudes and Ideas Changed.Diversity will continue to expandChildren outside of Marriage is

considered normal. (by some)Elitist organizations get a bad rapPeople want to make a differenceTheir organizations must be relevantValue is expected


Diversity Projected population in the United States in

2050 will be 420 Million By 2030 20% of Americans will be over 65.

Up from 12% in 2000 White Americans will see their percentage

drop from 69% in 2000 to 50% in 2050. In 1950 the share was 90%

We will continue to grow faster than Europe


We never changed.We still do things exactly as we did.We still expect society to regard us well,

without giving them reasons to.We didn’t move when people did.We didn’t grow when people did.Our rituals, presentations, etc., have not

made any change since the invention of the light bulb.

What do we mean by Relevant?

Relevant, with it, valuable, the premier place to be.


Some Irrelevant OrganizationsThe Knights of PythiasPan AmMontgomery WardsWarren Featherbone Co.Freemasonry?


Some Relevant OrganizationsThe Girl ScoutsAARPNRAMarine corpsJet Blue and Midwest AirlinesLowe's & Home Depot


Are We Relevant?


What can be done?Change focus of “us” to “them”Learn that Membership is the only

reason for our existence.Focus on important things, not

extemporaneous things.Give them what they want.


Our Biggest Enemy (us)5000 Recently suspended members

were polled as to their reasons for leaving

85% Responded they left because of one reason

They were: IGNORED


Give them what they want!FellowshipFriendshipRole with the FamilyRole with the CommunityChance to be the Leader


Fellowship, the most important!Do we provide good fellowship?Does the leadership understand the

importance of fellowship?What can you do to improve the

fellowship in your Lodges?


It all can be called enrollment.An enrolled member stays.An non-enrolled member doesn’t.We lose more than 50% percent of our

newest members within 5 years.What does that tell us?Do we provide value?


Enrollment?First impressions are lastingGood impressions last a while, bad

impressions last longer.Does the lodge give the member

satisfaction?Does the experience instill pride, and

enrollment?


Try ThisDevelop a Checklist/of enrolling factorsAssess the current status of these

factorsDevelop an action plan to minimize the

negativesMeasure your successVisit an organization that knows how to

enroll


Some positive Enrolling StepsTalk to the new memberListen to the new memberNo man stands aloneWhat does he enjoy, does he have

children, etc.What are his skills, work, church, etc.Uniforms, programs, communications

etc.


Some More Certificates A small gift Gift Certificate, Rest. Verbal Recognition Thank you Party Name in Lodge

Paper Name and Photo on

Bulletin Board

Personal note from the Grand Master

Asked for input on important decisions

Dinner Thank you note from

Master others you can think

of


Negatives to EnrollmentDon’t surprise themLet them know what will happen to themDon’t make them “undress” in front of a

couple of old menDon’t ignore themDon’t take them for granted If your doing ritual, do it well, and

explain it


Remember what they said they wanted?FellowshipFriendshipRole with the FamilyRole with the CommunityAn opportunity to Lead and make a

difference.


What does it take? It takes Leadership!

The effective leader of an organization gets elected by those in his organization based upon his ability to enroll them as followers.


The Knowing Doing Gap

The Knowing Doing Gap

Knowledge

Time/Tasks Accomplished

Knowing

Doing

GAP


What causes the Gap?

Knowing what to do is not enough.When talk substitutes for action.When memory is a substitute for thinkingWhen Fear prevents acting on knowledgeWhen measurement obstructs good

judgment.


How do we close the gap?Why before How.Knowing comes from doing and

teaching others howAction counts more than elegant plans

and conceptsThere is no doing without mistakes, how

does the leadership deal with them?


Closing the gap, continuedFear fosters Knowing Doing Gaps, so

drive out fear.Fight the competition, not each other.Measure what matters, and what can

help. Turn knowledge into action.What leaders do, how they spend their

time and allocate their resources, matters.


Something to RememberGeneration Differences MatterWhat was True might not be so nowDifferent Generations look at their world

differentlyWhat are some of those different

viewpointsHow do they affect us


We Need to Provide Value?


Do I get my _______ Worth? Is it worth my time? Is it worth my money?Am I getting better at life, fatherhood,

husbandry, etc?Will this help my career?How are you going to reward me?Others that you can think of.


How did we do?

Have a great day!

Go out and make a difference, the craft needs you right now!

Documents

Welcome! Robert Conley, PGM Administrator MRC. What Happened? How did we end up here? What can we do about it?