Short form:
To insure effective leadership, we should endow
each element of AA – the conference, the General Service Board and its service
corporations, staffs, committees, and executives – with a traditional “Right of
Decision".
Long form:
As a traditional means of creating
and maintaining a clearly defined working relation between the groups, the
Conference, the AA General Service Board and its several service corporations,
staffs, committees and executives, and of thus insuring their effective
leadership, it is here suggested that we endow each of these elements of world
service with a traditional "Right of Decision".
Quotations
"... the latter part of Tradition Two, which provides
for "trusted servants." This really means that we ought to trust our responsible
leaders to decide, within the understood framework of their duties, how they
will interpret and apply their own authority and responsibility to each
particular problem or situation as it arises. This sort of leadership
discretion should be the essence of "the Right of Decision," and I am
certain that we need not have the slightest fear of granting this indispensable
privilege at nearly every level of world service."
"This "Right of Decision" should never be
made an excuse for failure to render proper reports of all significant actions
taken; it ought never be used as a reason for constantly exceeding a clearly
defined authority, nor as an excuse for persistently failing to consult those
who are entitled to be consulted before an important decision or action is
taken."
"Our entire AA program rests squarely upon the
principle of mutual trust. We trust God, we trust AA, and we trust each other.
Therefore we cannot do less than trust our leaders in service. The "Right
of Decision" that we offer them is not only the practical means by which
they may act and lead effectively, but it is also the symbol of our implicit
confidence."
Basic questions
In my service assignment, is it clear, by tradition,
charter, written procedure, etc., what my responsibility and authority is?
When I have a service assignment, do I exercise right of
decision over what I take back to those I represent for guidance and what I
will decide upon myself? Or do I simple make all decisions myself or refuse to
make any decisions myself.
Am I then accountable back to those I serve for the
decisions I have made in exercise of this right?
Ideas
The only decision I can ever make is to decide to pray. I
will then follow my ego or what comes to me when I pray. I am either deciding
to serve self, or I am deciding to serve God.
All problems are caused by a failure to pray, and thus
remaining in the thrall of my ego.
Extended questions
When I want to drink, do I decide to pray, and act
accordingly?
When a defect arises, do I decide to pray, and act
accordingly?
When I realise I am serving self, do I decide to reboot and
serve God instead?
Do I exercise right of decision over what to seek guidance
in relation to from others? Or do I either seek no guidance or, at the other
extreme, refuse to take any responsibility for myself?
Do I trust others to follow their consciences?
Do I let others exercise that right even when I disagree
with them?
Do I respect others' right to drink or otherwise not work
the programme, without interfering?
Do I try and make others go against their consciences to
please me?