Short form: Good service leadership at all levels is indispensable for our future functioning and safety. Primary world service leadership, once exercised by the founders, must necessarily be assumed by the trustees.
- Service in AA starts with the performance of tasks and participation in group discussions.
- Service progresses to making decisions below group level, either individually in discharge of Concept III or collectively in a decision-making body (e.g. Conference or the Board).
- The greater the responsibility and authority, the greater the scope of discretion to make decisions.
- Sometimes the responsibility and authority will involve delegation to others.
- Leadership is (a) the exercise of high levels of responsibility and authority and (b) the direction and management of others in their delegated service.
- The overriding principle is one of example rather than command.
- First we follow others' example in the material sense.
- Then we follow others' example in their reliance on God.
- This is the example we are to set to others.
- Leadership involves the cultivation of the following qualities:
- Impartiality
- Set aside personal ambitions and quarrels.
- Avoid unnecessary controversy.
- Consultation
- Consult widely.
- Conclude slowly.
- Responding well to criticism
- Drop defences.
- Rest in God in order to listen.
- Sift all criticism for substance.
- Incorporate the learnings.
- Do not retaliate.
- Compromise
- Prefer an improving compromise to:
- Staying stuck.
- Forcing unwanted solutions.
- Taking tough stands where necessary
- Do so guided by prayer.
- Do so with love.
- Vision
- We plan for the future.
- But we execute one day at a time.
Inventory:
Looking at the above ideas:
Where am I currently falling down?
What can I do differently?