Group consciences. Who loves 'em?
No one. No one loves them. THEY'RE HORRIBLE. Contentious, divisive, full of nonsense, playpens for the rug-rats to act out their unresolved psychological difficulties with Mom, Pop, God, society, and pretty much everyone, tear-jerkers, jerk magnets, magnets to untreated Al-Anons, and largely pointless: the decisions made usually window-dress rather than change anything substantial, and in the process we've littered the floor with casualties, driven off newcomers, and wasted another evening where we could have been at dinner, talking about the solution.
Now, some group consciences arise from a 'divine thrusting-upon': something happens, maybe the venue kicks us out, maybe a druggy buggy turns up with a load of addicts, which requires an actual decision.
Such situations are rare.
No, the real bane of AA is Good Ideas. Fussy little fuss-pot ideas to tweak the group, the meeting, or how it's run to the liking of the fusser, to take vengeance on someone or something, or to secure any number of other psychological payoffs.
What happens when someone has a Good Idea? We have to sit around, sometimes for multiple sessions, thrashing it out, until five people leave, the group almost falls apart, and we come to some uncomfortable compromise.
I've become much more sparing about Good Ideas. In the last few years, I have had only one, at one particular group, where I suggested that there be a timer to cap sharing at five minutes. Pretty standard procedure, almost always welcome, largely uncontentious, non-trivial, and the group liked it. I've had lots of other Good Ideas, but I've kept those under my hat.
Here's a good set of questions to challenge myself every time I think I've had a Good Idea about my group:
THE PROBLEM
- What 'problem' does my Good Idea solve?
- Is the 'problem' really a problem?
- Has the 'problem' been there for a long time?
- If we've survived this long, might it actually not be a problem?
- Does everyone think it's a problem?
- Or it is just me and my friends?
- Have others actually voiced this as a problem?
- Have I heard a majority of group members express dissatisfaction at something?
- Have they done so persistently and over a long period?
- Is the 'problem', in some other people's eyes, a virtue or a blessing?
- Are some other people indifferent to the 'problem'?
- Are some other people perfectly happy with the group despite the 'problem'?
- Might the 'problem' merely be something that is not to my taste or preference?
- Is the 'problem' a group problem or actually an interpersonal problem between members?
- Is the 'problem' actually a personal hang-up members should discuss with sponsors?
- Is the 'problem' actually threatening the existence, viability, or harmony of the group?
- Has the group been haemorrhaging members?
- Or is the group ticking along?
- Does the 'problem' call for a prompt, active, and decisive response?
NOT SOLVING THE PROBLEM
- What would happen if I just left things be?
- If I were more patient or tolerant, would the problem still be a problem?
- Might the problem be solved if we waited?
- What if we placed the problem in God's hands?
- Could the problem be solved informally?
- Could the problem be solved in an ad hoc way rather than by policy or diktat?
- Would I be better off in a group more to my liking?
- If the problem is recent, how do we know it won't just go away?
- Could the problem be solved nimbly by existing officers in an ad hoc way?
- Could we allow Trusted Servants to exercise Right of Decision to just handle it?
- Could we allow group members to simply handle in the moment?
- Does this really need to be raised to the level of large matters of general policy or finance?
THE 'SOLUTION'
- Does the 'solution' actually solve the problem?
- Does it lengthen the script?
- Does it complicate the procedures?
- Or does it simplify?
- Does it create more work?
- Or does it reduce the burden of work?
- Does it require more or less coordination between serving members?
- Does it create other problems?
- Is it a sledgehammer to crack a nut?
- Is the solution potentially contentious or divisive?
- Is the solution fussy, controlling, prescriptive, patronising, infantilising, restrictive, or punitive?
- Has the solution been raised before and rejected?
- Is there a simpler, more elegant solution?
- Is there a less disruptive, intrusive, or controlling solution?
- Will the 'solution' relax people or tense them up?
- Does the 'solution' involve a new rule to follow?
- Does the 'solution' seek to increase conformity?
- Or does the 'solution' seek to increase freedom?
MY MOTIVATIONS
- Am I addressing an issue discussed at any point in the last three years?
- Am I reopening a matter previously closed?
- Am I proposing this because I didn't get my own way last time?
- Am I proposing this to pursue a sociological, ideological, spiritual, or religious agenda?
- Am I proposing this to impose my tastes and preferences on the group?
- Am I proposing this to control how others behave within the group?
- Am I proposing this to attract a 'better type of person' to the group?
- Am I proposing this to dissuade 'undesirables' from attending?
- Am I proposing this to 'shut down' sharing I don't personally care for?
- Am I seeking to 'caretake' others because I have unresolved co-dependency issues?
- Do I perceive someone else as a victim who I want to rescue?
- Is my motivation to attack someone or something?
- Do I see myself as St George, Florence Nightingale, or some other rescuer, saviour, or fixer?
- Do I have a habit of having Good Ideas?
- What has been the effect of my Good Ideas in the past?
THE GROUP CONTEXT
- How much time has the group spent on business meetings and group consciences over the last year?
- Do people perceive this as too little or too much?
- Has anyone expressed the desire to spend more time discussing group business?
- Has anyone said they are unhappy because no one ever comes up with Good Ideas?
- Has anyone asked me specifically and personally to come up with Good Ideas?
- How long might this take to discuss?
Then multiple the number of group members by the potential time to discuss (e.g. half an hour x 40 members = 20 hours) and ask whether this is so important it requires 20 hours of other people's free time and attention to be spent on it.
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If the proposal survives the above questioning:
LEAVE THE SOLUTION FOR THREE MONTHS, COMPLETELY FORGET ABOUT IT, COME BACK TO IT, IF YOU REMEMBER, REVIEW THE ABOVE QUESTIONS AGAIN, AND THEN SEE.
If the proposal survives the cooling-off period, then consider waiting till the group's next annual group conscience meeting and raise it then.
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A note for groups:
Best to have a single group conscience meeting per year (unless a genuine emergency arises, which happens rarely to never). Before the group conscience:
- Solicit ideas for improvements
- Make a list of them
- Set up a poll
- Pick the top three to discuss
Let it go at that.
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Relevant Traditions:
Tradition One: Unity
Tradition Three: Openness, non-conformity
Tradition Five: Primary purpose
Tradition Nine: Avoidance of over-organisation