Page 8 - MFM July Aug 2022 W.indd

Apathy can be a lodge killer!

Larry B. Thompson, Jr., Grand Master, North Carolina

Have you ever driven by an unfamiliar lodge building in your feel motivated to do what it takes – you will have to force
–”ƒ˜‡Ž• ƒ† „ƒ•‡† ‘ ‘—–™ƒ”† ƒ’’‡ƒ”ƒ ‡•ǡ Ƥ † ›‘—”•‡Žˆ yourself to show up with the right attitude and help get
“—‡•–‹‘‹‰ ™Š‡–Š‡” –Š‡ Ž‘†‰‡ ‹• •–‹ŽŽ ƒ –‹˜‡ǫ things done. Convince yourself that you can battle apathy
and overcome it!
Do you know of a lodge that consistently struggles with
’‘‘” ’ƒ”–‹ ‹’ƒ–‹‘ ‘” Šƒ• ‘– ’‡”ˆ‘”‡† ƒ †‡‰”‡‡ ‹ ›‡ƒ”•ǫ Apathy can lock a lodge into a tailspin. The good news is
Similarly, we all know lodges that have not held a fundraiser that once you are motivated to pull out of the tailspin, it
for our Masonic charities in years. becomes easier to do so.

Š› ™‘—Ž† ƒ Ž‘†‰‡ ‡‰Ž‡ – ‹–• „—‹Ž†‹‰ǫ Š› †‘‡• ƒ Ž‘†‰‡ Š‡ “—‡•–‹‘ ‹•ǣ Šƒ– ‹• –Š‡ Ƥ”•– •–‡’ ™‡ ‡‡† –‘ –ƒ‡ǫ
•–”—‰‰Ž‡ –‘ ƤŽŽ ‹–• Šƒ‹”• ‘ ‡‡–‹‰ ‹‰Š–ǫ Š› ƒ”‡ ™‡ ‘–
ˆ—ŽƤŽŽ‹‰ ‘—” ‘„Ž‹‰ƒ–‹‘• ƒ† •—’’‘”–‹‰ ‘—” Šƒ”‹–‹‡•ǫ Again, a lodge self-assessment is key. Take time to identify
positive changes that can be made by writing down agreed
In a word – apathy. upon action items. Pick an easy task to begin with. It does
not have to be exceptional; it just has to get done.
‡‰ƒ”†Ž‡•• ‘ˆ –Š‡ ’‡” ‡‹˜‡† ’”‘„Ž‡ ȋƤ ƒ ‡•ǡ ‡„‡”•Š‹’
numbers, participation, lodge culture, etc.), apathy is Š‡ ‡› ‹• –‘ Ƥ† •‘‡–Š‹‰ –Šƒ– ›‘— ƒ ‡ƒ•‹Ž› ƒ ‘’Ž‹•Š
the cause … and it can be a lodge killer if the source is not ƒ† ‘–‹˜ƒ–‡ ›‘—” ‡„‡”•Š‹’Ǥ Š‡ Ƥ ”•– •–‡’ ƒ› ‘–
‹†‡–‹Ƥ‡† ƒ† ƒ††”‡••‡†Ǥ get you where you want to be, but it will take you one step
further from where you do not want to be!
‘‡ ‘ˆ —• ™ƒ– –‘ •‡‡ ƒ Ž‘†‰‡ ˆƒ‹Ž ƒ† ›‡– ™‡ Šƒ˜‡ ͛͜͜
Ž‘†‰‡• –Šƒ– Šƒ˜‡ ‰‘‡ ‹ƒ –‹˜‡ •‹ ‡ ‘—” ”ƒ† ‘†‰‡ ™ƒ• As you work through your action plan, do not be afraid
formed. to mix in new ideas along the way. Subtle changes to your
lodge meetings can have a profound impact, whether it be
So, how do we identify the causes of apathy? condensing business (consent agenda), inviting in guest
speakers, adding music, candlelight, etc.
Š‡ Ƥ”•– •–‡’ ‹ ƒ††”‡••‹‰ –Š‹• ‹••—‡ ‹• –‘ ˆ—ŽŽ› ‘‹–
to making a change and believing that change is possible. ‘†‰‡ ‹’”‘˜‡‡– ’”‘Œ‡ –• ƒ”‡ ƒ‘–Š‡” ‘’’‘”–—‹–› –‘
Regardless of how we got there, our perception is our reality. generate enthusiasm and improve your curb appeal. Creating
Events in the past got us to this point but it is our current ƒ ‡•‘–‡”‹ •–—†› ‰”‘—’ ȋ‘—” ”ƒ† ‡ –—”‡” ƒ Š‡Ž’ ™‹–Š
mindset that keeps us mired. that) is another great idea that has the potential to change
the paradigm.
Knowing this, we must change our attitude and understand
–Šƒ– –Š‹• ™‹ŽŽ ”‡“—‹”‡ ƒ •‹‰‹Ƥ ƒ– ƒ‘—– ‘ˆ ™‘”Ǥ ˆ ™‡ ƒ”‡ Just this week I received an encouraging email from a
ˆ—ŽŽ› ‘‹––‡† –Š‡”‡ ‹• ‘ ”‘‘ ˆ‘” ‹†‹ơ‡”‡ ‡ǡ ƒ† ™‡ ™‹ŽŽ ›‘—‰ —‹‘” ‡ƒ ‘ ™Š‘ ‹• ™‘”‹‰ –‘ ƒ‡ ƒ †‹ơ ‡”‡ ‡ ‹
begin to see involvement. his lodge. His lodge is in decline, but he is adamant that his
lodge doors will not permanently close while he has his foot
Change your attitude, and you are on your way to eliminating ‹ –Š‡ †‘‘”™ƒ›Ǥ ‡ Šƒ• ƒŽ”‡ƒ†› ™‹ŽŽ‡† Š‹•‡Žˆ –‘ Š‡Ž’ ‡ơ ‡ –
apathy in the lodge. positive change in his lodge and I know he will be successful.

The next step is to perform a lodge self-assessment and ‡ ƒ ƒ ƒ„•‘Ž—–‡Ž› ƒ‡ ƒ †‹ơ ‡”‡ ‡Ǩ
discover the origin of the problem. We cannot ignore the past;
–Š‡ •‘—” ‡ ‘ˆ –Š‡ ’”‘„Ž‡ —•– „‡ ‹†‡–‹Ƥ‡† ƒ† ƒ††”‡••‡†Ǥ ”‘–Š‡” ‡”› ‘”† ’”‘˜‹†‡† —• ƒ› ‹•’‹”ƒ–‹‘ƒŽ “—‘–‡•Ǥ
If ignored, the source can resurface and hinder progress. ™‘ ‘ˆ › ˆƒ˜‘”‹–‡• –Šƒ– Ƥ† ƒ’”‘’‘• ™Š‡ ’‘†‡”‹‰ ƒ
path forward are:
‰‘‘† •–ƒ”–‹‰’‘‹–‹• –‘”‡ƪ‡ – –‘„‡––‡” †ƒ›•ƒ†ƒ‡ ‘–‡ “Whether you think you can, or you think you can’t, you’re
of the things that were taking place that created excitement right.”
and motivated your members (lodge improvement projects, “Obstacles are those frightful things that you see when you
fundraisers, community involvement, etc.). You will also –ƒ‡ ›‘—” ‡›‡• ‘ơ ›‘—” ‰‘ƒŽǤdz
want to determine when things started to go wrong, and you
™‹ŽŽ Ž‹‡Ž› Ƥ† –Š‡ •‘—” ‡ ‘ˆ –Š‡ ’”‘„Ž‡ Ȃ –Š‡ ”‡ƒ•‘ ™Š› Commit to making positive changes in your lodge. Assess
members became apathetic. your needs, set goals, and work to accomplish them.

ap·a·thy Doing this, you will get your lodge closer and closer to its
Ȁ̹ƒ’Ӆ µȀ full potential. You will enrich your community and the lives
noun of your members.
lack of interest, enthusiasm, or concern.
You will experience the success that has carried us forward
‰ƒ‹ǡ –Š‹• ™‹ŽŽ ”‡“—‹”‡ ‘‹–‡– ƒ† ™‹ŽŽ’‘™‡” –‘ ƒ‡ for centuries
necessary changes. There will be days when you just do not Reprinted from The North Carolina Mason, January/February
2022, Volume 147, Number 1, Page 5.