Self-Support.
In his essay “The Servant as Leader”, Robert Greenleaf included a discussion on the origins of the Alcoholic Anonymous principle of the need to be self-supporting. Apparently, in the meeting where the founders of the organization were discussing their plans for incorporation, a wealthy philanthropist reminded those present that “What you in AA want to do cannot be done with money. You must be poor. You must not use money to do your work.”
Greenleaf used this example to highlight the guiding principles of AA that included “they will be poor; no one but an alcoholic can contribute money to AA’s modest budget; AA will own no real property; the essential work of AA, one recovered (or partly recovered) alcoholic helping another toward recovery, will not be done for money”. In essence, Greenleaf was highlighting what is the Seventh Tradition of AA.
Tradition Seven: Every group ought to be fully self-supporting, declining outside contributions.
This is a principle that has much power for all organizations. A self-supporting organization, one that relies on its members for sustenance, will be self-sustaining. It will exist as long as its membership exists. Funding provided from outside the organization cannot distract the organization from its primary purpose. The corrupting power of excessive wealth, beyond what is needed to meet essential needs, does not come into play in organizations that practice self-support. Self-supporting organizations create interdependence amongst the members, not dependence on outside influences.
This tradition also goes beyond the monetary aspects of support, it means that the membership also takes responsibility for the service work that is needed to keep an organization functioning. The members step up to perform duties needed to keep the organization intact. The members are the organization.
So concludes the seventh post in a series on The Twelve Traditions, a series of principles that have much potential for keeping an organization on the path to servant leadership.
Tradition One.
Tradition Two.
Tradition Three.
Tradition Four.
Tradition Five.
Tradition Six.
Greenleaf used this example to highlight the guiding principles of AA that included “they will be poor; no one but an alcoholic can contribute money to AA’s modest budget; AA will own no real property; the essential work of AA, one recovered (or partly recovered) alcoholic helping another toward recovery, will not be done for money”. In essence, Greenleaf was highlighting what is the Seventh Tradition of AA.
Tradition Seven: Every group ought to be fully self-supporting, declining outside contributions.
This is a principle that has much power for all organizations. A self-supporting organization, one that relies on its members for sustenance, will be self-sustaining. It will exist as long as its membership exists. Funding provided from outside the organization cannot distract the organization from its primary purpose. The corrupting power of excessive wealth, beyond what is needed to meet essential needs, does not come into play in organizations that practice self-support. Self-supporting organizations create interdependence amongst the members, not dependence on outside influences.
This tradition also goes beyond the monetary aspects of support, it means that the membership also takes responsibility for the service work that is needed to keep an organization functioning. The members step up to perform duties needed to keep the organization intact. The members are the organization.
So concludes the seventh post in a series on The Twelve Traditions, a series of principles that have much potential for keeping an organization on the path to servant leadership.
Tradition One.
Tradition Two.
Tradition Three.
Tradition Four.
Tradition Five.
Tradition Six.
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