Recommended
More Related Content
Similar to Servant Leadership: The Wisdom of Geese
Similar to Servant Leadership: The Wisdom of Geese (20)
Recently uploaded
Recently uploaded (20)
Servant Leadership: The Wisdom of Geese
- 5. SERVANT LEADERSHIP: The Beginning of Greatness MEDARDO B. BOMBITA Lodge Historian, Ang Tipolo Masonic Lodge No. 334
- 6. SERVANTHOOD
- 7. Lessons from Geese How relying on others promotes the unity of the Lodge…
- 8. As each goose flaps its wings, it creates an “uplift” for the birds that follow. By flying in a “V” formation, the whole flock adds 71% greater flying range than if each bird flew alone. Fact 1
- 9. Lesson 1 Masons in a lodge who share a common direction and unity accomplish things and projects quicker and easier because they are traveling on the strength of each other.
- 10. When a goose falls out of formation, it suddenly feels the drag and resistance of flying alone. It quickly moves back into formation to take advantage of the lifting power of the bird immediately in front of it. Fact 1
- 11. If we have as much sense as a goose, we stay in formation with those headed where we want to go. We are willing to accept their leadership, guidance and give our help to others. Lesson 2
- 12. When the lead bird tires, it rotates back into the formation to take advantage of the lifting power of the bird immediately in front of it. Fact 3
- 13. It pays to take turns doing the hard tasks and sharing our leadership. As with geese, the brethren of ATML334 are interdependent on each other’s capabilities, and unique gifts, talents, or resources. Lesson 3
- 14. The geese flying in formation honk to encourage those up front to keep up their speed. Fact 4
- 15. This is the importance of the 5 points of fellowship. We need to make sure our honking is encouraging. In lodges where there is encouragement, the fruits of labor are far much greater. The power of encouragement is the quality of honking or whisper of good counsel we seek. Lesson 4
- 16. When a goose gets sick, wounded, or shot down, two geese drop out of formation and follow it down to help and protect it. They stay with it until it dies or is able to fly again. Then, they launch out with another formation or catch up with the flock. Fact 5
- 17. If we have as much sense as the geese, we will stand by each other in difficult times as well as when we are strong. This is our obligation under the tenets, brotherly love, relief, and truth. Lesson 5
- 19. “through sweat and blood…!”
- 20. “… through impressive labor on the floor, being obedient and active member to all tasks given.”
- 21. … through the votes of his brethren who believed and trusted him.
- 22. “…hard labor to win the votes of his district brethren to have me and represent someone from the High place!”
- 23. “… cost him a lot!”
- 24. That they are only material things meant to identify roles or positions inside the fraternity. Understand this
- 25. POINTS TO PONDER Under OB. 1 2
- 26. POINTS TO PONDER Will and pleasure of the lodge. 2 3
- 27. POINTS TO PONDER mystical ways of God. 3 4
- 28. POINTS TO PONDER honor to the fraternity… 4 5
- 29. POINTS TO PONDER humility to humanity… 5 6
- 30. POINTS TO PONDER complete submission to God! 6
- 31. “ ” The privilege of your aprons and positions come with lots of responsibilities and accountabilities. Keep in mind that all those aprons will not fully define or contribute who you are. You are more than your titles, they are just your masks. Behind these masks should still be authentic human beings with true masonic hearts.
- 32. SO MOTE IT BE
- 33. THANK YOU
Editor's Notes
- Our esteemed Worshipful Master, Very Worshipful Sirs, Worshipful brothers sirs, incumbent and incoming officers, and my beloved brethren!
- Our esteemed Worshipful Master, Very Worshipful Sirs, Worshipful brothers sirs, incumbent and incoming officers, and my beloved brethren! “With great power comes great responsibility”. With great power comes great responsibility.” I’m guessing 4 out of 5 people would attribute this quote to Ben Parker, uncle of Peter Parker, from the Spider-Man movies and comic books.
- Pre-dating, if you will, all of this is a Biblical verse, Luke 12:48, of which the King James translation is: “For unto whomsoever much is given, of him shall be much required: and to whom men have committed much, of him they will ask the more.” Good leaders are made, not born. If you have the desire and willpower, you can become an effective leader. Good leaders develop through a never-ending process of self-study, education, training, and experience.
- “With great power comes great responsibility” has a simple meaning; if you have the ability to do something, make sure that you do it for the good of our brethren and others.
- Leadership is a complex process by which an elected or appointed officer influences others to accomplish the plans and the projects of the Lodge, and to contribute in the fulfillment of the great plan of Freemasonry. It is the ability of the worshipful master, senior warden, junior warden and other officers to direct the organization in a way that makes it more cohesive and coherent.
- Although your positions as elected lodge officers give us the authority to accomplish certain tasks and objectives, this power does not make us automatically a leader. It does not makes you simply the boss, instead a SERVANT TO ALL BROTHERS. Our Great Architect of the Universe teaches us in so many ways.
- We can derive His wisdom from one of His creations, the GEESE (mga gansa) in learning the true meaning of leadership. Let me briefly describe their behavior and as the Lodge may learn from them:
- As each goose flaps its wings, it creates an “uplift” for the birds that follow. By flying in a “V” formation, the whole flock adds 71% greater flying range than if each bird flew alone.
- Masons in a lodge who share a common direction and unity accomplish things and projects quicker and easier because they are traveling on the strength of each other.
- When a goose falls out of formation, it suddenly feels the drag and resistance of flying alone. It quickly moves back into formation to take advantage of the lifting power of the bird immediately in front of it.
- If we have as much sense as a goose, we stay in formation with those headed where we want to go. We are willing to accept their leadership, guidance and give our help to others.
- When the lead bird tires, it rotates back into the formation to take advantage of the lifting power of the bird immediately in front of it.
- It pays to take turns doing the hard tasks and sharing our leadership. As with geese, the brethren of ATML334 are interdependent on each other’s capabilities, and unique gifts, talents, or resources.
- The geese flying in formation honk to encourage those up front to keep up their speed.
- This is the importance of the 5 points of fellowship. We need to make sure our honking is encouraging. In lodges where there is encouragement, the fruits of labor are far much greater. The power of encouragement is the quality of honking or whisper of good counsel we seek.
- When a goose gets sick, wounded, or shot down, two geese drop out of formation and follow it down to help and protect it. They stay with it until it dies or is able to fly again. Then, they launch out with another formation or catch up with the flock.
- If we have as much sense as the geese, we will stand by each other in difficult times as well as when we are strong. This is our obligation under the tenets, brotherly love, relief, and truth. When our members are deciding if they will respect you as a leader, they do not think only about the obligations. They also observe your attributes and what you do so that they can know who you really are. They use this observation to tell if you are a worthy, honorable and trusted leader, or a self-serving person who misuses his authority to look good to the Worshipful Master or to a few. Self-serving leaders are not as effective as those who think about the interest of the Lodge, the brethren, and the Fraternity. Let us keep in mind, great leadership starts from good followership.
- Let me tell you about the story of different aprons. Once Upon a Blue Lodge, there is a group of aprons talking to each other.
- The white apron was asked how it was possessed by its owner, and he told them, “through sweat and blood…!
- The white with blue border apron related that its owner, an officer, got it through impressive labor on the floor, being obedient and active member to all tasks given.
- The one with stitched square on it, however, humbly told them that its master got it through the votes of his brethren who believed and trusted him. Two aprons, however, seemingly the elite ones, from a not so distant corner were also talking. They are purple-colored aprons, whose owners are often stay in the East, behind or flanking with the Worshipful Master. They were also discussing how their owners got them.
- One said,” my master got me through hard labor to win the votes of his district brethren to have me and represent someone from the High place , and obviously, I’m worn out (naluma na), being frequently used in every stated meetings of a great number of lodges, just to prove he’s worthy wearing me.
- The other purple apron said, “I think my boss cost him a lot, according to some Marites was P250,000 just to have me being worn by him. Check on me, I still looked so new, my owner seldom visits a lodge
- Then all the aprons finally came together and agreed on one thing. That they are only material things meant to identify roles or positions inside the fraternity. The significance of which can only be appreciated if the one wearing it consider the apron as a badge of a true mason, whose dedication and commitment to his labors mirror the purity of his intentions, which are outwardly displayed through this piece of cloth. The white aprons, which all of us master masons possessed are earned the hard way, thru blood and sweat, no matter how we see it, concurred by a past life and a masonically principled foundation in the accomplishment of divine purposes on earth, that is to build. The decorated aprons that our officers possessed, which some brethren possessed by election or appointment, are joyfully earned thru exemplary actions winnable for the approval of brethren, without compromise to the happiness of even a single brother.
- We may not like one or two or more of these officers, but we are all under obligations ……..
- to submit for the will and pleasure of the lodge
- and the Great Architect of the Universe. Let us assume, that these positions that are purposely given to them not only on the basis of their abilities to teach, to lead, to rule, but also to the mystical ways of God, as masons believing that everything happens for a great reason and purpose. Gentlemen of this Lodge, regardless of the colors of our aprons, white, with blue line and embroidered tools, or even those purple ones, no amount of grand standing on the beauty and color of all of these badges can displace the modesty, spiritual and moral uprightness of the master who wears and the passion of those who submit to its authority.
- Finally, my fellow officers and mga kuyangs, let us wear our aprons with honor to the fraternity, …..
- and with so much humility to humanity, who see us as righteous men, self-correcting,
- and in complete submission to God’s design of promoting happiness among men.
- And remember these words, the privilege of your aprons and positions come with lots of responsibilities and accountabilities. Keep in mind that all those aprons will not fully define or contribute who you are. You are more than your titles, they are just your masks. Behind these masks should still be authentic human beings with true masonic hearts. Our Great Divine Leader wouldn’t ask for more, neither accept the less.
- Let Thy will be Done.