Concepts Checklist – III, IV and V

Going back to last month and then following up…

From the Service Material at the Alcoholics Anonymous web site.

Concepts Checklist – III, IV and V

Concept III: To insure effective leadership, we should endow each element of A.A. —the Conference, the General Service Board and its service corporations, staffs, committees, and executives—with a traditional “Right of Decision.”

• Do we understand what is meant by the “Right of Decision”? Do we grant it at all levels of service or do we “instruct”?
• Do we trust our trusted servants — G.S.R., D.C.M., area delegate, the Conference itself?

Concept IV: At all responsible levels, we ought to maintain a traditional “Right of Participation,” allowing a voting representation in reasonable proportion to the responsibility that each must discharge.

• Do we understand the spiritual principles underlying the “Right of Participation”?
• What does “in reasonable proportion” mean? Do we understand when it is appropriate for A.A. paid staff to have a vote at the General Service Conference or in our local service structure?
• Do we expect that, because we are A.A. members, we should be allowed to vote at any group, even if we are not active members of that group?

Concept V: Throughout our structure, a traditional “Right of Appeal” ought to prevail, so that minority opinion will be heard and personal grievances receive careful consideration.

• Do we encourage the minority opinion, the “Right of Appeal”, to be heard at our home group, district committee meetings, area assemblies and the Conference?
• What does our group accept as “substantial unanimity”?
• Has our group experienced the “tyranny of the majority” or the “tyranny of the minority”?
• Does our group understand the importance of all points of view being heard before a vote is taken?