11 January 2021
Change Management Forums
More from the Grand Master
Just before Christmas, I shared The Ethics Centre report of their review of Freemasons Victoria. We now all have the report and its recommendations. It is salutary reading and as well as giving us as a clear platform for positive change, should also act as a catalyst for us all, together, to enable a thorough examination of what we would like Freemasons Victoria to be.
The next step is to work out how to best use the report and its recommendations. It is my keen desire to ensure you all have opportunities to contribute to the change process recommended in the report.
To start that process you are invited to participate in a series of workshops that will give us all an opportunity to discuss options and priorities. The workshops are on different days and at different time, both face-to-face and online, to enable maximum participation. I strongly encourage you to participate in at least one of the workshops. The dates, times and venues for the workshops are as follows:
Saturday 6 February 2021
10:00am – 12 noon
Freemasons Bayside
Register here
Monday 8 February 2021
7:00pm – 9:00pm
Zoom
Thursday 11 February 2021
7:00pm – 9:00pm
Freemasons Melbourne
Register here
Tuesday 16 February 2021
7:00pm – 9:00pm
Zoom
Register here
Please register your intention to participate.
We will also record the events to allow those who are not available to be part of the conversation.
Please be assured this will be one of many opportunities for you to participate in this critical change program.
I look forward to seeing you at the workshops.
Invitation for Expressions of Interest for participation in the Change Management program
We are entering a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity to make a real difference to the operations and culture of Freemasons Victoria. We have a clear set of recommendations from The Ethics Centre report which will guide our change management program. There is still considerable scope for us to determine how best to implement those recommendations. At this stage, we envisage a small Change Management Steering Group and several working groups to work on specific tasks.
We are looking for people who are willing to roll their sleeves up, muck in and get their hands dirty in doing the work. Ideally, we would like people who have experience in the following:
- Participation in, or experience of, a change program in a large and complex organisation
- Understanding of change management principles and process
- Implementation – Change Agents to be involved from the beginning of the project and be an integral support to the Project Team.
- A participatory approach to stakeholder engagement
I invite you to express interest in participating in our change management process by writing a brief statement, preferably no more than a page, of why and how you would like to contribute and the ways in which your experience allows you to contribute.
Please forward your expression of interest to Stephen Duns, our change management consultant at stephen@tlcgroup.com.au by the end of January 2021. Also, feel free to call Stephen on 0448 892 553 to discuss your interest.
This is not the only opportunity you will have to participate and as we become clearer about the working groups, we might write to you again, especially for specialist expertise that might be required.
Video Transcript
Happy New Year Brethren.
I extend hearty good wishes to all.
Here we are in early January 2021, and we have come such a long way in the past 12 months. Hopefully, COVID willing, Freemasonry in Victoria has an exciting year ahead, with much to achieve, as – together – we revitalise our organisation.
Here's the story so far …
Early last year saw a very public enunciation of major disagreement amongst senior Freemasons, accompanied by the leaking of Board documents, accusations of unmasonic behaviour, breaches of the constitution, and Masonic charges being laid.
Following an abbreviated Grand Installation, as your Grand Master, I commissioned The Ethics Centre to review Freemasons Victoria with particular reference to governance standards, board functioning, organisation culture, and behaviours.
On Friday, December 11, the Final Report of the Ethics Centre was delivered, and copies were then sent to the Board of General Purposes for consideration.
On Tuesday, December 15, the Board of General Purposes convened, and the meeting resolved: “That this Board of General Purposes dis-establish itself as of December 15, 2020. All powers and authoriti
es vested in the Board by the Constitution and other policies are temporarily vested to the Grand Master until further notice.”On the next day – Wednesday, December 16 – members of Freemasons Victoria were fully informed, with Part 1 of the Business Meeting including a presentation by Dr Simon Longstaff, AO, of The Ethics Centre, and a response by me, as your Grand Master. That evening, a full and unredacted 60-page Final Report of The Ethics Centre Review was released to Brethren.
Within 24 hours, the first meeting of the Masonic Governing Council convened. Its members are the Grand Master, Deputy Grand Master, Grand Registrar and Grand Treasurer, with the Grand Secretary attending all meetings. Items discussed at the first meeting included:
- A review of the current status,
- Affirmation that the Masonic Governing Council is only in ‘caretaker' mode. Any major decisions will be canvassed with members.
- Consideration of the interim structure
- Matters relating to the directorships of incorporated entities.
A second meeting of the Masonic Governing Council was held on Monday, December 21. Items discussed were:
- Establishment of a ‘Change Management Committee', with Past Grand Master Garry Sebo as Chairman.
- The engagement of Professor Stephen Duns as Change Project Manager.
- Outstanding action items from the Board
- And the consideration of financial matters.
Over the Christmas-New Year break – on Wednesday, December 30 – a meeting was held with interim CEO Jeremy Cattell, Professor Stephen Duns, Garry Sebo and myself to consider and recommend to the Masonic Governing Council:
- The nature, purpose and scheduling of the initial engagement with members during February 2021
- The relationship between the Masonic Governing Council, the Change Management Team, and our Operations Management Team,
- Preparation of an advertisement inviting members for the Change Management Committee and sub-committees,
- A potential pathway for major change recommendations to the March Quarterly Communication.
That brings us all fully up-to-date with all the developments up to today.
I have promised to continue to keep you fully informed, and I would now like to share with you details of our next steps forward.
In 2021, your Grand Lodge is now a much happier place. Gone are the major disagreements. Gone are the personality politics. The bitter accusations are a thing of the past. In a true sense of healing, we are rolling up our sleeves, and we are ‘Coming Together' to make Freemasons Victoria ‘a better place'.
The next meeting of the Masonic Governing Council will be held on Thursday. Much of its agenda is to oversee the day-to-day business, including the payment of our regular bills. I wish to express thanks to our Acting CEO Frank Warner, our Grand Secretary RWBro. Garry Runge, and the office team, now back on deck for the year ahead.
The next meeting of the Freemasons Future Recovery Team, headed by our Deputy Grand Master, RWBro. Tony Bucca will be held on Wednesday morning this week. The Team will hear the latest advice for its panel of experts about Lodges and Masonic Centres re-opening across Victoria. The Recovery Team will hear of the very latest Government requirements in the fast-changing COVID environment.
Later in the week, we hope to share a video with all members in which I will ask MWBro. Garry Sebo, our Change Management Committee Chairman, to introduce Professor Stephen Duns to you. Stephen is CEO of The Leadership Centre, and is already well known to many Freemasons in Victoria through his leadership training work. In the written material accompanying today's video, you will see an invitation for interested and able Freemasons to join in the work of the Change Management Team and its sub-committees. Garry, Stephen and their team will drive the important changes to Freemasons Victoria … and so will you.
In today's email there is detail about a series of workshops that will give us all an opportunity to discuss the options and priorities as we re-build our organisation to be its best in the 21st Century. I am asking EVERYONE to consider participating in these sessions. The workshops are on different days, and at different times, they are both face-to-face and online. We really want your participation. We genuinely want your input. We eagerly seek your participation in at least one of the workshops.
Finally, from Australia Day (January 26), Freemasons across Victoria will start to participate in a number of ‘Coming Together' events. I will be emailing Lodge Masters and Secretaries, later this week, to outline how all members can participate in an ongoing celebration of the best qualities of Freemasonry.
As Freemasons we share something very special. I am very excited about the possibilities as we work together to renew Freemasons Victoria as a great place to be, one which will attract and retain good men. I look forward to speaking to you again later this week, and regularly over coming weeks, as we make very real steps to being the best version of ourselves.
Bye for now.
MWBro. Richard Elkington
Grand Master
