Course Name	HOW TO RETAIN LODGE MEMBERS
Series	300
Mentor	Jack Buta
Lessons	10
Availability	Open
Open To	Master Mason Members
Description	In the Leadership Course for Lodge officers, we address one of the most neglected topics in all the Lodges of English-speaking Freemasonry; how to retain our members and revitalize our Lodges.  In 1950, the average Freemason remained active in the Lodge for over 20 years. Today they stay for less than 5 years.  Despite all efforts to correct the situation, our membership numbers have continued to shrink for over 60 years with no sign of abatement in sight. There is no national effort aimed at correcting this problem despite the steady decline in numbers. We have handicapped ourselves with bureaucratic methods that prevent corrective action from taking place.  If this sounds familiar, it is. We introduced the Leadership Course with this same paragraph. This course is a continuation of that Course. To attempt to come up with a workable program to retain Lodge members before completing an in-depth course on leadership is like attempting to build a high-rise building by starting at the penthouse. No building can stand without a strong foundation and retention is the final exam of a well rounded education in leadership.  LESSON ONE A test of leadership: Four ways to make good things happen Don’t worry - be happy Getting the big picture Quantum Leaps A brief study in Fraternal benefit societies LESSON TWO How can we improve our performance? Rethinking how we do things Changing the way we look at our members Time and talent are  to valuable to waste Understanding why people volunteer Five reasons why people do not volunteer, seven why they do LESSON THREE Respecting Brothers who volunteer LESSON FOUR Recognizing volunteers Thank you is more than a trite phrase Understanding the concept of empowerment LESSON FIVE Rewarding the members of your Lodge Keeping interest and motivation high Mentoring begins after the Degrees are over Understand why they stop coming back Humor does have a place in the Lodge LESSON SIX Getting to know the candidate Some lessons from Dale Carnegie The Lodge Dissident Managing by inclusion Become a coach not a boss LESSON SEVEN Key statistics on retention as a function of leadership How to be a better leader The qualities of effective Leadership Understanding the differences between the generations in Freemasonry: The Silent Generation The Baby Boomers Generation X Generation Y LESSON EIGHT How to SWOT a Masonic picnic Handling the really difficult problems Dealing with stereotypes Forgotten Harvest Essential ingredients needed to make a team a success LESSON NINE Don’t assume he knows what to do Be specific Don’t lie about how long it will take Fences and Boundaries Getting down to the Nitty-Gritty Customize the training The Instruction manual LESSON TEN Recapping what we have learned in the last 19 sessions The Freemason as an asset The three R’s of working with volunteers Recruiting from within to attract from outside Some 15 minute recruiting tools Getting the message out Other avenues to pursue