A Mason's Work

This episode zooms out to the organizational level, examining how the function of the Guide creates the infrastructure for accessibility, risk management, and systemic health within a Lodge or any complex group.


High-Value Quotables
[00:11] "The guide at a systemic level is the definition of on-ramps and accessibility." 
[01:39] "The on-ramps and off-ramps between these functions, between these people, between organizations is all part of the domain of the guide." 
[02:33] "The guide is that measurement function that says, 'Hey, these systems that are our intention, I'm noticing that this one's starting to kind of run in the red.'" 
[03:23] "Without being able to look at an organization from that guide perspective, that ego-free analysis and awareness perspective... you effectively can't lead." 
The Core Concept: Architecture of Accessibility
At a systemic level, the Guide is responsible for creating "on-ramps"—opportunities for everyone to engage with the work on equal footing, regardless of their background or specific capabilities. This role functions as an ego-free analytical tool that monitors the health and capacity of the entire "machine".

Key Takeaways:
  • Defining On-Ramps: Ensuring that talent and insight aren't "locked behind different abilities," such as language barriers or cultural accents.
  • The Measurement Function: Monitoring organizational "load" to identify when a process is "running in the red" and needs to be dialed back.
  • Ego-Free Leadership: True systemic leadership is the ability to look at an organization's capacity relative to its environment and obstacles without personal bias.
  • Knowing the Equipment: Effective systemic guidance is like a skilled driver knowing the exact dimensions of their vehicle to navigate narrow clearances at speed.
  • Enabling the Impossible: When organizational systems are fluid and well-guided, groups of men can achieve objectives that seem otherwise impossible.
Reflection Question:
Where in your organization is a "PhD-level scholar" being left by the wayside simply because there isn't an accessible on-ramp for their specific perspective? 
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Creators and Guests

Host
Brian Mattocks
Host and Founder of A Mason's Work - a podcast designed to help you use symbolism to grow. He's been working in the craft for over a decade and served as WM, trustee, and sat in every appointed chair in a lodge - at least once :D

What is A Mason's Work?

In this show we discuss the practical applications of masonic symbolism and how the working tools can be used to better yourself, your family, your lodge, and your community. We help good freemasons become better men through honest self development. We talk quite a bit about mental health and men's issues related to emotional and intellectual growth as well.

[00:00] If we ever get the chance to meet face-to-face, you'll very likely hear me use words like
[00:07] on-ramps and accessibility.
[00:11] And the guide at a systemic level is the definition of on-ramps and accessibility.
[00:19] It's the opportunity for everyone to engage the work or the world or the lodge or the
[00:25] situation on equal footing, regardless of their context and background.
[00:30] It's taking the time to make room for everyone to bring their best stuff to the table, even
[00:37] when that may be locked behind different abilities and capabilities.
[00:44] I'll give you an example, and we'll talk more examples tomorrow, but a real short one for
[00:52] today would be someone who maybe English isn't their first language in your lodge or in your
[00:58] life.
[00:58] Um, it is very easy for us to just kind of leave those folks by the wayside.
[01:05] Um, but without the right perspective, without taking that guide hat and looking at it, uh,
[01:10] you might find that you're leaving a PhD level, you know, uh, scholar, uh, off to the side
[01:19] of the room for lack of an ability to deal with an accent or to process a different way of thinking.
[01:28] And I use that example, because when we look across an organization at a systemic level,
[01:34] when we look across a group of people, when we look across a constellation of capacities,
[01:39] the on-ramps and off-ramps between these functions, between these people, between organizations is all
[01:47] part of the domain of the guide, making sure that the organization or the group can handle the
[01:53] challenges that it's designed to take on, uh, with the appropriate level of risk, with the sort of
[01:59] emotional and contextual support required to navigate and, and deal with those systemic issues.
[02:06] Um, and do it in such a way that they, you know, make it through that process intact, uh, and
[02:14] ideally stronger as a result.
[02:16] When we look systemically, you'll see, um, and we talked about this a little bit with the senior
[02:22] warden, when we talk about things like closure, um, you'll, and the junior warden, when we talk
[02:26] about, uh, the understanding of sort of fatigue and what that looks like at a systemic level
[02:30] intention, um, the guide is that measurement function that says, Hey, uh, these systems that
[02:37] are our intention, I'm noticing that this one's starting to kind of run in the red and that maybe
[02:41] we need to dial it back. Um, maybe we could build this, you know, whatever organizational function,
[02:48] or maybe we could build or strengthen this process to reduce the load over here. Um, there is
[02:55] that sort of architectural function at a systemic level that the guide really helps facilitate.
[03:00] Uh, it doesn't build solutions. It notices those issues and maybe provide suggestions to the other
[03:06] functions in the lodge as to how you might close that gap. This systemic application of the guide
[03:14] work, um, is the role as well, or a vital role, uh, of leadership without being able to look at an
[03:23] organization from that guide perspective, that ego-free, uh, analysis and awareness perspective of
[03:29] what the organization is capable of relative to the environment and the obstacles it's trying to take
[03:35] on, um, without being able to do that, you effectively can't lead. Uh, this is a lot like knowing the
[03:42] capacities of the machine that you're operating, right? So, uh, the difference between a poor driver and a great
[03:49] driver in a lot of cases is how well they know their own equipment. Uh, I have seen folks navigate, for
[03:55] example, the streets of London, which are super narrow and they drive those double-decker buses
[04:00] through it with, you know, less than inches of clearance to spare. Uh, and they do this at speeds
[04:07] that are absolutely terrifying. This is what it looks like when somebody understands their equipment.
[04:12] This is what that sort of cultivating that awareness of the systems you're working in, the lodge,
[04:17] your workplace, your family life, understanding the capacities of those systems is the same kind of
[04:24] thing. And when it's, when it's executed, well, when it's fluid, um, you really can make an organization
[04:30] do things that seem impossible. And as far as I'm concerned, when good men meet together to do stuff
[04:38] like this, uh, the best organizations are capable of things that seem impossible. Uh, we should be
[04:46] pursuing that as our goal.