A Short Ramble Through The Scottish Rite

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A Short Ramble ThroughThe Scottish
RiteCommunication Theory

• Or Stop Me Before I Introduce Again. . .

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5 Basic Principles of Communication for Scottish
Rite Leaders
Principle 1 Person A has status in the eyes
of Person B to the extent that B perceives
A to represent Bs goals.
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5 Basic Principles of Communication for Scottish
Rite Leaders
Principle 2 Meanings are in PEOPLE, not in
WORDS
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5 Basic Principles of Communication for Scottish
Rite Leaders
Principle 3 A COMMUNICATION includes ALL
MESSAGES, verbal, non-verbal, visual and
auditory sent at any one time, PLUS all the
thoughts, ideas, and associations aroused in the
mind of the receiver.
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5 Basic Principles of Communication for Scottish
Rite Leaders
Principle 4 Never forget that successful
communication starts with an analysis of the
intended audience.
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5 Basic Principles of Communication for Scottish
Rite Leaders
Principle 5 We communicate with people where
they are, and not where we wish they were.
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Problems in your valley will not go awayon their
own. YOU must solve them!

• The success you will have in problem solving is
  directly tied to your ability to COMMUNICATE

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BLOCKSTO PROBLEM SOLVING

• Perceptual Blocks
• Difficulty in isolating the problem
• Defining the problem too tightly
• Inability to see the problem from various
  viewpoints
• Seeing only what you expect to see-stereotyping
• Saturation-being so familiar with something that
  you dont see it
• Failure to use all the senses

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BLOCKSTO PROBLEM SOLVING

• Cultural Blocks (attitudes that get in our way)
• Fantasy is a waste of time
• Play is for children only
• Problem-solving is serious business and humor is
  out of place
• Reason, logic, and numbers practicality are good
  feeling, intuition, qualitative judgments are bad
• Tradition is preferable to change
• Any problem can be solved by scientific thinking
  and lots of money
• Taboos must not be violated
• Rules must be followed

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BLOCKSTO PROBLEM SOLVING

• Environmental Blocks
• Lack of cooperation and trust among colleagues
• Autocratic bosses who value their own ideas
• Distractions
• Lack of support for bringing ideas into action
• Wrong working environment for you

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BLOCKBUSTING
Approach problems with a questioning
attitude. There are some answers which should
always trigger questions Weve always done it
that way. Weve never done it that way. Its
against the rules. We cant afford it. We
dont have enough people, (space, time money,
talent, etc.) These statements may or may not be
trueexperience shows that they are usually NOT
true. Question the nature of the problem, the
answers which come too quickly, and limitations
others place on solutions.
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BLOCKBUSTING
Dont gloss over things you dont understand,
even if everyone else seems to understand them.
Many of us feel we will look foolish if we ask
questions. Wrong! When others ask questions, we
usually respect them for it.
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BLOCKBUSTING
Work for fluency in thinking. Fluency means the
ability to find more than one answer to a
problem. Work for flexibility in thinking.
Flexibility means the ability to think in
creative and unpredictable ways.
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BLOCKBUSTING
Make lists. Write down the different aspects of
the problem and the tools and resources you have,
or can get, to bring to the problem, and the
nature of the problem from the viewpoints of the
various people involved. . .
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BLOCKBUSTING
. . . For example, if the problem is how to
increase participation in your Valley, make lists
describing your Valley and its activities from
the viewpoint of The faithful dozen The
inactive member The elderly member The Honor
man The Black Cap men The non-Scottish Rite
community The SGIG/Personal Rep The
Secretary The Director of Work The Temple
Interest Groups
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Five Important Things to Know About
Communications

• Only about ½ of 1 of communication is planned,
  or intentional.
• Every message needs to be given 5 times before it
  is understood.
• Whether you are announcing a new idea, a
  fundraising program, or attracting new members,
  it takes 7 communications to move someone from a
  position of non-action to a position of action.
• The context of how we communicate always makes a
  difference.
• Most importantly, Perception is ALWAYS Reality.