John W. Bizzack, PM, Lexington Lodge No. 1, William O. Ware Lodge of Research Fellow and PM, BF, FPS
MARCH 2026
I have never been disappointed in Freemasonry – only our response to it.
~ Bill Lorenz, PM, William O. Ware Lodge of Research
T
he first and necessary step toward improving anything that falls short of its intended function is to identify it and acknowledge that it needs correcting. Failing to notice or understand subtle details, cues, or truths impede that first step.
Constructive observation critiques behavior or outcomes neutrally, balances positives, and offers actionable solutions to foster improvement.
A sober literature review of Masonic writing and official records of the Institution of Freemasonry reveals a steady generation-to-generation repository of constructive observation critiques by Masons and non-Masons that clearly identify specific areas in need of correcting and actionable solutions to explore. However, the bulk of it seems glossed over and largely unheeded.
Clear-eyed examination of our literature and records shows what happens when authentic leadership is inconsistent and the fragile belief that more members equal more Masonry in the world takes root in the Fraternity. These twin failures reliably bred two infectious cultural attitudes that slowly undermined and sabotaged the historical aims and intended purpose of Freemasonry.
The idiom, "That's close enough,” is often used as a rationalization for mediocrity and signals the acceptance of work or results that fall short of full precision or excellence. Close enough is sneaky. We may not hear the exact phrase. Instead, we might hear sloppy variants like near enough, that’s about right, in the ballpark, that’ll do, fairly close, that kind of works, and good for now.
“That’s good enough” is a cousin of the close enough idiom and means something is acceptable or adequate. If defined thoughtfully, it can still mean the standard has actually been met for the purpose at hand and at least for a given moment. But a “given moment” tends to have a shelf life that does not expire. This idiom is also sneaky because it is easily couched by proclaiming that something will get you by, meets muster, will do, is adequate, sufficient, and functionable.
But when only approximate outcomes merely suffice, it reflects a mindset where minor deviations from ideals are shrugged off rather than corrected. The impact this has on organizations erodes quality over time, as repeated tolerance of “close enough” normalizes subpar effort and performance and slowly stifles drive and ambition in exchange for mastery. “Good enough” marks the first subtle indication that high standards have quietly yielded to convenience.
One need not hear phrases like “that’s close enough,” “good enough,” or their insidious variants to discern that this mindset has taken root—or is deeply entrenched—in a Lodge culture. The signs are tangible, unmistakable, and concrete. They are neither novel nor subtle: they stand conspicuous to any clear-eyed, constructive observer and glaringly evident to authentic leaders who swiftly perceive the reasons for a group’s faltering.
Like a fish oblivious to water, those immersed in either mindset struggle to assess problems objectively, as deep involvement readily obscures the broader perspective. This explains why insiders overlook subtle erosions in standards—proximity foster blindness to complacency, excuses, and mediocrity. Authentic leaders step outside the frame to discern what participants normalize; they relentlessly pursue constructive measures to arrest and reverse what the culture has normalized, for the organization’s enduring good.
Oversized organizations living in the world of “that’s close enough” can exist for multiple decades.[1] Examples of major corporations and businesses surviving on such complacency are plentiful. All volunteer organizations— those organizations lacking paid staff and relying entirely on donated time and commitment to an idea, are no different. They too can endure for long periods of time on the shell of their legacy, leadership vacuums, and mission fade no matter how good their founding idea might have been.[2]
Consistency of subpar effort merely
reinforces mediocrity and smothers
the pursuit of excellence.
Since the design of the Masonic Institution is to thrive on growth of mindset principles - viewing abilities as malleable through deliberate effort, not fixed or "good enough" plateaus - accepting approximations in a cultural environment infected by good or close enough work - halts progress. Consistency of subpar effort merely reinforces mediocrity and smothers the pursuit of excellence.
The Masonic obligation stands not as a mere list of suggestions. The lessons in our lectures are no idle fables. The gravity of our purpose as Masons sanctions no negotiation, nor was it ever conceived to bend to a "that's close enough" or "good enough" mindset. Organized Freemasonry exists for your transformation—not you for the cultural convenience of a Lodge
Knowing some history the American Institution of Freemasonry that is tethered to fact instead of nostalgia and idealism help us to see core characteristics of a lodge that are suffocating from the effect of these two idioms.
- Standards quietly drift downwardExpectations get relaxed over time; “that’s close enough” and “that’s good enough” become the default, and no one pushes work back for redoing.
- Mediocrity stops being the exceptionConsistently poor or average work is tolerated, even rewarded; high performers either burn out or lower their own bar to match the culture.
- No appetite for honest self‑assessmentMeaningful reviews, audits, or after‑action analyses are rare or purely ceremonial; hard questions about quality, proficiency, or results are avoided.
- Cosmetic fixes replace real solutionsQuick fixes, new slogans, and “initiatives” stand in for structural change; problems reappear because the underlying systems and behaviors do not change.
- Convention and comfort outdo purposeDecisions are justified with the overused excuse “we’ve always done it this way,” even when outcomes are obviously poor; preserving routines matters more than fulfilling the organization’s stated mission.
- Excuses eclipse accountabilityFailure is routinely rationalized (“we tried,” “external factors”) rather than owned; no one is held responsible for recurring shortfalls.
- Comfortable complacency sets inUrgency evaporates; “we’re fine” becomes the vibe even as metrics (membership quality, and its impact) steadily decline.
- Innovation gets labeled as disruptionIdeas for improvement in structure of the organization (not the idea of Masonry) are dismissed as “rocking the boat” or “not how we do things;” status quo preservation is the highest virtue.
- High standards are thought of as “elitist”Pushing for excellence is mocked as unrealistic, snobbish, or unkind to underperformers; mediocrity is rebranded as a way to best ensure harmony.
- Talent quietly exitsThe best performers leave or disengage, tired of carrying the load while seeing no path to systemic improvement; the organization becomes a haven for the comfort of mediocre; and meaningful development of potential petitioners wane.
- Past glories replace present purposeEndless nostalgia for “the good old days” when standards were higher; current irrelevance is papered over with historical pride.
- Endless discussions, committees, and "strategic planning" sessions generate reports and action items but deliver no tangible quality gains or behavioral change—thus "busy" substitutes for "effective."
Inside these twelve characteristics is round the idea that "Confrontation causes more harm" – the fear of conflict or turnover leads to avoiding hard conversations, therefore letting "tolerable" performance slide and internal drift to continue.[3]
Ultimately, the success of any battle against this mindset (and the excuses for it) comes down to the level and continuity of authentic leadership. Without a sustained pipeline of such leaders who unrelenting model workable standards, publicly reject complacency, and prioritize mission over comfort, organizations gravitate toward the easiest and most convenient path: mediocrity.
Without a sustained pipeline of leaders who unrelentingly model workable standards, reject complacency publicly, and prioritize mission over comfort, organizations tend to gravitate toward the easiest and most convenient path: mediocrity
Authentic leaders do not merely diagnose decay; they embody the rupture, inspiring followership through transparency, moral clarity, and personal accountability—ensuring cultural renewal across generations. Interruptions in this continuity, whether through burnout, flawed succession, or electing "good enough" officers, merely perpetuate the cycle of "close enough." Perpetual authentic leadership alone creates the gravitational pull toward excellence. [4]
ABLEST NAVIGATORS
When any of these core characteristics appear in a Masonic Lodge, tunnel vision is already at work. The Lodge’s primary labor then becomes defined by the stressful and troubling dynamics of managing decline. Tunnel vision’s narrow focus filters out contradictory information, replacing perspective with a linear, “one crisis at a time” mentality that suppresses alternatives and frames structural change as a threat.[5]
Sustained constructive intervention and continuity of authentic leadership clearly appears to have the best chance of curbing, slowly reversing, and building the essential guardrails necessary for future generations to break the long cycle of that good enough and close enough has created.
The cultural mindset of an organization improves when authentic leadership is present and sustained over time. Organized Freemasonry is not immune to that reality.[6]
Any proposition that Freemasonry’s core principles can be improved upon has yet to yield convincing evidence. In stark contrast, its structure, administration, internal practices, and leadership have endured generations of scrutiny since its inception—areas where compelling evidence of actionable reform unequivocally exists.
Masons with a seriousness of purpose find an abundance of Masonic literature worthy of their time and study. In those works, no author worth their salt advocates altering Freemasonry’s core principles. Yet a consistent theme runs through this literature: the constructive advancement of organized Freemasonry depends on reforming how the Fraternity is led and how Masonry is conveyed to its members. Such restructuring is essential if the Institution is to do more than merely survive through the future.
Achieving structural reform falls into the hands of and driven by authentic leadership, for “the wind and waves are always on the side of the ablest navigators.”
BIBLIOGRAPHY
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- Kristi Hedges, “If You Think That Leadership Development Programs Are A Waste Of Time You Might Be Right,” 2014. Forbes Magazine, http://www.forbes.com/sites/work-in-progress/2014/09/23/if-you-think-leadership-development-is-a-waste-of-time-you-may-be-right/#484ba80c5dcc, Accessed May 2021.
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- Robert G. Davis, Understanding Manhood In America: Freemasonry’s Enduring Path to the Mature Masculine, Anchor Communications LLC, Lancaster, VA, 2005.
- William B. Clarke, The Genius of Freemasonry: William B. Clarke’s Leaves from Georgia Masonry, ed. Paul Rich, Washington, D.C., Westphalia Press, 2013.
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George MacDougall, "Leadership Succession in Declining Lodges," Heredom, vol. 28, 2020.
- i.e., Sears (1893–2018): Retail pioneer for over a century; ignored e-commerce and stuck with catalogs/stores as "good enough," leading to bankruptcy after 125 years. Toys "R" Us (1948–2017): Toy retail giant for nearly 70 years; dismissed online sales, burdened by debt, and collapsed under Amazon's rise. Circuit City (1949–2009): Electronics chain dominant for 60 years; cut commissions to save costs (mediocrity signal) and ignored online shifts, filing bankruptcy. Borders (1971–2011): Bookseller thriving for 40 years; outsourced e-commerce to Amazon, then failed to adapt, shuttering amid digital disruption. Tower Records (1960–2006): Music retail icon for 46 years; clung to physical stores as CDs were "close enough," succumbing to iTunes and downloads. Lehman Brothers (1850–2008): Investment bank for 158 years; risk complacency in subprime mortgages triggered the largest U.S. bankruptcy. Woolworth's (1879–1997): Five-and-dime empire for 118 years; failed to modernize stores or compete with discounters like Walmart. Eastern Airlines (1926–1991): Major carrier for 65 years; labor strife and outdated fleets amid deregulation led to liquidation. Wang Laboratories (1951–1992): Computing leader for 40+ years; bet everything on proprietary word processors, ignoring PCs. Polaroid (1937–2001): Instant photo innovator for 64 years; dismissed digital cameras as inferior to film, entering bankruptcy. Other notable examples: Kodak (1888–2012): Dominated film photography for over a century but dismissed its own digital camera invention in 1975, prioritizing profitable film sales. "Close enough" film persisted until digital overtook them; bankruptcy followed 124 years of gradual atrophy. Nokia (1865–2013 as leader): Mobile phone giant for decades, peaking at 50% global share in 2007. Dismissed smartphones as a fad, sticking to familiar hardware; sold to Microsoft after complacency eroded innovation. Blockbuster (1985–2010): Video rental empire with 9,000 stores at peak. Ignored streaming (laughed off Netflix), betting physical stores were "good enough"; filed bankruptcy after 25 years of denial. Pan Am (1927–1991): Pioneering airline for 64 years, synonymous with luxury travel. Over-relied on legacy prestige amid deregulation and cost pressures; bankruptcy ended its reign. Xerox (1906–ongoing, but diminished): Invented GUI, Ethernet, and modern PC tech in the 1970s via PARC lab but failed to commercialize, deeming printers "close enough." Relegated to niche player after decades of squandered leads. ↑
- i.e., Service Clubs (e.g., Local Kiwanis, Rotary chapters): Many U.S. chapters founded pre-1950 and limped into the 2000s led younger volunteers. Local PTA/PTO Groups: Some 40–60-year-old school-affiliated parent groups stagnated on bake sales and minimal oversight, failing to adapt to working parents or digital tools; dozens dissolved amid declining participation post-2000. Community Amateur Radio Clubs: Groups from the 1930s–1960s endured on weekly nets and hamfests, dismissing tech evolution (internet, DMR); FCC logs show hundreds inactive by 2020s after decades of static routines. Veterans' Posts (e.g., VFW/American Legion locals): Post-WWII chapters (70–90 years old) clung to bar nights and ceremonies as "close enough," ignoring younger vets and missions; thousands closed since 1990 as relevance waned. Historical Reenactment Societies: Civil War or WWII groups (50+ years) normalized low-commitment musters, tolerating poor authenticity and infighting; many folded post-COVID as energy sapped without renewal. ↑
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- S. Rautenbach and S. Rothmann, "Authentic Leadership, Trust (in the Leader), and Flourishing: A Moderated Mediation Study." South African Journal of Human Resource Management, vol. 20, 2022, pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/articles/PMC9012166/, accessed December 2025. Britton Bloch, "Practicing What You Preach: The Impact of Authentic Leadership on Organizational Success." Forbes, 17 July 2024, Mel Robbins, "How Authentic Leadership Builds Trust and Transforms Teams." Workhuman Live, 19 Feb. 2025, www.workhumanlive.com/blog/how-authentic-leadership-builds-trust/. Accessed, October 2025. Carter Adams, "Exploring the Impact of Authentic Leadership: A Statistical Analysis of Employee Retention." Journal of Business Administration Online, Arkansas Tech University, 22 Apr. 2025, www.atu.edu/business/jbao/docs/04%20Adams%20Carter%20Edwards.pdf. Accessed June 2025. M. Hassi, G. Storti. "Authentic Leadership Extends Beyond Work,” The Leadership Quarterly, vol. 29, no. 4, 2018. ↑
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