THE SERVICE STRUCTURE:
CONCEPTS OF WORLD SERVICE
The Service Structure
In creating this framework Bill borrowed from two models: First, from democracy he borrowed the idea of final responsibility and ultimate authority of the groups contained in Concept I; also the idea of elected representatives who would serve as the active voice and effective conscience of A.A. contained in Concept II; in Concepts III, IV and V Bill sets out the democratic ideals of the "Right of Decision," "Right of Participation" and the "Right of Appeal." These ideas are fundamentally democratic and spiritual in nature. They guarantee that A.A. will remain a society of peers and that all voices will be heard. Thus Bill hoped to keep A.A. safe from the tyranny of any majority or minority. These ideas are based squarely on the principles of liberty and trust. We are asked to trust each other, trust the Conference and the committee process and ultimately to trust in God as we understand Him.
Second, Bill borrowed extensively from the corporate business model. He recognized that as a practical matter and in order to achieve our spiritual aim, A.A. would have to operate in the business world. In Concepts VI through XII Bill sets out in great detail the idea of delegated responsibility together with equal authority. He states often in his essays that without these principles A.A.'s World Services would cease to function. More tan anything Bill wanted A.A. to succeed.
To see these principles in action we need only look at individual Concepts. Everyone seems to be aware of Concept I. The groups are the bosses. The inverted triangle with the groups at the top is our symbol. Authority is expressed as running from top to bottom. But if we read on we find that after bestowing all this power and ultimate authority on the groups, Concepts II through XI then substantially qualify this idea by explaining that as a practical matter the groups cannot manage A.A.'s World Services, because they can almost never be sufficiently informed nor, in many cases, have the required business expertise. Instead, the groups are asked to delegate their ultimate authority (but not their responsibility) to trusted servants who are always accountable to those they serve. This idea of delegating authority, of trusting our trusted servants, of sacrifice, is an essential element of our Structure. Without it A.A. World Services could not function.
Concept V, the "Right of Appeal" is a Concept that is often quoted. The minority voice is one of the most cherished ideals of A.A., because it protects us from the tyranny of the majority. A careful reading of Concept V reveals that here Bill is also confirming the reliability of the group conscience of the Conference because, in theory, it is informed and based on substantial unanimity. He calls the Conference a "small but qualified minority." of leaders whose group conscience should be trusted. Out of respect for the minority and concern for unity, the Conference often conducts lengthy debates before coming to a decision, sometimes even when there is a clear two-thirds majority on an issue. The minority is encouraged to speak out and indeed has a duty to do so. However, after the minority has made its case and if it is unable to sway the group, it also has a responsibility to, at some point, let go and trust in the group conscience for the sake of unity.
Concept IX reminds us that although we are a society of equals who serve one another, like all societies, A.A. must have good leadership. Here Bill is talking principally about the trustees, for he believed that it would be the trustees who would, of necessity, exercise A.A.'s primary leadership in World Service. Bill had great admiration for the trustee, both alcoholic and non-alcoholic, and felt that A.A. could not do without them. He cautions us in this Concept that out leaders need not be perfect but do need to be people of experience and vision who are able to take the long view. Here the quality of prudence is highly valued.
Forty-Eighth Annual Meeting of The General Service Conference of Alcoholics Anonymous Final Report: page 17, paragraphs 2,3,5 & 6
"AA's Twelve Concepts of Service" and the "AA General Service Manual," which together form a kind of constitution and a governmental structure of A.A.
The AA Concepts don't have the elegance of AA's Twelve
Steps or its Twelve Traditions, nor are they well known to many AA members.
The Twelve Concepts represent a unique and fascinating
set of principles that derive the right of AA's leaders to speak and act for the fellowship while establishing written guaranties for individual freedom and minority rights.
The Concepts were conceived to protect the fellowship
from becoming a toprather than a bottomorganization.