Centennial Vision
Some feel it is important that The Augustan Society, Inc., have a clear vision of what it wants to become. In a perfect world, this would come first, and all other planning would be in service of that goal. In this world, the Board has shown a fair amount of indifference to such long-range plans, much to the frustration of Consuls. The Board created a Five-Year Plan (and handed maintenance off to the Eagle Council, but this did not strike Consuls as sufficiently "long".
Edward Ellsworth Jones (1927–1993) wrote: "When the administrator feels himself to be the sole driving agency, and finds himself chiefly engaged in arousing those who are apathetic and coercing those who are antagonistic, there is something vitally wrong with the administration. An executive should find himself engaged chiefly in directing the energies which create themselves naturally in all parts of the business, and in finding the proper outlet for the eager upward striving of the ranks below."
There are two ways to take this advice:
- That Consuls should sit on their hands, facilitating only those programs which have support. Their advocacy should be limited to reminding the membership on occasion of each program that is dormant for lack of support; or
- That Consuls, desirous that the Society become at least successful enough to move out of their dining room, should advocate with both Board and membership for such programs as they believe would be of benefit to the Society.
This "Centennial Vision", and the "Proposals" it contains, were Consuls' effort to promote and recommend action in accord with the latter of these. They recognized that such was beyond their contractual role, but felt moved to extend their duties for the reason above, if not others.
With the end of the office of Consul in 2017, responsibility for maintaining this Vision falls to the Board, or whomever they elect to delegate the task to. It would not surprise the outgoing Consuls if it was allowed to lay fallow indefinitely, but they would thrill if that were the result of the Board or Eagle Council taking up the responsibility for long-range planning in earnest.
The title "Centennial Vision" was adopted to avoid confusion with the Five-Year Plan, the Long-Range Plan (since abandoned), or the Vision Statement, and because it would not, alas, be surprising if it took until at least 2057 to achieve.
A Centennial Vision for The Augustan Society, Inc.
- Introduction to Vision
- Administration Vision
- Staff Vision
- Facilities Vision
- Chivalry Vision
- Genealogy Vision
- Heraldry Vision
- History Vision
- Nobility Vision
- Study Group Vision
- Communications Vision
- Library Vision
- Sub-Groups Vision
- Vision Proposals
