His “right of decision” comes with the responsibility to listen to God and others before deciding. 

Concept 3: “To ensure effective leadership, we should endow each element of [SA’s] service structure, the General Delegate Assembly, and the Board of Trustees and its staffs and Committees with a traditional ‘Right of Decision‘” (Service Manual ch. 1 p. 3).

Leadership and the “Right of Decision”—what does that entail? For me, this means that, as trusted servants, a Trustee Committee has the responsibility and agency to make independent decisions for the greater Recovery and Unity of the SA fellowship, a daunting responsibility.

Stewardship implies that decisions are made in good faith, trusting in the collective conscience of the group. Developmentally, stewardship involves a transition from the stage of independence to responsible and moral/ethical independence-interdependence. Stewardship is about becoming an elder statesman.

We have the capacity to developmentally work (grow) through our own dependence on others to become independent (autonomous). This is necessary to prepare us for the journey to authentically work interdependently in a healthy, non-codependent way. Learning healthy, interdependent collaboration is the task before us; healthy independence is necessary for healthy and optimum interdependence. When we consider ethical, interdependent choices, we expand our systems of thinking holistically, whereas independent choices may not nurture that kind of growth.  

I am reminded of the process I created: Listen, Discern, Decide. The focus begins with learning to listen.

Listening

This begins with respectful listening that may lead to more holistic generative or creative listening—rather than listening for an opportunity to interject as soon as possible. Generative listening involves “listening to silence” (what is not being said, and God’s nudging), “listening to listening” (how am I listening, the listening of others), and “listening-speaking” (giving voice to what is arising from within ourselves and from others).

Discerning

This involves listening internally to the call, the emotions, and the reasoning arising from within, and also respectfully listening to the voices of others—seeking what is affirming and noticing what creates discord.

Deciding

Decisions are based on a sense of interior and exterior affirmation—an “apparent rightness.” Not making a decision due to discord usually means more research is needed, or that it is not yet the right time.