The Alcoholics Anonymous Concepts of World Service The Twelve Concepts for World Service were written by A.A.’s co-founder Bill W., and were adopted by the General Service Conference of Alcoholics Anonymous in 1962. The Concepts are an interpretation of A.A.’s world service structure as it emerged through A.A.’s early history and experience. The short forms Concepts 10 to 12 read:

10. Every service responsibility should be matched by an equal service authority, with the scope of such authority well defined. The scope of such authority is to be always well defined whether by tradition, by resolution, by specific job description or by appropriate charters and bylaws. Our service structure cannot function effectively and harmoniously unless, at every level, each operational responsibility is matched by a corresponding authority to discharge it.

This requires that authority must be delegated at every level — and that the responsibility and authority of every entity are well defined and clearly understood. As we have seen (Concept I) “final responsibility and ultimate authority” reside with the A.A. groups, and they delegate this authority to the Conference (Concept II).

The Conference, in turn, delegates to the General Service Board the authority to manage A.A.’s affairs (Concept III) in its behalf. The board is in authority over its subsidiary operating conditions — A.A. World Services, Inc. and The A.A. Grapevine, Inc. — but it delegates to the directors of those corporations the authority necessary to run these service entities. The directors are in authority over the executives of the corporations, but delegate to these officers the authority needed to carry out their administrative responsibilities. And finally, the executives delegate to the G.S.O. and Grapevine staff members and other employees the authority necessary to carry out their important service jobs.

11. The trustees should always have the best possible committees, corporate service directors, executives, staffs, and consultants. Composition, qualifications, inductions procedures, and rights and duties will always be matters of serious concern.

Therefore, the composition of these underlying committees and service boards, the personal qualifications of their members, the manner of their induction into service, the systems of their rotation, the way in which they are related to each other, the special rights and duties of our executives, staffs and consultants, together with a proper basis for the financial compensation of these special workers, will always be matters for serious care and concern.

12. The Conference shall observe the spirit of A.A. tradition, taking care that it never becomes the seat of perilous wealth or power; that sufficient operating funds and reserve be its prudent financial principle; that it place none of its members in a position of unqualified authority over others; that it reach all important decisions by discussion, vote, and, whenever possible, by substantial unanimity; that its actions never be personally punitive nor an incitement to public controversy; that it never perform acts of government, and that, like the Society it serves, it will always remain democratic in thought and action.

Copyright: A.A. World Services, Inc.

“We should always realize that change does not necessarily spell progress. We are sure that each new group of workers in world service will be tempted to try all sorts of innovations that may often produce little more than a painful repetition of earlier mistakes … And if mistaken departures are nevertheless made, these Concepts may then provide a ready means of safe return to an operating balance that might otherwise take years of floundering to rediscover.”

AA Co-Founder, Bill W., September 1990, from: “The Twelve Concepts” AA Grapevine Copyright c. 1944-2012. AA Grapevine, Inc. All Rights Reserved.

‘Just as a candle cannot burn without fire, men cannot live without a spiritual life.’ Buddha

‘Spiritual relationship is far more precious than physical. Physical relationship divorced from that of the spiritual is like a body without a soul.’ Mahatma Gandhi

As part of the recent Back-to-Basics workshop held at Damien Hall, Wally P. from Tucson, Arizona led us through all 12 Steps in four 1-hour sessions. The article below is reprinted with permission from Wally’s website (www.aabacktobasics.org) and explains the purpose and origins of working quickly, and often, through our 12 Step program.