The Working Tools Magazine “Light” Version - Hawthorne-Fortitude ...

(Continued from page 19)
“Our Masonic Youth”- Bro John Nagy
characteristics 3 of an undeveloped PFC are many. Here
are just a few:
Thinking. Furthermore, every one of these Executive
Functions is what Masons should find exemplified by at
least one of our first three Grand Masters.
• Lack of foresight
• Unfocused attention
• Short attention span
• Inappropriate behavior
• Little to no impulse control
• Unrealistic self-assessments
• Little to no delayed
gratification
• Ill-formed strategies and
planning
• Lack of weighing behavioral
consequences
• Disorganized thinking and problem solving
• Little to no modulation of intense emotions
• Behavior doesn’t adjust as situations change
• Inappropriate risk taking and dangerous behavior
• Inability to consider the future and make predictions
• Short-term rewards take priority over long-term goals
• Inability to consider multiple streams of complex and
challenging information
These are but a few of the many distinguishing
characteristics that help identify males who have further
growth required of their PFC before reaching adulthood. It
benefits all Masonic Coaches and Mentors to recognize
these characteristics as they support our next generation of
males through their Masonic development.
Manhood
Research the PFC enough and you’ll learn that it does
many things important to our Masonic path. It is
responsible for planning,
decision-making, inhibition,
social interaction, self-awareness,
longterm memory formation and
understanding other people.
Included
in this, the PFC also watches,
supervises, guides, directs and
focuses behavior!When mature, it
both knows and exhibits Wisdom.
If it has not become clear yet, the
PFC is responsible for facilitation
of Executive Functions
characteristic of mature males. These Functions include
but are not limited to Time Management, Judgment,
Impulse Control, Planning, Organization, and Critical
What To Do
As a Coach or Mentor, what do you do with all this
Light? First on the “to-do” list should be improving
your awareness of the telltale Characteristics of
immaturity. Some aspects are more obvious than
others but they are all important to know as you
Work with others who depend
upon your support and guidance. Once you can
recognize and identify specific Characteristics, Work
toward becoming willing to share your awareness
with those whom you Work. This does not mean
you should though. It merely means that improving
your awareness positions you to properly assist those
current and future Brothers who show signs that they are
indeed ready to take further steps along the Masonic path.
Points to Perpend:
1. Should Manhood be determined by Mature Character or
chronological age?
2. Is the Craft allowing some Brothers to Pass before they
achieve Maturity?
3. Have you ever allowed a man to Enter into Freemasonry
or Pass from one Degree to
another without Perpending his Maturity?
4. How do you determine a man’s Maturity when tasked
with this important undertaking?
5. How Mature must you be to willingly accept any
negative reactions provided by Brothers
who don’t want to hear your observations?
Dr. John S. Nagy is a Master Mason, Lodge
Musician and Masonic Education provider for his
two Lodges and for others who support his sharing.
He is author of the “Building Series” of Masonic
Education books. His books, Building Hiram,
Building Boaz, Building Athens, Building Janus
and Building Perpends, his Videos “The Coaches
Coach: Building Builders” Parts 1 & 2 and his
Uncommon Masonic Education Workshops cover
aspects of Masonry designed to Build Better
Builders. His materials are used to instruct Blue
Lodge, Scottish Rite and York Rite Candidates in
Symbol Recognition, Understanding and
Application. You can find out more about him,
his books, his videos and his workshops through
his webpage at:
http://www.coach.net/BuildingBuilders.htm
20 T W T www.twtmag.com