Tradition 2 · February 23

Respect, Not a Title

Daily Traditions · February 23

The threat today

A title in an A.A. group gives no power over anyone, and the rumour that it does is how rooms end up with bosses. The Long Form of Tradition Two puts the only authority in the group (Big Book, p. 563): "For our group purpose there is but one ultimate authority". The Long Form of Tradition Nine says what the people holding the titles get instead (p. 565): "Universal respect is the key to their usefulness." Universal means from everyone. So a secretary, a chairperson or a treasurer is useful because the members trust them, and only for as long as the members do. Today the rumour runs the other way. Some rooms have a facilitator, a group leader or a coordinator who acts as if the title came with rights: to cut a share short, to pick who reads, to decide who is welcome and who is a problem. Respect that has to be demanded is already gone, and what is left is a boss with a name tag. The group never has to put up with that. It can hold an election and hand the job to someone else. Test it tonight: ask your group's officers when they were elected, how long they serve, and when the next election is.

Sit with

A title in A.A. carries no power, only the respect the members give. When was the person running my meeting elected, and when does their term end?

Grounded in: Long form, Tradition 2 (Big Book, p. 563); long form, Tradition 9 (Big Book, p. 565).

Tradition 2

"For our group purpose there is but one ultimate authority—a loving God as He may express Himself in our group conscience. Our leaders are but trusted servants; they do not govern."

Read the Long Form (pp. 563–566). The short form on pp. 561–562 is the one everybody quotes — but the Long Form is where the Traditions actually say what they mean. Tradition 3's "no other affiliation" clause, for instance, exists only in the Long Form. That single clause is why no treatment centre can own an A.A. group. Most of what circulates online skips it.

And a distinction worth keeping straight: the Traditions are governance, not theology. They bind A.A. groups and the Fellowship — not individuals, and not outside businesses. They were adopted in 1950 to keep A.A. from being owned or co-opted. They are not a rulebook for your personal life.

What the Traditions actually say → The Long Form, p. 563 → Search the Big Book → Every day this month →

Ask Recovery Einstein about Tradition 2 → Get the app →

← February 22Their Right Size Tradition 2All of February February 24 →The Close Vote

Daily Traditions is an independent educational resource from Recovery Starts — not official A.A. literature, not affiliated with Alcoholics Anonymous World Services, and not medical advice. The Twelve Traditions are the property of A.A. Page references are to Alcoholics Anonymous (the Big Book), 4th Edition: short form 561–562, long form 563–566. If you're in crisis, call or text 988 (Suicide & Crisis Lifeline).