Questions and Answers on Sponsorship (contd)

The AA (General Service conference approved) booklet: Questions and Answers on Sponsorship

Extract:

“Is there any one best way of sponsoring a newcomer?

The answer is no. All members are free to approach sponsorship as their own individual experiences and personalities may suggest. Some sponsors adopt a more or less brusque, “Take it or leave it” approach in dealing with newcomers. Others exhibit extreme patience and great personal interest in the people they sponsor. Still others are somewhat casual, content to let the new person take the initiative in asking questions or seeking help in special situations. Each approach is sometimes successful and sometimes fails. The sponsor has to decide which to try in a particular case. The experienced sponsor recognizes the importance of flexibility in working with newcomers, does not rely on a single approach, and may try a number of different approaches with the same person.”

(our emphases)

Comment: Again it is worth noting how this advice contrasts directly with the cult style of sponsorship, or dictatorship as it might more properly be designated (that is with the exception of the “Take it or leave it” approach. Needless to say our advice to anyone encountering this kind of abuse is to 'leave it', walk away and find someone who's actually interested in you as a person rather than as yet another cog in their 'assembly line' process!) As a rough guide to choosing a sponsor anyone who's sponsoring more than two or three people is quite probably in serious danger of tripping over their own ego, and certainly will be quite unable to fulfil their responsibilities according to the above criteria. There are, after all, plenty of people around who can do the job. It isn't that difficult to share your “experience, strength and hope” with another person is it!

And finally, of course, a sponsor is not essential to recovery. And NO sponsorship is better by far than BAD sponsorship!

Cheers

The Fellas (Friends of Alcoholics Anonymous)

(to be continued)