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Discretion and Accountability
Discretion protects the dignity of others, and accountability ensures that the trust placed in an officer is honoured; in Masonic teaching the two are held together.
In Masonic teaching discretion protects the dignity of others, and accountability ensures that the trust placed in an officer is honoured. The two go together: a member may keep private matters private, but he must still answer for the decisions he takes in his office.
Discretion is not silence about wrongdoing. A member who keeps confidences should not use them to hide misconduct from those entitled to know. Accountability means reporting decisions through the proper channel, explaining them when asked, and accepting correction from the body that gave the mandate.
Example: an officer who has handled a sensitive complaint keeps the names confidential in conversation, but reports to the lodge council that the complaint was received, how it was handled, and what was decided. The details stay protected; the process stays open to those responsible for it.