I have vague yet fond memories of the NY Org from the early-1970s. I was pretty young at the time. There *were* a lot of people there, including a lot of great musicians and artists.

My family went to parties there a couple of times – I think they might have been New Year’s parties, and man, the musicians who played there were amazing. I remember Amanda Ambrose from then, and her kids who we hung out with. It really was something. It was a social center in addition to being a Scientology center. Just the way a real church is often a social center.

Luis Agostini, in attempting to decipher the Miscavige’s rationale with the “video Div 6es” mentioned that he had observed that “a common denominator of lower level staff was being in the condition of very low self esteem, very likely caused by an un-accomplishments filled life,” and that, “to many, being on staff was the security blanket that shielded them from having to face life and its demands for self-sufficiency and skills.”

He also mentions “the failure of the staff to emanate self confidence, inner peace, an intelligence guiding their communications.”

I’d just like to mention that a good dose of Scientology lower grades, for many, resolves much or all of that, and the reason most of those low self esteem individuals joined staff was to get these things resolved as they were pitching in to help others with those same or very similar problems.

The hope, the belief, the idea that “the basic individual is not a buried unknown or a different person, but an intensity of all that is best and most able in the person”* is what got everyone to sign their contracts or write their checks. Most of the public (those who wrote the checks), at least in the earlier days, got to find out if that would be true, in full or part, as, usually, auditing would be delivered.

The staff generally don’t ever find that out. Most staff finish their contracts (or fail to) with little or no auditing and leave staff with failed, rather than realized purposes.

(*Dianetics, the Original Thesis, pp. 36-37)

Hugs

Good point M T. Back in those days whenever the flow of public into the org would slow down. I would take 4 or 5 staff with boxes of promo in my van to hit all the movie lines and and crowded areas in Manhattan, the next day the flow would pick up. Of course we would do this off the production time in the Org. We never felt the need to have fancy buildings. WhEn we did move to the upper west side on Manhattan we did so with no donations from the public. In fact if the public did want to help we let them assist us in the painting and cleaning but ALL of their dollars went to training and processing.

When I went in to FCDC a month and a half ago there were 3 doing training. Two doing TRs and one doing metering. At first I figured I would not tell them I had been a scientologist in the past so I asked questions first. I was brought into the org by the single person that was outside trying to get public inside. There was one girl at reception that also ran the projector, a test girl, one at the D of T desk and one girl I assumed was SO because of the black and white outfit. When I would not buy anything I had a frosty reception but then I told them I was an old guy from the early 70s and they warmed up a bit. For six or so floors it was pretty empty for the middle of the day. I told the girl who sold materials that I much preferred the two previous orgs and their atmospheres because even if the present org was finished in the most luxurious of materials the org felt sterile. Actually she was the most friendly. Since my TRs were in I had no problems putting off the reg attack and left the org of my own volition. ARC Bill Dupree

My point is that as a SYSTEM, CoS policy/admin system is not very workable. It is bloated, top heavy and authoritarian, replete with orders, compliance reports, red tape, tons of useless communication AND many useless and counter productive posts…

Point taken, Joe. I don’t completely disagree with the idea that CofS policy/admin is overly complex, bloated, and top heavy. I can only comment here as a layman, as I’m not OEC/FEBC trained, but having been on staff in a Sea Org org for nearly a decade, and having rubbed elbows with the Green on White throughout my Scn career, I do tend to agree that a simpler, more streamlined body of organization tech would probably be of great benefit.

In my own business, we’ve used the Model of Admin Know-How book as our organization bible, and it’s all we’ve ever needed. We’re also a very small business, and don’t require a seven division org board with tons of hats to get the job done. When it comes right down to it, there are only a few vitally important actions (or functions) that we need to keep in on a consistent basis to keep the machine humming. I don’t think a Scn delivery org is all that different, really. Promote to the broad public. Show them that what you offer is of benefit to them and close the sale. Route them onto courses or auditing services and truly deliver the goods to them. Rinse and repeat all the way up the line.

Remember that Job One is delivering auditing and training. Every other job in the org must directly support that activity. If delivery stats begin to falter, begin pulling staff closer to the base products of the org. Take people off pencil pushing activities and get them working on the vital functions of the org. In short, Keep It Simple, Stupid.

I wonder how many of those DVDs end up being tossed into the first trash receptacle the person passes after leaving the org? After such an impersonal contact, my first thought after leaving would be “Wait, why am I carrying these?”

Back in the 80’s I volunteered as a public reg at the OC Org. During that time I became very good at evaluating personality tests. We averaged 40 – 50 FSS per week and the org was booming. I can tell you that, without question, just watching a video isn’t going to get a person to reach. You have to find their ruin and that takes good TR’s. Learning these skills didn’t just get more people on lines, it also was a major part of my progress in Scientology.