The 12 Traditions of W.A.

Much like the 12 Steps, a lot of things come in twelves with this group. Here are some key characteristics they call “The Twelve Traditions of Workaholics Anonymous”

Our common welfare should come first: personal recovery depends upon WA unity.

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

The only requirement for W.A. membership is a desire to stop working compulsively.

Each group should be autonomous except in matters affecting other groups or W.A. as a whole.

Each group has but one primary purpose — to carry its message to the workaholic who still suffers.

A Workaholics Anonymous group ought never endorse, finance or lend the W.A. name to any related facility or outside enterprise, lest problems of money, property and prestige divert us from our primary purpose.

Every W.A. group ought to be fully self-supporting, declining outside contributions.

Workaholics Anonymous should remain forever nonprofessional, but our service centers may employ special workers.

W.A., as such, ought never be organized; but we may create service boards or committees directly responsible to those they serve.

Workaholics Anonymous has no opinion on outside issues; hence the W.A. name ought never be drawn into public controversy.

Our public relations policy is based on attraction rather than promotion; we need always maintain personal anonymity at the level of press, radio and films.

Anonymity is the spiritual foundation of all our Traditions, ever reminding us to place principles before personalities.

The W.A. Twelve Steps and Twelve Traditions were adapted from the Twelve Steps and The Twelve Traditions of Alcoholics Anonymous. Reprinted by permission of the Alcoholics Anonymous World Services, Inc. Steps and Traditions copyright © 1939 by A.A. World Services.

Originally appears as page 18 in the W.A. Book of Recovery. This literature is also available as a downloadable PDF file