Robert's Rules and Effective Meetings

Introduction

• Presenter: Robert
• Discusses common issue: long meetings that could've been emails.
• Aimed at understanding the value and proper structure of meetings.
• Interaction and engagement emphasized, questions encouraged.

Importance of Structured Meetings

• Why Use Robert's Rules?
  • Structure: Prevents chaos and maintains order.
  • Organization: Consistency in meetings.
  • Fairness: Ensures all voices are heard.
  • Efficiency: Saves time and avoids long tangents.
  • Civility: Promotes respectful communication.

Hidden Costs of Meetings

• Introduced a cost calculator tool to understand the financial impact of long meetings.
• Emphasis on reducing meeting length and participant numbers for cost-efficiency.

Behavioral Elements in Meetings

• Primary Elements: Fire, Air, Earth, Water.
• Fire: Quick, decisive, competitive, uses rules strategically.
• Air: Explorative, brainstorm, open to discussions.
• Earth: Methodical, structure-focused, analytical.
• Water: Consensus-driven, empathetic, inclusive.
• Tool: Assess team’s primary elements for better management.

Principles of Procedure

• Majority Rules: Simple majority decides.
• Minority Rights: Ensures minority voices are heard.
• Silence is Compliance: Encourages active participation.
• Formality Levels: More formal rules recommended for larger groups.

Common Challenges in Meetings

• People not preparing or reading materials.
• Off-topic discussions, poor time management.
• Disruptive behavior, poor chairmanship.
• Solutions: Clear agenda, time management, and strong leadership.

Roles and Responsibilities

• Chairperson: Guides meeting, keeps on track.
• Participants: Engage, support chair, maintain decorum.

Effective Agenda Setting

• Keep agendas dynamic and relevant.
• Integrate consent agendas to streamline routine matters.
• Send reports ahead as meeting packets.

Maintaining Order: Acknowledgement

• Rule: Participants must address the chair and wait for acknowledgment before speaking.
• Prevents direct arguing and maintains decorum.

Making Motions

• Steps:
  • Acknowledgment by chair.
  • Clear motion statement: “I move to adopt…”
  • Seconding the motion.
  • Chair restates motion, opens for debate.
• Debate: Begins only after a motion is made and seconded.

Debate and Discussion

• Speaking Turns: Everyone speaks once before repetition.
• Time Limits: Set for debate, extendable if needed.
• Tools: Online digital timer for virtual meetings.

Ending Debate

• Motion to Call the Question: Ends debate, goes to immediate vote.
  • Requires a two-thirds majority.
• Order Sequence: Motion restated, vote taken.

Points of Interruption

• Points of Order: Correct procedural errors (“Point of order…”).
• Points of Information: Seek factual clarification (“Point of information…”).
• Points of Privilege: Address discomforts or disruptions (“Point of privilege…”).

Amendments

• Types:
  • Strike: Remove language.
  • Insert: Add language.
  • Strike and Insert: Combination.
• Procedure: Debated and voted on separately from the main motion.

Challenging the Chair: Appeals

• Right: Members can challenge chair's decisions.
• Procedure: Chair speaks first, members debate, chair sums up, members vote.

Other Motions

• Tabling: Defers to later in the same meeting.
• Postponing: Defers to a specific future time/date.
• Referring to Committee: Sends issue to a standing or ad hoc committee for further work.

Withdrawal, Reconsideration, Rescind

• Withdrawal: Motion withdrawn by the proposer.
• Reconsideration: Re-opens a decided motion in the same meeting by a majority voter.
• Rescind: Cancels a decided motion in the next meeting by a two-thirds vote.

Voting Methods

• Voice Vote: Simple aye/nay.
• Roll Call Vote: Recorded individual votes.
• Vote by Acclamation: Used when no opposition is expected.
• Division: Ensures a clear count when voice votes are indecisive.
• Abstentions: Only for conflicts of interest, not as a default.

Best Practices for Chairing

• Start on time, even without quorum if proceedings permit.
• Maintain focus, control interruptions, park digressions.
• Clarify, summarize, and ensure clear action items.
• Recesses: Useful for de-escalation.

The 12-Step Program for Effective Meetings

1. Need Analysis: Ensure the necessity of the meeting.
2. Pre-Meeting Preparation: Ensure all participants are prepared.
3. Timing: Schedule meetings at productive times (e.g., midweek afternoons).
4. Environment: Manage the physical or virtual meeting space.
5. Roles Assignment: Assign roles like timekeeper or sergeant-at-arms.
6. Attention Management: Check-in regularly to maintain participant attention.
7. Written Notes: Encourage note-taking for better retention and engagement.
8. Question Writing: Allow time for participants to write down and submit questions.
9. Breakout Groups: Use jigsaw meetings for focused subgroup discussions.
10. Alternative Chairs: Swap chairpersons if beneficial.
11. Clear Action Items: Define specific action points and responsibilities.
12. Follow-Up: Send out summaries immediately after meetings.

Closing

• Thank you and open for further questions.