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We regularly receive calls requesting us to teach parliamentary procedure – often referred to as Robert’s Rules of Order – and regularly we decline. We are not intentionally being obstinate, but there is something about teaching it that feels off for us – like we are not telling the whole story. We believe that focusing too much on the Rules takes away from important aspects of what makes for an effective meeting.
Sometimes I remind groups that using Robert’s Rules is a “self-inflicted choice” so they know they can pivot if Robert becomes a burden and not an opportunity for structure. Some nonprofits have noted the use of Robert’s Rules in their bylaws, but most have not. It is simply a way of running a meeting that has “always been done” and never questioned. Equally true is that some groups would like another option but are not sure what it is. Others would actually like to use Robert’s Rules, but face challenges due to organizational culture or lack of understanding. When it comes to Robert’s Rules, nonprofit leaders have choices to make.
What is Robert good for?
For those who want to use it, Robert’s Rules of Order was created to bring order to a meeting in a very structured way that is mirrored in Western (some would say colonized) government structure. It sets out a specific process for how a group convenes and ends a meeting, presents an idea, and finds agreement or dissent from that idea. It can actually be pretty great in some spaces. I appreciate Robert’s Rules to help with the following structural components of a meeting:
These are all important aspects of a meeting, and they only take a little bit of training to help everyone follow, but they don’t tell the whole story of what makes for an effective meeting, which requires engagement, full participation, meaningful discussion, and more. In this, strict adherence to Robert’s Rules in many nonprofit board rooms is more of a barrier to participation in ways that include:
Indeed, we have seen all these negative results during board meetings, and in most cases none of it was intentional – it was merely a byproduct of using this particular model of governance.
If you want to use parliamentary procedure – use it well.
If your team is committed to Robert in the room, then offer a basic tip sheet. The chair also needs to be clear that their job is to help everyone engage using the required rules. Training, mentors, and grace will all be required if you want to counter the negative consequences that often come with the strict use of this structure.
Other options are available
Let’s be clear about what we mean by an effective board meeting. Importantly, board service is a voluntary act, and inherent in that is that it is a choice. Just like in our staff spaces, we have a great reshuffle happening as people reassess how they want to spend their free time. Long-serving board members are leaving and new people (sometimes with less or no experience) are filling the seats. This is a perfect time to reevaluate how your team conducts business. If you want to be more welcoming and create a space where you are fostering full participation regardless of tenure in the room, then I encourage groups to pause and ask, “What is an effective meeting for us?” and “What do we need to create that environment before, during, and after a board meeting?”
In our course on effective board meetings and through our facilitations, here is what we emphasize:
Maybe all these things are possible with Robert fully in control of the room, but for many some version of “modified Robert” will be necessary. Use the Rules as outlined above for the big structural items, but then consider letting Robert go so that meaningful, generative, and engaging discussion can happen in thoughtful ways throughout the meeting.
One way we talk about modified Robert is the crafting of the “meat” of the agenda as “decisions, discussion, and education.”
The intent of building an agenda based on decisions, discussion, and education is to focus the group on the future.
Note that there is no committee reporting on things that happened in the past – those are written down and submitted as part of the consent agenda. There is no executive report on the past – again, it is submitted in the packet. Instead, the board focuses on the discussion or education sections of the agenda. Most boards spend the majority of their meeting time listening to things in the past that they can do nothing about. This modified Robert format keeps the whole team looking ahead to issues that matter most while maximizing the engagement of everyone in the room.
Another option is no Robert. Instead, decide how best to use the team’s time so they maximize the group’s time together and move through the required elements of a board meeting (which for most is establishing a quorum as articulated in your bylaws). At the same time, consider how to foster the culture desired by the team, which can include their customs and traditions or the level of exchange desired from casual to formal. For example, we offer Active Board Engagement Ideas for ways to engage the team in creating a healthy discussion, thoughtful education, or clear decisions. Want more ideas? Check this article covering strategies for board meetings that still holds true today. And don’t forget our Leadership Summit where we explored Liberating Structures.
Ultimately board meetings are an essential space to build trust as a team, have necessary conversations that need a variety of perspectives, and make decisions that move the mission forward in thoughtful and strategic ways. On a good day, this is a tall order. So, picking your structure to attend to each of those aspects should be done on purpose. Robert or no Robert, or something in-between, the choice is yours.
More information is available in the resources below:
-Laurie