I ATTEND board meetings as part of my work as an association executive. Like many others, I have learned on the job that there is a protocol in organizing, conducting and recording board meetings. Even board members themselves, including chairmen, may not be not aware of such protocol. This is the reason board meetings sometimes end up unnecessarily long and unruly.
According to Wikipedia, Robert’s Rules of Order (or simply Robert’s Rules) is the most widely used manual of parliamentary procedure in the United States. Robert’s Rules governs the meetings of a diverse range of organizations, including associations, non-profit organizations, professional societies, school boards, and industry chambers, that have adopted it as their parliamentary authority.
The manual was first published in 1876 by US Army Officer Henry Martyn Robert, who adapted the rules and practice of Congress to the needs of non-legislative societies. Although he was in the military, the rules in his book were not based on military rules. The author’s interest in parliamentary procedure began in 1863 when he was chosen to preside over a church meeting and, while he accepted the task, he felt that he did not have the necessary knowledge of proper procedure.
Robert’s Rules helps boards maintain order by providing a method of conducting meetings in a democratic, orderly and expeditious manner. Orderly meetings effectively uphold the association’s objectives based on the bylaws, and protect the rights of the association’s members. Each rule is affected by and affects all other rules. The manual contains a comprehensive set of rules that addresses virtually every potential issue in a
board meeting.
Below are some guidelines to holding board meetings:
How to handle motions: A member raises his/her hand, is recognized, and makes a motion, while another member seconds it. The chairman restates the motion, members debate on it, the chairman asks for affirmative and negative votes, and then announces the result of the voting.
When asking questions: Member’s questions should always be directed to the chairman and not to another member. The chairman is the presiding officer of the meeting.
Raising a point of order: When a member notices a violation of a rule, the rule can be called out without waiting for the chairman to recognize the member who questions it. In such a situation, the member must say, “Point of order.” The chairman listens to the complaint and makes a ruling on whether there is indeed a violation. If the member disagrees with the chairman’s ruling, the member may appeal the decision.
How to record minutes: Minutes of a meeting should be brief and need not reflect every discussion that occurs. The only items that must be noted in the minutes are: (a) the date and time, (b) a list of who were in attendance, (c) a record of motions, seconds, and whether the motion was carried, and (d) reports submitted that may be attached as part of the record.
I encourage associations to consider adopting Robert’s Rules to their advantage. Every board member has a responsibility to make informed decisions that actualizes the vision and mission of the association. When parliamentary procedure is followed with fidelity, the board process protects everyone’s rights while championing the board’s work
and advocacy.
****
The column contributor, Octavio Peralta, is concurrently the secretary-general of the Association of Development Financing Institutions in Asia and the Pacific (Adfiap) and the CEO and founder of the Philippine Council of Associations and Association Executives (PCAAE). PCAAE is holding a mini-conference on Branding, Public Relations and Communications on July 4, 2018, at the Philippine International Convention
Center (PICC). The event is supported by Adfiap, the Tourism Promotions Board, the PICC, Springtime Design, the International PR Association and Writers Edge.