Parliamentary Procedure Tips for New Presidents

Parliamentary Procedure Tips for New Presidents Have you ever had to endure meetings where nothing was accomplished and everyone was bored, talked too much, or was too intimidated to participate? Or maybe you've found yourself chairing a meeting where you ended up doing all the talking. Most of us learn about meetings by observation. Unfortunately, a lot of what we see may not be very helpful. Well-run meetings create a positive atmosphere and are more likely to achieve results. Members leave with a sense of accomplishment and a continuing desire to contribute. What makes the difference between meeting mayhem and meeting magic? It all comes down to a few basics about meeting conduct. Ten Tips to Get You Through a Meeting 1. Know Your Parliamentary Procedures. Ideally, as president, you should know more about parliamentary procedures than any other member. When you're confident in your knowledge, you won't be at a loss when members challenge you on procedure. If you're weak in this area, look in your phone book or newspaper for classes or meetings sponsored by a local unit of the National Association of Parliamentarians. Some local units offer short workshops on basic parliamentary rules. (For information on the 13 ranking motions in parliamentary procedures, read "Know Your Motions," at the end of this article.) Learning the purpose of the motions and rules is just like learning any new skill. You won't be comfortable until you've heard and practiced the procedures several times. 2. Be Prepared. Know your bylaws, policies, staff, and responsibilities. Be sure your documents, such as bylaws, rules, policies, previous minutes, and committee lists, are readily available to you at your meetings. Note the critical dates, events, and voting stipulations in your bylaws. For example, when is the annual meeting? When is the Nominating Committee supposed to meet and who can serve? What is the quorum required for your Board of Directors meetings and your membership meetings? 3. Let Your Agenda Be a Help. Ask your executive officer to help you prepare a script agenda, with the language you need to use next to every item of business. In addition, there should be enough space for you to make notes. Before the meeting, write down everything you think is going to happen at the meeting so that you can be as prepared as possible. Say, for example, you've heard that a member intends to make a motion to sell your association headquarters and relocate across town. Note the member's intent and the experts who can answer questions about the building you occupy, moving costs, location of members, and so on, so that you'll know ahead of time what to do. When a motion is made, write it down so that you can state it for the group. Keep track of which motion is currently on the floor and repeat it for the assembly so that it's always clear what's being discussed.