Posts by Ann Macfarlane
Dealing with difficult members
Have you ever wished that you could just throw a member out of your nonprofit organization? Some people are so challenging that we wish we could! Here are some tips for dealing with difficult members.
Read MoreMy favorite politicians
Today is our primary election in Washington State. Seattle Times writer Kate Riley has published an insightful column about “my favorite politicians.”
Read MoreRemoving the chair during a meeting
What can you do when a chair (presiding officer, person running the meeting) refuses to follow Robert’s Rules, abuses their power, or acts in an arbitrary manner?
Read MoreSuspend the rules with extreme caution
The motion to Suspend the Rules is a trap for the unwary. Be careful in using this motion and avoid doing things that may get you into big trouble.
Read MoreSanctioning rogue board members
In general, people who serve on nonprofit boards or in local government are peaceful and compliant. But every once in a while, you get a rogue board member.
Read MoreEffective meeting management can be yours!
Everyone wants effective meeting management, but how do we get there?
Read MoreThe Outlier Syndrome in Governing Bodies
Guest post by Tami A. Tanoue, CIRSA Executive Director Those who have been working with municipalities for an extended period have observed a phenomenon that occurs at the governing body level. Let’s call this phenomenon the Outlier Syndrome.
Read MoreDanger Will Robinson! Public comment ahead!
This post offers our readers a brilliant paper by municipal attorney Brett Vinson on the dangers of public comment.
Read MoreRoundtable Community Workshops
Guest post by Bob Jean, ICMA/WMCA Senior Advisor Got a really hot issue and a divided community? Too often, if you hold a traditional public hearing to deal with it, you run the risk that each side will simply line up and use their three minutes to tell the Council how terrible they are no…
Read MoreUsing the Round Robin Method for efficient board meetings
The simplest way to make board meetings more efficient is to use the Round Robin Method of discussion.
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