Ann Macfarlane

What are special rules of order in Robert’s Rules?

By Ann Macfarlane / October 22, 2015 /
The cover of the book "Robert's Rules of Order: Newly Revised, 12th Edition" by Henry M. Robert III and others features a gold emblem with the letters "RR" at the center, illustrating its guidance on special rules of order.

Updated July 14, 2021 Special rules of order are permanent rules, specific to your group, that guide your discussions and meetings. They allow you to make sure that your group talks about things and makes decisions in the way that works best for you. Robert’s Rules of Order encourages groups to set up their own special…

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Hopeless in Houston without a quorum

By Ann Macfarlane / October 16, 2015 /
photo of disgusted person

During my time as executive director for a national association of interpreters, the annual meeting in Houston stands out as a low moment. We had retained a professional parliamentarian, but she was over 70 years old and not up to dealing with our frisky members. Accusations were made that the board had mishandled $25,000 and…

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Avoiding amygdala hijack

By Ann Macfarlane / September 3, 2015 / Comments Off on Avoiding amygdala hijack
drawing of amygdala

My nephew was visiting us last weekend when he was hijacked. One moment, he was an affable, engaged and charming member of the family — the next, a seething mass of rage and anguish. I reacted with compassion. I knew that he doesn’t yet have the skills to prevent his amygdala from taking over. But…

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Are summary minutes right for your nonprofit board?

By Ann Macfarlane / August 25, 2015 /
paper with pen

Over the years Jurassic Parliament has been a strong supporter of “action minutes.” We agree with Robert’s Rules of Order that the fundamental purpose of minutes is to record official actions taken by a governing body. Minutes are a legal record and document what the body has done. This is true for elected councils, appointed…

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Precedence of motions in Robert’s Rules of Order

By Ann Macfarlane / August 12, 2015 /
Close-up of the 12th edition of Robert's Rules of Order: Newly Revised book lying on a surface. The cover mentions authors Henry M. Robert III, Daniel H. Honemann, Thomas J. Balch, Daniel E. Seabold, and Shmuel Gerber.

People are sometimes confused about precedence of motions in Robert’s Rules of Order. In essence it is rather simple. The principle is that each motion has a number or rank. When motions are pending, motions with a higher rank may be made, but motions with a lower rank are out of order (not allowed). The…

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Friendly amendment in Robert’s Rules of Order

By Ann Macfarlane / August 10, 2015 /
Cover of the book "Robert's Rules of Order, Newly Revised, 12th Edition," featuring authors Henry M. Robert III, Daniel H. Honemann, Thomas J. Balch, Daniel E. Seabold, and Shmuel Gerber; this essential guide includes crucial small board rules for effective meeting management.

What is a “friendly amendment” in Robert’s Rules of Order and parliamentary procedure? This term is frequently misused. Here is our explanation: (1)   An amendment is a proposal to change a motion – a proposed action – being considered by a group. (2)   Sometimes people suggest amendments with the intention of making the original motion…

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Where can I find Roberts Rules of Order online?

By Ann Macfarlane / May 22, 2015 /

The 12 edition of Robert’s Rules has just been published. More information coming soon.

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Great planning commission resource now free

By Ann Macfarlane / May 12, 2015 / Comments Off on Great planning commission resource now free
logo of Planners Web

PlannersWeb, a long-time source of excellent advice for planning commissions, has now made all its content available free to all. Check out their website for dozens of invaluable articles and to-the-point guidance. If you are a citizen member of a planning commission, a staff planner, or elected official concerned with planning issues, you’ll find much relevant advice…

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Cheat sheet for the chair

By Ann Macfarlane / May 8, 2015 /

My new folding business card includes a “cheat sheet for the chair.” It’s our summary of what the person running a meeting really needs to know (see below). I gave one to a senior elected official this week. He read the first line and said, half-joking, “the servant of the group, not the boss?! That…

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How to be the right kind of dictator

By Ann Macfarlane / May 4, 2015 / Comments Off on How to be the right kind of dictator
painting of Napoleon

It sometimes comes as a shock to newly elected leaders that running good meetings requires being a dictator. It is essential for the chair of a meeting to enforce the rules that the group has decided upon for fair discussion. If your board has adopted an agenda that allows 20 minutes for a given topic,…

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