Robert’s Rules for Elected Officials
Next live Zoom workshop: Meeting Minutes & Role of Clerk - Thursday, December 12 at 10 am Pacific time
If you need the information right away, take our self-paced online course here.
What we offer elected officials
Serving your community as an elected official can be rewarding, invigorating—and stressful. Any long-serving official will tell you that while the job is filled with fulfilling moments where you know you’re serving and connecting with your community, public meetings can also begin to feel like a waste of time—especially if nothing gets accomplished, or worse, tempers flare and the community begins to suffer.
Public meetings are a cornerstone of democracy—but bringing a large group together with differing opinions and backgrounds can be enough to overwhelm someone who isn’t prepared with the tools and best practices offered by Robert’s Rules of Order. Here at Jurassic Parliament, we are focused on bringing this often dry and confusing document to life through fun, interactive live online workshops, self-paced courses, and plenty of other content!
So what is the best learning path for you, an elected official who wants to have more effective, respectful, less chaotic, meetings? Here are some suggested learning paths for your journey.
Three learning paths
Starter kit
Newly elected to your city council? Never served in public office before? We have the learning path for you!
- [BLOG] How can I start running better meetings with Robert’s Rules?
- [BLOG] Getting your board to buy in to Robert’s Rules
- [QUICK GUIDE] Follow four fundamental guidelines for successful meetings
- [COURSE] Quick Introduction to Robert’s Rules
- [COURSE] Newly Elected Survival Guide
- [CHEAT SHEET] Language Tips for Meeting Management
- [BOOK] Mastering Council Meetings: A Guidebook for Elected Officials and Local Governments
Intermediate path
You're not new to public service, but you could benefit from some refreshers and maybe some new tricks for your toolkit!
- [COURSE] Great City Council Meetings, Great School Board Meetings
- [BLOG] Rights and responsibilities of the member
- [BLOG] Four bad habits to avoid at council meetings
- [QUICK GUIDE] What are the 11 duties of the chair?
- [QUICK GUIDE] Essential Guidelines
- [QUICK GUIDE] 50 Guidelines for Public Comment
- [COURSE] Mastering Motions with Robert's Rules
Advanced path
You’ve got Robert’s Rules working pretty well, but you’re finding that the outcomes of your meetings are still suboptimal. We suggest the following learning path to get you well on your way to expert status when it comes to getting the most out of your public meetings.
- [BLOG] The 12 stupidest meeting mistakes
- [BLOG] Are your meetings seven hours long?
- [BLOG] When public pressure is intense
- [QUICK GUIDE] Lost the vote? Don’t sabotage the council’s action
- [COURSE] Difficult Board Chair or Member
- [COURSE] Take Control of Your Meetings Using Robert’s Rules
Hi. I’m Ann Macfarlane.
I know the frustration of ineffective council meetings. I can help you change your next meeting:
Master parliamentary procedures
Stop bullies who just want to argue
Get your voice heard
Solicit cooperation from other elected colleagues
I’ve worked as a diplomat for the U.S. Government. Through my work as a translator, I’ve helped hundreds of people communicate effectively across cultures.
Sixteen years of experience working with electoral bodies means I have answered 100s of actual on-the-job questions about Robert’s Rules. I can help you, too. I work with city, town, and county councils, utility boards, special districts, planning commissions, overnmental associations, and anyone who wants better meetings.
I’m a Professional Registered Parliamentarian and I know how effective government works.
In fact, together with my partner, Andrew Estep, we wrote the book for local government: Mastering Council Meetings. There’s nothing like our book. Click here to learn more and download a sample chapter.
Ann Macfarlane is a trusted trainer for these organizations:
Association of Washington Cities
California-Special-Districts-Association
City-of-Seattle
National League of Cities
Northwest Public Power Association
Port of Olympia
nirma
Washington-State-Association-of-Counties
City of Bainbridge Island WA
City of Bellingham WA
City of Blaine WA
City of Bothell WA
City of Burien WA
City of Chico CA
City of Cordova AK
City of Edmonds WA
City of Enumclaw WA
City of Ferndale WA
City of Gig Harbor WA
City of Kenmore WA
City of Kent WA
City of Kirkland WA
City of Liberty Lake WA
City of Long Beach WA
City of Loveland CO
City of Lynnwood WA
City of Medina WA
City of Millwood WA
City of Newcastle WA
City of Olympia WA
City of Pacific WA
City of Port Angeles WA
City of Port Orchard WA
City of Port Townsend WA
City of Renton WA
City of Sammamish WA
City of SeaTac WA
City of Seattle WA
City of Sedro-Woolley WA
City of Selah WA
City of Sequim WA
City of Shelton WA
City of Shoreline WA
City of Snoqualmie WA
City of Sultan WA
City of Sumner WA
City of Tonasket WA
City of Tukwila WA
City of Wenatchee WA
City of West Lynn OR
City of Woodinville WA
City of Woodland WA
City of Yakima WA
King County WA
Pierce County WA
Snohomish County WA
Spokane County WA
Whatcom County WA
ACWA JPIA
AGRiP
AWSPFD
Columbia River PUD
Jefferson County PUD
Nevada Poolpact
ORECA
PenMet Parks
Port of Olympia WA
Scotts Valley CA Water District
Snohomish County Ag Board
Sound Cities Association
Washington Public Ports Assoc
Washington State Parks
WPUDA
WSAMA
YVCOG
Really helpful, Ann. You make it all so clear and achievable. I’ll be relying on your lessons at every future meeting.
Bob Walter, Council Member, City of Eatonville WA
Every single one of us walked out the session feeling so much more confident and comfortable with the subject of parliamentary procedure. We are so appreciative! I can’t wait for our next training session!
Tiffany Aliment, Dept of Planning & Public Works, Pierce County WA
Ann, you are a constant amazement in your ability to concisely deliver value.
Karen Macedonio, East Kern Health Care District
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