discussion

Using the Round Robin Method for efficient board meetings

By Ann Macfarlane / May 30, 2019 / Comments Off on Using the Round Robin Method for efficient board meetings
A robin with a red breast perches on a budding branch against a blurred green background, as if participating in nature's own round robin.

The simplest way to make board meetings more efficient is to use the Round Robin Method of discussion. In a round robin, each member of the body is given an opportunity to speak once before anyone may speak a second time, commonly by calling on the members around the table in turn. Sometimes, however, it’s…

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Dangers of consensus decision-making

By Ann Macfarlane / April 9, 2019 /
A winding road with a deep, jagged crack branching outward in multiple directions, as if nature itself couldn't reach a consensus on which path to follow.

At a recent nonprofit board conference, I asked participants how they discuss and decide their issues. The majority of the attendees at my session agreed that they use “informal consensus.” Download PDF What is informal consensus? Here is a description of informal consensus from Andy Robinson’s book, Great Boards for Small Groups: Someone presents an…

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Make better decisions using Exploratory Round Robin

By Ann Macfarlane / November 23, 2018 / Comments Off on Make better decisions using Exploratory Round Robin
Three individuals sit at a conference table taking notes during a meeting. A can of soda and a snack bag are on the table, while one person looks visibly uncomfortable after inappropriate remarks were made.

You can make better decisions about complicated proposals by using the Exploratory Round Robin.

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Interrupting is not allowed at meetings

By Ann Macfarlane / September 7, 2018 / Comments Off on Interrupting is not allowed at meetings
Woman with long brown hair making a time-out gesture with her hands, as if interrupting a conversation, standing in front of a vibrant green background.

Interrupting is one of the most common conversational gambits in our American society. It is not allowed at meetings run according to Robert’s Rules of Order.

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Inappropriate remarks on nonprofit boards

By Ann Macfarlane / December 18, 2017 / Comments Off on Inappropriate remarks on nonprofit boards
Three people sit at a table during a meeting, with notepads and a can of soda in front of them. They appear to be listening attentively, ensuring no inappropriate remarks disrupt the focus.

If you serve as a director on a nonprofit board, you should know the types of remarks that are inappropriate during discussion at a meeting. Robert’s Rules of Order and the common parliamentary law it is based on require that: Directors on a board must be courteous to one another. They must speak to the…

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Inappropriate remarks on local government councils

By Ann Macfarlane / December 14, 2017 / Comments Off on Inappropriate remarks on local government councils
A wooden gavel rests on its base against a white background, commonly used in courtrooms and legal proceedings to maintain order and address inappropriate remarks.

If you serve as an elected official on a local government council or board, you should know the types of remarks that are inappropriate during discussion at meetings. Robert’s Rules of Order and the common parliamentary law it is based on require that: Members of a council or board must be courteous to one another.…

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How do you “call the question” in Robert’s Rules?

By Ann Macfarlane / February 19, 2016 /
figure learning on a question mark

The motion “to call the question,” which has the technical name of “previous question,” may be the most abused motion in all of Robert’s Rules of Order. It is very common for people to shout out the word “question” or “I call the question” in the expectation that debate will immediately stop, and a vote…

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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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One simple guideline can make meetings more productive

By Ann Macfarlane / April 29, 2015 / Comments Off on One simple guideline can make meetings more productive

Meetings of one type or another can take up to half of the average work day and keeping them productive can sometimes be a challenge. But there’s one simple guideline that can save time and improve the content of daily meetings by a thousand percent and it’s this: No one may speak a second time…

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My board is too nice

By Ann Macfarlane / April 17, 2015 / Comments Off on My board is too nice

At a recent family party, as we enjoyed summer pasta salad and delicious cheeses, a guest and I chatted about Jurassic Parliament. We were discussing boards of directors when she made this off-hand comment: “My board is too nice.”

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