Driving Quality Resultsthrough Effective Governance

Ann G. Macfarlane, PRPJurassic Parliament

CAJPA2013 Fall Conference and Training Seminar

Thursday, September 12, 2013

I. Introduction

Accountability HierarchyBOSS

Accountability HierarchyBOSS

Voluntary Association

LEADER

Voluntary Association

LEADER

Three Duties of Leader• Manage or administer the association• Lead the association• Preside at the association’s meetings

Six Principles of Meetings(with thanks to Jim Lochrie)

1. The majority must be allowed to rule.2. The minority have rights that must be respected.3. Members have a right to information to help make

decisions.

Principles

4. Courtesy and respect are required. 5. All members have equal rights, privileges and obligations.6. Members have a right to an efficient meeting.

Key Point

The role of the presider is paradoxical – the most important person and the least important person in the room.

It Follows That…

The presider must be strict on process – a benevolent dictator.

And Remember That…

The presider is not responsible for the decision the group makes.

The group is the final authority.

Who Sez?

Robert’s Rules of Order, Rosenberg’s Rules, etc. ANDCommon parliamentary law(Robert’s Rules of Order is the most commonly used and accepted formulation of common parliamentary law in the U.S.)

II. Essential Rules for Discussion and Debate

collected from Robert’s Rules of Orderand explained by Jurassic Parliament

Remember that…

Discussion at board meetings is NOT A CONVERSATION.

Structure is essential if discussion is to be fair.

Essential Rules1. All members have an equal right to speak, make motions,

and vote.2. Non-members do not have the right to speak, to make

motions, or to vote. BUT a body may invite anyone whom it chooses to speak before it. Staff are assumed to have this right. In California, members of the public have this right by law during the public comment period.

Essential Rules

3. One subject at a time4. One person speaks at a time.5. No interrupting.6. Courtesy and respect are required at all times.

Essential Rules7. No one may speak a second time until everyone who wishes

to do so has spoken once. (The most-neglected rule in all of Robert!)

III. Who’s in Charge? How?

Flow of Authority at a MeetingThe group adopts its rules and guidelines.

↓In attending, members accept the rules of the group.

↓During meetings, the presiding officer applies the rules for the

benefit of the group.↓

Flow of Authority at a Meeting

↓All persons present at a meeting have an obligation to obey the

legitimate orders of the presiding officer.↓

Flow of Authority at a Meeting

↓Any member who disagrees with a ruling, decision or order by

the presiding officer may appeal the ruling.↓

Flow of Authority at a Meeting

↓If another member seconds the appeal, the group will decide by majority vote whether the ruling, decision or order is legitimate.

↓

Flow of Authority at a Meeting

↓The presiding officer obeys the group’s decision.

Point of Order

• A motion claiming that a mistake has been made.• Can be made only by a member.• Must be timely (if you wait, you waive your right to object)• May interrupt a speaker if necessary.

Point of Order

ExampleMember A: Madam President, I rise to a point of order.President: State your point.Member A: My esteemed colleague has used the term “cream-faced loon” in referring to the Executive Director of our organization. According to Robert’s Rules, insults are not allowed in debate.President: The point is well taken. Members will refrain from using improper language.

Appealing a Point of Order

ExampleMember A: Madam President, I rise to a point of order.President: State your point.Member A: My esteemed colleague has used the term “cream-faced loon” in referring to the Executive Director of our organization. According to Robert’s Rules, insults are not allowed in debate.President: The point is well taken. Members will refrain from using improper language.

ExampleMember B: Madam President, I appeal the point of order on the grounds that “cream-faced loon” is a literary reference and not an insult.Member C: Second!Presider: Very well, since the ruling of the chair has been appealed, the group will decide. Note that appeals pertaining to proper use of language and decorum may not be debated.

ExamplePresider: All those who believe that “cream-faced loon” is an insult, please say “aye.”[Members vote]Presider: All those who believe that this phrase is not an insult, please say “no.”[Members vote]

Example[If the ayes have it]Presider: The ayes have it, the ruling of the chair is upheld, and members will refrain from using this term.[If the noes have it]Presider: The noes have it, the ruling of the chair is not upheld, and members may use this term.

Request for Information

Request for Information

• This motion is a question. Used to be called “point of information.”

• Used to request information that is urgent and relevant to debate.

• Can only be made by a member.• May interrupt a speaker when necessary.

ExampleMember A: Madam President, I rise to make a request for information.President: State your question.Member A: Is it true that the Fossil Bank in which we keep our money is going into bankruptcy?President: Mr. Treasurer, what do you know about this situation?Treasurer: To the best of my knowledge the Fossil Bank is fully solvent and these rumors are baseless.

Criticizing

Under Robert’s Rules, a member may not criticize a prior action of the group during a meeting, unless the action is under discussion by the body as a whole, or the member is going to introduce a motion to change or rescind it at the end of her speech.

Supporting

Under Robert, once a decision has been made, a member must support the group. A member may not make statements which tend to “injure the good name of the organization, disturb its well-being, or hamper it in its work.”

V. Conclusion

An association of men who will not quarrel with one another is a thing which has never yet existed, from the greatest confederacy of nations down to a town meeting or a vestry.

Thomas Jefferson said it best…

• Presider takes on too much responsibility.• Members become “free riders.”• Outspoken members and old-timers dominate

conversation.• Members don’t want to be seen as troublemakers, so

keep quiet when they should speak up.

Possible dangers to your governance

• People assume that somebody else has thought of their objections, so don’t bring up their issues.

• Members become lazy.• A culture of “go along to get along” develops.• “Parking-lot back talk” – the real conversations take place

outside the board room.

Possible dangers to your governance

• When everyone understands the rules and procedures, things go smoothly.

• Minority expresses its views, does its best to convince colleagues, but accepts the decision of the majority in the democratic spirit.

Robert’s Rules to the rescue!

A truly democratic system

• All members have equal rights, privileges and obligations.

• Input from everyone is needed.• Differing opinions are GOOD, not BAD.• Healthy debate is essential. • Conflict should be welcomed, not swept under the

rug.

The American way

• We’ll try for consensus, but if we don’t achieve it, we’ll vote.

• The majority will decide. • The minority will accept the decision (gracefully we

hope!)• The organization will move forward.

Cornell Clayton

The willingness to engage in honest debate and lose on issues you care deeply aboutreaffirms your commitment to common

citizenship.

Remember…

• The presider is the servant of the group.• The presider must be a benevolent dictator as

regards procedure.• The presider is NOT RESPONSIBLE for the decision

the group makes.• The group is the final authority.• When in doubt, ask the group!

The test of a healthy organization

Can members express a differing opinionand still be welcome?

Driving Quality Results through Effective Governance

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