Robert’s Rules of Order

I realized that I’ve been using Robert’s Rules of Order for 20 years now. I still remember my grade school teacher handing me a binder on how to run a meeting, what to do when someone is out of order, how to handle a motion, how to make a motion, etc…I always pictured people in curly wigs making motions.

Now why would someone use RRO? RRO help out in running meetings especially if there are a lot of debatable  items that your organization needs to cover. These are usually touchy subject matters where you still want people to get along in the end if things don’t go their way. It’s always good to learn RRO just in case you attend a public meeting where they follow the strict rules of RRO.

How strict have I gone with RRO? I remember when I was president of the science club when I was in 11th grade. In order for me to “quiet” a member down I used really strict RRO to a point where the member did not have a lot of time to speak. Mind you, if you use these tactic, be prepared to deal with people who shout out, “Point of Order” at every moment possible.

I’ve been lucky in the past years where I’ve worked in groups where people don’t really disagree when voting on matters. It’s one of the best feelings ever. However, it hurts a little when one person disagrees. Democracy, right? I have a hard time from drawing away from RRO even when it’s not needed. The meetings are funny but kind of cute.

Is there another solution? It’s called Consensus. I think I’ve seen it in use once. The meeting seemed a little longer but passing on items was achieved faster. Have you used Consensus? Let me know how it went.

References:
Robert’s Rules of Order
Consensus