The Mira Costa Way: Big Committee , work and tactics or how I learned how to love creating order out of chaos . Large groups of 100 , 200 to 400 in debate require special skills. With forethought and strong preparation this challenge can not only be managed but turned into a tremendous experience.

1. Big Committee Tactics
• Or How I learned to stop worrying and love 200 plus
people for four days of debate without a Faustian
agreement

2. Persuasion Personified
Red Lacquer don’t play the slacker
evah
Time: 4 days 22.5 hours
sometimes is not enough
• Murphy’s law always in play
but subtle in ‘The Bigs”. Just
know that nothing will be
like you planned. This is
where true AIO comes out.
One step forward three
back, plays & pays to those
who do not quit. Costa
MUN has disdain for
quitters. Respect for
competitors.
You are not Sisyphus , it may just
seem like it
• 3- 4 weeks before first session, email your
chairs with some personal questions
about the topic/ committee because they
will most likely really be into the topic
they are chairing (sign the email with your
names and country)
•
• Ask some personal questions about the
topic/ committee because they will most
likely really be into the topic they are
chairing (sign the email with your names
and country)
• If you get no specifics or answer that tells
you something too

3. Partners are key
Planning , execution , quality speaking
every time
• With speaking one wants to
build towards the last two or
three sessions being
automatically known by the
Dias as a key player they
want to hear from.
• If not getting called on then
they , do not know you and
your ideas well enough. This
should tell you that the
battle of presence is being
lost.
Everhard Rules : Presence
• Start of committee , know everyone
by first name, “Everhard” method
• Great advantage in humanizing the
whole room
• Send out notes using different
colored paper/ post its, wall paper
whole room. Again establishing
presence even if not getting called
on. Even if they do not respond ,
keep ‘em rolling. Emphasis on
policy alignment too ! Many of
these nations often do not know
policy. If a “peanutter speaks” send
a note and get their support , help
them out

4. The Early Birds

5. Remember the Final Five in Rio , so
good the competition quit
Procedural Rules are great tools
• Partners must use
procedurals to establish or
strengthen name
recognition
• Ask chairs for clarification
and elude to solution if
UCLA or High school chair
• Help yourself , also help
committee move along
efficiently too WIN WIN
Great Reso means Gr8 recognition
thru Q&A start to finish
• Rough draft top ideas from
past conferences
• Edmodo research
• Actual policy
• Team Trump ignores these
things and just wants to
wing it
– Challenge them in caucus
– Then on the floor thru
speaking

6. DIVIDE & CONQUER
• Each delegate needs to hold their own !
– Costa has Veterans and Rookies bundled all the time.
Its what we do. Rooks need to step up and Vets need
to make sure prep for both is Final 5 caliber
– This is IMPERATIVE at the start of debate. Remember
caucusing starts before debate
– Split the room, come together compare notes while
making pre planned procedural motions
– Its about being known efficiently , quickly and
effectively
– Which leads to name recognition ASAP

7. No Publicity is Bad Publicity
• If they aint talking about ya then you are not a
player
• Shout Outs are great
– Personalize with first names , especially at the start,
makes your caucusing stand out. Impresses chairs ,
garners loyal support , shows co operation
• Attacks / propaganda better.
– Maybe there is a misunderstanding, do you need me
to clarify this more, Your policy has your nation
supporting this, Here is where this actually works , Did
you know it is well funded, What exactly do you not
like ?

8. BUILD MOMENTUM “The BIG MO !”
• Make rounds continuously, sell and discuss ideas
• Be seen working the room
• Visual and name recognition combined
• Work the “peanutters” good source of votes
• Help your associates get better, be an asset in all
ways
• First session allies equals first session presence

9. No Peanuts here

10. Mergers Dead Ahead
• It is coming and they are always to be anticipated
• The great delegates handle these incredibly well
• Poorly prepared delegates see it all vanish during this process
• Mergers and influence lead to Q&A
• Influence comes from knowledge and merit on the topic , on the working paper
and the final product
• BTW do not get bounced by the WP scribe
• Constantly sell your reso as the best to the whole room
• Let the DAIS know exactly what you are doing with the reso and why !! Show
knowledge , collegiality , establish & strengthen one to one relationship with the
those trying to run committee
• Remember while others bicker and back stab, you be a class act that gets it done
right
• Peanutters should be first targeted group for merger, sometimes you can snag 30
in one shot !Numbers are intimidating. Recruit and treat fair many will be loyal
• Always the Merger NOT the mergee !!

11. The Challenge
• The Big Boys require Caucus Power which leads to influence
• Effective speaking , one to one and sometimes one to 300
• All recognition goes through the Chair / Moderator / Dias,
that relationship starts when assigned
• AIO is key, extremely prepared prevents surprises from
anyone or anything( Answer for every Question and Q 4
Every A , Decorum is the polish
• Partners must have each others back ! By end of second
day a smooth well oiled machine
• Never forget you must acquire , secure and expand
presence

12. Beyond the Flags

13. Just a reminder
• When caucusing, make yourself the center of attention:
– Stand in the center of the circle if possible
– Start passing around a notepad and tell people to put emails/phone numbers
for resolution stuff (you get to start the doc)
– If you can get people to sit down in the circle and you can act as the head of
the circle mediating speaking that’s bonus points
– If someone is outside the circle, play the “let’s open up the circle” card
– If someone else is trying to dominate, play the “Let’s give someone else a
chance to speak” card
– Give an overview at the start and end of each caucus about what you talked
about / what you need to do à this establishes you as the leader
– Take caucus notes or appoint the note taker !!
– Share old or common info to help others do the research they did get or do
before. If there is a good topic synopsis use that as a guidepost to reso
writing. “the chairs wrote about this in their Topic”.
– Find out which one wrote it too !

14. This is not a mob it is …… Opportunity