8. Tonight’s Webinar
Look at our assumptions and habits of meetings
How to make meetings more inclusive
How to run efficient meetings
Parliamentary Procedure
Roberts Rules: What they really say!
Consensus: What it really is!
9. Meetings: Why?
As member-based organizations, meetings are the
way things get done
We make a lot of assumptions about meetings—what
should happen, when they should happen, who does
what
Time to open up that can of worms
Always can improve how we do what we intend to
do
All we do is for theological deepening and
transformation
10. Assumptions and Habits
We must have committees and meetings
What about Task Groups or Work Partners?
Meetings must happen every month, no matter what
Could switch to quarterly or electronic
The committee members are the ones to do the work
Separate workers from organizers—different skill sets
Committees have to last as long as it takes to do the
work
Review every committee at least every other year for
relevance
11. Enjoyable Meetings
Build in social time
Pre-meeting social hour?
Snacks?
Worship service before on meeting night
Encourage appropriate laughter
Approach with lightness, not dread
Again, approach from religious perspective: how are
we growing our spirits?
12. Inclusive Meetings
Always ask who isn’t present?
Make sure not ruling out historically marginalized
folks
Put a chair at the table for the voices not there
Ask questions that will elicit the views of those not
present
Accommodations:
Where held—accessible in broadest sense?
What about children?
Time and date issues
Virtual meeting possible?
13. Efficient Meetings
Realize meetings serve a variety of purposes:
Social
Connect members
Allow participatory leadership
Get things done
Legal requirement
Achieve something spectacular
Deepen our spirits
Need to make space for all of this to happen
14. Efficient Meetings
Realize people approach differently:
Leap to quick understanding
Mull over for unintended consequences
Want decisions
Want dialog
Think quickly/slowly
Speak to know what thinking
Think to know what to say
Need to make space for all of this to happen
15. Efficient Meetings: Prepare
Build Agenda carefully
Check minutes for old business
Solicit ideas and issues from others
Add suggested time limits – no more than 90 minutes
of work!
Send Agenda and documents out in advance
Rule of thumb: don’t decide anything important in
same meeting presented unless absolutely necessary
Consider advance session to inform folks: town hall
Agree on Rules before starting meeting (more later)
16. Effective Meetings: There
Create a covenant for how you will be together;
review regularly
Start religiously:
On time (time-ish)
Chalice Lighting
Check In
Theological Reflection
End well:
Check out, including task review and reassignment
Closing reading
17. Efficient Meetings: There
Ensure everyone is involved appropriately
Ask input from everyone
Institute ―step up, step back‖ awareness
Encourage ―Angel’s Advocates‖
Three good things about idea
How would we be better if this was
chosen/worked?
Appoint timekeeper and Process Observer
Empower everyone to keep time and observe
18. Efficient Meetings: After
Make sure notes/minutes are circulated quickly
Include a ―task list‖ that reminds folks of
commitments
Follow up with folks as appropriate
Share the news with others
Confirm the date of the next meeting (if any!)
Do what you said you’d do; if you can’t, let folks
know as soon as possible so alternate plans can be
made
19. Efficient Meetings: Rules
Ensure you know what Rules will govern your
meetings:
Roberts?
Consensus?
Roberta’s Rules?
Others?
Make sure that you have:
Parliamentarian who can assist with understanding
the Rules
Training for those running, and those attending
20. Robert’s Rules
Who was Robert, and why his rules?
Henry Martyn Robert, Army Engineer
Motivated by failure
Created own set 1876
Now in 11th Version with forward by Henry M.
Robert III (!)
Direct line of succession in creating new versions
Often default way of decision making
21. Robert’s Rules
Basic Premises:
No one speaks without recognition—no shouting out
Always need a motion to discuss anything, & second
No one speaks a second time until all heard, unless
Chair agrees
Chair may call upon whomever as often as want to
clarify issues
Only members have privilege of floor, but Chair may
allow others to speak
Point of Information: when don’t understand things
22. Robert’s Rules
Point of Personal Privilege: when need something
Moving the previous question, with Chair
recognition; not debatable; 2/3 to pass
Need to be polite!
Chair may call for the vote without moving the
previous question, especially when no one waiting to
speak
Point of Order when think not following Rules – can
interrupt!
23. Robert’s Rules
No ―friendly amendment‖ under Robert’s
Can make amendments to motion
Can withdraw original motion and then move new
one
Abstentions:
Don’t need to call for them unless requested
Do not count in the vote—if more vote for than
against, it passes (subject to plurality required)
24. Robert’s rules
Customary role for Chair:
Doesn’t make or second motions (though can)
Steps out of chair when wishes to speak on issue
Can break a tie in vote, but doesn’t need to
Getting rid of motion:
Withdrawn by mover
Voting against
Tabling (though can be brought back)
Postpone (to particular time)
Postpone indefinitely (basically kills the motion)
25. Consensus Model
Conditions necessary for consensus governance:
Common goal
Commitment to reach consensus
Trust and openness
Sufficient time
Clear process
Active participation
Good facilitation
26. Consensus Process
Introduce and clarify issues
Explore issue and look for ideas
Look for emerging proposals
Discuss, clarify and amend proposal
Test for agreement
If agreement, then implement
If no agreement, back to emerging proposals for
other options/agreements
27. Consensus Decision
Not just everyone agreeing, but shades of
agreement/disagreement:
Agreement: this is what we should do
Non-support: don’t see need, but will go along
Reservations: might be mistake, but can live with it
Standing aside: can’t do personally, but won’t stop
others
Blocking: cannot support or allow group to support; it
is immoral, wrong
Withdrawing: must leave if this occurs
28. Consensus Review
If don’t come to an agreement/consensus, then
follow whatever pre-existing decision or, if none,
then do not act at all
Takes time to reach; not good for quick decisions
Requires deep commitment by members
Appreciates complexity of situations
Can be a powerful way of participating, and when
reach consensus, often have greater buy-in and
participation
29. Robert’s vs. Consensus
Need clear and shared articulation of when you use
which (or whatever rules you choose)
What do your bylaws say about specific things such
as quorum, calling a minister, purchase/sale of
property
If choose consensus as ―default,‖ then what will you
do if you don’t find consensus?
Regardless: need to teach and learn—it’s not just
automatic
31. Resources
Meetings that Work, UUA Publication
http://www.uua.org/documents/congservices/meet
ingswork.pdf
Patrick Lencioni, author of leadership fables
Death by Meeting
Alban Institute, congregational life think-tank
www.alban.org
33. Final Words
It has been said democracy is
the worst form of government
except for all those others that
have been tried.
Winston Churchill
Editor's Notes
Welcome to all; won’t go around at the moment; too many folks out there;I am DE of HL; lifelong UU; minister for 20 years; serving my 6th year in HL as DE (two stints)With this many people – won’t be able to stop for comments, or have 70 people ask questions; so – post questions on the chat portion of SlideShare; can stay on for a bit of time after the “official call” or can email me with questions after the fact. Overwhelmed by the numbers; if get through the “prepared” material, will open it up to questions/conversations
Recorded webinar – will end up archiving on web for future reference; can use whenever you want; on demand throughMidwestuuleadership.org
Take Courage Friends: - Wayne Arnason
Time and date—after church with hungry kids, night when seniors might not drive, daytime when young adults might be busy, etc.
Non-support ("I don't see the need for this, but I'll go along.")Reservations ('I think this may be a mistake but I can live with it.")Standing aside ("I personally can't do this, but I won't stop others from doing it. ")Blocking ("I cannot support this or allow the group to support this. It is immoral." If a final decision violates someone's fundamental moral values they are obligated to block consensus.)Withdrawing from the group. Obviously, if many people express non-support or reservations or stand aside or leave the group, it may not be a viable decision even if no one directly blocks it. This is what is known as a "lukewarm" consensus and it is just as desirable as a lukewarm beer or a lukewarm bath.If consensus is blocked and no new consensus can be reached, the group stays with whatever the previous decision was on the subject, or does nothing if that is applicable. Major philosophical or moral questions that will come up with each affinity group will have to be worked through as soon as the group forms.