How to Learn Robert's Rules
In 1863 Henry Martyn Robert, an Army major, was asked to lead his church group. Rather than preceding with bluster and force of will, Robert decided he didn't have the proper knowledge to lead in a professional manner. He began researching parliamentary procedure in the hopes of bolstering his own legitimate claims to responsibility. What he found was an incredible inconsistency, with many groups making up procedure as they went. After years of research Robert released "Pocket Manual of Rules of Order for Deliberative Assemblies" in 1876. It is still the most popular stand by which meetings, particularly of a deliberative nature, are run.
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Things You'll Need
- Robert's Rules of Order Printed summaries Printed "Six Steps in Considering a Motion"
Instructions
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Learn for what purposes Robert's Rules of Order was designed to determine whether it is right for your group. Robert's Rules is an adaptation of the parliamentary procedure used in the United States House of Representatives, but with exclusively legislative functions stripped out. It is intended for "deliberative assemblies." As such, it is designed to balance the rights of the "majority, of the minority (especially a large minority greater than one-third), of individual members, of absentee members, of all of these groups taken together," according to the Robert's Rules of Order Online, a link to which can be found below. If you feel your group primarily acts as a "deliberative assembly," with a need to balance multiple claims and rights with all members essentially equal, than Robert's Rules of Order may be right for you.
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Adopt Robert's Rules of Order at your meeting. Begin by proposing a resolution. Your resolution should be something to the effect of, "Be it resolved that this and all future meetings be governed by the procedures and rules contained within the latest edition of Robert's Rules of Order. Be it also resolved that this body has the right to determine, procedurally, what rules are applicable and apply, ignore, or otherwise amend such rules in the future." If your group is just beginning, with no charter or constitution, than simply seek a majority vote. However, if you wish to apply Robert's Rules of Order to an already existing charter or rulebook, then you would typically require a two-thirds vote.
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Enshrine Robert's Rules of Order in the bylaws of your group. Insert into your constitution or rules: "Whenever consistent with existing bylaws and in line with special rules adopted at a later date, this body shall be governed by the parliamentary procedure set forth in Robert's Rules of Order." It's now official.
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Purchase a copy of Robert's Rules of Order for the chairman of your group with the understanding that it will be passed down to future chairmen. It is now the responsibility of the chairman to guide the proper application of Robert's Rules.
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Pass out a summary of basic procedure to every participant. Learning Robert's Rules of Order is a group effort. While the chairman bears more responsibility than others, it behooves the group to learn as well. Basic procedural summaries, or the entire book, can be found easily online.
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Appoint a parliamentarian expert. It would be the job of this expert to support the chairman and search through the book to make a proper ruling on any question of parliamentary procedure. Of course, appointing a parliamentarian expert requires a certain amount of procedure.
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Train everyone in the six basic steps in considering a motion. First, a member stands, is recognized by the chair, and makes a motion. Two, another member must second the motion. To second requires no explanation but for the word "second." The chairman repeats the motion, ensuring the same wording and intent is used as the original. Four, the members debate the motion one at a time, through the chairman. Five, chairman asks for votes in the affirmative and then proceeds immediately to asking for votes against. Six, the chairman announces the vote total, tells the proper authority whether to enact and what to enact, then moves on to the next order of business.
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Never stray from the rules. Keep practicing. The key to using Robert's Rules of Order is not to sit down and learn them all, as not even people who have used the system for years know every rule. Instead, the key is to use the procedure consistently and allow constant repetition and practice teach the group.
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