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Integrating the Meeting Jet Process with Robert’s Rules of Order

Parliamentary law should be the servant, not the master, of the assembly.

—GENERAL HENRY M. ROBERT

Many associations and boards I have worked with use Robert’s Rules of Order to varying degrees as the standard guide to parliamentary procedure. They are the rules by which an organization runs business meetings to keep order. This is not so in companies. This chapter is about how to integrate the Meeting Jet process with Robert’s Rules. If you do not use Robert’s Rules, you can skip this chapter.

Once your group starts using the Meeting Jet process, many of Robert’s Rules become unnecessary. However, many boards will still use Robert’s Rules to conduct official votes and make decisions. Therefore, the Meeting Jet process needs to be integrated into Robert’s Rules.

COMMON ROBERT’S RULES

Typically, the most frequently used Robert’s Rules are as follows:

Motion: When a member of the board wishes the board to take action on an item, he or she must make a motion to that effect. For example, “I move that the board meeting be held in Hawaii on January 12.” Technically, until such a motion is made, no discussion of the issue may occur, although many small boards do not strictly adhere to Robert’s Rules in this area, particularly when an item of business has been placed on the agenda and requires some presentation of information before a decision is made.

Second the motion: Before a motion may be discussed, it must be seconded—that is, another member of the board must agree that the subject should be brought into the forum for discussion and a vote. Usually, the person seconding the motion is in favor of the motion, but in some cases, people may second a motion for the purpose of allowing discussion, and they may actually be opposed to the motion.

Call for the question: This is a request by a member that discussion cease and a vote on the issue at hand be taken. Frequently, this is a statement made without recognition from the chair, and it is simply a statement of that person’s readiness to vote. If the chair recognizes the member, she or he may move that the question be called. If this is seconded, then a vote is taken on whether to stop debate on the current issue. A vote of two-thirds is required to stop debate. If the chair does not recognize the speaker, the chair uses his or her discretion as to when to put an issue to a vote. Recognition of a member is at the discretion of the chair.

Voting: Voting may be by voice (“All in favor, signify by saying ‘Aye’”), by a show of hands, or by written ballot. On most issues, a simple majority is sufficient to pass an issue.

Summary of the Order by Which Things Are Done

1.  Motion

2.  Second

3.  Discussion

4.  Amendments to the motion (must be approved by both the motion maker and the seconder)

5.  Call for question (optional)

6.  Vote on the end of discussion if a motion to call the question has been made and seconded

7.  Vote on any amendments

8.  Vote on the motion

Since the Meeting Jet process is designed to foster high-quality discussions and analysis of ideas through brainstorming, matching, and mismatching, those processes cannot be allowed to be interrupted by Robert’s Rules. For example, if during a discussion someone were to make a motion and have it seconded, then technically a discussion would need to ensue on that motion. This of course would suddenly change the topic and process as well as cut off any of those people who are still in the Q. This would be completely inappropriate to the Meeting Jet process.

MOTION TO ADOPT MEETING JET RULES

Once a group wants to try the Meeting Jet process, a motion needs to be made to try it and let it supersede Robert’s Rules, except in relation to decision-making. The needed motion will be to adopt the Meeting Jet rules of order in relation to analyzing ideas via brainstorming, matching, mismatching, discussion, presentation, Q&A, and rating. After the necessary processes are complete, Robert’s Rules for motions and voting to take action will apply.

Therefore, if someone in the speaking Q has a motion she wishes to make, when it is her turn, she can still state that she wishes to make a motion. The Air Traffic Controller will write an “M” next to her name, but the Q will continue. The complete discussion time will be allowed for the topic, as called for in the agenda.

Once the discussion is complete, the Pilot will come back to the person wishing to make the motion. The purpose of doing this is so that a motion cannot be used to cut people off from being heard. In my experience, a better alternative is to say that you don’t make motions in the middle of a discussion. After the ideas are analyzed, and after matching, mismatching, and discussions are complete, and it’s decision time, then it’s time for motions. Calling for the question also would have to be eliminated because it can be used to cut people off from speaking and end discussions.

Robert’s Rules are used because there usually are no speaking time limits or time frames for agenda items or clear processes other than discussion. Therefore, Robert’s Rules are needed to move things forward. But the Meeting Jet process takes care of this much more effectively. Better to have clear time frames and clear processes and to complete high-quality discussions than to use Robert’s Rules to ask for motions and amendments and then official votes.

When the Meeting Jet process is presented to a board that uses Robert’s Rules, it will have to be motioned, seconded, and voted that the group try it and adjust the use of Robert’s Rules appropriately. Once the group has decided that they want to continue to use the Meeting Jet process (which they will), a formal motion and vote needs to be taken to make that change. This change will then need to be written either in the organization’s procedure manual or in the bylaws, if that’s where using Robert’s Rules is specified. For more details on using Meeting Jet with boards, see dealingwithmeetings.com.

The Great Boss Centerpiece

Many years ago, I was a new manager at a new company, and one of the first few females to be hired in that position. I was giving my first big presentation and hoping to make a good impression. The conference room had a large table in the middle with plush chairs around it for the bigwigs, and there were less comfy chairs around the sides of the room. People kept pouring in.

Being new, I was naturally a bit nervous. As every last chair was filled, attempting to relax myself, I made a joke that the next person who walked in would have to sit on top of the table. While everyone was still laughing, who walked in next? Yes, our most senior executive director, R.G., who wanted to know what was so funny. I was just going to say, “Oh, nothing, let’s get started now.” But one of my colleagues repeated what I had said about sitting on the table, so R.G. promptly did exactly that. He climbed up onto the middle and sat with legs crossed, like a centerpiece, and stayed there through my entire presentation.

I tried not to get rattled. He was a very good sport about it, and he even complimented my presentation, but it was not the way I expected to make a first impression!

—R&D manager, Telecommunications company

SUMMARY

How the Meeting Jet Process Enhances Robert’s Rules

1.  By having a speaking order, everyone one is heard from.

2.  By having time limits on all agenda items and turns to speak, calling for the question is unnecessary.

3.  By flight recording, criteria are revealed and discussions are complete, which leads to clear and effective motions.

How to Implement the Meeting Jet Process with Robert’s Rules

1.  Make a motion to temporarily adopt the Meeting Jet process in relation to analyzing ideas and having discussions.

2.  To formally adopt the process, make a motion, second it, and vote to do so in relation to analyzing ideas and having discussions.

3.  Write down that decision in either the procedure manual or the bylaws if using Robert’s Rules is specified there.