I still remember the first time someone told me our homeowner association meetings could use a Parliamentarian.  Parli-what?  I asked.

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Like many people, I knew our meetings were out of control, but didn't know what to do about it.  That is where parliamentary procedure can help!

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The purpose of using parliamentary procedure is to provide an opportunity for different opinions to be heard, without anyone dominating or bullying the group.  In the end, after reasonable debate, a vote is called for and the majority vote wins.  It is a democratic process, and when done correctly, permits the will of the majority to be implemented.

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Roberts Rules of Order (RONR) Parliamentary Procedure was first published by General Henry M. Robert on February 19, 1876.  There were other forms of parliamentary procedure prior to RONR, but each group had their own rules.  I like to give the example of playing your favorite board game, but depending on the town you visit, the rules of the game are different.  That model doesn't work very well.

 

General Roberts wrote "meeting rules" that would serve the needs of ordinary societies and groups, and be consistent, no matter the group, no matter the town.  RONR is a rule-book for meeting management.

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Today, Roberts Rules of Order Newly Revised is in its 11th edition. 

It continues to be reviewed and updated by family and friends of General Roberts, staying true to the intent, while modernizing to fit to the needs of our society. 

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I hope you will choose to explore RONR as a tool to help your organization conduct more effective (get the business of the organization done), efficient ( get business done in a reasonable amount of time), and transparent (members see what was done and had an opportunity to participate) manner.

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See our Parliamentary Links page for more information.

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