Robert’s Rules of Order Explained

Rooted in centuries of best practices for meetings and business conduct, Robert’s Rules of Order is a detailed framework used to guide parliamentary procedures. The rules are the gold standard for running a professional meeting, not only in the private sector but also in not-for-profit organisations. They are based on recognising the rights of the majority while giving a voice to individual members.

The framework allows groups to establish order and control during formal meetings. It is especially helpful for making formal changes to bylaws, discussing and voting on agenda items, or clarifying points of order. The main benefits of Robert’s Rules of Order are that they provide standards and act as codes of ethics for governance-related discussions and decision-making by board directors and committee members.

Using the rules prevents meetings from going off-topic while providing fairness and order in boardroom processes. They help the chair maintain decorum and can expedite meetings. Robert’s Rules of Order offer a way to establish and maintain checks and balances within the leadership and make decisions that truly represent what group members want.

Robert’s Rules of Order Basics

In the non-profit sector, Robert’s Rules of Order are used as best practices for church groups, school boards, associations, and other charitable entities. The rules establish procedural controls for setting agendas, creating meeting minutes, running the entity, and making boards more accountable to the group. The key principles of the rules are to:

• Start each meeting with a call to order and address old action items before discussing new business.
• Use a motion to propose various actions and allow the board to debate and vote on specific issues.
• Ensure one participant speaks at a time and that discussions stay on topic.
• Make decisions that represent the entire group member (present or not) and are approved by a majority or two-thirds vote.
• Record votes made by speaking out loud, raising a hand, and ballot casting.

The rules can be applied to meeting structure, making and voting on motions, and raising concerns or points of order when procedures are not followed.

When To Use Robert’s Rules of Order

Robert’s Rules of Order are used at every stage of the board meeting: the call to order by the chair, the reading and approval of meeting minutes by the secretary, the presentation of reports by auditors, committee chairs, and other individuals, and the adjournment. The rules are particularly useful for dealing with motions and both in-person and virtual meetings can benefit from their use.

Here are some of the rules most worthy of attention:

Deliberative Assembly

According to Robert’s Rules of Order, a deliberative assembly is characterised by a meeting where the opinion of each group member has equal weight and is expressed through a vote. The voter assumes responsibility for the final decision made by the group. Voters act for the entire membership and are subject to the governing rules of the organisation.

Non-profit boards are deliberative assemblies, and, as a result, their members are indemnified by the association as long as their actions do not constitute willful misconduct or gross negligence. The rules state that officers and board members are fiduciaries and shall act on an informed basis, in good faith, and in the honest belief that their actions are in the best interest of the association.

Quorum

Robert’s Rules require boards to have a quorum to vote during a meeting. This protects other members against actions that don’t represent them. Meeting participants are counted as present if they attend the meeting in person, or attend via telephone or video conferencing. A quorum, a minimum number of members present to constitute the group, must be present for actions to be taken by the board. In addition, meetings require a person to preside over the group (a chair).

Order of Business

A group must use a standard order of business during meetings. Typically, this involves a call to order, where the chair establishes a quorum, opens the meeting, and announces the meeting will ‘come to order’. The previous meeting minutes are then approved and reports from officers and committee chairs are presented. Items with a special priority are then addressed, followed by any unfinished business from the previous meeting. Next, any new business on the agenda is discussed, and finally, the meeting is adjourned.

Motions

During the meeting, board members must make a motion to obtain the floor. The motion can then be considered, debated, changed, or withdrawn. Occasionally, the motion can be deferred to the next meeting. There are various types of motions: main motions, subsidiary motions, renewal motions, and incidental motions.

Main motions can cover any subject that requires action. Subsidiary motions direct or change how a main motion can be handled, such as tabling, debating, or postposing a discussion. Renewal motions are used when the group needs to further discuss a motion. They may involve reconsidering or rescinding a motion. Incidental motions tend to represent housekeeping motions or administrative items like appealing a decision, making a point of order if a rule is broken, or raising a point of information as part of the discussion.

Meeting Minutes

The meeting minutes are an official record of the board meeting written down. The minutes of each board meeting MUST include the location, date, time of the meeting, the names of participants, and a list of the matters proposed, discussed and acted upon. Robert’s Rules of Order states that minutes should indicate whether a quorum was present and which motions were made.

Minutes allow directors to document any decision made during the proceedings. The record must use the exact wording of the motion, who made it, and what was the result of the vote. When a report is presented and discussed, the minutes must include the name of the person presenting it and any actions taken as a result. Finally, the board secretary is responsible for signing the minutes after they are approved.

Should you always use Robert’s Rules of Order?

While Robert’s Rules of Order offer useful best practices and guidelines, they are not the end all be all, according to author David Price. Whether you use the rules or not will depend on factors such as the size and type of organisation you are running. In some cases, the rules may be too bulky or cumbersome, for example for a smaller group.

If using the rules becomes confusing or introduces unnecessary delays or procedural barriers, consider using an alternative approach to running board the meeting. Indigenous organisations may not use terms like ‘voting’ in their bylaws and often have a different approach to governance and leadership.

Other organisations may prefer using a sociocratic approach to decision-making. Sociocracy focuses on consent decision-making and is useful for small groups. This approach requires several rounds of opinion sharing and decision-making rather than debating, according to Sociocracy For All.

While Robert’s Rules require a majority, some organisations prefer consensus building when making a decision. Consensus votes require all board members to agree unanimously on a motion before it passes. Some women’s organisations prefer to use this model. Ultimately, your board should decide which model is best for the organisation.

Podcast Episode: Robert’s Rules of Order

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Cheat Sheets

Robert’s Rules of Order NFP Cheat Sheet 1

Robert’s Rules Cheat Sheet 2

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Additional Resources

What Are Bylaws?

The Importance of Getting Your Agendas and Minutes Right

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Free Minute Taking Course

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