power trio of rules or why members and parliamentarians collide 38 th nap biennial conference st....

Power Trio of Rulesor Why Members and Parliamentarians

Collide

38th NAP Biennial Conference

St. Petersburg, FL September 24, 2011

Lorenzo R. Cuesta

Professional Registered Parliamentarian

http://www.roberts-rules.com

September 24, 2011 LRCuesta, PRP 2

The Parliamentary Authority


The Member vs. the Parliamentarian

1. A member attends meetings of different associations and sees only inconsistencies in the handling of rules.

2. A member consults several parliamentarians on a specific issue and receives several different answers.

3. A member takes a class in Parliamentary Procedure but nothing in the class appears to relate to his association.

4. NAP units cannot recruit members because the subject is too overwhelming, too undecipherable, too remote.

The Members and the Parliamentarian Collidewith a Power Trio of Rules


1. The Members’ Rights


1. Fundamental Principles ofParliamentary Law (p. 263)

• One question at a time• Only members can vote• Must be present to vote• No cumulative voting• Presence of a quorum• Previous notice• Election by ballot• Cannot dispense with

order of business• Vote only in legal meeting

• Committee chair must not preside during own report

• Cannot postpone beyond next session

• Cannot deny a member the right – To attend meetings– To make and amend

motions– To speak in debate– To vote– To nominate


2. The Association’s Rules


2. The Association’s Rules (Bylaws)

A. Bylaws define the business of the association, and often contradict Robert’s Rules of Order, for example

a. An association has 3 kinds of members;Member type A has no power to vote

b. Members may attend board of director’s meeting;Member, not a member of the board, may move a new motion

c. New Business must be submitted 30 days before the meeting;New Business not allowed if it misses the deadline

d. The president may vote in case of a tie;The president may not vote by ballot or to cause a tie


2. The Association’s Rules (Bylaws)

B. Whereas, a Fundamental Principle of Parliamentary Law may not be suspended, it is acceptable for the association’s bylaws to violate it.

C. Additionally, bylaws may not be suspended except under 2 conditionsa. If they allow for their own suspension, or

b. If they are in the nature of a rule of order.


3. In the Nature of


3. Bylaws in the Nature of a Rule of Order

• Amend• Discharge committee• Create a committee• Appeal• Debate (duration or

frequency)• Point of order• Recognition• Rescind

• Order of business• Voting requirements• Consider informally• Consider by seriatim• Read papers• Reconsider vote• Withdraw a motion• Division of a question

(p. 17: line 22-25)


Members are Confusedby the Parliamentarian

What’s a Parliamentarian’s Solution?

• How do we stop driving them crazy, and make it about them?

• How do we teach an association’s members, or our own potential members, about this Power Trio of Rules, and prove that Parliamentary Procedure is…– Consistent?– Manageable?– Relevant?– All about them?


Common Teaching Approach


Common Teaching Approaches



An Improved Approach

• A lesson 1. Customized to the listener’s organization, and

2. Specifically incorporates the confusing trio of powers.

• Such as:1. An Interactive script based on the ranking of motions that

allows for questions and discussion, Script A , or

2. A lesson based on 1/3 lecture with a handout, and 2/3 interactive drill and discussion, Script B.

In Summary


The client that hires us, and the potential member that we try to recruit, see Parliamentary Procedure as a complex and remote set of obstacles to conducting business.

We need to teach with the purpose of simplifying this trio of powers in the member’s mind. We need to make it about them.

Lorenzo R. Cuesta, PRPhttp://[email protected]

Sacramento, CA

power trio of rules or why members and parliamentarians collide 38 th nap biennial conference st....

Documents

associations members

potential members

timeonly members

members rightslrcuesta

kinds of members member

associations bylaws

associations ruleslrcuesta

associations rules bylawsa