Transcript Meetings that Work: Effective Meeting Basics
Meetings that Work: Effective Meeting Basics
Presented by YOUR NAME HERE
Effective Meetings
Workshop Outline
Introductions, ground rules Meeting Preparation Facilitating Meetings Meeting Follow Up Wrap up & Evaluation
Introductions
Questions:
Name and organization What brought you here today?
What do you want out of today’s workshops?
What is your favourite weekend activity?
Robert’s Rules Agenda
Many organizations use this model for agendas: Call to order Roll call of members present Reading of minutes of last meeting Officers reports Committee reports Special orders --- Important business previously designated for consideration at this meeting Unfinished business New business Announcements Adjournment
Sample Agenda
Item Pages
1. Call to order, identification of new business, approval of agenda 2. Board minutes 3. Financial statements 1-5 5-8
Time Allotted
5:00 – 5:05 5:05 – 5:10 4. Membership fees being raised 9 5:10-5:40 5. Correspondence 10-15 5:40-5:50
Presented By
Chair Chair Chair, Anne, Treasurer, Joe Secretary
Action required
Motion Motion Decision/Motion Motion/ information 6. Set next meeting 7. Adjournment 5:50-6:00 6:00 Chair Chair Decision Motion
Sample Agenda
The Community Co-operative Inc Board of Directors Meeting
Location: Gail’s House – 2 Lakeshore Dr.
Sunday April 25, 2pm – 3:30pm
Proposed Agenda
Approval of Minutes from last meeting Incorporation status - update Policies Review conflict of interest policy final draft New Board Members Review applications New Business Next Meeting Adjournment
Brainstorming
Use Brainstorming to:
generate a bunch of ideas quickly using free thinking get everyone’s input encourage creativity and flexibility create energy in a group allow people to put ideas out there without fear of being corrected or challenged separate generating ideas from evaluating ideas
Brainstorming
Principles of Brainstorming
All ideas are welcome All ideas are written down There is no editing or censoring of ideas Ideas can be new or build on other ideas There are no bad ideas
Brainstorming: How to…
Introduce the topic Allow some quiet time for thinking Ask people to say their ideas, letting them flow Have people saying things as they come to mind Facilitator writes them down on flip chart for all to see What if money and time were no object? What do you wish we could do 10 years from now?
Begin Sorting Ideas Explore ideas in detail Combine like ideas that are simply worded differently Sort ideas into solutions using decision grids, mutli voting etc… Create action plan(s)
Consensus Process
Discussion Proposal Test for Consensus Address any concerns Modification Decision Participant Options: Active Support Passive Support Stand Aside Block From: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Consensus_decision-making
Robert’s Rules of Order
For Fair and Orderly Meetings & Conventions
Provides common rules and procedures for deliberation and debate in order to place the whole membership on the same footing and speaking the same language. The conduct of ALL business is controlled by the general will of the whole membership - the right of the deliberate majority to decide. Complementary is the right of at least a strong minority to require the majority to be deliberate - to act according to its considered judgment AFTER a full and fair "working through" of the issues involved. From www.robertsrules.org
Robert’s Rules of Order
Robert's Rules provides for constructive and democratic meetings, to help, not hinder, the business of the assembly. Under no circumstances should "undue strictness" be allowed to intimidate members or limit full participation. The fundamental right of deliberative assemblies require all questions to be thoroughly discussed before taking action!
The assembly rules - they have the final say on everything!
Silence means consent! From www.robertsrules.org
Robert’s Rules of Order
Debate can not begin until the Chair has stated the motion or resolution and asked "are you ready for the question?" Before the motion is stated by the Chair (the question) members may suggest modification of the motion The "immediately pending question" is the last question stated by the Chair! Motion/Resolution Amendment - Motion to Postpone No member can speak twice to the same issue until everyone else wishing to speak has spoken to it once! From www.robertsrules.org
Robert’s Rules of Order
All remarks must be directed to the Chair. Remarks must be courteous in language and deportment - avoid all personalities, never allude to others by name or to motives! The agenda and all committee reports are merely recommendations! When presented to the assembly and the question is stated, debate begins and changes occur! From www.robertsrules.org
Minute Taking
Minutes
should: be accurate, brief and clear record issues discussed record decisions taken and any action required be written in the past tense and third person correspond to the agenda as far as possible
Sample Minutes
Sample of Board Meeting Minutes Name of Organization
(Board Meeting Minutes: Month Day, Year) (time and location)
Board Members:
Present:
Sam Jaques, Dorothy Ash, Bill Robinson, Haji Nakam, and Melissa Swanson, Justin Porter, Zach Smith
Absent:
Sheila Johnson
Quorum present?
Yes
Others Present:
Exec. Director: Susan Johns
Proceedings:
·
Meeting called to order
at 7:00 p.m. by Chair, Sam Jaques · (Last month's) meeting minutes were amended and approved ….continued…
Sample Minutes
Chief Executive's Report:
Recommends that if we not able to find a new facility by the end of this month, the organization should stay where in the current location over the winter. After brief discussion, Board agreed.
Swanson mentioned that staff member, Sheila Philip's husband is ill and in the hospital.
MOTION
to send a gift to Philip's husband, expressing the organization's sympathy and support; seconded and passed.
Finance Committee report
provided by Chair, Dorothy Ash: Ash reviewed highlights, trends and issues from the balance sheet, income statement and cash flow statement. Issues include that high accounts receivables require Finance Committee attention to policies and procedures to ensure our organization receives more payments on time.
MOTION
to accept financial statements; seconded and passed.
….continued…
Sample Minutes
Bo
ard Development Committee's report
Robinson: provided by Chair, Bill Robinson reminded the Board of the scheduled retreat coming up in three months, and provided a drafted retreat schedule for board review.
MOTION
to accept the retreat agenda; seconded and passed.
Other business:
Porter noted that he was working with staff member, Jacob Smith, to help develop an information management systems plan, and that two weeks ago he (Porter) had mailed members three resumes from consultants to help with the plan. In the mailing, Porter asked members for their opinions to help select a consultant. Porter asked members for their opinions. (NOTE: Swanson noted that she was also a computer consultant and was concerned about conflict of interest in her Board role regarding this selection, and asked to be ABSTAINED from this selection. Members agreed.) The majority of members agreed on Lease-or-Buy Consultants.
MOTION
to use Lease-or-Buy Consultants; seconded and passed ….continued…
Sample Minutes
Assessment of the Meeting:
Nakama noted that the past three meetings have run over the intended two-hour time slot by half an hour. He asked members to be more mindful and focused during discussions, and suggested that the Board Development Chair take an action to identify solutions to this issue. Chair, Jacques, agreed.
Meeting adjourned at 9:30 p.m.
Minutes submitted by Secretary, Zack Smith.
Thank you!
For information on other workshops:
NORTHWATCH
Box 282 North Bay, ON P1B 8H2 Tel: (705) 497-0373 Fax: (705) 476-7060 [email protected] www.northwatch.org
www.northeastforest.net