Sometimes, in a meeting, discussions go off track, people talk over each other, and you lose important decisions in the shuffle.
It’s frustrating, right?
That’s exactly why Robert’s Rules of Order for Meetings exist—the framework provides a set of specific rules based on a parliamentary procedure, which brings structure and order to meetings.
When it comes to organizing meetings effectively, the challenge isn’t just knowing these rules—it’s about applying them effectively and using modern tools to make your meetings productive.
In this guide, we will discuss how to use Robert’s Rules of Order, the best digital tools to facilitate your meetings, and more.
So, let’s jump in and learn how to have productive meetings using Robert’s Rules for meetings.
How to Use Robert’s Rule of Order for Meetings?
Summarize this article for me pleaseWhat are Robert’s Rules of Order?
Robert’s Rules of Order serve as the go-to playbook for applying parliamentary procedure to run smooth, organized meetings in which every voice is heard, and decisions are made efficiently.
No matter if you’re leading a board meeting, a club gathering, or a committee discussion, these basic rules offer a flexible framework that you can easily adapt to suit your needs.
What makes Robert’s Rules so valuable is their focus on fairness and democracy. They ensure everyone has a say, which is crucial in any organization that thrives on effective group decisions.
While Robert’s Rules often apply to board meetings, their usefulness extends far beyond that.
They’re equally effective in committees, nonprofits, clubs, and any organization where making well-structured group decisions is essential.
💬 Latest Edition: The latest edition of Robert’s Rules of Order, released in 2020, offers updated tips and best practices for applying parliamentary procedure in dynamic virtual meetings. The 12th edition, released in 2020, even includes updates tailored for modern challenges, like virtual meetings and hybrid setups, making them more relevant than ever.
Three Principles: Robert’s Rules of Order
Before we explain the framework in depth, let’s look at its three guiding principles:
- Everyone should be allowed to speak once before anyone speaks again
- Everyone has the right to know what is happening, and speakers should only be interrupted in urgent situations only
- Consider only one motion at a time
🧠 Remember: These are guiding principles, not set in stone. Each meeting has its own nuances and discussion point(s), but the idea of using the framework is to ensure two main things: fairness and productivity.
Benefits of using Robert’s Rules
By implementing Robert’s Rules, you can ensure:
- Fairness: Everyone has a chance to be heard and participate in discussions
- Democracy: Decisions are made by majority vote, ensuring all voices are considered
- Organization: The predefined structure keeps meetings on track and avoids confusion
Now, let’s explore how these rules can benefit different types of organizations today.
Boards of directors
- Resolving conflicts: When board members disagree on a major decision, Robert’s Rules can help facilitate a structured debate and ensure that all viewpoints are heard
- Ensuring fairness: The rules can help prevent power imbalances and ensure that all members have an equal opportunity to participate in discussions
Committees
- Handling amendments: When committee members propose changes to a motion, Robert’s Rules can help guide the process of considering and voting on amendments
- Avoiding procedural disputes: By following Robert’s Rules, committees avoid disagreements about the rules of procedure and focus on substantive issues
Nonprofits
- Ensuring transparency and accountability: Robert’s Rules can help nonprofit boards maintain a record of their decisions and ensure that they are acting per their mission
- Protecting the rights of members: The rules can help protect the rights of members and ensure that their voices are heard
Other organizations
- Professional associations: The rules can help professional associations manage their affairs and represent their members effectively
- Religious organizations: Robert’s Rules help religious organizations make decisions about their policies and programs
Key elements of Robert’s Rules
Now that we understand the core principles, let’s explore the essential building blocks of Robert’s Rules of Order for meetings:
- Quorum: refers to the minimum number of members required to be present for valid decision-making. This ensures decisions are made with adequate representation
- Order of business: The standard meeting sequence is—call to order, approve minutes, and reports, discuss new business, and adjourn. It keeps meetings focused and ensures key points are addressed
- Motions: Formal proposals for discussion and voting. Includes main, subsidiary, privileged, and incidental motions.
Summarize this article for me pleaseThe Basics of Robert’s Rules of Order
Understanding the concept of ‘motion’
A motion is a formal proposal presented during a meeting for consideration and a vote. In parliamentary procedure, it serves as the primary tool to introduce topics for discussion and facilitate decision-making.
To simplify the concept, a motion is like when you raise your hand in class to suggest an idea or ask if the group can do something together. It’s a way to get everyone to talk about it and then decide if they want to do it or not by majority voting.
Types of motions:
- Main motion: This is the most common type of motion, used to introduce a new topic for discussion
- Subsidiary motion: These motions are used to modify or control the consideration of a main motion. Examples include amendments, postponement, and reconsideration
- Privileged motion: These motions take precedence over other motions and are used for matters of urgency or importance
- Incidental motion: These motions arise out of the business of the meeting and are used to address procedural matters. Incidental motions are used as “housekeeping motions”. They take precedence over main motions, subsidiary motions, and any pending question
Steps in making a motion
1. Obtain the floor
- What it means: Get permission to speak by being recognized by the chair
- How to do it: Raise your hand or use a signal to show you want to speak. The chair will then acknowledge you
🌟 Example: You raise your hand, and the chairperson says, “Mr. Smith, you have the floor.”
2. State the motion
- What it means: Clearly present the idea or proposal you want the group to discuss and vote on
- How to do it: Start your proposal with ‘I move that…’ followed by your suggestion
🌟 Example: “I move that we set aside $5,000 for the community outreach program.”
3. Second the motion
- What it means: Another member shows their support for discussing the motion by agreeing to it
- How to do it: A member says, ‘I second the motion’
🌟Example: After you make your proposal, Mr. Johnson says, ‘I second the motion.’
4. Debate
- What it means: Group members discuss the pros and cons of the motion. Only one question at a time may be considered, and only one person may have the floor at any one time
- How to do it: Members take turns speaking for or against the motion. The chair may set rules for how long each person can speak
🌟 Example: Ms. Carter speaks in favor of the $5,000 allocation, saying it will benefit the community, while Mr. Brown expresses concern about the impact on the budget
5. Amendments
- What it means: Members can suggest changes to the motion before it’s voted on
- How to do it: A member says, “I move to amend the motion by…” followed by the proposed change
🌟 Example: Ms. Green says, “I move to amend the motion by increasing the amount to $7,000.”
6. Vote
- What it means: The chair asks the group to vote on the motion, including any amendments
- How to do it: Members vote by voice, roll call, raise their hand, or secret ballot, depending on the group’s rules
🌟 Example: The chair says, “All in favor of the motion as amended, say aye. All opposed to the original motion, say nay.” The group votes and the chair counts the votes
7. Announce result
- What it means: Majority decides, and the chair announces whether the motion passed or failed
- How to do it: The chair states the outcome clearly
🌟 Example: The chair says, “The motion is adopted.” This means the proposal was approved
Tips for handling common situations:
- No second: If a motion doesn’t receive a second or majority vote, it is automatically defeated. The chair will announce that the motion has failed due to lack of a second
- Managing debate: The chair can manage the debate by setting time limits, recognizing speakers, and keeping the discussion on topic
- Handling objections: If a member disagrees with a procedure or ruling by the chair, they can raise a point of order or parliamentary inquiry. The chair will then rule on the objection
- Calling for division: If there’s uncertainty about the result of a vote, a member can request a division. This requires members to vote by standing or by another clear method
These are all the ingredients that can help you learn how to participate in meetings effectively.
Summarize this article for me pleaseImplementing Robert’s Rules in the Modern World
The importance of the agenda
The agenda is an important pillar of a well-organized meeting. It provides a clear outline of the discussion topics and the order in which they will be addressed.
Robert’s Rules, a key element of parliamentary procedure, mandates the use of an agenda to further discussion points and ensure that meetings are conducted in a structured, efficient, and democratic manner.
💡 Let’s illustrate this with a real-world example:
Imagine your board members’ meeting agenda includes reviewing financial reports, discussing a new marketing campaign, and voting on a proposal. Robert’s Rules help keep everyone focused.
During the financial report segment, members can ask questions or request clarifications.
However, if someone wants to take action based on the report—like reallocating funds—they would need to wait until the appropriate time in the agenda.
This makes sure that discussions stay relevant, and decisions are mostly structured. When it’s time to vote on the proposal later in the same meeting, the process will follow the steps outlined by Robert’s Rules, keeping the meeting efficient and fair.
If the proposal is significant, it may require a two-thirds majority or two-thirds vote to pass.
A well-prepared agenda reduces confusion and keeps discussions on track. In practice, it also promotes informed decision-making and encourages active participation.
💡 Bonus Tip: To ensure you’re fully prepared, be sure to read our articles on how to prepare for a meeting and use our detailed meeting preparation checklist before your next meeting.
Summarize this article for me pleaseTips for Creating Effective Agendas
Use templates
Take advantage of the many online templates available to create a polished, professional agenda.
These templates typically include sections for important details like the date, time, location, attendees, and discussion topics, making it easy to organize your next meeting effectively.
ClickUp Meeting Template
ClickUp’s Meeting Template is a comprehensive tool that will elevate your overall meeting quality. It includes features like estimated discussion time, task ownership, and document attachments for pre-meeting review. It is fully customizable to fit your specific needs.
Use the template to guide your meeting and track progress in real-time.
What the Template Does:
- Customizable sections to fit your meeting’s needs
- Clearly defines agenda topics and goals
- Assign tasks and responsibilities to team members
- Provides a structured framework for efficient meetings
- Enables real-time collaboration and updates
- Tracks tasks to ensure accountability
- Allows attachment of relevant documents for reference
💡Additional Resource: Need More Structure in Your Meetings? Check out these essential ClickUp templates to streamline your sessions:
These templates help you stay organized, keep your team on track, and ensure that every meeting is productive. If you want more templates that will help you set an agenda, check out Meeting Agenda Examples & Free Templates.
Distribute the agenda in advance
Share the agenda with all attendees ahead of the meeting. This allows participants to review the topics, gather necessary information, and prepare their contributions.
Use digital tools
Consider using digital tools like ClickUp Docs and ClickUpTeams to create and share agendas. Let’s explore how:
ClickUp Docs makes setting up meeting agendas efficient and collaborative. With ClickUp, you can easily create and customize agenda templates tailored to your needs. Invite team members to contribute in real time, add comments, and track changes to ensure everyone is aligned.
Plus, you can link tasks, documents, and other ClickUp elements directly within your agenda, keeping everything connected and accessible.
This digital tool streamlines the agenda-setting process and enhances collaboration, making meetings more productive and organized.
Once you’ve created your agenda with ClickUp Docs, it’s time to put your meeting into action. ClickUp’s Teams is the perfect tool for assigning tasks, tracking progress, and keeping communication flowing throughout your meeting.
To get started with ClickUp Teams, sign up or log in. Next, create your team by naming it and setting up your workspace preferences. Invite members by entering their emails and assigning roles.
Additionally, utilize ClickUp’s features, such as Task Dependencies, Timelines, and Automation, to enhance your team’s workflow and productivity.
Be flexible
While it’s important to stick to the agenda, be prepared to reconsider and make adjustments if necessary. If unexpected issues arise during a close debate or the discussion takes a different direction, be willing to modify the agenda to accommodate these changes.
💡 Pro Tip: For a detailed guide on crafting effective meeting agendas, take a look at how to write a meeting agenda, complete with examples to make your meetings more organized and productive.
Robert’s Rules in the Digital Age
As meetings move to online platforms, maintaining structure and efficiency is essential. Robert’s Rules of Order can be effectively using digital tools like Zoom, Google Meet, and Microsoft Teams.
These platforms support the implementation of structured meeting practices, ensuring your virtual gatherings stay organized and productive.
Here’s how you can apply Robert’s Rules using these modern meeting solutions:
- Digital voting: Platforms often have built-in features for voting on motions, eliminating the need for physical hand-raising or ballot collection
- Chat function: Use the chat function o ‘second’ motions electronically
- Screen sharing: Sharing documents and presentations becomes effortless, aiding in clear communication and informed decision-making
However, keep in mind that some functionalities might require advanced features or add-ons within the platform you’re using. It’s always best to explore your chosen platform’s capabilities beforehand.
Leveraging ClickUp for effective meetings
ClickUp Meetings is one of the best meeting management software for running productive meetings in accordance with Robert’s Rules of Order.
It provides a complete set of features for every stage of your meeting—from planning and organizing agendas to managing the meeting itself and following up on action items.
With ClickUp Meetings, you can streamline your meeting process, boost participation, and ensure that decisions are implemented efficiently.
Key features include:
- Integrated agenda creation and management: Create detailed agendas, assign tasks, and set deadlines
- Seamless video conferencing: Conduct meetings directly within ClickUp, eliminating the need for separate platforms
- Digital voting: Implement Robert’s Rules of Order for meeting effectively with built-in voting features
- Real-time collaboration: Work together on meeting notes and documents for better transparency
- Action item tracking: Ensure that decisions are followed through with task management tools
- Meeting minutes: ClickUp’s Meeting is also a top meeting minutes software that ensures that your meeting minutes are organized and accessible
Let’s explore them in detail.
Digital voting
Many meeting software platforms include built-in voting features, eliminating the need for physical hand-raising or ballot collection.
With ClickUp, you can seamlessly integrate these voting features with popular video conferencing tools like Zoom, Google Meet, and Microsoft Teams.
This integration allows you to efficiently implement Robert’s Rules of Order for Meetings, conducting votes directly within your virtual meeting space.
How it works:
- Choose your platform: ClickUp integrates with video conferencing tools like Zoom, Google Meet, and Microsoft Teams. Pick the one that suits your team best
- Launch your meeting: Start your meeting as you normally would using your selected platform
- Use ClickUp’s voting features: During the meeting, use ClickUp’s built-in polls or surveys to conduct votes on motions
- See real-time results: Votes are tallied instantly, providing immediate feedback and ensuring transparency
- Record and share: ClickUp automatically records the results, making it easy to review and share with participants afterward
Action items & assignees
After a productive discussion, it’s crucial to turn decisions into actionable tasks to ensure follow-through. ClickUp makes this process seamless by allowing you to convert agreed-upon action items directly into tasks within the platform.
ClickUp Tasks is an ideal tool for tracking and managing action items that arise from your meetings. It seamlessly integrates with your meetings and ensures that decisions are translated into actionable steps and progress is tracked effectively.
How it works:
- Capture action items: During your meeting, identify key tasks or actions that need to be addressed
- Create tasks in ClickUp: After the meeting, easily convert these action items into tasks using ClickUp. Reference your meeting notes or agenda to include all relevant details
- Assign responsibilities: Delegate each task to the appropriate team member(s) based on their expertise and availability
- Set due dates and milestones: Use ClickUp’s Milestones to establish due dates for each task, helping to prioritize and ensure timely completion
- Track progress: Monitor the progress of each task in ClickUp by adding comments, attachments, and subtasks as needed, keeping everyone aligned and on track.
Real-time collaboration & documentation
ClickUp Docs allows for the collaborative creation and editing of meeting notes and documents in real-time. This fosters transparency and ensures everyone has access to the latest information of the meeting.
With Docs, you can:
- Create and edit documents collaboratively: Multiple team members can work on the same document simultaneously, making it easy to capture meeting notes, decisions, and action items in real-time
- Add comments and annotations: Leave comments or annotations directly on the document to provide feedback, ask questions, or clarify points
- Track changes: See who made changes to the document and when ensuring transparency and accountability
- Organize your documents: Use ClickUp’s folder and tagging system to organize your meeting notes and other documents for easy access
- Integrate with other ClickUp features: Connect your Docs to tasks, projects, and other ClickUp elements to create a seamless workflow
Limitations to consider
While Robert’s Rules of Order for Meetings are highly beneficial, they do face some challenges in a digital environment. Technical difficulties, such as glitches or unstable internet connections, can disrupt the flow of discussion and voting procedures.
Additionally, the inability to easily read nonverbal cues in a virtual setting can lead to misinterpretations during debates.
Lastly, maintaining participant engagement in longer online meetings can be more difficult than in in-person settings.
💡Additional Resource: Ready to take your meeting agendas to the next level? Explore our 10 free Level 10 meeting templates to keep your team meeting focused and productive.
Summarize this article for me pleaseUtilize Robert’s Rules and ClickUp to Enhance Your Meetings
Robert’s Rules of Order for Meetings provides a structured approach so everyone in a meeting is on the same page.
When Robert’s Rules for Meetings are coupled with the power of ClickUp, they provide a winning combination for efficient, productive gatherings.
With ClickUp’s powerful features, you can effortlessly create detailed agendas, collaborate in real-time, assign and track action items, and conduct seamless virtual meetings—all within one platform.
Features like customizable agenda templates, integrated video conferencing, task tracking, and document attachments ensure that your meetings are efficient and productive.
So, what are you waiting for? Try ClickUp for free today!
Questions? Comments? Visit our Help Center for support.