We are striving to incorporate these procedures and norms into our own board meetings.
What is Robert's rules of order?
Robert’s Rules of Order is the most widely used set of rules for running meetings and making group decisions in a fair and orderly way.
It was first written in 1876 by Henry Martyn Robert, a U.S. Army officer, and has been updated many times since. Many organizations—nonprofits, community associations, boards, clubs, and even government bodies—use it as their official rulebook for conducting business.
Here are the key points:
Purpose
- Ensure meetings are fair, democratic, and efficient.
- Give every member a voice and a vote.
- Prevent confusion and disorder during discussions and decision-making.
Principles
- Everyone has equal rights – to speak, to vote, and to participate.
- One item at a time – only one main issue is discussed at once.
- Majority rules, minority rights protected – most decisions pass by majority vote, but everyone gets a chance to be heard.
- Courtesy and respect – members speak in turn and address the chair, not each other directly.
Common Features
- Agenda: meetings follow a set order (call to order, reports, old business, new business, adjournment).
- Motions: members propose actions or decisions (“I move that we…”).
- Debate: members can discuss a motion before voting.
- Voting: decisions are made by majority vote (or other rules set by the group).
- Officers: usually a chairperson (or president) runs the meeting and enforces the rules.