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Participants in meetings often complain they're too long.

Robert's Rules of Order gives tools for members of an assembly to be heard while efficiently processing initiatives for organizations, which can save a lot of time in meetings.

Robert's Rules are especially appropriate for large governing assemblies, including boards of directors and membership conventions that pass resolutions, including laws, bylaws, and allocations of funds. Examples of groups where Robert's Rules are essential are city councils, legislative bodies, corporate boards of directors, and nonprofit boards of directors.

Smaller groups can usually get by with a good agenda and votes to indicate agreements.

The motions covered in Robert's Rules can create an advantage for knowledgeable members who participate in a meeting. For example, moving the Previous Question, with a second and agreement by 2/3 of the assembly stops discussion or debate and brings a question to an immediate vote. Moving to Postpone Indefinitely, with a second and agreement of 2/3 of the assembly kills further consideration of a question.

A "question" is a matter of a motion or resolution in a meeting, like a bylaws change, proposed legislation, a resolution for a corporate investment, or a resolution to initiate and devote funds to a community service project.

Robert's Rules is a "bible" sized book that can be intimidating to read. The advantage of referring to it is the clarity of its explanations for each motion, whether a motion has a higher priority or "trumps" other motions, whether it requires a second, whether it requires a majority, a two-thirds, or a unanimous vote in favor to pass. Other material about conducting efficient meetings is covered, and the 12th Edition includes rules for remote participation in meetings.

Robert's Rules is also available as a searchable e-book.

I think those who chair meetings and secretaries for large, formal groups would especially find the unabridged book helpful.

There is also an authorized abridged textbook version, Robert's Rules of Order, Newly Revised In Brief, for those who want to be informed about the highlights of the Rules, and "cheat sheets" of the motions are available for easy reference online.

I have bachelor's and master's degrees in business administration, and Robert's Rules were never mentioned in my coursework. That's strange to me, since they are so important for conducting formal meetings. They should be covered in management classes and public speaking classes.

If you participate in large, formal meetings, I recommend that you get and study Robert's Rules of Order, 12th Edition or Robert's Rules of Order, Newly Revised, In Brief.

Buy it on Amazon: Robert's Rules of Order Newly Revised, 12th edition.

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