Speaking about Governance & MeetingsLast fall, I was invited to be speaker at the February meeting of the Rotary Edmonton Strathcona club. I enjoy the opportunity to speak to different groups about improving governance and productivity in board meeting. I hear...

The Truth about “Friendly Amendments”By Diana Bacon, MBA If you have attended several business meetings, you may have heard the term “friendly amendment”. It is a term that is typically used by those who are well-intentioned to help the maker of the motion improve the...

Simple Word AmendmentsBy Diana Bacon, MBA Sometimes a main motion (proposed action) under discussion needs to be changed either by striking out a word, inserting a word, or striking out and inserting. These are the three types of simple word amendments. If adopted, an...

Voting Rights and ProceduresBy Diana Bacon, MBA Do you vote at every opportunity? Some choose to vote while others choose to abstain at times for various reasons. In organizations, not all members choose to attend the annual general meetings to cast their vote for...

Debate Decorum and ProceduresBy Diana Bacon, MBA Have you ever been in a debate? Most would answer “yes” as the verb debate is often used synonymously with the verb argue. In a board setting, however, if an argument becomes heated, feelings can be hurt, and members of...

Handling MotionsBy Diana Bacon, MBA You may have attended a number of business meetings over the years, but did you notice the process and words used, to make a motion or change a motion, often varies? This is often the reason business decision-making can be confusing...

Steps to Effective PresidingBy Diana Bacon, MBA Do you feel comfortable presiding over a business meeting? Presiding for the first time may be emotionally similar to presenting your first public presentation – it can be stressful. To help ease the stress of presiding,...

Business Meeting AgendasBy Diana Bacon, MBA If you have been at a business meeting, you are likely familiar with the agenda. But did you know that a standard agenda has been in use since 1876 when Henry Robert first published a parliamentary manual (meeting rule...

Governance Documents & RONRBy Diana Bacon, MBA Before I have agreed to serve on a board, I learned to ask “Where are your club’s bylaws?” Why did I ask? Many years ago, I was unaware of the “rules” but I later discovered the best kept secrets to effective business...

So, What is Parliamentary Procedure?Meetings seem to get a bad rap. Sometimes it is necessary to attend, but many people would rather avoid meetings all together. Do you like to attend meetings? Why or why not? The idea of chairing a meeting seems to have a similar...