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 Time Allotted Presented By Action required 1. Call to order, identification of new business, approval of agenda 5:00 – 5:05 Chair Motion 2. Board minutes 3. Financial statements 1-5 5-8 5:05 – 5:10 4. Membership fees being raised 9 5:10-5:40 Chair, Anne, Treasurer, Joe Decision/Motion 5. Correspondence 10-15 5:40-5:50 Secretary Motion/ information 6. Set next meeting 7. Adjournment 5:50-6:00 6:00 Decision

The Community Co-operative Inc 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 Board Development Committee's report provided by Chair, Bill Robinson: 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 northwatch@onlink.net www.northwatch.org www.northeastforest.net