Re: Robert's Rules of Order Newly Revised | <– Date –> <– Thread –> |
From: Yochai Gal (yochaigalgmail.com) | |
Date: Mon, 14 Dec 2020 14:19:06 -0800 (PST) |
To be fair, I've found consensus to have the same issue. In my experience a sort of "brain trust" of folks with the time (read: older, wealthier), education and familiarity with extant rules and culture can dominate the consensus model. A public block from someone less resourced or privileged may be just as challenging in the consensus model. On Mon, Dec 14, 2020, 5:09 PM Tom Smyth <tom [at] tomsmyth.ca> wrote: > Aren't Robert's Rules bad at drawing out the voices of marginalized people? > They assume everyone feels comfortable speaking up and speaking eloquently, > and that everyone has a strong command of the rules themselves. Those are > some pretty hefty assumptions. But yes, there is some real beauty in them, > I agree. > > On Mon, Dec 14, 2020 at 4:57 PM Sharon Villines via Cohousing-L < > cohousing-l [at] cohousing.org> wrote: > > > For the first time I have been reading the full text of Robert’s Rules of > > Order Newly Revised. I have usually read a shortened Cliff Notes version > > that stressed more than anything else the tedious process of ruling on > > which motion supersedes the other and causes discussion to stop, or when > > deliberations can resume, or how votes can be taken in what order and > time > > frame. Who has to stand and who doesn’t. All the tricks legislative > bodies > > use to fake out a newcomer. Or declare an objection to be out of order > > because the maker didn’t wait to be recognized by the chair. > > > > The newly revised version just came out and we are in the middle of > > revising our Bylaws. I needed to read certain sections to clarify them > but > > found the discussion so helpful that I’ve ended up reading most of it. > > > > The Rules are very clear on the following points: > > > > 1. The process of decision making is one of deliberation. Participating > in > > the deliberative process is the important part of the process and one > that > > makes it better than other processes that only require a vote. > > > > 2. The use of preference ranking/voting is more representative of the > will > > of the body than majority voting. But since many constitutions and bylaws > > still specify majority vote it usually can’t be used officially. > > > > 3. They make distinctions between large assemblies and small groups. Many > > formalities are not generally used in smaller groups like boards, > > committees, etc. Others are dropped altogether. > > > > 4. There are large sections of discussion about what a rule means and why > > it is important, and often what it does not mean. This includes > discussion > > of how it can be used inaccurately to unfairly to limit discussion or > > participation. Or even to rescind otherwise valid decisions. > > > > 5. I find this very helpful in groups like cohousing which have a > > governance organization organized on a wing and prayer based on the > > abilities and interests of those in residence at the time. Robert's > defines > > the roles of the officers and the board in terms of function, address > > alternatives, suggest other combinations of tasks, and give examples of > > additional officers and assistants in large organizations. The result is > a > > clear sense of what records and functions an organization needs to > maintain > > in order to meet its responsibilities of facilitating the objectives of > the > > organization, representing its members, and protecting its fiscal and > legal > > responsibilities. And also protecting the rights of the individuals in > the > > organization's work—not just controlling them. > > > > In the end I’m finding that we have unfairly thrown the baby out with the > > bathwater in rejecting the whole body of advice because we reject > majority > > vote. Robert’s is often said to be designed to protect and promote the > > dominance of the majority. If you read the whole text, its real emphasis > is > > on ensuring equal and orderly deliberation and responsible record > keeping. > > > > Long way around to enticing everyone interested in governance to read it. > > It’s a Bestseller on Amazon with a 5-star ranking. What better > > recommendation could you have? > > > > https://amzn.to/2WfmEbg > > > > Sharon > > ——— > > Sharon Villines > > http://affordablecohousing.com > > affordablecohousing [at] groups.io > > To subscribe: > > affordablecohousing+subscribe [at] groups.io > > > > > > > > > > _________________________________________________________________ > > Cohousing-L mailing list -- Unsubscribe, archives and other info at: > > http://L.cohousing.org/info > > > > > > > > > > -- > Tom Smyth > > Worker-Owner, Sassafras Tech Collective > Specializing in innovative, usable tech for social change > sassafras.coop · @sassafrastech > Pronouns: he/him > _________________________________________________________________ > Cohousing-L mailing list -- Unsubscribe, archives and other info at: > http://L.cohousing.org/info > > > >
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Robert's Rules of Order Newly Revised Sharon Villines, December 14 2020
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Re: Robert's Rules of Order Newly Revised Tom Smyth, December 14 2020
- Re: Robert's Rules of Order Newly Revised Yochai Gal, December 14 2020
- Re: Robert's Rules of Order Newly Revised Ann Lehman, December 14 2020
- Re: Robert's Rules of Order Newly Revised Bill Woolverton, December 14 2020
- Re: Robert's Rules of Order Newly Revised Sharon Villines, December 17 2020
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Re: Robert's Rules of Order Newly Revised Tom Smyth, December 14 2020
- Re: Robert's Rules of Order Newly Revised Fred-List manager, December 15 2020
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