IT TAKES TWO TO TANGO
By Robert McConnell Productions
IT TAKES TWO TO TANGO” as the saying goes. When looking at this dance, one notices that one partner leads, the other follows. The dance step is intricate. Both partners know their dance steps, execute them well, and at the same time. The result is beauty, order, and harmony. This same result can be achieved in organizations where all members know the rules, respect the rules and follow the rules. So can we do the tango at meetings? Yes, if both the presiding officer and the members know and follow the meeting rules.
Although the tango steps and styles vary from country to country the basic dance has a similar structure. So do all meetings. The structure of a meeting has a basic order that it follows which is called an agenda.
The president calls the meeting to order.
The secretary reads the minutes of the previous meeting and the assembly approves them as “read” or as “corrected.”
The officers give their reports. The most common one is that of the treasurer. This report is filed for audit.
Then the board (if there is one) gives its report, and then the standing committee reports.
Then special committees report (if there are any) and then the assembly takes up any special orders (if there are any).
Next on the agenda is Unfinished Business and General Orders (if any).
Finally, comes “New Business” where members have the right to bring up ideas that they want the assembly to consider.
When the business is finished, the meeting adjourns.
The president leads the members through the agenda, assigns the floor to the right person to speak, answers questions, places motions to the assembly for discussion and puts each motion to a vote. The members follow the agenda. When one wants to speak, he rises and addresses the presiding officer, waits to be assigned the floor and obeys the rules of debate.
For more information about this subject, go to www.parli.com. Visit our bookstore for DVDs and books on this subject. The DVD “How to Conduct a Meeting” will help you all to do the meeting tango.