Parliamentary Procedure Consultant

Great meetings are the result of careful planning and attention to detail. They are no accident. Volunteers and staff members don’t have the expertise or the desire to expend on these tasks. That’s where I can be your secret weapon against frustration, confusion, and inefficiency. I am Colette Collier Trohan, Parliamentarian and parliamentary procedure is one of my specialties. The purpose of a meeting is to take an action or make a decision toward the fulfillment of the mission, and meetings that have not made measurable progress toward that goal are a wasted resource. I can help you spend your time wisely, focusing on the issues rather than the mechanics of your meeting.

Because the problems are sometimes deeper than organization of the meeting event itself, the clue might be in your governance documents, such as the bylaws or policies. A governance document review can expose problem areas or areas of potential danger in which a problem is lurking and waiting for a the most inopportune time to launch.

The problem might not be with the paper, but with the people. Good decision-making requires commitment, understanding, and discipline. The person presiding over the meeting needs to understand that role, and acquire a few special skills to keep the meeting on track. The members also need basic skills to make their participation more effective. The only way to acquire those skills is through training, and the only way to keep them is through practice. As new members come onto a board or into an assembly, an ongoing program of training and support will keep your deliberations at a high-impact level. I don’t have prefabricated workshops -- all of my training is customized to the specific needs and circumstances of my clients.

Election of their board and/or officers is the most important task of members of an organization. The integrity of the election process is fundamentally linked to stability and success. Safeguards must be put in place to ensure that the ballots are properly prepared, counted, and reported according to the unique rules and customs of the association. Problems with an election can cause discord long after the election has ended. The process is too important to delegate to someone with no experience or training, and if that delegation takes staff time away from the implementation of the association’s strategic objectives, double damage can be done. If members count your ballots on site at a meeting, I can train them how to get an accurate count and accurate report that everyone can trust.

Your rules represent the covenant between the member and the association; they define the relationship and set the stage for the achievement of your mission. Don’t ignore or underestimate the importance of safeguarding their integrity.

Parliamentary Procedure Consultant - parliamentary consulting - American Institute of Parliamentarians
Parliamentarian - Parliamentary training - Professional Registered Parliamentarian - Parliamentarian -
Standard Code of Parliamentary Procedure - Standard code - Robert's Rules