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Description |
Every day in communities across America hundreds of committees, boards, church groups, and social clubs hold meetings where they spend their time engaged in shouting matches and acrimonious debate. Whether they are aware of it or not, the procedures that most such groups rely on to reach decisions were first laid out as Robert's Rules more than 150 years ago by an officer in the U.S. Army's Corps of Engineers. Its arcane rituals of parliamentary procedure and majority rule usually produce a victorious majority and a very dissatisfied minority that expects to raise its concerns, again, at the next possible meeting.
Breaking Robert's Rules clearly spells out how any group can work together effectively. After briefly explaining the problems created by Robert's Rules, the guide outlines the five key steps toward consensus building, and addresses the specific problems that often get in the way of a group's progress. Appendices include a basic one page "Handy Guide" that can be distributed at meetings and a case study demonstrating how the ideas presented in the book can also be applied in a corporate context.
Written in a non-technical and engaging style, and containing clear ideas and instructions that anyone can understand and use, this one-of-a-kind guide will prove an essential tool for any group desperate to find ways of making their meetings more effective. In addition, neighborhood associations, ad hoc committees, social clubs, and other informal groups lacking a clear hierarchy will find solid advice on how to move forward without resorting to "majority rules" or bickering over who will take leadership positions. Bound to become a classic, Breaking Robert's Rules will change the way you hold meetings forever, paving the way for efficiency, efficacy, and peaceful decision making. |
Customer Reviews |
 Yet another bad "Anti-Robert's Rules" book 2007-03-12 |
| By Michael R. Brown (Boca Raton, FL) |
The authors of this work have done groups and organizations a grave disservice with this poor 'anti-Robert's Rules' book. It would appear from it that they really don't understand parliamentary procedure (not quite the same thing as Robert's Rules).
We can thank our early European ancestors for parliamentary procedure. They developed it over several hundred years in their town assemblies, and it was later used in the English Parliament (which is were we got the term 'parliamentary procedure'). When the English settled in America, they brought along parliamentary procedure, where it was used in many assemblies, and after independence, in our Congress, state assemblies, etc.
In Gen Henry Robert's time, there were several competing parliamentary authorities. He wrote a good, simple work that codified all this, and it was accepted by many because it was just better. What difference does it make that he was a General? To somehow blame him for the formality of parliamentary procedure because of that is childish.
Furthermore, parlimentary procedure is usable in ALL groups of ANY size to make decisions. In large groups, rules must be more formal, and sometimes addition procedures must be followed to get things done (ex: in large conventions). In small groups, about a dozen or less, you can actually be LESS formal, and despense with some of the normal rules you usually follow. This is set out in Robert's. I wonder if the authors are aware of this?
Consensus is nice, but should not be looked as a panacea. People should education themselves as to what parliamentary procedure REALLY is, and not list to biased authors such as these. Or even people like myself. |
 Breaking Robert's Rules 2007-03-09 |
| By N. RODRIGUEZ (FORT WORTH, TX United States) |
| This book had valuable content. However, the book's organization was sometimes hard to follow. Also, it kept repeating the same points over and over. This made the book quite boreing. |
 Not business as usual 2006-08-23 |
| By Frank L. Park, Jr. (Gloucester, MA) |
I've always been perplexed by the fact that we run our meetings according to rules dreamed up by a military engineer more than 100 years ago. Maybe Roberts' arcane procedures about what can be discussed by whom and when worked once upon a time, but they don't make sense either in the modern business world or for making important policy decisions today.
I'm not sure that the consensus building approach spelled out in this book will necessarily work in every case, but it's clear, straightforward, and practical. I strongly recommend this book to anyone who has gotten sick of going to meetings only to see the will of the majority frustrated by some shrewed parliamentarian manipulating the rules. Susskind offers a constructive alternative for people who just want to get the right thing done. |
| Great tool for developing effective communication 2006-08-15 |
| By W. Graham (San Mateo, CA USA) |
This book has great value whether you are a business owner, politician or public agency staffer, an environmentalist, a facilitator, mediator or any other interested party. It provides a simple, concise and easy-to-understand review of the consensus building process. From a communication perspective, consensus building lends itself towards helping any party in a negotiation develop a greater understanding and wider range of solutions that may be available on any given issue.
The authors frame the limitations of "traditional" Robert's Rules for running public meetings. These traditional methods tend to offer binary decisions (yes or no) which often limit discussion, stifle creativity, and almost always leave someone feeling "left out".
They offer a simple, easy-to-understand and concise method to "break the chains" of communication such that more creative alternatives to issues or problems may be offered and discussed. Through a more creative and contributed process, interested parties can craft decisions based upon informed consensus which lends itself towards more lasting agreements.
The book also offers an excellent treatise on facilitation or mediation techniques. It is useful no matter "what side of the table" you may be in any given issue. A list of Key Terms at the end of each chapter offer an excellent way to reinforce understanding.
Five stars and a great contribution!
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