Henry M. Robert (1837–1923)

This book addresses the issues involved with meetings. Rules of Order is the recognized guide to smooth, orderly, and fairly conducted meetings. This edition includes "clarified procedures for adopting an agenda, preparing and approving the minutes, and conducting board and committee meetings.", "More fully explained rules for counting ballots and resolving election disputes", "a new subsection on electronic meetings", "clarifications regarding the powers of an organizations executive board in relation to the general membership", "guidance for dealing with misconduct by officers and for holding disciplinary trials".

This book is long and detailed, anyone who holds management/leadership positions in an office that utilizes meetings frequently could gain something from it.… (more)

If you’re running even a halfway-serious meeting, assembly, or convention, you need some way of bringing order to the proceedings. Without common rules, deliberative assemblies devolve into chaos. First devised in 1876 by U.S. Army Colonel Henry Martyn Robert, these rules help to allow groups of peoples to understand what happens when, when people can speak, when and how motions can be voted on, and how to decide on many complicated matters.

Robert’s Rules of Order are now in their 11th edition and still going strong. My version—the 1943 5th edition—are mainly for consulting and not straight reading. The funny thing is, once you go through them, watch C-SPAN. Many more things make sense. This little book teaches you what each position in the chamber entails, how committees are supposed to work, and how to maintain a meaningful flow of discourse in a debate. If you’re looking for a career in politics and haven’t read them, you should get very familiar with Robert’s Rules.… (more)