Webster's New World Quotes

“A member serving in office or on a committee who finds it impossible to perform the duties of that position should submit his or her resignation to the secretary. The chair then puts the resignation to a vote. A member can’t abandon a position of responsibility until the resignation is accepted. If the bylaws do not require notice to fill the vacancy, then the members can fill the vacancy immediately.”
― Robert McConnell Productions, Webster's New World: Robert's Rules of Order: Simplified & Applied

“The most important principle that all presiding officers must remember is that they represent all the members, not just a select few and not just those with whom they agree.”
― Robert McConnell Productions, Webster's New World: Robert's Rules of Order: Simplified & Applied

“Whatever the structure of the organization, the president has authority to do only the things that are assigned to that office by the bylaws. Often, those elected to the office of president misunderstand their role in the organization and believe that the members have given them free rein to run the organization any way they please, thus setting up a dictatorship.”
― Robert McConnell Productions, Webster's New World: Robert's Rules of Order: Simplified & Applied

“DIVISION OF THE ASSEMBLY PURPOSE: To doubt the result of the vote. No second. Not debatable. RESULT: The vote is immediately retaken in a different way than it was originally taken.”
― Robert McConnell Productions, Webster's New World: Robert's Rules of Order: Simplified & Applied

“Members cannot use the motion Lay on the Table to kill a motion or to put it off to a later time. The motion Lay on the Table is reserved for circumstances when an urgent matter that can’t wait must be introduced.”
― Robert McConnell Productions, Webster's New World: Robert's Rules of Order: Simplified & Applied

“Where there is radical difference of opinion in an organization, one side must yield. The great lesson for democracies to learn is for the majority to give to the minority a full, free opportunity to present their side of the case, and then for the minority, having failed to win a majority to their views, gracefully to submit and to recognize the action as that of the entire organization, and cheerfully to assist in carrying it out, until they can secure its repeal.”
― Robert McConnell Productions, Webster's New World: Robert's Rules of Order: Simplified & Applied

“Taking a Vote by General or Unanimous Consent General consent is a very effective way to take care of noncontroversial issues or motions for which it looks like there will be no objection. General consent does not mean that everyone is in favor of the motion; it means that the opposition feels that discussing or voting on the issue is useless and therefore decides to keep silent, accepting the results. Do not confuse general consent with a unanimous vote in which all the votes are the same, whether in favor of or in opposition to some issue.”
― Robert McConnell Productions, Webster's New World: Robert's Rules of Order: Simplified & Applied

“A fundamental principle in democratic societies is that the majority rules, but the rights of the minority and individual members are also protected.”
― Robert McConnell Productions, Webster's New World: Robert's Rules of Order: Simplified & Applied

“In his book Parliamentary Law, Henry Robert gives a word to the wise when he states, Where there is radical difference of opinion in an organization, one side must yield. The great lesson for democracies to learn is for the majority to give the minority a full, free opportunity to present their side of the case, and then for the minority, having failed to win a majority to their views, gracefully to submit and to recognize the action as that of the entire organization, and cheerfully to assist in carrying it out, until they can secure its repeal.”
― Robert McConnell Productions, Webster's New World: Robert's Rules of Order: Simplified & Applied

“If you can remember these principles, you’ll be able to solve problems that come up in your organization and meetings, even if you can’t remember the specific rules: Take up business one item at a time. Doing so maintains order, expedites business, and accomplishes the purpose of the organization. Promote courtesy, justice, impartiality, and equality. This ensures that everyone is heard, that members treat each other with courtesy, that everyone has the same rights, and that no individual or special group is singled out for special favors. The majority rules, but the rights of individual, minority, and absent members are protected. This principle ensures that, even though the majority rules, the minority has a right to be heard and its ideas are taken seriously. Similarly, the minority doesn’t leave the organization because it didn’t win; it knows that it may win another day. Following this principle preserves the unity and harmony of the organization.”
― Robert McConnell Productions, Webster's New World: Robert's Rules of Order: Simplified & Applied

“One of the greatest threats to a democratic organization is for the members to become apathetic and let a small group of the membership do all the work. This creates divisions and promotes authoritarianism. Another threat is for a small group to work secretly behind the scenes to accomplish its own goals or its own agenda and then push it through without the rest of the membership having an input either through discussion or through the investigative process. Such actions cause mistrust and hostility.”
― Robert McConnell Productions, Webster's New World: Robert's Rules of Order: Simplified & Applied

“In the words of Henry M. Robert, who wrote what we know today as Robert’s Rules of Order, “Where there is no law, but every man does what is right in his own eyes, there is the least of real liberty.”
― Robert McConnell Productions, Webster's New World: Robert's Rules of Order: Simplified & Applied

“Handling Resignations   In the course of an organization’s work, boards and officers may be confronted with the resignation of a fellow officer, board member, or committee chairman. There are two reasons people resign from office. The first reason is that something arises in the personal life of the officer that demands his or her time and attention. The officer feels at this time that he or she can’t fulfill the duties of the office and do justice to the organization, so the officer submits a resignation. The second reason is that there is a rift or severe disagreement within the organization. An officer may become angry, disheartened, or vengeful, so he or she submits a resignation. The first thing that the organization should do after it receives a resignation is to figure out why the person is resigning. If the organization really needs this person’s active input, it should find a way to keep him or her. If the person is resigning because of lack of time, then perhaps the organization can appoint an assistant to help with the work. If the person is resigning because he or she can’t attend the meetings, the organization should consider changing the meeting date and time. If the person submits his or her resignation because of organizational problems, the organization needs to look at how its members communicate with each other. Perhaps the members need to be more willing to allow disagreements and hear what others are saying. If an organization strictly obeys the principle of majority rule while protecting the rights of the minority, it can resolve problems in an intelligent, kind, and civil way. A resignation should be a formal letter that includes the date, the name of the person to whom it is addressed, the reason for the resignation, and the person’s signature. The person resigning can mail his or her letter to the secretary or hand it to the secretary in person. Under no circumstance should the secretary or president accept an oral resignation. If a resignation is given to the officer this way, he or she should talk with the person and find out the reasons for the resignation. Perhaps just talking to the person can solve the problem. However, an officer who insists on resigning should put it in writing and submit it to the secretary. This gives the accepting body something to read and consider. Every resignation should be put to a vote. When it is accepted, the office is vacant and should be immediately filled according to the rules for filling vacancies stated in the bylaws. If an officer submits a resignation and then decides to withdraw it, he or she can do this until a vote is taken. It is unjust for a secretary or governing body not to allow a withdrawal of the resignation before a vote is taken. The only way a resignation can’t be withdrawn is if some rule of the organization or a state statute prohibits it. When submitting the resignation, the member resigning should give it to the secretary only and not mail it to everyone in the organization. (An e-mail resignation is not acceptable because it is not signed.) Sending the resignation to every member only confuses matters and promotes gossip and conjecture in the organization. If the member later decides to withdraw his or her resignation, there is much more explaining to do. The other members may see this person as unstable and not worthy of the position.”
― Robert McConnell Productions, Webster's New World: Robert's Rules of Order: Simplified & Applied