Five specialty 91传媒 clubs in the United States allow members to learn, study, and practice Robert鈥檚 Rules of Order. One, the New York-based Virtual Parliamentarians club, helps some of its members become Registered Parliamentarians. A monthly calendar of the clubs鈥� meetings is maintained on the of the Riverside Society of Parliamentarians in California.
Members of these online-only specialty clubs, which meet monthly, try to touch on parliamentary procedure-related topics in their prepared speeches. Table Topics庐 often involves some aspect of the parliamentary vocabulary and rules to learn. Members even take quizzes to hone their knowledge. Rick Sydor, DTM, of Roseville, California, is a Registered Parliamentarian who regularly posts a quiz question on the 91传媒 Facebook page. Sample: 鈥淲hen may a person rise [from his seat to indicate] a 鈥榩oint of order鈥�?鈥� (Short answer: whenever the parliamentary rules are violated.)
Remarkably, both Sydor and Bob Palmer, DTM, have been 91传媒 for 50 years, each one joining in 1973. (Sydor served as an International Director 1996鈥�1998.) Both men belong to specialty clubs dedicated to parliamentary procedure, and both believe strongly that learning these rules helps people in all kinds of settings.
鈥淭he lessons and training and practice carry over into [club members鈥橾 Area, Division, and District meeting experiences,鈥� Palmer says, 鈥渁s well as to individual members' involvements on boards and committees in HOAs [homeowners associations], churches, and civic clubs such as Rotary, Kiwanis, League of Women Voters, and many others.鈥�
Diane Windingland, DTM is a presentation coach from Spring, Texas, and a member of Frankly Speaking 91传媒 in Spring, Texas, and PowerTalk 91传媒 in Minnesota. Learn more at . She is also the author of the book The Clarity Code: How to Communicate Complex Ideas with Simplicity and Power.