Meetings for your non-profit can often drag on and on as people debate ideas endlessly. I hate meetings where people are saying the same thing over and over. This can be especially true for big decisions and officer elections. So here is the solution.
Each item debated gets 3 pros and 3 cons.
This means that only three people get to speak up for the idea and three people can speak against the idea.
Example:
Idea: We should do an Under the Sea theme for our next gala.
Pro: I like this, it will be easy to achieve with uplighting and limit the decorations we need.
Con: Three other organizations doing an under the sea theme this year.
This idea requires the following
- Someone who is “running” the meetings and calling on people as they raise their hands.
- Someone to keep a tally of the pros and cons
- Explanation of the rules to your members.
- Strict adherence to this rule.
This rule forces people to really think about what they want to say and the listen to what others are saying so that they do not simply repeat a point and “waste” a pro or con. It keeps those who simply want to hear their own voice from speaking up at every point.
Once the three pros and three cons are stated, a vote is held on if you move forward with the idea or not.
This may seem extreme but you can also break ideas down into small chunks to vote on.
Example Proposal: I think we should have a gala fundraiser this year with a theme of Under the Sea that will be held in September.
This can be broken into three parts to vote on and should so people do not skate bad ideas through on the coattails of a good idea.
The three parts
- Have a Gala Fundraiser
- Have the theme be Under the Sea
- Host the gala in September
You can debate and vote on each section. This allows you to say yes to hosting a Gala Fundraiser but no to the theme and hosting in September. This simple tip can keep your non-profit meetings on track and under hours.
Learn how to Navigate Everyone’s Wishes While Event Planning.