The way association meetings are run will affect how members become and stay involved in your association. These meetings set the tone and reputation of your association. As a result, it is important to run association meetings, whether it’s a board, committee or membership meeting, in an effective and efficient manner.
Think about it…what association do you want to join? Association A where meetings rarely start on time, are dominated by a few people or when the meeting is over, it is unclear what was accomplished and what decisions were made. Do you want to belong to Association B, where the meeting starts on time, an agenda is used to conduct business and at the end of the meeting, you have a clear understanding about the results of business discussed and decisions made.
It is a no brainer - we all would like to belong to Association B.
One of the most common questions the Office of Communications & Neighborhood Relations staff gets is “how do I get more people to attend an association meeting and how can we get a quorum at our meetings to conduct business?” The answer isn’t as simple as leaders would like to hear.
Association meetings need to run efficiently, staying within an hour to an hour and half and ending with a sense of accomplishment. Easier said than done; effective meetings require advanced planning and have a clear and concise purpose. Members need to see the value of attending an association meeting.
Poorly run meetings make members frustrated and may make them stop coming to meetings. When meetings are well run, the agenda is followed and people’s opinions are respected, members are much more likely to attend meetings and participate in other association activities.
The primary responsibility for running effective meetings falls on the shoulders of the individual running the meeting. This person may be the association president or designee to a committee chair. By using the following information and tips, your association meetings will be very effective. One result may be an increase your meeting attendance – which is what most association leaders want and need.
1. Holding association membership meetings, or a combination of meetings and activities, at least quarterly or four times a year.
Many associations have enough projects and activities to meet monthly, others meet every two months/six times a year, some quarterly/four times a year or others meet twice a year. Many mandatory condominium or homeowners associations only host an annual membership meeting and hold board and committee meetings throughout the year to conduct association business.
Think of your membership meetings as just one way to link to your neighbors and members. Meetings are very powerful tools of communication and engagement when conducted effectively. Be careful not to fall into the trap of meeting for the sake of having a meeting; if there isn’t a reason or clear purpose to meet, then don’t, otherwise you run the risk of poor meeting attendance.
2.Involving the association board in planning the meeting.
Two heads are better than one… use your board or at least your association secretary to help determine meeting logistics, goals and agenda. By doing this, you are empowering your board and now have others that know the agenda and could step in to run the meeting if needed.
3. Understanding Florida law governing not-for-profit corporations and mandatory condominium or homeowners associations.
All associations incorporated in the State of Florida must be sure their meetings comply with Florida Statutes (FS) 617-Not-for-Profit Corporations. If your association has covenants and deed restrictions, it is a mandatory association that is governed by either FS 718-Condominiums or FS 720-Homeowners Associations. These statutes outline meeting notification, process and minutes requirements.
4. Keep your meeting to an hour.
When using an agenda and keeping focused on the business at hand, there is a lot that may be accomplished in an hour. Other meetings, such as board or committee meetings, may require more time to cover association business or tasks. No meeting should last more than two hours; once a meeting goes over one and half hours to two hours, people start to lose their interest and concentration. It is important to keep the meeting agenda real and not packed with business that could take hours to cover.
5. Selecting a specific day of the month, time and location for your association board and membership meetings.
For example, the membership meeting is the first Monday of each month at 7 p.m. at the community center. This makes it easier for members to schedule and attend the meetings. When selecting your meeting day, try to stay away from Wednesday evenings, which is a church night for many and Friday evenings, it’s the end of the week and few people are interested in attending an association meeting.
6. Providing light refreshments or drinks.
Food helps to break the ice and makes the meeting a little more social. Depending on the time of your meeting, the food and/or drinks could help curb hunger pains or serve as dessert after dinner. Keep it simple, for example, ask a couple members to bake or bring cookies, solicit a neighborhood restaurant or food store for donations. Some associations ask for donations to cover the cost of the food and drinks and use what was collected at the meeting to buy the refreshments for the next meeting.
7. Promoting your membership meeting at least two weeks prior to the meeting.
Post your meeting information on your website. Mandatory association meetings must be posted in accordance to either Florida Statutes (FS) 718-Condominiums or FS 720-Homeowners Associations. If a mandatory association fails to follow the law, the business conducted at its meetings may be voided. Know the law.
8. Not using meeting attendance to define the success of your association.
Too often neighborhood leaders rely on meeting attendance as feedback on how the association is working or not working. This can be dangerous and not very motivational for the leadership and members. Getting people to meetings is hard, especially in the evening or on a weekend when they have been working and have other personal or family commitments. It is important to communicate with your members and neighbors using newsletters, email, websites, social media and other ways. Keeping neighbors informed about the work of the association and neighborhood issues is a large part of the purpose of a neighborhood organization. Meetings are just one of the many ways to engage neighbors.
9. Using Parliamentary Procedure to run your meeting.
Purchase a copy of Robert’s Rules of Order to use as a guide. The basic principles of parliamentary procedure are:
• Courtesy to all
• One item at a time
• Majority rule
• Respect for the rights of the minority
• Partiality for none
• Protection of the absentee.
Using the basics of parliamentary procedure, such as making motions to bring business before the members, will contribute significantly to the success of association meetings. Don’t over complicate parliamentary procedure and don’t be afraid to use it.
10. Keeping the City of Orlando Office of Communications and Neighborhood Relations informed about your meetings.
Knowing when your association meets is very helpful to the city, especially if there is information or resources the city needs to share with your association.
A basic rule of thumb for a successful meeting is 80% preparation and 20% implementation. When planning your meeting, consider the following tips.
Why Meet?
- What is the purpose or goal(s) of the meeting?
- What do you want to accomplish?
- How long does the meeting need to last to achieve the goal(s)?
- How will you define the success of the meeting?
If you are unable to clearly and concisely answer these questions, you need to reconsider holding a meeting. Don’t meet for the sake of meeting; if you do this you are guaranteeing poor attendance.
Use an Agenda
- Write out an agenda, be sure to include start and end times.
- List the business to accomplish and what action items are needed – should fall in line with your meeting goal(s).
- Be realistic with how much business that can be covered during the allotted meeting time. Always allow more time that you initially plan to compensate for discussion, etc.
- Give each agenda item the appropriate time and be sure your agenda can be covered within the time allotted for the meeting. Sometimes association meetings run too long because there are too many agenda items to cover in the allotted time – consult with your board or officers about appropriate length of time for each agenda item. If you have a number of items to discuss, consider postponing some of the items to future meetings.
- Identify information needed to accomplish agenda and ensure information required will be available at the meeting.Make assignments needed to support the meeting goal(s) - identify meeting roles – who needs to make reports, presentations, etc.?Do you need subject experts? Does any of the business need an expert to explain or validate what is best for the association?Are you expecting guests? Is your City Commissioner attending, etc.?
- How will the meeting room be set up to accomplish the agenda?
- If serving refreshments, who are handling the set up, clean up, etc.?
- Distribute agendas to all members or keep the agenda posted during the meeting in a location that all members can easily read.
- Consider sending the agenda out with the meeting invitation.
Meeting Announcements/Invitations
- Notify all meeting members-appropriate advanced notice – be sure you are complying with all your association’s legal documents. Remember, mandatory associations governed by FS 718-Condominiums or FS 720-Homeowners Associations must comply with Florida law pertaining to meeting notifications.
- Include agenda, goal and background information to help prepare members, when appropriate.
- Include any special assignments required to meet the meeting goal(s).
Meeting Locations
- Try to select a meeting room that is convenient and has easy access. Think about parking access, if appropriate.
- Choose a room that will accommodate the number of expected members; be sure to have enough seating.
- Set up your tables and/or chairs to facilitate, not detract from, accomplishing your agenda.
- Put your sign-in table in a convenient location that will not distract from the meeting, especially when latecomers sign in.
Setting up the room to accomplish your meeting goals
Theater Style: Several rows of chairs facing the front of the room. Good setup for formal presentations, where members are focused on the presenter. Not a good setup for taking notes.
Circular Style: Chairs arranged in a circle. Good setting for problem solving and eliminates the “head of the table” seat helping to create an atmosphere for everyone to contribute.
Classroom Style: Tables with all chairs facing the speaker. Good setup for formal presentations where members need to take notes.
U-Shape Style: Tables set up in a U-shaped with chairs on one side of the tables. Good setup for formal presentations and trainings that involves small group or collaborative work.
Breakout Style: Several tables with chairs scattered throughout the room. Good setup for small breakout sessions or collaborative work groups.
Sign in Sheet(s)
- Identifies who is there.
- Helps to update membership/mailing and email databases.
Setting Meeting Norms on an Annual Basis
Meeting norms, or ground rules, are the standards of proper or acceptable behavior established by the association board and/or membership on how meetings will be conducted. Using the term “norms” makes the “rules” less threatening and more accepting by most members. Establishing meeting norms makes it easier to conduct meetings when members know the association’s meeting etiquette norms and makes it easier to call people out of order if they are violating one of the norms.
Set some basic meeting norms with members. Be sure members agree to these norms.
Norms may cover:
all need to participate;
no side conversations;
meeting starts and ends on time;
follow the agenda;
allot a specific length of time for member questions and comments, such as two minutes, etc.
Include the norms on the agenda or post them for all members to easily read.
It should not be necessary to develop new norms for meetings for the rest of the year, unless the existing norms are not working and need some revisions. It is recommended to review meeting norms annually to keep them fresh and responsive to the association’s needs.
Name Tags
- Nice to have, but not an absolute requirement; definitely depends on the size of your membership.
- Helps connect members and makes it more personal when members are able to quickly call each other by names.
- Conversation starters – have members put their street name on their name tag.
Greeters
- Recruit a couple of members to meet everyone at the door.
- Handle sign in and name tags.
- Help introduce neighbors to each other.
- Assist late comers coming into the meeting without being too distracting.
Refreshments
- Nice touch and helps to encourage socializing.
- Recruit a couple of members to provide refreshments – great task for members that want to participate but don’t have enough time, are not able to attend the meeting or are homebound. Be sure to thank the members providing refreshments.
- Place refreshment tables in the back so members may get up and get something without being distracting.
- Be sure to have trash cans near the table or by the exit doors.
AV Needs
- If using AV equipment, make sure the presentation can be seen from all viewpoints.
- Test the equipment in advance to ensure it works.
- If presentation requires Internet access, call the meeting location days ahead of the meeting about Wi-Fi or be sure the equipment has the ability to access the Internet.
Allow Time for Socializing
- At the start of the meeting - provide some social time for all members to greet each other, to know who is attending the meeting, get refreshments, etc.
- Note, some associations will not serve food until after the close of meeting; this has helped to keep the meeting within an hour
- Provide a specific time, such as five minutes and then the meeting will be called to order.
Housekeeping
- Be sure to inform members about bathrooms locations, etc.
- Inform members of any other issues that may impact the meeting, such as the meeting must end by a certain time because the facility is closing, etc.
Distribute Key Materials
1. Agenda: Either provide each member with an agenda OR post the agenda where all are able to see the agenda. Helps to keep meeting on track. Can write the agenda on a poster board or flip chart paper to post in the front of the room for all to see.
2. Previous meeting minutes: Either provide copies for members or post the minutes in an easy to read location and allow time for members to review the minutes. Consider posting a draft of the minutes on the association’s webpage.
3.Treasury or financial reports: Either provide copies for members or post the financials in an easy to read location and allow time for members to review the report. Financial information is key to keeping members informed about the revenues and expenses of the organization.
4. Neighborhood Issue Information Form: Create a form your association may choose to use to capture issues and concerns members have. By having the member write down their issue, it helps them to clarify their issue and makes it easier for the association to capture and address the issue.
Reasons for Taking Good Minutes
- They are the only records of the association’s business and a reference for the board, chairs and members.
- Keeps the president informed of all committee activities.
- Essential to continuity and information for succeeding committees and the executive board.
Taking Minutes
- Always put your minutes on association letterhead or if using plain paper, always put the association name at the top of the first page.
- Include in the first paragraph:
- Kind of meeting (membership, board, committee or special, etc.)
- Name of the committee or board
- Date, including the year, time, and place of meeting
- Name of the presiding officer or chair
- Names of members present and those absent; in the case of a membership meeting attach the sign-in sheet to the minutes
- Include whether minutes of the previous meeting were approved as read, mailed/posted or corrected
- Minutes are a record of action taken or assignments made by the association, its board or committees; it is not necessary to record all the conversations, etc., only the action taken or assignments made.
Minutes Should Clearly Indicate:
- Agenda items and other business or issues stated
- Suggestions proposed
- Conflicting points of view for clarification action
- Motions and the votes
- Record all main motions
- Name the member who made the motion and note it by the action
- It is not necessary to include the seconding of the motion
- State and underline whether the motion carried or failed
- Consider requesting all motions in writing and turned into the secretary or parliamentarian immediately after the motion has been stated. (This is very helpful in restating the motion for discussion and vote and for recording it in the minutes.)
- Time of adjournment
- After minutes have been approved, the secretary should write “approved” with date at the top
- Attach or note the Neighborhood Issue Identification forms (see Appendix) submitted during or in between meetings
- Post your approved minutes on your website for members to view
Assign Action Items
- Don’t finish any discussion in the meeting without deciding how to act on it.
- Listen for key comments that flag potential action items and don’t let them pass by without addressing them during your meeting.
- Statements such as We should really…, that’s a topic for a different meeting…, or I wonder if we could… are examples of comments that should trigger action items to get a task done, hold another meeting or further examine a particular idea.
- Assigning tasks and projects as they arise during the meeting means that your follow-through will be complete.
- Addressing off-topic statements during the meeting in this way also allows you to keep the meeting on track.
- By immediately addressing these statements with the suggestion of making an action item to examine the issue outside of the current meeting, you show meeting members that you value their input as well as their time.
- Summarize the actions and assignments clearly and concisely
Managing Your Meeting Time
- Start and end your meetings on time. Use the meeting agenda, meeting norms and parliamentary procedure to stay on track.
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Task your association parliamentarian or secretary to keep track of time, remind members about time and to help enforce the meeting norms.
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When new ideas and suggestions are proposed but are not specifically relevant to the business being discussed, put the idea or suggestion in a “parking lot” for future reference. A parking lot in this situation is a poster board, notebook, paper, etc., where the secretary or member may write down the idea or suggestion along with the name of the person proposing it and the date. By using the parking lot, your association is providing a means of capturing ideas for future discussion instead of allowing the idea to take your agenda off course.
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If you are getting close to your posted ending time and still have agenda items to cover, stop the current business discussion and let members know that there is still more business to cover and do they want to postpone the remaining agenda items to the next meeting or extend the meeting for a specific time, such as 15 more minutes or however long it takes to cover the agenda. You may ask for a motion to “Fix Time to which to Adjourn” to extend the meeting.
Before the Meeting
- Plan the meeting carefully: who, what, when, where, why, how many?
- Prepare and send out an agenda in advance.
- Come early and setup the meeting room.
- Put out the meeting sign in sheet, name tags, pens and appropriate meeting materials.
- Post the last meeting minutes and the current financial report for members to review.
- Setup light refreshments; food and drink are good ice breakers and make your members feel welcome and comfortable.
- Have meeting greeters in place at least 20 minutes before the meeting time; they are to greet members and make them feel welcome, even late members when appropriate.
Starting the Meeting
- Start on time! This demonstrates respect for the members that showed up on time. Don’t reward latecomers by stopping discussion to bring them up to speed on the agenda. Brief latecomers after the meeting is over on any information they missed.
- Welcome members and thank them for attending.
- Introduce new members and guests. If your City Commissioner and any other City staff is in attendance, always introduce the Commissioner first before other City staff. This also applies when speaking to at your meetings; the Commissioner should be called upon first to speak before other City staff is asked.
- The chair needs to introduce themselves and their role; be sure to define the role of each person that is on the agenda.
- Review the agenda and set priorities for the meeting so members will understand the purpose and what is being covered. Note that a meeting recorder if used will take minutes and provide them back to each member shortly after the meeting.
- Set clear time limits.
During the Meeting
- Stick to the agenda.
- Use parliamentary procedure to conduct the meeting
- Ask questions.
- Listen.
- Encourage group discussion to get all points of view and ideas. You will have better quality decisions as well as highly motivated members; they will feel that attending meetings is worth their while.
- Encourage feedback: ideas, activities and commitment to the organization improve when members see their impact on the decision making process.
- Keep conversation focused on the topic/agenda item.
- Feel free to ask for only constructive and non-repetitive comments; tactfully end discussions when they are getting nowhere or becoming destructive or unproductive.
- Keep minutes of the meeting for documentation and future reference in case a question or issue arise.
- As a leader, be a role model by listening, showing interest, appreciation, and respect of members’ opinions and comments. Don’t be afraid to admit mistakes.
- Summarize agreements reached and end the meeting on a unifying or positive note.
- Identify additional data needed to make decisions.
End of the Meeting
- Establish and summarize action items decided during the meeting, including who, what, when, etc.
- Quickly review and summarize all actions and decisions made during the meeting.
- If appropriate, take a few moments to discuss the next meeting agenda and ask members what they would like to cover at the next meeting. This helps create the agenda for the next meeting.
- Announce or set the date and place of the next meeting.
- Inform members of when to expect the meeting minutes or when and where the minutes will be posted. Be sure the minutes reflect all the actions and assignments that happened during the meeting.
- End on time; close the meeting crisply and positively.
After the Meeting
- Follow-up on action items and begin to plan the next meeting.
- Write up and distribute minutes within three or four days. Quick action reinforces the importance of meeting and reduces errors.
- Discuss any problems during the meeting with your board or other officers; come up with ways improvements can be made.
- Follow-up on delegation decisions and see that all members understand and carry-out their responsibilities.
- Give recognition and appreciation to excellent and timely progress.
- Put unfinished business on the agenda for the next meeting.
- Conduct a periodic evaluation of the meetings. Note any areas that can be analyzed and improved for more productive meetings.