Being assigned the role of parliamentarian scares the heck out of many Toastmasters whether or not they’re new to the role or an old hand.
Surviving the business meeting is often the only objective of new parliamentarians. But it doesn’t have to be that way.
After last week’s meeting our parliamentarian, who was new to the role, asked me how did I get so good at parliamentary procedure? Well I had help from God.
What! Yes it’s true. Way back when I started Toastmasters and I was assigned the role of parliamentarian I always arrived early and sat beside George Pay. George had been in Toastmasters since the beginning of time and he knew parliamentary procedure inside out.
So anytime I had to make a parliamentary decision or explain myself during the parliamentarian’s report I’d rise and I’d await “the voice of God.”
And of course that voice was George whispering to me the right answer or the correct parliamentary procedure. This two-man show got to be quite the joke at our club. Whenever I was the parliamentarian, I’d rise and the club would first hear George’s voice and then I’d repeat what he said.
You know after George died, I made it a point to read Robert’s Rules of Order (the book and not the synopsis) and if I got stuck I ask myself what would George have said. Most often, I’d hear “the voice of God” giving me the right answer and that’s how I got to be a better parliamentarian.
So if you’re parliamentarian, go sit beside a long-time member who knows parliamentary procedure and listen closely if they start whispering to you when the spotlight is on you.
(BTW when you are the parliamentarian, never guess at an answer. If you don’t know, ask someone to assist you and ignore any answers offered by anyone else. When the parliamentarian rises to speak, all other speakers must sit down and listen. When, as parliamentarian you rise, wait until order is restored by the chair and then either speak or ask for help. If you guess, you’ll lose all your credibility and authority to rule. Above all take nothing personally and soon you too will be able to speak with “the voice of God” and new parliamentarians will be sitting next to you at future meetings.)
