Running a Business Meeting in Toastmasters

If you ever have trouble falling asleep, read through Toastmasters Policy and Protocol or Robert’s Rules of Order. After a few months of intense study, you’ll know everything you ever need to know about running business meetings in Toastmasters.

For the rest of us, here’s a quick cheat sheet. If you do run into issues, reach out to your District Parliamentarian. They should be listed on your district website, along with other District officers. For example, here’s the listing for District 55.

• The president or highest ranking club officer present opens the meeting.
• Tap the gavel once to open and once to close the meeting. Other than that and a few other situations, try to avoid gesturing with, rapping or waving the gavel.
• The president cannot make motions. Someone else must make motions.
• The president cannot vote except in case of a tie.
• The secretary should record meeting minutes (what motion, who motioned, who seconded, result) and save them in a way other officers can access.
• Someone makes a motion. Someone else must second the motion before discussion can begin. Discuss. Vote. Move on.
• In most cases, “all in favor say aye” and then “all opposed say nay” will suffice for a vote. If the result is not unanimous or overwhelming, then resort to a show of hands, with the secretary counting exact results.
• You need a quorum to conduct business. A quorum is more than half of your club members.
• The club should always vote on new members
• When voting on a new member, the sergeant at arms should take the prospective member out of the room for the duration of the vote.

What other helpful quick tips on running business meetings are important for club officers to know?