11/21/2006

The Appointment of Network Chairs:

 Adopted by the Council, January, 2003

*The appropriate Area Chair will make a recommendation for a network chair to the  President of the Province.  This recommendation may or may not originate from the network itself.

*The President will review the proposed appointment and will make a recommendation to the full Provincial Council.  If the network chair is one that also represents the Province on a National network, then the President shall consult with the ECUSA chair for that area.  Note:  in cases where there is more than one representative to the national network, the same procedures will be followed for the second representative.

*The Provincial Council shall have final approval on all Network Chairs.

*Network chairs will be initially appointed for a three-year term with a renewable second term.  It is recommended that Chairs not serve more than six consecutive years.

The Duties of Network Chairs:
 Adopted by the Council, January, 2003

*Attend Convocation, annual gathering of Network Chairs and Synod.

*Maintain a list of network members with copies sent to the Area Chair and to the Program Coordinator

*Schedule and conduct meetings of the network.

*Submit a quarterly “check-in” (Jan, Apr, July, Oct) on the workings of the network.  Reports should be made to the Area Chair and the Program Coordinator and should include:
*What is the mission statement for the Network?
 *What is the structure of the Network?
 *What have you done in the past three months?
 *What are you going to do in the next six months?
 *How can the Province help you in these plans?

Scheduling of Network Meetings and Events:
The Provincial Calendar should be consulted prior to the scheduling of all meetings and events.  Scheduled dates should be sent to the Provincial Webmaster as well as to the Area Chair and the Program Coordinator.   Adopted by the Council, January, 2003

All provincially funded networks holding regular meetings shall meet in conjunction with Synod and Convocation.   Adopted by the Council, April 2005
If at all possible, networks might try to schedule their meetings at the same time and in the same location.  This would help with hotel contracts and the cost of meeting rooms as well as provide a time for groups to meet together for mutual ministries.   Recommendation made from gathering of Network Chairs, May 2005.

Policies Dealing with Monies:

*All contracts entered into under the name of the Province or any of its networks, must be reviewed by the Coordinator and the Treasurer and must be signed by two people from the Province.   Adopted by the Council, January 2003.

*All monies of the Province shall be maintained in a master account that is administered by the Treasurer of the Province.  Specific accounting of each network’s activities will be made available upon request.  Adopted by the Council, September 2001.

*Networks are not allowed to expend funds beyond those that are budgeted.  Adopted by the Council, September 2004.

*Generally, it has been the history of the networks of this province that dioceses pay the expenses for their representatives to attend network meetings.  Exceptions to this have been new networks where the dioceses have not had a chance to work network expenses into their budget.  Sometimes, networks scholarship a diocese for a short period of time if the diocese is experiencing a shortfall and the network has the available funds.

*If provincial monies are used to send people to conferences, a report and a plan on how to bring the learnings back to the province will be submitted to the network with copies to the Area Chair, Coordinator and Council.    Adopted by the Council, January 2003

*The Internal Revenue Service Certification Tax Exemption number for Province VII of the Episcopal Church is :   #75-2505440

Other Information:

As a part of this packet of information, please find

 *Ordinances of Province VII

 *Burlington/Chesapeake Document (Provincial Leadership Conference operating document).  The Provincial Leadership Conference (PLC) is a gathering of Presidents, Vice-Presidents and Coordinators of each Province that meets twice a year.

 *Tips on “Negotiating with a Hotel”, which is a document that emerged from the joint Province VI and VII Conference, Today’s Disciples in Today’s World.

 Proposed Ordinances of the Seventh Province
Of the Protestant Episcopal Church, USA
As Amended September 30, 2005

ORDINANCE I   Of the Name and Composition
Section 1.  Name
The Seventh Province of the Protestant Episcopal Church of the United States of America (“The Episcopal Church”) shall be known as the Province of the Southwest.
Section 2. Composition
The Seventh Province, organized in accordance with the provisions of Article VII of the Constitution and Canon 1.9.1 of The Episcopal Church consists of the Dioceses of Arkansas, Dallas, Fort Worth, Kansas, Northwest Texas, Oklahoma, Rio Grande, Texas, West Missouri, West Texas, Western Kansas and Western Louisiana.
ORDINANCE II   Of the Synod
Section 1.  Membership
The Synod of the Province of the Southwest shall consist of a House of Bishops and a House of Deputies, which houses may sit and deliberate separately or together.
Section 2.  House of Bishops
Every Bishop of this Church, having jurisdiction within the Province, every Bishop Coadjutor, Bishop Suffragan and Assistant Bishop, and every Bishop whose episcopal work has been within the Province but who by reason of advanced age or bodily infirmity has retired, shall have a seat and vote in Synod.
Section 3.  House of Deputies
Each Diocese within the Province shall be entitled to representation by four Presbyters/Deacons canonically resident in the Diocese and four Lay Persons, confirmed adult communicants of this Church in good standing but not necessarily domiciled in the Diocese. Each Diocese within the Province shall also be entitled to one representative of the Diocese who is 18 years of age or younger. These representatives together with all clerical and lay members of the Provincial Council shall constitute the House of Deputies. Each Diocese shall determine the manner by which its Deputies shall be chosen.
Section 4.  Committees
From members of the Synod, the President of the Province shall appoint the following committees of the Synod: Necrology, Nominating, Ordinances and Resolutions.
Section 5. Meetings
(a) The regular sessions of the Synod shall be held in the year preceding General Convention. The time and Place of the meeting shall be set by the preceding Synod, or, if necessary, by the Provincial Council.
(b) At least one Provincial Convocation/Gathering shall be held triennially which is content-centered around substantive mutual concerns of our Dioceses. Interested representatives from Committees and Commissions of the Province, Diocesan Staffs and Parishes will be encouraged to attend. The place, date and design of the gatherings shall be determined by Provincial Council.
(c) Special meetings may be called by the Provincial Council of the Synod.
Section 6.  Motions and Procedures
The making of motions and the procedure for passing motions at the Synod shall be in accordance with Sections VII, VIII, IX and X of the Rules of Order of the House of Deputies of General Convention.
Section 7.  Voting
On any question the vote of the majority of the members of the Synod present and voting shall suffice, unless otherwise ordered by the Canons of General Convention or by these Ordinances, or unless the Clerical and Lay Deputations, from any Diocese, request that the vote be taken by Orders.
Section 8.  Quorum
A majority of the Bishops in active service and Deputations from a majority of the Dioceses shall be necessary to constitute a quorum for the transaction of business. For determining a quorum, a Deputation must include at least one-half of the elected deputies from each Order (Presbyters/Deacons, Lay Persons), but which may include alternate deputies if elected by the Dioceses present for determining whether one-half of the elected deputies are present.  
Section 9.  Diocesan Assessments
No Diocese shall be entitled to representation in the Synod until assessments voted by the Synod shall have been paid.
ORDINANCE III   Of the Officers
Section 1.  Composition
The Officers shall be a President, Vice President, Secretary and Treasurer, who shall each serve for a term of three years, beginning at the conclusion of the session of the Synod at which they are elected.
Section 2.  President
The President shall be one of the active Bishops, Presbyters/ Deacons, or Lay Persons of the Province elected by the Synod at any Regular Session by majority vote of the Synod. The President shall preside at the Synod and at all meetings of the Provincial Council. The President shall appoint the Provincial chairman and members of committees/commissions operative within the Province, except those appointed or elected by other jurisdictions. If a Bishop, the President shall convene meetings of the Bishops of the Province. The President shall, by virtue of office, serve as a member of the Board and Executive Committee of the Seventh Province Center for Hispanic ministry. The President shall appoint the committees of the Synod.
Section 3.  Vice President
If the person elected President is not a Bishop, a Vice President who shall be an active Bishop of the Province shall be elected by the Synod at a regular session by a majority vote of the Synod. In this event the Bishop so elected shall serve ex-officio as President of the House of Bishops of the Synod and shall represent the Province in all matters requiring the participation of a Bishop. The Vice President shall serve as assistant to the President, preside in the absence of the President, and perform all such duties as the President, Synod or Provincial Council may prescribe.
 
Section 4.  Secretary
The Secretary shall be elected by a majority vote of the Synod. Having Procured a certified copy of the elected or appointed representatives from the Secretary or Bishop of each Diocese, the Secretary shall record the names of all persons entitled to a seat and vote. The Secretary shall keep full records of the proceedings of the Synod and Publish them together with all reports, in the Journal. The Secretary shall keep the minutes of the meetings of the Provincial Council.
Section 5.  Treasurer
The Treasurer shall be elected by a majority vote of the Synod. The Treasurer shall receive and disburse all monies collected under the authority of the Synod, shall render accounts at each meeting of the Provincial Council and the Synod, and shall be audited under its authority.

ORDINANCE IV      Of the Provincial Representatives to
Executive Council of The Episcopal Church
Section 1.  Election
The Synod shall elect two members of the Province to represent the Province on the Executive Council, in accordance with the provisions of Canon I.4.1(c). One representative shall be a Bishop or Presbyter or Deacon, and the other representative shall be a Lay Person. The terms of the representatives of each Province shall be so rotated that two persons shall not be simultaneously elected for equal terms. The terms of office shall be in accordance with the provisions of Canon I.4.2(b) of the General Convention. The terms of office shall be twice the interval between regular meetings of the General Convention and shall commence upon the adjournment of the first regular meeting of the General Convention following such election. After a person shall have served six consecutive years on the Executive Council, a period of three years shall elapse before such person shall be eligible for re-election to the Council.
Section 2. Membership on Provincial Council
The two elected representatives shall be members of the Provincial Council.

ORDINANCE V   Of the Provincial Council
Section 1.  Duties
There shall be a Provincial Council which shall have the duties, Powers and prerogatives of the Synod between sessions, subject to the Canons of the Church and the directions of the Synod. The Council shall initiate and have general oversight of the work of the Province. The Council shall meet at least twice each year and shall submit a report of its work to the Synod. The Council shall implement the Program and Budget adopted by the Synod and shall in advance of each Synod prepare a Provincial Program and Budget for the period until the next Synod, together with a schedule of suggested assessments to member Dioceses in order to fund the projected expenses. The Council shall have the power to expend all sums of money received by assessment and otherwise.
 
Section 2.  Membership
The Provincial Council shall consist of the Officers of the Synod who shall be the Officers of the Council; three additional members elected by the Synod, who may be a Bishop, a Presbyter, a Deacon or a lay person; the two elected representatives to the Executive Council of the Episcopal Church; additionally, the Provincial Presidents of the Churchwomen and the Churchmen, if there be such, shall be members ex-officio.  The Director for the Center of Hispanic Ministries of the province shall also be an ex-officio member.  Ex-officio members shall have voice but no vote. 
Section 3.  Visitors to Council
The Chairman of each department, committee/commission, or task force appointed by the President or Council, Executive Council appointees, and liaison Persons with the Province, may be invited to sit with the Council with voice but without vote.
Section 4.  Vacancies
Vacancies occurring on the Provincial Council and the Court of Review shall be filed by Council.  A vacancy can be declared by the Council by majority vote and only upon the lack of attendance at a meeting of either the council or the court for two successive meetings of those bodies, or for any of the causes listed in the Canons of the Protestant Episcopal Church.
Section 5.   Quorum and Proxies
A majority of the members of the council shall constitute a quorum for purposes of transacting business, which may be represented either in person or by written proxy given to another member of the council.  Once a quorum is obtained, the council may continue to transact business until final adjournment of the meeting even if members of the council may subsequently absent themselves from the said meeting.

ORDINANCE VI   Of Provincial Coordinator and Networks
Section 1.   Provincial Coordinator
The Council shall employ a Provincial Coordinator as established by the Provincial Leadership Conference.  The Provincial Coordinator shall coordinate the program and administration of the province and shall serve at the pleasure of the Provincial Council.   Compensation shall be set by the Provincial budget that is approved at Synod.

Section 2.  Networks
Networks of the province may be established by the Provincial Council, and may also be abolished by action of the Council. 

Section 3.   Network Chairs
Network Chairs shall be appointed by the President with concurrence by the Provincial Council.

Section 4.   Meetings of Networks and Network Chairs
The Council or the Provincial Coordinator may set and coordinate meetings of the networks and the network chairs.

ORDINANCE VII   Of the Court of Review
Section1.  Membership of the Court of Review
The judges of the Court of Review, as constituted by Canon IV.4. Sec. 30-33 of the General Convention, shall be elected triennially and shall consist of one Bishop having jurisdiction within the Province; three Presbyters canonically resident within the Province; and three Lay Persons who are confirmed adult communicants of this church in good standing, having domicile in the Province, at least two of the said Lay Persons to be learned in the law, having a Juris Doctor degree or other equivalent degree.

Section 2.  Funding of the Expenses of the Court of Review
The Provincial council shall have the authority to assess the member dioceses of the Seventh Province for reasonable expenses incurred by the Court when it is called into session under the Canons of the General Convention. The assessment shall be based on the same formula used for the assessment adopted by Synod to support the program budget of the Seventh Province.

ORDINANCE VIII   Of the Parliamentary Authority

Except when in conflict with the General Constitution and Canons, these Ordinances, or any Rule herein contained, the latest edition of Robert's Rules of Order (as of 2005, this being Robert’s Rules of Order, Newly Revised, 10th Edition) shall govern the interpretation of these Ordinances and the procedure to be followed.

ORDINANCE IX   Of Amendments
These Ordinances may be amended at any session of the Synod by a concurrent vote of the three Orders (Bishops, Presbyters/Deacons, Lay- Persons) and by a majority vote of those present in each Order, provided that any Proposed amendment shall have been presented in writing to a meeting of the Provincial Council prior to the Provincial Synod. The amended Ordinances shall take effect at the close of the session at which they are amended.

THE BURLINGTON / CHESAPEAKE  DOCUMENT

Revised June 2004

I. The Province

A province, one of the nine geographical gatherings of dioceses within the Episcopal Church, exists to support the Body of Christ in that part of the church by . . .

A. Fulfilling its responsibilities as outlined in the Episcopal Church canons, or as may be assigned to it by the General Convention and/or Executive Council by:

1. Electing Provincial Synod officers and responding to all matters brought to the Synod, including enactment of budget and governing ordinances
2. Electing judges to a Provincial Court of Review
3. Electing clerical and lay provincial Executive Council Representatives
4. Electing or appointing other provincial representatives
5. Participating in the development of program and budget proposals for consideration by the General Convention
6. Receiving program funding from the General Convention budget and providing accountability to the General Convention for the use of those funds.
 B. Discerning the mission and ministry distinctive to that region and time, and facilitating the empowering of those ministries within the province by

1. Encouraging and facilitating cooperation and collaboration across diocesan lines, with the Executive Council, and with the Episcopal Church Center Staff
2. Initiating, implementing, overseeing and evaluating programming, when appropriate and desirable
3. Facilitating the sharing of resources and information within and among the provinces

In order to achieve the above, the following structure shall be adopted: 

II. Provincial Leadership Conference

A. In order to receive funding from the National Church program budget, each province must employ a provincial coordinator whose title and job description would be determined by the individual province.  At a minimum, the provincial coordinator will be attentive to and knowledgeable about the program networks operating within the province, and will facilitate communication between program networks, Provincial Synod leadership, Church Center staff and CCAB (Commissions, Committees, Agencies and Boards). 

B. Provincial presidents, vice presidents and coordinators will meet at least twice per year, or as deemed necessary. 

1. One meeting will be held in conjunction with the Presiding Bishop’s Council of Advice in New York City and will be funded through the General Convention Program Budget.  
2. The second meeting will be funded by the individual provinces. 
3. Attendees will include designated members of the Presiding Bishop’s staff and an official liaison from the Executive Council, appointed by the Chair and Vice-Chair of the Executive Council.
4. The agenda for the meetings will be planned by the Provincial Coordinators in consultation with the Director of Mission, and will include a dialogue about ways to utilize the provincial structure for the better delivery/coordination of mission and ministry in the Episcopal Church.
5. The host province for the upcoming meeting will serve as Convener of the PLC from the end of the preceding meeting through the meeting which the province is hosting. 
 
C. Provincial coordinators will meet for 24 hours in addition to the full Provincial Leadership Conference meeting.  The purpose of this meeting will be to facilitate communication and resource sharing among the coordinators.  Coordinators may invite members of the Presiding Bishop’s program staff  to meet with them in order to foster communication, coordinate ministries and build relationships.

III. Provincial Leadership Conference and the Episcopal Church Center Program Staff

A. Specific Episcopal Church Center Program Staff will be invited for the yearly meetings of the Provincial Leadership Conference and/or the Provincial Coordinators.

B. The ECC staff and provincial coordinators will commit to mutual resourcing and accountability in ongoing and intentional ways.

C. The authority to appoint/designate provincial network program representatives lies with the Provincial President in consultation with other provincial leadership and the ECC program person.  The appointment process will begin with discussion between Episcopal Church Center staff, the provincial president and the coordinator about any names proposed by ECC staff and/or the network itself.  If the Provincial President takes no action within a reasonable amount of time, ECC staff may then circulate in writing to the coordinator and officers of the province their intention to appoint.  If no action is taken by the province, the appointment may then be made by the ECC staff responsible for the network.

D. Funding responsibilities

1. All monies granted to the province and provincial networks will be sent directly to the provincial treasurer, with a notification letter sent to the Provincial President, coordinator and network chair.  Included will be supporting documentation detailing for what purpose the monies are granted (a copy of the grant proposal would be sufficient.)
2. It is the responsibility of the province to provide to the Episcopal Church Center Program Director a written accounting for the funding granted to the province for coordination. 
3. It is also the responsibility of the province to provide written accountability for any funding received by the province for any of the networks.
4. A list of provincial contacts and officers will be maintained by each provincial coordinator and kept current with the Episcopal Church Center Staff.  This information may be included on the Provincial web page

IV. Provincial Leadership Conference and the Executive Council

A. The Executive Council (or one of its committees) will be asked to include in its agenda an annual report on the work of provinces, which will be distributed in written form as well.
B. The Provincial President and Coordinator will be advised of the Executive Council meeting to be held in their province.   The host province may be asked to bring official welcome and a brief update on the work of that province.

Negotiating with a Hotel

This document is written for those who have little experience in negotiating with a hotel or who have not done so in recent years (as things are changing). It shares our collective wisdom and experience over the years.

Develop a plan
Before you look for a site, have a clear idea of what you plan to do and what your parameters are. Identify the minimum, maximum and likely numbers of participants. Then decide on your meeting room needs for each group size. Also, think about the role of food in your event – Do you need full-service or buffet meals? Will you want a hospitality time before dinner? If so, will it include alcohol? Do you want refreshments throughout the day?

Be realistic. Yes, it is nice to dream big and to want the best. But be realistic about what you can afford and what you and your participants really need. Build in some hopes (so you have something you can “give away” in the negotiations) and some wants (which you can only give away with some sacrifice) and know what your needs are (those are the non-negotiable items). Have these three categories clearly in mind before you approach any hotel. Ask for all three but be prepared to cut most of your hopes and some of your wants. You need to have them all there because you need to have something you can give up in the negotiations and because sometimes a hotel can throw in some of your hopes and needs items without much cost to them – and they won’t do that if you don’t ask. Remember, the worst they can say is “no” – in which case you are no worse off than if you hadn’t asked in the first place. The best they can do is give you some (or in some rare cases all) of what you hoped for and wanted.

Pick your date carefully
If it is possible, book your event during the hotel’s slow season. They will be far more accommodating if they can get an event at a time when they might otherwise be facing a low occupancy rate. Know what these times are and make sure the hotel knows you know that this is their low season. If you don’t know this, check their website (they often offer lower room rates to the general public during these times) or call the front desk or the sales office and ask!

Have more than one option
It is never a good idea to set your heart on a specific hotel or other location. Always compare at least two, preferably at least three options. This helps you get an idea of what others are offering and the advantages and disadvantages of the respective potential sites. Visit each site and present them with your initial plan. Ask them to give you a contract that addresses the three group sizes. In other words, ask them for a proposal that is geared to the “likely” group size and then to specify what will happen if the group size falls below that or rises to the maximum size. Their response to the lower number will tell you what you need to focus on in your negotiations. Their response to the upper number will tell you if they are capable of and willing to accommodate a growing event.

One other idea: most larger cities have an association of hotels which will get hotels to bid for your business. This gives you an idea of what's available and they do the leg work for you. You give them your price range which immediately eliminates hotels that are too expensive. If you specify the size, date range, and meeting space needs, they will let you know they can't accommodate your request and so save time and energy on both sides. On the other hand, you might discover a perfect fit with a hotel that you otherwise would have overlooked.

Never sign the initial contract offer
Remember that hotels are in the business of making money and that the first contract they offer you will maximize their income and profits. You do not have to accept the terms they offer. In fact, you should never accept the initial terms unless they are exactly what you want (which is highly unlikely unless you have lucked into an “hotel angel” or you have negotiated extremely well in the initial meeting).

Don’t ask for a guaranteed room block
Hotels used to require you to guarantee a certain number of rooms in order to provide the lower rate and the free meeting space. Today, most hotels will agree to reserve the lower rate up to a specified date without making you guarantee a certain number of rooms. This is to your advantage….even if your participants end up paying a slightly higher rate (not likely if you’ve got another hotel competing for your business) or if the late registrants end up paying the full rate (likely – and reasonable and not your problem!).

Do ask for free meeting space
Most hotels will offer meeting space for a specified number of rooms booked. This is the best option for you. So, for example, you might get the large meeting room and one breakout room for the first forty rooms booked (reasonable) and an extra free breakout room for each ten additional rooms booked. The greater the percentage of rooms you books, the more likely it is that the hotel will give you free meeting space as your presence makes it harder for them to book another group into that ever-shrinking meeting space. If you think you might outgrow your “likely” number, you may want to ask that those be reserved for a period of time until you can see how registrations are doing.

Pay attention to peripherals
Find out whether the hotel charges for the following items and, if so, how much they charge:
• Holding packages for an arriving participant or the team
• Delivering packages to the meeting site
• Audio-visual equipment (mikes, TVs, DVD players, screens)
• Audio-visual carts and stands, podiums
• Platforms or staging
• Display tables, room tables
• Room set-ups: rearranging furniture, water or refreshments, candies on the table, etc.
• Return shipment of boxes after the event (e.g., those left for UPS pickup)
• Anything else you can think of……ask for their price list and read it carefully
Some of these items are more negotiable than others. For example, if the hotel is unionized, they may have no choice but to charge you for moving every box and piece of equipment. In that case you may have to move your own boxes (make sure that’s allowed – in some cases the union doesn’t allow you to use any wheels to move your own boxes). Or you may have to minimize room re-arrangements. Or you may have to consider another site. But be aware: these charges can quickly add up to a disturbing amount!

Talk turkey!
The hotel will want to sell you food – lots of it! They will offer you set menus. If you ask for lower cost items, they may “forget” or simply neglect to offer you any options. Do not assume you have to accept what they offer. In fact, you should look at their standard prices and then tell them that your budget only allows you to spend x amount which happens to be 25-50% less than their standard price. Ask what they can do for that price. Then wait patiently……even if they say that is not possible. Say something like: “We understand. We will continue to explore other options in this area, but we really would like to work with you because we like _______ about your facility and would like to have our event here. We are very flexible and would entertain ideas for box lunches or less food or whatever might lower the cost of the meals. Why don’t you talk with your chef and see what ideas you can present to us the next time we meet?

Negotiate
If they come back with alternatives, give them serious consideration even if, as is likely, they will come in higher than your “budget.” Remember, this is a negotiation: they ask for more than they actually need to get, you ask for a lower price than you can actually pay, they come down a bit, you go up a bit and both of you end up happy! If they do not bend at all – go to another hotel. The only reason you should accept the upfront offer on meals is if they have been extremely generous with the rest of the contract. Some hotels have high food costs or, again, labor unions or agreements with labor that make the margin on their meals slimmer than other hotels. So, they might offer more free meeting space, free use of audio-visuals, etc. – things that are fixed costs so don’t really “cost” them anything to offer. Meals, on the other hand, cost them food and labor. So, be reasonable but do negotiate on the meals, on room rates, meeting space, peripherals, water in meeting rooms, etc.

It is important that you realize that hotels expect you to negotiate and most are quite willing to do so. If they’re not, it means they have a “corner on the market” and don’t need your business……which probably means that you can’t afford them. Many of us feel uncomfortable about negotiating – we feel that we are somehow offending the person or being unfair. While you want to care about how you treat the person you are negotiating with, you also need to remember that it isn’t personal! They are doing their job and they expect you to do yours.

Don’t accept penalties
One of the best hotel negotiators I know simply takes the initial contract and strikes through all of the penalty clauses and writes $0 in the penalty amount slots, adds in what she wants and gives it back to them. In twelve years of business, for example, LeaderResources has never signed a hotel contract with a potential penalty built in. We simply tell them we are unable to make that kind of commitment. So, they either find a way to get our business without any penalty clauses, or we will go elsewhere. Somehow the hotels always find a way to accommodate that requirement. This will be harder as your event gets larger (ours tend to be about 50 people) but you can still do it. Simply insist that you can’t risk any penalties. Ask them what they need from you instead. Usually it means that they can’t guarantee you the room rate after a certain date or perhaps that they can’t guarantee rooms if it grows over a certain size. Try to locate your event in an area where there are other nearby hotels so if your event grows, some people will simply have to walk or even drive a ways to get to the main hotel. That’s a lot better that staring at a $96,000 potential penalty for canceling or cutting back the size of your event!! The penalty “threat” will haunt you if there is any reason why your event doesn’t go as planned.

Be firm; be gracious
Throughout this entire process, be firm but gracious. Thank the staff for any assistance they provide. Compliment them on whatever you find impressive. Affirm their efforts. Remember, they are people and you are asking them to go to bat for you – which may mean taking some heat from their boss. They are far more likely to be accommodating if you are affirming than if you are an unpleasant customer right at the outset.

Be prepared to leave
Starting a negotiation with a hotel does not obligate you to holding your event there. Go into your negotiations prepared to chose a site other than the hotel you are negotiating with today. That’s why having a couple of options is so important. Those options give you the strength to be firm……you really can say: “I understand your position, but this is simply not acceptable to us and we will be taking this event elsewhere. Thank you for your time.”

Always leave on good terms – you never know when you might need them again. But be prepared to leave. Often we worry about hurting people’s feelings – remember that this is their job, not their life. They are not likely to actually care all that much about whether you host your event at their hotel or not! Your responsibility is to get the best deal possible for your group. The hotel is going to take care of their needs to make money. If they can’t accommodate your needs, it quite likely that another hotel down the street will. So, be prepared to go to them instead of paying more or working with a staff that is unpleasant or incompetent.

Be thankful
Basic courtesy requires you to write the primary staff person(s) a brief thank you note. It also is good politics – if you have another event in a year or two, they are more likely to be helpful if you are courteous. If any single member of the staff goes above and beyond the call of duty, find out that person’s name and write a letter to the hotel manager commending him or her for that action. These letters mean a great deal to a person – not just because they say nice things but because they often impact pay and promotions. They also re-enforce behaviors that will benefit future hotel guests – maybe even you at a later date. Even if you said something to staff verbally, take the time to put these “thank you’s” in writing. They go into personnel files and on bulletin boards. And, Lord knows, the people who clean our rooms, serve our meals and do our laundry rarely get an affirming word. If you see something that is commendable, take the time to commend it!

Additions welcome
We hope you will find this helpful. If we missed something or you have had an experience you’d like us to address or advice you’d like to offer, please feel free to send it to staff@LeaderResources.org.