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Emotions are an unavoidable part of what it is to be human and while it’s impossible not to have emotions it is possible to suppress their expression and manage the behaviours behind them. Obvious emotions such as anger, fear or not feeling valued have been the cause of many negotiations escalating out of control, often destroying relationships and demolishing any possible negotiated outcome. However, there is one emotion (to me) that seems responsible for more failures than most; Pride! My observation is that during many negotiations using the Negotiation Cards it is Pride that has often been the source of a failed negotiated outcome over many other types of emotion. As an inwardly directed emotion it rightly suffers a negative connotation referring to the foolishly and irrationally corrupt sense of one's personal value. You may have heard of the term “Pride before a fall”. When you review your practical practice negotiations you have the huge benefit of finding out exactly where each party has a line in the sand and so when an outcome is not agreed, when there is an obvious agreement available, then I suggest it is Pride that fails us. Think carefully about your actions, what it was that you were thinking AND feeling. By recognising these emotions you are in a far better place to be able to manage them when you need to.

The only way to become a member of a Negotiation Club is to be invited by a Club Owner. So first you need to contact the Club Owner and ask if you would be able to join. Each Club will have its own specific requirements for membership qualification, ranging from being a very open type membership to a company specific membership where only those employees are able to participate. You will also find some Clubs provide a free membership while others will have a monthly or annual charge. More details may be explained in the Club profile pages or you will be informed by the Club Owner. If you achieve the Club membership requirements then the Club Owner will send you an invite and you will have 48 hours to respond. They will need your name and email address to achieve this.

You should hold an Annual General Meeting (AGM) once a year. This is when you inform your Club’s members about the Clubs performance for the year, sharing membership statistics, performance measures, financial information and approve your annual accounts. Many Clubs use this as an opportunity to involve their members in a celebration of their achievements.

The TNC promotes Good governance through a combination of the 5 principles of governance; Principle 1: Leadership - Act in the best Interest of the club. - Define the role of the committee members and evaluate their performance. - Establish a balanced competency based committee. - Set the clubs vision and mission and provide leadership on the strategy. Principle 2: Exercise control over your club - Establish effective controls. - Identify and comply with all relevant legal and regulatory requirements. - Ensure that there are appropriate internal financial and management controls. - Identify major risks for your club and plan on how you will manage these risks. Principle 3: Be transparent and accountable - Act with transparency and be accountable to members. - Focus on membership. - Identify those who have a legitimate interest in the work of your club (stakeholders) and make sure that there is regular and effective communication with them about our club. - Respond to stakeholders’ questions or views about the work of your club and how you run it. - Encourage and enable the engagement of those who benefit from your club in the planning and decision-making of the club. - Act with transparency and be accountable to stakeholders. - Focus on membership. Principle 4: Work effectively - Engage with other clubs and the TNC - Work as a team. - Make sure that your committee, individual members and volunteers understand their role, legal duties, and delegated responsibility for decision-making. - Make sure that the committee exercises their collective responsibility through committee meetings that are efficient and effective. - Make sure there are suitable board recruitment, development and retirement processes in place. Principle 5: Behave with integrity - Promote good governance throughout the club. - Be honest, fair and independent. - Understand, declare and manage conflicts of interest and conflicts of loyalties. - Protect and promote your clubs reputation.

A Club Constitution plays a vital role in supporting your Clubs Goals and Objectives. So you will need to carefully consider the most appropriate aspects for your particular Clubs circumstances. A Template in our Download Resources section with a step-by-step guide should help you understand the important role an agreed TNC Club Constitution plays and we can assist you in drafting your very own. Whether you plan to be a small/niche Club or a large, closed corporate Club... your Constitution will provide guidance to your members, your supporters and for those interested in becoming part of your Club success.