The Importance of BNI Member Success Program

 This article was written by Sam Williamson a BNI Member from New Zealand.

Online BNI Member Success Program (MSP) Training

1 November 2019 by Sam Williamson

Member Success Program (MSP) training which is completed via our BNI University online learning platform is very important to each members success. MSP is core learning that every new member needs to complete to get up to speed with BNI for two reasons:

1. To ensure that they get value from BNI themselves. 

2. That they become and effective team member for the benefit of their fellow members.

The online MSP is easy to do, doesn’t take much time and the feedback we have had from members has been very positive. MSP is continuing education, just like is found in other professions e.g. legal, accounting, insurance, real estate etc.

Professional Development

Who is in a trade or profession that requires them to complete professional development hours to stay up to date and on form

BNI is no different, BNI provides professional development modules via BNI University to assist you throughout your BNI Career and in your business.

One of the core learnings every member needs is our Member Success Programme (MSP) training. Think of this as BNI Basic training, it is designed to get the member up to speed quickly so that they get the most out of their membership and become and effective team member of the chapter.

It is also a suitable as refresher for longer term members.

Lifelong Learning is our 2nd core value in BNI – we believe in continuous improvement of personal and professional skills.

Success always comes through a process of expansion and learning!

The More you Learn, the more your earn.  Also, Members must complete MSP prior to being added to the speaker rotation.

Please speak with your Leadership Team or your Director if you have any questions.

In Appreciation,

Annette

BNI Area Director.

Are you being Productive or Are You Stalled?

So how are you doing?  How are you surviving in your personal life and with your business?  I ask because I talk to a lot of people and for the most part, most are positive and making things work for them as best they can.  They are finding ways to work and be productive, perhaps differently than before, but making it still the same.  Others are thriving and are hiring because their business has picked up considerably.

Here's an article I found that I thought was helpful 'Tough Times Never Last, but Tough people do - Staying Positive during the Pandemic.'

I would like to highlight some of the key points for me in this article.

• The article talked about everything coming to a halt, but yet BNI found a way for us to continue to network.  No, it wasn't what we were used to, but the online meetings have provided BNI members a way to continue to meet with our referral teams and referral partners.  Many chapters increased their members, have had no attrition, and increased their revenue and referrals over this time last year.  The overall revenue for the BNI Atlanta franchise is up over last year's numbers at the same time.  BNI Global YTD revenue is over $6 Billion dollars.  Referrals are still being passed.  Business is still being done.  

• Ask for and be willing to accept help.  Often times just talking with someone will help us to sort it all out.  No one has all the answers or definitively knows what is best or not.  Many times we have to figure that out for ourselves and hearing someone else's perspective can help.  It's those relationships we've built (perhaps with other BNI members) that can perhaps be our sounding board now.
• Step back and reflect.  Find some stress relievers.  Take a walk, read a book, watch a movie, etc.  Whatever works for you.  Just do something that will take your mind off the stress.  
• Be grateful.  Good comes from everything.  Yes, even the tough times.  It may be a learning experience.  One person recently told me that they had just had a baby and that the quarantine had been great for them, because both parents were able to be home.
• Avoid negative people.  There will be those who there is no talking to.  No reasoning with.  Let them have their pity party and decline their invitation to participate.  Sometimes you can't help the person who is drowning because they have the weight of negativity strapped to them.
• Take care of you.  Mind, body, and spirit.  Because you can't help anyone else, if you can't take care of yourself.

Crisis times are the best times to re-evaluate the meaning of life. It gives you a hard lesson on what things are really important and what isn't? A reality check. It also brings out the best in you, in every form, but especially as a good human being.

The choice is ours. We can either wallow in self-pity, play the victim card or we can choose to face it, make ourselves stronger and come out more powerful. Let's learn how to stay positive and keep our spirits high during such tough times. All it needs is a different outlook, a different approach. 

For the Leadership Teams, I thank you all for stepping up and being positive through all of this.  On a recent Director call they shared the video of Captain Sullenberger, 'Scully,' landing his plane in the Hudson.  They titled it 'Leadership Under Stress.'  Whilst all of this has been difficult and stressful, you did what you needed to do to lead your team.  And while some of you and your members are very anxious to get back to face to face, please be patient.  As BNI provided us with a way to keep networking, they will provide us with a plan to transition back to face to face that will ensure the safety of our members.

Here are some additional resources:

Hope is More Powerful than Fear - Dr. Misner

The Gratitude Effect - Dr. Misner

We're All in this Together - Dr. Misner

Inviting Visitors is Easier Online - Dr. Misner

We are Certain of Uncertainty and it's OK - Hazel Walker

I encourage you to access the podcasts via BNI University so that you show up on the Leader board for your Chapter and your area.  To make it easier, you can also download the app to your smart device.  It's available from ITunes and Google.  Also, be sure and report your CEUs, 1 hour = 1 CEU.

Let me know if you have any questions and how I can be of help.  

 

To Your Success,

 

Annette Mason

Area Director Consultant

Mentoring Makes Money

Do you see your BNI Chapter numbers decreasing more than you see your chapter's TYFCB increasing?  Are members leaving the chapter because they are not getting the value for their membership?

Having a worthwhile Mentoring Program can be just the ticket to strengthening your chapter's income and Power Team numbers.  New Members frequently find BNI systems and processes confusing.  Developing a relationship of trust with a BNI Mentor is often just the thing a new member needs to become a better chapter contributor (which makes all members more money) and makes everyone's BNI membership more worthwhile.

BNI Mentors don't just strengthen their knowledge of BNI systems and processes by being a Mentor, they also have a chance to take a leadership role in their BNI Chapter to also create trust within the group which is key to bigger, better referrals.  Plus your Mentee is sure to never forget how helpful their Mentor is/was.

Being a BNI Mentor is important to both the Mentor, the New Member, but also to the entire BNI Chapter.  When you first become a Mentor you might not fully understand your role or what you can contribute to your Mentee, but whether you still feel new to BNI, or you've been there for ages - you have a lot to contribute to your Chapter (and your business) by being a BNI Mentor.

The BNI Mentoring Program works best when Mentors and Mentees meet weekly for the first few months.

Here is a list of things a Mentor might want to cover with their Mentee:

• Improving BNI Infomercial. Teach what are five key elements to an effective Weekly presentation.  Being 'specific is terrific.'
• Explanation and Preparation for “I have…” section of the meeting
• Invitee brainstorm to build list for the New Member’s Personal Visitor’s Day / Ribbon Cutting
• Feedback from Mentor and/or Chapter Members on the New Member’s most-recent-meeting contribution.
• Clarification of any BNI systems and processes. (E.g. “How do I report my CEUs, One to Ones, etc.?” Reporting TYFCB. GivingTestimonials; etc.)
• 10-minute presentation Preparation (E.g. “What should I say in my 10-minute presentation?”; “Who do I want coming to my 10-minute presentation?”; “What technology can I use?”; “How do I keep to my time limit?”; etc.)
• Work through the BNI “Passport Success Program” and “Member to Success Program" - answer questions, provide clarification, etc.  
• Why it's important to complete the Member to Success program ASAP
• Completing their online profile and the fact it is available outside of BNI.
• Completing their GAINs profile and providing it to other members prior to having a One to One

Yes, being a Mentor is extremely important to new members as well as the chapter and it's the #1 way to live the Givers Gain philosophy.  Getting new members off to a good start learning how BNI works makes them more successful and by them being contributing members it helps the entire chapter be more successful and increases the bottom line.

Additional resources:
Tim Roberts podcast - Benefits of being a Mentor 

In appreciation,

Annette

Leadership

This time of year the new incoming Leadership Team is getting prepared to take on their new positions as of October 1st.  There is BNI University online training as well as their attendance at one of the BNI Regional Summits.

So what does it mean to be a leader in BNI?  It means that the member has made the decision to step up and serve his or her chapter beyond that of just being a member.  This gives the member an opportunity to build their credibility within their chapter as well as the BNI community.  Often times members who make this commitment are tenured members, but then again it can be a newer member who is looking to be more involved.  Either way, BNI provides the training, mentoring, and guidance for each member to learn what they need to carry out their role and responsibilities successfully.

One of the most valued aspect of BNI is the training that is provided.  In Podcast #214, Dr. Misner asks the question, 'Would you want to fly in a plane with a person who had not been to pilot training?'  Yes, I realize that BNI training is not quite as critical as a pilot's training, however we do want our leaders trained in the best practices of their position.  

Many times I hear, well I've been with BNI for a number of years, why do I have to go thru this training?  Because things change.  BNI is always working to improve and to provide better ways of doing things.  And BNI wants everyone to be the best at their position as possible and for them to know what resources they have at their disposable to do their jobs successfully.  After all, most people are expected to take additional training in his/her given business to stay up to date with their field.  

The Leaders in a BNI Chapter set the tone and the pace of the Chapter.  If they are positive and working towards the good and goals of the chapter, then the members also want to be a part of that.  Speaking of Goals, now is the time the Leadership Team set the Goals for their upcoming term.  Where do you want to see your chapter a year from now?  What do you want your legacy to be?  How do you plan to achieve your goals?  Success just doesn't happen by accident, it takes creating a vision, establishing goals, and creating activities (mechanisms) to achieve those goals.

Keys to a Successful Year in Leadership:

1. Get Everyone on the Team Trained - Online and Live Summit

2.  Create a Chapter Vision and Set Chapter Goals

3.  Set Expectations - Share the Vision and Goals with Chapter

4.  Track Progress and adjust as needed

5.  Provide ongoing Recognition and Celebrate Success

Your Support Team is here to help you, i.e. Your Director Consultant, Area Director, Senior Director, and Executive Directors.  If you or your chapter need help or have questions, reach out.

Here are some additional resources:

Why Leadership Training

Host Leadership

5 Dysfunctions of a Team

8 Rules for World Class Leadership

Dog Sled Leadership

Behaviors and Credibility

For previous articles on Leadership refer to my Notably Green Blog.

And join the Facebook Group - Notably Green

I encourage you to access the podcasts via BNI University so that you show up on the Leader board for your Chapter and your area.  To make it easier, you can also download the app to your smart device.  It's available from ITunes and Google.  Also, be sure and report your CEUs, 1 hour = 1 CEU.

Let me know if you have any questions and how I can be of help.  

 

To Your Success,

 

Trying Something New

From April 2019

 I am a creature of habit, I'll admit, and I am not a fan of change. As I started out for my run on Saturday, I couldn't go my usual way. We live on a street that circles around and blends into the main street for the neighborhood. I couldn't go my usual way because my neighbor had the road blocked with his truck and trailer. So rather than waiting for him to clear the road, I decided to just go the other way. Gosh, did that feel strange. Although this is the same road, it just seemed so different to go the other way. It took getting back on the regular route before I felt comfortable again. Although I was doing the same thing, my walk/run routine, just starting out in a different direction made it seem so strange.

Have you ever started something new? Or tried doing something a different way? Did it feel uncomfortable to start with? Did you continue with the new way or revert back to the same old way you've always done things?

This makes me think of all those motivational seminars I've been to and the speaker asking you to fold your arms a certain way that was comfortable and then asking you to fold them a different way. The different way was not uncomfortable per se, it just felt different. That's kind of how it is when we want something to change, but we want it to be comfortable. Or we want to change, and we want to get it right the first time, so that the process or the new thing will be easy. Nope, it just doesn't work that way usually. Typically, when 

we try or attempt to do something new, it's going to feel uncomfortable and/or at least different until we get used to it. Until we train it to muscle memory and make it a habit.

So how can we make change more comfortable? How can we establish the habits/routines we need to make? Here are my thoughts.....

-        I think one of the first ways is, we have to commit to the change. Sometimes that means doing some research, reading some articles, watching some videos, talking to people, etc. to see how other people are doing the thing we want to do. Learning what has worked for others and figuring out what we feel will work best for us. However, while research is a good thing to do, some people suffer from analysis paralysis in that they can't start anything new until they've done all the research in the world and have everything down to a science before they start. These are the folks that will give you every excuse there is for why they can't or won't start something new.

- Secondly, I think we have to commit to a start date. Most people start new things at the beginning of a new year - by making their new year's resolutions. Some start on a Monday. The point is, you must decide and start and also commit to give the change time. Most say it takes doing something 40 times or 40 days to commit it to habit.

-        Third - Realize we're not going to be perfect the first couple of times we try our new thing. We are going to stumble and mumble, but that's OK, as we learn to do the thing the correct way. Think in terms of a ball player practicing their craft. They spend hours swinging a bat or throwing a ball in order to get better and better. We will get better the more we do the thing.

-        Fourth - Track our progress. How are we going to get better if we don't have some sort of measurement? Progress is progress regardless of how small. How do we eat an elephant? One small bite at a time.

Fifth - Critique, adjust, and stay on track and if we get off track, even starting over. Ask for help. If it's important enough to us, we'll keep on keeping on in order to make the positive changes and develop the positive habits we want to make in our lives.

Often, we are presented with new ways of doing things, i.e. new concepts, new ideas, new procedures, etc. While we hear that others may have tried the new thing and had success, we resist and give reasons as to why we don't think it will work. The 'if it ain't broke, don't fix it' mentality. Yes, I'm guilty and must rationalize as to why it would be beneficial to give the new way a try. Kind of like my scenario of doing my running routine in a different direction. It felt a little strange, but sometimes a change adds new life and vitality to a regular routine. Perhaps doing the same routine a different way will net better results.

Do you remember Mikey? 'Try it, you'll like it.' If we never try it, how do we know if the new way will work better or not?'

What are some things you have tried/changed?  What was your experience?

Here are some additional resources:

Leadership Host

Leadership or Obligation

Dog Sled Leadership

I encourage you to access the podcasts via BNI University so that you show up on the Leaderboard for your Chapter and your area.  To make it easier, you can also download the app to your smart device.  It's available from ITunes and Google.  Also, be sure and report your CEUs, 1 hour = 1 CEU.

Showing up is 80% of Success!

From December 2018

The more you show up, the more money you make and There's hard data to back this up.

 

In podcast #490 - Dr. Misner presents statistics which support that the more members show up the more money members make.  The members who have the fewest absences close the most business. Fewer absences = more referrals. Three absences in six months (the maximum) lead to 73% less business.  I would say then the clique 'Out of sight, Out of mind' is true then when it comes to Showing Up at your BNI meeting every week.

Your BNI Meeting is like meeting with your Best Client!

• Put it on your Calendar - If you had a meeting scheduled with your best client, would you bump them if a new prospect called?
• Schedule around your BNI meeting

But Is just showing up enough? 

It's true that showing up at BNI meetings increases the number of referrals you get, but showing up is just the beginning.   

 

There is another podcast #329 called "Did Woody Allen get it Right?"

 

He told the story of a BNI member who said to him, 'You know, I've been showing up to meetings every week and I'm not getting any referrals.' Dr. Misner's response was that showing up to meetings is only one ingredient in the BNI Attendance Success Formula.

The other Success Ingredients are - Show up Early, Be Prepared, and Be Engaged

• Show up early (15 minutes early) to network - Ever heard this -  
  'If you're on time, you're Late.'
• Every BNI meeting has 15 minutes built into the beginning of the agenda for Open Networking.  Why?  To engage with your fellow BNI members.  To meet the visitors.  Remember visitors are a potential source of business and possible future members.
• Be Prepared -  
  Create a weekly presentation that changes every week and focuses on a small element of your business.   Keep it fresh. Tell your chapter members about all aspects of your business one week at a time.  
• Invite Visitors to introduce to your referral organization.  This builds credibility with your fellow BNI members.
• Bring referrals to other members. Remember this is about giver's gain.
• Be Engaged in the meeting - not watching your phone, not texting, etc.  Turn your phone off and put it away unless you're expecting an emergency call from a family member.  Would you have your phone out if you were meeting with your best client.

And if you Really Want to be Successful - Go the Extra Mile - Go All In  

 

It is not enough just to show up at the meeting each week. You have to do the extras outside the weekly meetings.

• Schedule 1-2-1 meetings with a different person every week. Get to know all the members so you can be a good referral source.  Don't just meet with them one time.  Keep meeting with them on a regular basis to get to know them and their business.  Another good podcast is one by Tim Roberts, BNI US National Director - Power of One to Ones.
• Immerse yourself in education. If you want to do anything well, you need to always be in a learning mode. 'The more you learn, the more you earn.'  Most people have to do some sort of training to keep up to date with their business.  The same applies to BNI.  Learn to be the best networker you can be.  It's part of what you paid for with your BNI membership.
  

• Say yes to becoming a part of your chapter's Leadership/Support team. It's a great way to increase your visibility and, if you do your job well, it increases your credibility - which leads to Profitability.

So, here's my take away. Yes, showing up every week for your chapter meeting is important. However, There is a formula for success that has been perfected over the many years that BNI has been around.   Learn it, understand it and create your own success.

Here are some additional resources:

Podcasts - #490 - Show Up - Make Money

#329 - Did Woody Allen Get it Right

Tim Roberts - Power of One to Ones

Tim Roberts - Schedule Yourself for Success

I encourage you to access the podcasts via BNI University so that you show up on the Leaderboard for your Chapter and your area.  To make it easier, you can also download the app to your smart device.  It's available from ITunes and Google.