As Mr Burke so succinctly put it: “No passion so effectually robs the mind of all its powers of acting and reasoning as fear”.

How does fear express itself in BNI? In many ways:

It expresses itself in the member who covers several categories and wants to keep them all to him or herself. For example, perhaps the graphic designer keeps printers out of the chapter because of his or her ability to broker print.

By denying the chapter another productive and profitable member, not only do your fellow members lose out on opportunities for referrals and profitable relationships, but the designer denies him or herself an opportunity to form a networking partnership.

We do this because we fear losing out on referrals, or because we fear the newcomer will be more popular, or more credible, or that they will take business away from us… but very often the fear is just an insubstantial dread that won’t stand up in the cold light of logic.

Fear expresses itself in our holding back on getting a referral for somebody because we’re worried that something might go wrong, or we fear not having control or perhaps losing out on an opportunity we could take for ourselves.

How is fear it affecting you?

The next time you feel a momentary panic about something, pause and examine it. Try to get to the bottom of it and study it with some cold logic, then replace it with the spirit of ‘Givers Gain’.

Remember, if everybody in the chapter were solely focussed on finding referrals for fellow members, we would all do enormously well.

“In life we don’t get what we want, we get in life what we are. If we want more we have to be able to be more, in order to be more you have to face rejection.” – Farrah Gray.

No matter what your fear is, it’s doing you damage. Generosity is a far more profitable substitute.

Colin Kennedy is a keynote speaker, writer and marketing consultant at Iron Road. As BNI New Zealand’s marketing director he is responsible for the organisation’s communications strategy, and also serves as an assistant director for North Central region of BNI.

Nelson based BNI Network at Nine recently did some fundraising for Nelson Hospice and invited the hospice’s fundraising committee member Elspeth Kennedy to address the chapter and accept a cheque for $500.00

BNI regional director Craig Lawson said the chapter has also asked Elspeth what the hospice needed and was told that the nurses and doctors would appreciate tea and coffee as it is an on-going cost.

“Network at Nine presented Elspeth with $200.00 worth of coffee and one of our members has organised a local coffee roaster to donate Coffee to the organisation each month.”

Pictured at the handover are Elspeth Kennedy, Hospice Champion Jason Petterson (Gusto Design) and Craig Lawson.

The chapter’s events coordinator Richard Yallop says his partner Jacqui Bain had the idea after they held a spit roast as a house warming recently.

“One of our businesses, a WOF testing station call City Motors, is on one of the main roads of Whangarei, which makes an ideal venue for the spit roast this Saturday, 19 May.”

“There are no tickets as such, just a gold coin donation gets a lamb sandwich and a note donation gets a beer or a wine. We’re also going to have face painting and a jumping castle for the children,” he said.

BNI Monaco member Paul Brockie recently donated a signed All Whites football top – from the New Zealand versus Jamaica game in February – to Nelson Hospice. The presentation took place recently at the Nelson Golf Club where BNI Monaco meets.

Pictured during the handover are from left BNI Director Nelson/Marlborough Craig Lawson, Paul Brockie (BNI Monaco) and Nelson Hospice fundraising committee member Elspeth Kennedy.

Paul’s son Jeremy plays for the All Whites and for Newcastle in the A League. Paul donated his son’s signed jersey to the hospice to be auctioned or raffled.

Paul said he would like to thank Cindy Pearless from Nelson Hospice nursing staff for instigating this fundraiser.

Funding Development Manager at Hospice North Shore, Gaynor Larsen, said the hospice would be delighted if BNI chapters would get behind their “Hospice Cuppa” campaign.

“Hospice North Shore has joined with Mercy and West Auckland Hospices with this campaign and we are all contacting special business supporters asking if they will consider Hosting a Cuppa. BNI’s in Auckland City and West Auckland might also be interested in supporting this initiative although I expect the Hospice team from Mercy and West Auckland may contact them.”

While Hospice Appeal Week is 13 – 20th May, Hospice Cuppa can be anytime, preferably, but not restricted to, the May- June period.

This is how it works:

Businesses who sign up to Host a Hospice Cuppa, will receive a Host Pack which includes:

* Tea & Coffee provided by Dilmah Tea & Caffe L’Affare
* Recipe ideas provided by 2011 Masterchef, Nadia Lim
* Invitations
* Donation forms

“The Hospice Cuppa Host arranges a morning or afternoon tea and together with help from our Host pack provides the food and beverage, invites staff and/or clients. Attendees make a donation to Hospice North Shore.

“In organisations where there are teams/departments it may be that each team has a Hospice Cuppa, or one team plays Host, inviting the rest of the organisation to their Hospice Cuppa. Some organisations have incorporated raffles, casual Fridays, baby photo competitions – it’s only limited by your imagination!

“All (Hospice North Shore) Hosts and guests also will go into the draw to win a High Tea experience for six at the beautiful “Peace & Plenty” in Devonport (North Shore) and all participating businesses go into a draw to win a morning tea platter delivered to their workplace courtesy of the Luscious Foodstore.

“We have a rather exciting launch for this campaign coming up on Thursday 3rd May 11am – Midday.”

For more information, or a copy of the invitation, or a flyer for you to use, email Gaynor at GaynorL@nshospice.org.nz

“I would also suggest that businesses joining in our Cuppa Campaign, identify which BNI group they are part of as money raised can go towards the cost of the annual Sky TV Sponsorship in our In Patient Unit which many BNI groups are raising money towards.

“We would love to have you join us on Thursday 3rd and of course love your help with this Cuppa campaign, which we are hoping will become an annual event,” Gaynor said.

To help with fundraising in the meantime, Kiwibank North Shore Business Banking and BNI Hibiscus Coast have teamed up to present:

THE PHOENIX DANCE AND SOCIAL

Helping Hibiscus Hospice rise from the ashes

Saturday 26 May 7.30 pm

Dairy Flat Community Hall, Postmans Road, Dairy Flat

Tickets $30 per person

All ticket proceeds go to Hibiscus Hospice

Tickets are now on sale, but are limited to just 200. If you and your friends would like to come along for a great night out, you can purchase tickets by contacting Rosemary Miller at Kiwibank on 09 4755019. A copy of the ticket images is attached.

There are also “Can’t make it to the Dance” tickets for people who can’t make it on the night and still want to contribute – effectively a donation to Hospice. All proceeds from both types of tickets go to Hibiscus Hospice.

For more information, contact Patrick Hackett, email: Patrick.Hackett@kiwibank.co.nz

Not everyone seems to agree with the sentiments of the article.  If you are interested, feel free to follow the link to a blog in Cambridge, UK where a lively discussion is currently underway about the various types of networking groups that exist and the merits and drawbacks of each.  Contributors to date include BNI Founder and Chairman – Dr Ivan Misner.  To join in the discussion – and have your say; CLICK HERE

Whether you are remaining a regular member of your chapter, or stepping up to the leadership team, it really is in your interests to take this seriously and be asking some questions of your new leaders or yourself (if you have taken a leadership role).

Make no mistake, the success of your chapter and the number of referral you get in the next six months will hinge on leadership.

How to recognise a good leadership team member

A good leader…

* Sees the leadership team role as an opportunity – to develop personally and to increase his or her profile (and flow of referrals) in the chapter.

* Put their name forward for the LT role or responded readily when asked.

* Is assertive enough to put the interests of the chapter first.

* Attends training – even for the tenth time – because they recognise they can ‘never know it all’.

* Is a good communicator. They communicate regularly and are responsive.

* Is enthusiastic. BNI team leadership is a social skill and so, above all, they need positive enthusiasm and energy.

If you notice a common denominator of what defines a good leader is “attitude”, you would be right on the money.

It doesn’t matter if a person has been a BNI member for even just three months – if they have enthusiasm, passion and drive they and their chapters will thrive.

Colin Kennedy is a keynote speaker, writer and content marketing consultant. As BNI New Zealand’s marketing director he is responsible for the organisation’s communications strategy, and also serves as an assistant director for North Central region of BNI.

It started out as an idea for a sausage sizzle and ended as a an auction and social night for a hundred people which raised 5,845.00 for the Waipuna Hospice in the Bay of Plenty.

Events Co-ordinator for BNI In The Bay Chapter and General Manager of Classic Cuisine, Paulina Schumacher, says people now joke that she ‘got a little carried away”.

“From the sausage sizzle idea we moved on to thinking about getting all the chapters together for one big social event where people could meet other BNI members in the region and network.”

Tauranga Racecourse donated the venue – with necessities like the projector – and sponsored a prize, while Classic Cuisine provide catering services and food at cost.

“Both Tauranga Racecourse and Classic Cuisine sponsored the event because we also wanted to celebrate the fact that Classic Cuisine now has exclusive rights to catering all functions for Tauranga Racecourse,” says Paulina.

Members were invited to donate their products and services for the auction. Examples of some packages include a skydiving freebie combined with free chiropractic care, an electrician’s WOF, a free house marketing package, 20 free visits to a chiropractor, a weekend leisure package including car and batch, and free day at the races in the Sponsor’s Lounge.

BNI National Director Graham Southwell attended the event on behalf of BNI New Zealand.

“I’m always blown away to see how BNI members really get behind Hospice and, in so doing, have so much fun and accomplish so much for their own businesses,” he said.