The Leadership Team work together to help the chapter meet its goals. A good Leadership Team makes the President’s job easy by carrying out their roles effectively, adding to their own visibility and credibility.
The President is someone who is likely to be a respected member of the group, a high BNI performer and who wants to help the group do even better!
- Provides Leadership & Vision
- Leads the meeting through the BNI Agenda
- Chairs regular Leadership Team meetings
- Ensures the chapter achieves its goals by making sure the Leadership Team carry out their roles effectively
- Helps choose the next President (In consultation with the BNI Director Consultant)
The Vice President is likely to be a detail oriented member who makes numbers interesting and who is not afraid to follow up and help members who aren’t meeting group expectations.
- Records the weekly PALMS and marks visitor attendance
- Prepares and presents the weekly Vice President’s Report including statistics and progress towards the chapter goals
- Chairs the Membership Committee
- Oversees membership renewals
- Manages the application process
The Education Coordinator is usually someone who is confident speaking in front of a group of people and can make the most boring of subjects fun, interesting and motivational.
- Researches and presents a weekly Education Nugget/Moment that helps the chapter get more from their BNI membership
- Organises the weekly Speaker Roster and ensures the Speaker is prepared with a door prize
- Introduces the Weekly Speaker
Note: BNI Policy is that the speaker has completed BNI Membership Success Programme (MSP) training before their first feature (10 minute) presentation.
An effective Visitor Host team is one of the hidden elements of BNI and typically they are made up of a mix of experienced and newer members who are very positive, welcoming and prepared to do more than just help at the meeting.
- Phone invited visitors before the meeting to explain where to go, what to bring and what to expect
- Arrive at the meeting early to greet visitors and members
- Briefly introduce visitors and subs to the meeting and report about progress with prior visitors
- Meet with visitors at end of meeting to explain the application process and invite them to apply
- Follow up with first time visitors prior to next meeting
- Form the Membership Committee alongside the Vice President
A good Secretary Treasurer can go unnoticed, like a good Rugby Referee, but a bad one can cause real problems. It’s not a role that needs a bookkeeper or accountant, just someone who is diligent and detailed focussed.
- Review chapter fee regularly to make sure it is sufficient for the chapter’s needs
- Makes sure all members are paying chapter fees
- Report each week on how much money the chapter has and what it is needed for
- Pay the costs the chapter decide are to be paid from chapter fees
- Help make sure visitors understand the difference between chapter fees and the BNI membership fee
Chapter events can often help build trust and referrals between members. Helping a charity really build camaraderie in the group. The Events Co-Ordinator/Hospice Champion is likely a member who is outstanding at organising events and motivating people to attend them.
- Advises the chapter of upcoming training opportunities
- Coordinates arrangements for chapter social events and seasonal events (at least one per leadership term)
- Liaises with their local hospice to organise reciprocal visits
- Organises hospice fundraising events
Social Media Coordinator – If the group wants to use social media to communicate with the group and the business community, having a person specifically appointed to the role makes sense. Obviously it would be someone that enjoys, uses and understands social media.
- Maintains and posts to the chapter’s social media pages and/or groups
- Promotes the chapter and the members through social media
The New Member Mentor – will typically be someone warm and positive that loves the group and has a good understanding of BNI. Often the immediate past President is the ideal person.
- Helps new members understand the BNI basics and feel part of the group
- Completes a one to one with each new member within a week of their induction
- Uses the BNI “Passport for Success” booklet (as shown) as a basis for the one to one
An effective Membership Committee is crucial for ensuring the chapter selects new members who are a good fit. They also help members understand and meet the group’s expectations of them.
- Made up of the Vice President and the Visitor Hosts
- Responsible for the application and renewal processes
- They ensure the BNI rules are understood and followed by members
