Article contributed by Dr. Ivan Misner.
Traditions & Innovation – Core Values Video #5 Transcript – By Dr. Ivan Misner, Founder of BNI
Say what? Traditions plus Innovation isn’t that a contradiction?
Actually, it’s not because both are important, you see traditions tell us who we are as an organisation. Traditions stem from the playing out of our core values. They help us make a company, what it is. They also, tell the world, about who we are as an organisation.
One way to maintain and develop an organisational culture and ethos is to introduce and celebrate a variety of traditions. Disney has been a master at this concept by training all new employees on the traditions of the organisation. This is something that BNI does as well. Strong traditions that are applied throughout an organisation are one of the best ways to maintain a healthy organisational culture.
So, what are some of our traditions? Well, they would include things like:
- The effective use of visitor hosts to make visitors feel welcome when they come to BNI.
- Having a structured and organised meeting based on a system that we apply every week.
- Welcoming New Members to the organisation.
- Recognising members who bring in referrals and visitors”- Recognition, very important.
- And having fun! – It’s important to keep the FUN in fundamentals.
I know I have been to a great BNI group, when I go to meeting and see a really well-run group and walk out with my cheeks hurting because I have been laughing or smiling so much. “Having a good time in a structured environment”. Is one of BNI’s traditions.
The BNI meeting that exists today is a lot different than the one that existed when I started BNI in 1985. Over the years we have innovated and added things into our systems that are now part of our traditions but were innovations at the time. Like what you might ask? The Visitor Host, yes, the Visitor Host was added on later when we realised visitors didn’t know what to do when they showed up. The Education Coordinator, the referral reality check. That’s the quality control part of our meeting. As well as many other parts of the meeting, where ideas that first started as “approved” innovations. That were tried and tested in many areas before being tried globally. Years later, our podcasts, and videos were added. Today, innovations in technology relating to BNI Connect and Apps.
Many years ago, I was at a public meeting and a competitor to BNI was speaking, she said that they had not changed anything since there founder had created the organisation several years earlier. I sat in the audience and I thought awesome, absolutely awesome. Because companies that don’t innovate stagnate! There are many ways to innovate, technology is only one of them, we have done many things over the years and I’m really glad we did. BNI today is a much better organised system and process as a result of it.
Traditions plus innovation, this is one of our core values, because we believe highly in both. It is a core value that is key to the continuing health of our organisational culture. Traditions, what you value, increases in value. Traditions are the result of that.
Innovation, if you don’t innovate you stagnate.
Innovation is important for any successful organisation.
Traditions plus innovation, a core value that helps create a healthy organisational culture.
This has been “Traditions + Innovations” in the BNI core value series. Watch the video here: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-pEP3-QU6fI
Please take a few minutes to hear about the next core value for BNI “Positive Attitude” this is Dr Ivan Misner founder of BNI thanks for watching.
