Through Fresh Eyes

Article contributed by Tony Allwood.

I was recently asked to visit a start up chapter to give a short presentation about some of the building blocks of BNI membership. The chapter, based in Rotorua, has only been meeting for 4 weeks, and only a couple of the members had ever been to BNI before joining.

I knew instantly I was at a BNI meeting, because I was made to feel welcome. As more members arrived, I was introduced to, and talked to several. We sat down as the meeting commenced, and worked step by step through the agenda. As the chapter had only been in existence less than a month some of the parts of the meeting were a little bit ’empty’ but rather than skip over and ignore the section, an explanation was given about what that part of the meeting was about, both for the benefit of the first time visitors and of the newly joined members. As each member stood up and spoke, already I could see that people were ‘getting into’ the concept of the one minute presentation, some had memory hooks, and some openly admitted to being like fish out of water.

Over the last nine years I have been to BNI at least once a week, and the meeting I attended in Rotorua, has to feature as one of the highlights. It was so great to see people getting to grips with system and concept of BNI, learning and supporting each other, and building the core that will become a very solid and successful chapter. It is so easy when you ‘know’ something so well to become blasé and forget what it was like to learn, seeing it through their new eyes was like seeing it for the first time again.

As the meeting progressed, I was sitting listening to the agenda being conducted, mistakes were made, but nothing too huge, it was very much like watching a child learn to walk, I had to hold myself back from jumping in, because I could see they we on the right lines, and didn’t need my help. In a couple of weeks everything will gel and the meeting will flow smoothly.

I felt honoured at the end of the meeting to have had the chance to be involved in helping the chapter along its way. The meeting had been filled with laughter, comradeship and support, I have little doubt that they will succeed. So, if you know anyone in Rotorua who wants to join what will be the next ‘Best BNI Chapter In The World’, send them to Millys Cafe on Wednesday morning.

As with every BNI meeting I attend I went away feeling great and inspired for the day. The visit to that chapter of ‘newbies’ has given me a determination to look at my own BNI activity in a new way. We all think we walk the BNI walk, and talk the BNI talk, but maybe we have learned the script too well, and need to ad lib a little in our BNI activity. When you walk into your chapter meeting next week, try to remember what it was like the first time you visited, when you didn’t know everything, when you were not sitting in your BNI comfort zone, and try to do something differently.

 About Tony Allwood: Tony Allwood is a 9 year BNI member in both UK and NZ. Tony has held every position within his chapter’s leadership teams and has written a book about getting more from your BNI membership called “beyond the comfort zone”. He is currently an active member of BNI Waikato Metro. You can read sample chapters online and purchase the book at www.beyondthecomfortzone.net