After the New Year break we get Anniversary Weekends and Waitangi Day. With the warm weather across the country for many of us this is a relaxed and quiet time as people slowly get back to business. Chapters throughout New Zealand are meeting weekly now and it’s important that all members show up at each meeting.
Interestingly, BNI members didn’t always meet every week. Back in 1985, there were some groups overseas that met twice a month instead of every week. Those groups were found to pass 52% fewer referrals than groups that met weekly. By 1986, all BNI chapters worldwide moved to meeting weekly.
Statistics from the States show that members who have the fewest absences close the most business. Simply put, fewer absences mean more referrals. According to the figures from the States, three absences in six months (the maximum allowed) lead to 73% less business.
Just as in the US, in New Zealand we tend to find that the chapters that are performing well (according to our Thank You for Closed Business figures) are those with the lowest rates of absenteeism.
Of course, we all face challenges in business and life and sometimes missing a meeting is unavoidable. However, regular absenteeism affects the entire chapter and degrades the quality of the meeting.
So here are some steps to improve attendance in your chapter…
- Understand the BNI policy on attendance: Attendance is critical to our organisation and this is our policy on it: If a member cannot attend, they may send a substitute (not a member of their own chapter) to the meeting, (this will not count as an absence). A member is allowed three absences in any six month period (April through September and October through March). More than this and the individual’s membership may be reviewed by the chapter’s Leadership Team or Membership Committee.
- Maintain records through BNI Connect: There is a saying – if you don’t measure it, it doesn’t exist. The only way to improve things in your chapter is to record important information – including absenteeism – in BNI Connect.
- Set a goal for absences in your chapter: As chapters and members set goals for Thank You for Closed Business so why not set a goal related to absences? Look at what your absences in 2016 were and do better in 2017.
- Don’t let it become the elephant in the room. If there are particular issues with one member related to absenteeism, these should be addressed by the Leadership Team. Have a chat with the member outside of the meeting. By having an open conversation in private, any issues can usually be worked through.
Accountability is one of BNI’s 7 core values. This is such an important value in the contemporary business world. A networking group without accountability is a coffee club. It’s like playing a game of football with no rules. Accountability is a key value at every level of the BNI organisation. Remember to hold yourself accountable by showing up at meetings. If your attendance is poor, you can’t build trust with them. You may seem unreliable and lose your credibility.
When it comes to other member’s profitability, they can’t sell or educate an empty room. Your BNI chapter is your sales team. You want them to show up for you; they need you to show up for them. Be visible at BNI in 2017.
