What’s your BNI purpose?

I’ve just read how in ancient European monasteries monks walked dark corridors with candles on the toes of their shoes, giving them just enough light to see the next step. It was done to demonstrate their faith in God, but there is also a powerful metaphor for the way we manage our day to day business activities.

Some women may be able to manage it, but most of us can only focus on one thing at a time – if we want to do the task properly, that is.

If you’re like me, setting priorities or goals for the day and then getting on with them while avoiding distractions is the only way to get through the day sometimes.

This is a bit like the monks with the candles on their shoes. One step at a time. On task at a time. It protects us against feeling overwhelmed and is an important productivity tool.

However, the dangers are that…
1. We lose sight of the big picture
2. We focus on fighting fires or taking orders and ignore relationships

In essence we get caught up with ticking things off. Efficient automated production lines churning out products or services.
Our BNI or networking activities can take on the same hue. Attending the meetings becomes a habit. We become accomplished at ad-libbing our 60 second infomercials. We do our dances by asking the right questions and ticking the right boxes. Habit, routine…

The thing with the monks is that while they were concentrating on one step at a time, they still had a higher purpose. They knew where they were headed.

Priorities are good. One step at a time is good – but what’s your plan and purpose within BNI?

If you want to achieve something out of your BNI or your networking, you need a plan and a purpose… anything else is just routine and habit which occasionally coughs up a result.

Ask yourself:
1. What is my purpose for joining BNI and what can I do daily or weekly to accomplish that purpose?
2. How many referrals do I want to give each week?
3. What kind of referrals and how many do I wish to receive?
4. What are the three key messages I need my BNI members to know about me or my business and how can I effectively deliver those key messages time and time again until they become part of my BNI ‘sales team’s’ psyche?
5. Who are the members of my hub in my chapter that I can develop a better relationship with?
Answering some of these questions, plus others, will help you understand your purpose for joining BNI and will help you develop a plan for achieving that purpose.

Good habits, priorities and routines are important productivity tools, but they are wasted effort if you don’t know where you’re going.