We are all in business to make a profit, but business should serve a greater need. Business can be profitable as well as honourable and noble. As business people we can make a difference in communities and individual lives.
The true foundation for success rests in an organization’s culture. Culture eats strategy for breakfast. BNI’s core values help to establish its culture. It’s never too late to be thinking about your core values. Here below are BNI’s 7 core values and why they are so important to us here at BNI:
- Givers Gain. This is the core philosophy of BNI. It’s incredible that so many people in our organisation understand and practice this value. The idea of ‘what goes around comes around’ is intuitive and a key part of successful networking. Remember – it’s a standard to apply to yourself, rather than a sword by which to cut others.
- Building Relationships. This was the foundation of BNI when it was first set up and is what we are all about today. Networking is about building positive, strong relationships.
- Lifelong learning. The more we see members, leadership teams and director consultants immersed in a culture of learning, the more successful our chapters are. More education and learning leads to greater engagement and more successful networking.
- Traditions + innovation. This value may at first seem counterintuitive but as the Apple example proves, it is the secret to success for contemporary businesses. Our traditions lay the foundation to who we are by showing where we came from. However, we must always be leading with innovation to stay current. This means that new advancements in technology and thinking must be absorbed into our process. Don’t lose touch with new changes in business and don’t be afraid to try new things at BNI.
- A positive and supportive attitude. Survey after survey has shown that this is the top criteria that people look for in someone to network with. Life is too short to surround yourself with negative, unhappy people. Instead, surround yourself with people who want you to succeed; positive people who will uplift you.
- Recognition. Recognition is something that we really believe in at BNI. We want to recognise people who’ve done a good job and celebrate their achievements. This starts at the chapter level. If you see something that deserves recognition, let others know including BNI Support so that they can help spread the word!
- Accountability. 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.
BNI serves a greater good by helping businesses around the world to create a culture of collaboration. Dr. Misner’s Big Hairy Audacious Goal for BNI is to change the way the world does business by incorporating these core values. Think about these seven core values and see how they relate to your experiences at BNI. If you think there are some areas in which your chapter can improve – discuss these. By practising these core values our organisation will be stronger and more successful.
