26/7/08
This was something I was told was given as a reason for being absent from a meeting when the Membership Co-ordinator had rung a member to see if they were okay. The member was just taking one of the absences that they were entitled to.
Entitled!
No! Sorry - a member is not entitled to any absences. The BNI Policy says – A member is allowed three absences in any six month period. And, the most important word there is ‘allowed’.
But what I can’t understand is why would you not want to go to your meeting in the first place?
Let’s start with the selfish reason – the referrals that you might receive that week. Okay, so you might be thinking ‘well they will contact me with any referrals I get given anyway’ and I guess you would be right. But if you don’t do a 60 seconds that week – will anyone be able to find you referrals for next week?
What about the 10 minute presentation that you miss – do you think you will be top of the speakers list for referrals that week? – I don’t think so.
And, what if the members find out that you didn’t attend the meeting because you couldn’t be bothered – do you think anyone will be looking out for referrals for you?
But, what about a more practical reason for not being ‘just’ absent?
Say you don’t bother to attend your meeting one week – no reason, just don’t feel like it. Then a couple of weeks later one of your children is sick and your really can’t get to the meeting – a perfectly good reason. And, a couple of months later you go out to start the car and the battery is flat – another perfect reason for missing a meeting.
But, suddenly you have three absences against your name – your membership of the group is under threat. And, at the next committee meeting your attendance record is discussed – how will they view your commitment to the group.
Well, a member of the committee says ‘the first absence was because they couldn’t be bothered to turn up, fancied a morning off’. If it were to come to the crunch – do you think that they would give you the benefit of the doubt?
I can tell you that the answer is – No!
So, no - you are not entitled to a single absence from your group, but you are allowed to be absent in an emergency.
To get the best from your group you have to build goodwill and trust – so please don’t ever think that your are ‘entitled’ to miss a meeting.
3 comments:
David, love your blog message here. I'd like to link to it from one of our next newsletters. Is that OK with you?
Dr. Ivan Misner
Founder
BNI
Dear Mr. Misner,
Thank you - yes, that would be great.
David
mate
a comment was once made about international diplomacy that you need all the tools at your disposal all the time and its incredibly complex.
the same con be said of business, you need the edge all the time to be up on the competition, especially now.
so not going to a meeting that you have paid for and not committing to people in the same boat is lunacy, and why would they; by the way, want to commit to someone who, isnt committed to them.
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