Absence makes the heart grow fonder!

8/1/09

It may in love, but it certainly won’t in your chapter!

I’ve never understood why people miss business meetings, and your BNI meeting is a business meeting. After all, you have made a commitment. Why wouldn’t you turn up? What are you saying about the people that you are about to meet? That you don’t care about them? That they are not important?

Now, I know that there are emergencies, and that sometimes accidents happen, but I really find it hard to believe that a member who really cares about their fellow members can reach three or more absences.

But that’s me, and what I think doesn’t really matter, but what does matter is the effect that an absence has on the member.

Now, some of you might be thinking what effect can it possibly have, other than a tick in the absence column of the PALMS report. Well, here’s the answer.

I should have said answers, as there are many consequences to missing your chapter meeting.

The most immediate effect is that being absent reduces the chances of you receiving any referrals the following week. Why? Because you didn’t educate the chapter on what you were looking for. And, as you weren’t there, why should they think about you that week? Whereas a substitute, although not as good as the member, will continue the education process and your visibility in the group and, in doing so, improves the chances of more referrals the next week.

But, there is far more to it than that. An absence, especially more than one, has a much greater effect on the success of your membership than you might imagine. You not only miss the opportunity to give your 60 Seconds, but, more importantly, you don’t hear the 60 Seconds of your fellow members. This results in you giving fewer referrals, and yes, in receiving referrals! Givers Gain.

Then, we have the fact that you have missed a member’s 10 Minute presentation. How much easier would it be to find referrals for that member if you had been there? Then again, how do you feel when members miss your 10 Minute slot?

And, what about the open-networking before and after the meeting? Building trust, finding out how you can help people, and letting them know how they can help you.

None of us would miss a business meeting unless it was a real emergency; so, think about your BNI meeting for what it really is. A business meeting!