What are you talking about at 6.30am?

11/5/09

Most good BNI members arrive at around 6.30am for their weekly chapter meeting, leaving again at just after 8.30am to continue their day's work.

The open networking part of the meeting from 6.30am until 7.10am, when the formal part of the meeting starts, therefore represents around 35% of the total meeting time.

Now, I have a question for you. Would you spend 35% of your working week talking about sport, or what you did last night? Well that is exactly what some members do at their BNI meeting during the open networking part of the meeting.

Now I’m not suggesting that the whole of the time from the moment you arrive at your meeting until the time that you sit down for the formal part of the meeting should be all work. But, should you be spending all of that time on casual chit-chat? How much work would you get done during your normal working week if you spent 35% just talking about the weather?

So, make the most of the open networking part of your weekly meeting. Have a plan, of course catch up on last night’s football scores with your best mate, that’s all part of building a great relationship, but also use the time to find out how you can help your fellow members and also to let them know how they can help you.