Monday 25 October 2010

Absent again!

25/10/10

What should you do if your chapter has five members missing one week and then seven the next?

The answer is easy! The Membership Co-ordinator and committee must follow the BNI policies, no matter who the members concerned are. There is no such thing as, ‘But they're a good member’. Why? Because a good member would not put the committee in a position where they had to take action that they thought was tough.

Successful chapters are the result of strong committees, not nasty committees, but committees that follow the policies for the benefit of all the members, not just a few who think the rules don’t apply to them.

But, it’s so much more than just about the policies. Chapters lose good members when things are allowed to slip because why should they make the effort, if other members don’t have to.
Then, of course, there are the practical things. As a member, how would you feel about these absent members missing your 10 Minute or your 60 Seconds? How are they going to find you good referrals? If they can’t be bothered to turn up for the meeting (find a substitute), can you really refer them? Might they let down your best contacts?

Following the policies may lose you a few members, but it will ensure that you keep the good ones, and in the long run build a far stronger and successful chapter!

2 comments:

Unknown said...

This is so true, thank you for writing about it, unfortunately people bend the rules for some and keep them for others, there have been people taken out of a chapter because of 3 absences yet there are still members who have had over 6! Strange that favoritism is allowed. I think it's purely because people are worried there is going to be a big argument because of that person being told to leave. Unfortunate really when some people have had 0 absences.

Anonymous said...

I good comment. I'm the current MC at the Brentwood chapter in Essex - www.bnibrentwood.co.uk. We've had similar issues and agree that following the policies is extremely important and workks our best in the long run.