Welcome!
Isn’t it amazing how time flies when you’re busy. It’s hardly surprising that March is almost behind us, considering the number of exciting developments and events we’ve managed to pack into these early months.
The BNI Leadership Team Dinners around the country were a huge success, and again we were pleased by the large number of people who commented on what a great event it is.
The Leadership Dinner is subsidised by BNI New Zealand to thank outgoing leadership teams for their contribution to BNI during their terms and features great company, excellent food and very good speakers.

The Auckland Leadership Dinner was addressed by famous New Zealand businessman and Mayor of Auckland, Mr Dick Hubbard. The moment Mr Hubbard grasped what BNI was all about, he threw away his prepared speech and entertained diners with the fantastic and inspiring account of his own rise as an entrepreneur.
We also benefited from some media coverage of Mr Hubbard’s speech.
Another very exciting development is the BNI Canada website which is very close to going live – in English and French.
Funded by BNI New Zealand and conceived, designed and developed right here – by Brian Falkner – the IT technology has been fully adopted in Australia, now Canada and a number of other countries have expressed interest.
What this means for you is the creation of a truly global BNI village.
For example, a BNI member in Canada or Australia will be able to access your business here in New Zealand through the BNI Trade Directory, and visa versa – thus promoting inter-country trade.
The BNI site will also get better because it will have a dedicated team of web designers, led by Brian, constantly working to improve and update its facilities.
On another positive note we also welcome a number of new Assistant Directors (ADs) to the BNI team.
Yolanda Alba joins us as the AD for Hamilton – she will shortly also open a chapter in Cambridge – while Paul Brimblecombe joins us as AD for the Wellington region and Brian Noble takes over the North Shore/Hibiscus Coast chapters.
Welcome Brian, Paul and Yolanda.
Wishing you a year of Givers Gain!

Regards
Graham Southwell
BNI National Director New Zealand

Your chapter’s success depends on YOU

Attending the Leadership Team Training events in April is essential for anybody serving on the leadership team – even if you have previously served on the leadership team.
Like other successful international companies, Business Network International is founded on a business SYSTEM for structured referral networking.
* Work the system properly, such as following the agenda, and you will succeed.
* Developed and refined over time, the BNI system is constantly updated and it’s important that you keep up-to-date with new developments.
* If you are not familiar with the components of the BNI system you will end up introducing your own modifications and moving away from the formula, thereby increasing the risk of creating all kinds of problems with the dynamics of your chapter.
By agreeing to serve on your chapter’s leadership team you are taking on the responsibility for the wellbeing and prosperity of your chapter – your chapter’s success will stand or fall according to YOUR contribution.
Please attend BNI Leadership Training near you:
* Hawkes Bay – 12 April, Palm City Motor Inn, 31 Georges Drive, Napier, 5.00pm for 5.30pm start.
* Hamilton – 13 April, Westpac Park, Willows Lounge, Seddon Road, 5.00pm for 5.30pm start.
* Rotorua – 14 April, 1115 Cafe, 2 Tutanekai Street, 5.00pm for 5.30pm start.
* Palmerston North – 19 April, Kingsgate Hotel, 110 Fitzherbert Avenue, 5.00pm for 5.30pm start.
* Wellington – 20 April, Portland Hotel, 25 Hawkestone Street, Thorndon, 5.00pm for 5.30pm start.
* Christchurch – 21 April, The Manor, 82 Bealey Avenue, 5.00pm for 5.30pm start.
* Auckland – 27 April, St Columba Centre, 40 Vermont Street, Ponsonby, 5.30pm for 6.00pm start.
* Auckland - 28 April, Bruce Mason Centre, Cnr Hurstmere Road and the Promenade, Takapuna, 5.30pm for 6.00pm start.

Most BNI members should know the BNI policy on attendance – a member may miss three meetings in a six month period. If he or she provides a substitute, they are not counted as being absent.

If a member’s attendance is poor and efforts by the leadership team to help the member improve his or her attendance record fails, then the member is asked to leave the chapter.
It seems a bit harsh… so why is BNI so tight on attendance?
YOUR success, the success of your fellow members and your chapter as a whole stands on two important pillars of BNI networking:
1. Numbers – the greater the number at a meeting or in a chapter, the higher the referrals;
2. Relationships – strong relationships make for more, and higher quality, referrals.
Both Numbers and Relationships depend on one vital component – VISIBILITY.
If you are not VISIBLE to someone i.e. not there, you cannot be in a relationship with them.

In the same way, not being at your meetings means you are neither contributing to the numbers or the relationships in your chapter.
There are another two reasons why attendance is important:
1. Service – your fellow members pay time and money to attend BNI, in the expectation that they will meet with you. If you’re not there, you’re wasting both their time and their money and not delivering on your commitment to them.
2. Respect – if your fellow members can get up early every morning, pay their fees on time, prepare their presentations – including the ten minutes – and you don’t show up, how much respect are you according their commitment?

There are two types of risk in business and in life – perceived risk and calculated risk.
In a highly entertaining and motivational speech to more than 120 BNI Leadership Team members at the Auckland Club in March, famous New Zealand businessman and Mayor of Auckland, Mr Dick Hubbard (pictured), said the fears we carry around in our head are usually greater than the reality.

Mr Hubbard related how he decided to give up a well paying, prestigious job to start his own cereal company.
Because he was married with two young children, family and friends thought he was mad and told him he had a family to think of.
He started his cereal making business with three staff and quickly downsized to one – himself. Today his company is one of the biggest cereal producers in Australasia.
Mr Hubbard said a good analogy for risk was demonstrated in an Outward Bound course he attended as a youngster. They were asked to leap one metre from one log of wood to another. This was easy to do when both logs of wood were on the ground. It didn’t get much more difficult even when they were blindfolded and told to jump and again, blindfolded, spun around and told to jump.
But the moment they were told to perform the same simple feat 25 metres off the ground – even with safety lines and nets – most baulked.
What they feared might happen was more powerful than the reality and for many, this is the single greatest obstacle to achieving success in our lives.
“The message is, don’t be afraid of risk. Weigh up the odds first to find out if the risks are more perceived than real.
“If you can master your mind, you can do anything.”
BNI would like to thank our Leadership Dinner sponsors:
* Ollie Dale, PhotoNZ Creative Studios 021 755 181.
* Linley Rose, Coaching Associates (09) 376 3370.

1. Have your networking tools with you at all times;
2. Set a goal for the number of people you’ll meet;
3. Act like a host, not a guest;
4. Listen, and ask the five ‘W’ questions: who, what, where, when and why.
5. Give a lead or a referral whenever possible;
6. Describe your product or service in sixty seconds;
7. Exchange business cards with people you meet;
8. Spend ten minutes or less with each person you meet;
9. Write comments on the back of the business cards you collect; and
10. Follow-up with the people you meet.

In this issue of our newsletter, we will talks about the first commandment:

1. Have your networking tools with you at all times…
Notable Networkers’ tools include an informative name badge, plenty of business cards, brochures about their business and a pocket-sized business card file that has the business cards of the professionals they refer.
Your badge needs to include both your name and your company’s name or your profession on it – if your company’s name does not clearly describe your profession, write your profession on the badge.
Make sure the print on your badge is readable to people standing a few feet away. Many people recommend wearing your badge on the right side, because people tend to shake right-handed and the badge is easier to see.
Knowing someone’s profession or company name is an easy way to start a dialogue because you can ask about his or her business.
By Ivan R. Misner, PHD

Most people find it difficult to talk about themselves and their business – but that’s no longer an obstacle to BNI members from around the country who attended the BNI Face-to-Face workshops in March.
BNI National Director New Zealand, Graham Southwell, and workshop facilitator Linley Rose travelled to Christchurch, Palmerston North, Hamilton and Wellington to present the fast paced, interactive and FUN workshop.
Graham said it was pleasing that the new BNI initiative – which covered ‘how to prepare, to speak and listen with purpose’ had been so well received.
Christine Bowers (Christine’s Desktop - Kapiti Chapter) said the workshop was a tremendous success.
“I myself find it hard to talk about myself but the workshop was good and a pity there wasn't enough time to cover everything.”
Frances Little (Palmerston North) described the workshop as a refreshing and good new direction for BNI.
Win MacMillan (Galaxy United Travel – Rotorua) said she would be keen to attend relevant ones in the future.
“I thought it was very worthwhile – she (Linley) was an excellent presenter and I personally got a lot out of it.”
Linley said attendance in Christchurch and Palmerston North was fantastic, while those attending the Wellington workshop were particularly keen.
Linley has trained more than 200 people to become coaches over 10 three month training courses, and is a Professional Certified Coach with the International Coach Federation - one of only two in New Zealand. She's a focused and skilled facilitator.

BNI New Zealand congratulates Aaron Rink of CF Reese Plumbing - Hamilton chapter – for winning the National Master Plumber's Award in recognition for his professionalism in plumbing.
Aaron is a previous winner of the Service Award (Waikato Business Awards) and also the CEO of the Year Award.
CF Reese Plumbing has three BNI Memberships and is hoping to add a fourth when the new Cambridge Chapter opens. He has been a member of BNI for the past three years.

A trip on Lion New ZealandThe West Harbour Chapter in Auckland recently went on a harbour cruise on the famous maxi yacht Lion New Zealand.  This was the boat in which Sir Peter Blake sailed around the world in 1985.
Dr Calum Gilmour said 12 members were on board for the experience.

 "After motoring out of the Viaduct Harbour we headed into the wind and raised the mainsail. At this point some of our larger members were introduced to the grinders. They were more than a little surprised at what hard work it was to get the sail properly tightened."
Callum said the waters of the Rangitoto channel were rough, but it was thrilling to feel the boat heel over and pick up speed.
At the end of the day the new sailors returned to dock for drinks and pizzas on board.
If other Chapters would like to experience a trip on Lion it can probably be arranged. Contact the West Harbour Chapter for details.