For People to Make Sense of Your Business, You Have to Make Sense to Them

I once went on a Time Management Course.  It didn’t start well.  In fact, the trainer had lost the respect of the delegates before she started.  Why? Because she was late!  On a Time Management Course!

I also once attended a “Confident Presenter Course”.  But the trainer was visibly nervous.

I’ve received proposals from Marketing Agencies which failed to mention any benefits to me.

And I’ve seen business cards from printers that weren’t printed well.

And it isn’t just me who sees these things.  I remember my dad recruiting for a high-level secretarial position.  And one of the applicants had enclosed someone else’s CV!

All these examples sound ridiculous, don’t they?

And damaging for the people involved.

As the saying goes, “when I see crumbs on the in-flight table, I think the wings are going to fall off”.  In other words, if the airline can’t do something as basic as clean this aeroplane, I doubt they can do something as complex as fly the thing.

And if a secretary can’t put her own CV in an envelope, how good can she be at her job?

It doesn’t make sense.

So I have a question for you: when you’re in BNI, do you ‘make sense’?  Do your actions align with what you say?  For example, I have seen a few BNI members who:

• Say they “go the extra mile”; but then don’t prepare their 60 seconds
• Talk about their “cutting-edge professionalism”; but turn up late
• Say they embrace Givers Gain, but rarely bring anything in the Contribution Section

If you do ‘make sense’ – and, in my experience, most members do – great.  If not, you have two choices:

Stop saying things like “go the extra mile”, “cutting-edge professionalism” and “givers gain”; or

1. Be better at displaying each of them in everything you do

I’d recommend the latter!

Everyone – especially your business – will be delighted you did.

It just makes sense.