Not all networking is about referrals. Sometimes networking is about sharing knowledge. Of course BNI can be a knowledge network, but your “think tank” can go beyond BNI. To create a knowledge network, surround yourself with these groups of people:

• People like you. They’re not the best source of referrals, but they’ll help you learn your trade.
• People who used to be in your profession.
• Authors and experts (e.g. bloggers).
• Trainers and consultants.
• Members of professional organizations. (Not necessarily the same profession you’re in.)
• Regulators. They’re a great source of information, especially about pitfalls.

BNI is working on a new online social network, BNI Connect, to help create knowledge networks within BNI.

Brought to you by Networking Now.

Complete Transcription of BNI Podcast Episode 134 -

Priscilla:
Hello everyone, and welcome back to The Official BNI Podcast brought to you by NetworkingNow.com, which is the leading site on the Net for networking downloadables.

I’m Priscilla Rice, and I’m coming to you from Live Oak Recording Studio in Berkley, California, and I am joined on the phone today by the founder and the chairman of BNI, Dr. Ivan Misner.

Hello, Ivan. How are you?

Ivan:
Doing great, Priscilla. Thank you.

Priscilla:
What is this think tank that you have in the title of this podcast?

Ivan:
A lot of what I talk about in these podcasts are referral marketing, referral networking, but there really are several kinds of networking. You can network to share ideas, information, resources, referrals, and knowledge. And that’s really what I wanted to talk about briefly today was sort of a different spin on the idea of networking.

I think that if you want to be successful and building a powerful personal network, you also have to have a solid knowledge network aspect of your personal network. That is, people around you who share ideas and knowledge that help you in business.

So what I wanted to talk about is to give a few examples beyond your BNI members. Now, clearly, to some extent, BNI can be a knowledge network in that you’ve got a lot of people from many different professions that you can bounce ideas off of. Even though BNI was not designed as a knowledge network, there’s an aspect to it where you can get ideas and information and knowledge, and I understand that and recognize that. However, that’s not what’s really traditionally a knowledge network, and so I wanted to talk about how to focus on some knowledge networking outside (inaudible) and BNI, and there are several different kinds of knowledge network groups of people that you want to surround yourself with. And that’s really what I wanted to talk about.

The first is people like you. There are some real advantages to seeking out people who have the same interests and goals as you, and that’s completely opposite to what I talked about last week in terms of diversity. Now, when I was talking about diversity last week, I was talking about in terms of referrals. If you want to get referrals, you’ve got to surround yourself with people who are different that you, because they will find those connectors. But if you’re talking about knowledge networking, people who have knowledge about what you do, your business, well, there you want to have some people who are like you because they can share ideas and information that they’ve run into. So I’m not giving contradictory advice; I’m giving advice that is different depending on the context. So when you’re talking about referral networking, diversity is key. But when you’re talking about knowledge networking, having people who the experience you have is very important. So you want to seek out people like that.

Now, we’re working on, in BNI, something that hasn’t been released yet, but members listening to this podcast should keep an eye open for it, an online network called BNI Connect. And BNI Connect will be an online social business network for BNI members only, and one of the advantages to this, when we have it up and running, is that it will give you, as a business professional, an opportunity to talk to other people in your profession in other parts of the world who aren’t competing with you locally and talk to them about what are they doing to make BNI work for them. That’s a great example of knowledge network. “You’re a CPA; I’m a CPA. What are you doing in your community to help build your business through referrals? And how are you using BNI? And how am I using BNI?”

So there’s a context where people like you are important, and it’s not contradictory to what I was talking about last week. It’s a different context, different situation.

Second thing, people who were in your profession. So people like you or people in your profession, and then people who were in your profession. Some people may be retired or they have done that for a while and moved on to some other profession. These are people that can be an excellent source of information and knowledge about your business.

Here’s a couple of unusual ones, authors, people who write or produce books or articles, video tapes, audio tapes, or CDs – boy, I dated myself with that one – CDs, MP3s, any kind of audio content, blogs, experts in the field. Blogs are particularly good because they’re two-way communication. So you go to somebody who’s writing on a subject that you’re familiar with or you’re involved with, and you comment back and forth, and you communicate with them and share with them. It’s a perfect knowledge network. And blogs are probably one of the best because it really gives you an opportunity to talk back and forth.

Trainers, consultants. The wonderful thing about trainers and consultants is that they really specialize in imparting knowledge, and they help people understand the basics. They introduce new technologies and procedures, and they try to gain access to these materials and make them available to others. So, trainers and consultants are a great example.

Members of professional organizations, people who are active members of trade or business or professional organizations that might be – it may not be the same profession as yours or it might be someone who’s in a similar profession or symbiotic profession that’s in this trade association that’s similar to yours. Boy, that’s probably one of the best sources of knowledge and information for what you’re doing.

And the last one is kind of a very unusual one that most people don’t think about, and that’s regulators, people who regulate, audit, or monitor professionals in your field. They can certainly tell you stories about legal, procedural, or operational pitfalls that you might run into and probably need to know in order to do well in your business.

So these are some of the kinds of professions that you want to build a relationship with that are the counterpart of what I talked about last week on diversity, which is really important for referrals. But knowledge networking is really about surrounding yourself with some people who have expertise in your area, and these are some areas you can focus on or some specific types of individuals to look for that help you build your own personal think tank for business.

Priscilla:
And once you locate those professionals, do you invite them to a particular event? Do you try to bring them together and work as a team? Or how does that work out?

Ivan:
Well, I have found that going to events, particularly professional associations, where you might meet some of these people at Chamber mixer or business function of some kind, going back to meet them there. One great source, alumni associations that do events, you might run into somebody once. And what I’d do is I would call them and say, “Hey, there’s another event going on next month. I’d love to see you again. Are you going?” And touch bases with them when they’re there. Associations are a perfect location, because people tend to be pretty consistent in their activity there; even Chamber events or other business organizations. Connect with them beforehand and say, “I’m going to be there. I would love to meet again. Maybe we can meet before for a cup of coffee or a drink, and then go to the meeting. I’d just like to learn more about what you do.”

And we all know, certainly with BNI, that the more you’re connect with people, the more likely you are to build that relationship, and so you can do that, not on a weekly basis probably, but you can do that on a fairly regular basis, and then call upon each other to help one another out, and truly be a think tank for each other and support one another.

Priscilla:
Great! Well, I think that’s it for this week, and thank you so much, Dr. Misner.

Ivan:
Thanks, Priscilla.

Priscilla:
I’d like to remind the listeners that this podcast has been brought to you by NetworkingNow.com, which is the leading site on the Net for networking downloadables. Thanks so much for listening. This is Priscilla Rice, and we hope you’ll join us next week for another exciting episode of The Official BNI Podcast.

Dr. Misner wants to thank the BNI members in Hong Kong and Malaysia where he gave a number of presentations this past week.

At the global networking conference in Kuala Lumpur, Dr. Misner attended a presentation by Penny Power, the founder of Ecademy.com. Penny’s topic was the need for entrepreneurs to stay in their flame: doing what they truly enjoy doing. Then the work doesn’t really seem like work.

Business owners who get caught up in the aspects of the business that don’t come naturally to them are working in their wax and not nurturing their full potential.

The solution is to remember that your wax is someone else’s flame. There is another entrepreneur out there who loves to do the things you hate doing. Delegate the things you don’t like or aren’t good at to employees or outside contractors.

The more time you stay in your flame, the more successful you will be. Flame work is infectious. So find the people in your BNI group whose flame is your wax. It may take time, but stick to it. The key is to see progress.

Brought to you by Networking Now.

Complete Transcription of BNI Podcast Episode 061 -

Priscilla Rice:
Hello everybody and welcome back to the Official BNI Podcast, brought to you by networkingnow.com, the leading site on the net for networking downloadables. I am Priscilla Rice coming to you from Live Oak Recording Studio in Berkeley, California.. I am joined on the phone today by the Founder and Chairman of BNI, Dr. Ivan Misner. Hello Ivan. How are you?

Ivan Misner:
I am doing great, Priscilla. Thank you very much. Last week I talked about my visit to Kuala Lumpur and I have a follow-up to my last week’s podcast. First, I want to thank all the members in Hong Kong where I did several presentations and Malaysia where I did a number of presentations. It was really wonderful meeting so many members and doing those talks to people who were so receptive to the ideas that I had.

One of the things that I want to talk about is a presentation done by somebody else that resonated with me. It was at the Kuala Lumpur Malaysian conference for BNI. While I was attending the global networking conference in Malaysia, I heard a presentation but like I say, it really resonated with me. It was a presentation given by Penny Power, who is the founder of each ecademy, ecademy.com. That’s the ecademy with an e instead of academy with an a.

Penny was not only extremely knowledgeable and successful entrepreneur, she’s also a good friend of mine. I’ve known her and her husband, Thomas, very well over the last few years. Penny’s presentation focused on the concept of entrepreneurs staying in their flame. I thought that was an interesting thing that she was talking about. What are you talking about, I wondered.

She explained in her presentation that an entrepreneur’s flame is where he or she is the most passionate and excited about what their businesses. It’s where they are and what they truly enjoy doing. When an entrepreneur, she said in her presentation, is in his or her flame, the work doesn’t really seem like work. The entrepreneur perceives his or her tasks as effortless. If the business person is able to focus on aspects of business which keep them in their flame, it allows them to achieve their best.

She said on the flip side of that, when business people get caught up in aspects of the business that don’t come naturally to them, that they’re not good at or that they don’t like, working through these tasks takes away their energy and at least I’m exhausted and devoid of passion.

Business people stuck in a situation are working in their wax. I think that’s a great metaphor with a candle in the flame of the wax. Those people aren’t nurturing their full potential or two is what allowed them to thrive in business. She said the solution to the problem – and I love this – your wax is someone else’s flame. Your wax is someone else’s flame. In other words, in your weakness is someone else’s strength. It’s someone else’s passion.

As your business grows, the key to staying in your flame is to delegate the things that you don’t like or aren’t good at to employees or outside contractors, other people who actually enjoy doing these tasks and a really great at them.

The more skillful you are at recognizing the kinds of work that keeps you in your flame and the kind of work that keeps the people working with you in their flame, the more successful you are going to be and the less you are working in your wax, the more successful you are going to be.

She ended her presentation by saying that flame work is infectious. If you are doing what you love its infectious. What resonated with me is that I constantly hear people say that. “Your presentations are infectious. You seemed to love what you’re doing.” The reason for that is that I try to spend much of my time working in my flame.

Mind you, it took me years to get there to be able to do most of what I do being completely in my flame. I set a goal 10 years ago to be able to spend more time doing what I’m doing right now. Things like this podcast, speaking to members, doing presentations, writing and being a spokesperson for an organization. Without understanding this metaphor, I understood the concept of working on my business because I was excited about that aspect of it and working on it. Although I was good and have a doctorate degree in organizational behavior and management, that was my wax on my flame.

So I have worked hard at getting into my flame and do the things I love. The more we can do this in business, the more successful we are going to be. What a message, especially those of you who are education coordinators are wanting to bring this back to your chapter, you are in a room with a lot of BNI members and there are things that are your flame and things that are your wax. In that room, there are people whose flame is your wax.

If you can use some of the BNI members in that room at that meeting every week, and what’s their flame is your wax, you are using what they are excited about to do what you are not excited about. It’s a great way to start to use other BNI members to give you more time to be in your flame. That’s why I thought this fit into BNI so well. I want to thank Penny for that presentation. It was really great and I think it’s something that might resonate with many BNI members.

Priscilla:
It’s a great suggestion. Sometimes I think the hardest part, though, is being able to afford to outsource some of those tasks that are your wax. You know, it’s a lofty goal but it’s really important.

Ivan:
You bring up a good point and I’m glad she did, but I’m not sure. I’ve might take issue with you on it being a lofty goal. I think it may not be an immediate goal. And it may take time. I said to you it took me 10 years. I knew it would take a long time to do, but I never looked at it as being impossible.

It was gradual and so there was always progress. That is the key. I knew I was working with a very large organization even 10 years ago, that it would take time to get to where I needed to go. It could take 10 years or could take two or three years. The key is seeing progress. The more you can gradually be working in your flame and not in your wax and on your business and not in your business, the more you are doing the things that you love rather than the things you have to do, the more successful you are going to be.

I think in a previous podcast I talked about how years ago I created an organization chart. In the organization chart that I had, I had 15 different positions and I was doing 12 or 11 of the jobs. My goal over the next eight or 10 years was get myself into just one job. Every year there was progress. Every year I was doing one last job, one less huge job.

Over a period of time, over that ten year stretch, I got down to one position. I was doing one thing and that one thing was my passion. I think we can all do that. But if we do it gradually – I’m not suggesting that all of a sudden you job out everything. You can do it gradually, and look at this. You’re spending more time doing the things you love. Do you think if you’re spending more time doing the things you love that you could make more money?

Priscilla:
Definitely. I think it’s way more efficient.

Ivan:
Yeah. So if you’re making more money, paying somebody else for doing the stuff you hate is great. Life is perfect when that happens. Then in BNI, you have all of these other people do the things they’re doing is your wax but their flame. If you can bring them in to help you succeed, they will do that. You will be much more successful in business in the long run.

Priscilla:
Okay. Well that sounds like such a plan. I’m glad it took you a while. It gives me some encouragement to make my chart and see how many jobs I’m doing.

Ivan:
I may save us all the time Priscilla, but I’m a 20 year overnight success. It took me a long time to get there, and that the key is not are you where you want to go but the key is are you making progress? As long as you’re constantly making incremental progress, then you’re headed in the right direction.

Priscilla:
Thank you, Dr. Misner, and we’re out of time. That’s it for this week. This podcast has been brought to you by networking now.com, the leading site on the net for networking downloadables. Thanks for listening. This is Priscilla Rice and we hope you’ll join us next week for another exciting episode of the Official BNI Podcast.

In this episode, Dr. Misner talks about strategic alliances and the need to gradually enhance relationships. Each member of a BNI group will contribute to your success. No one person in your chapter is likely to turn your business around, but together, over a long time, they can make a difference.

• Don’t give up if there’s no immediate payoff.
• Successful networking is a series of small actions.
• By working with multiple people over a long period of time, you build your business.

Sponsored by Networking Now.

Complete Transcription of BNI Podcast Episode 046 -

Priscilla Rice:
Hello everybody and welcome back to the Official BNI Podcast brought to you by networkingnow.com, the leading site on the net for networking downloadables. I am Priscilla Rice and I’m coming from Live Oak Recording Studio which is in Berkeley, California. I am joined on the phone today by the Founder and Chairman of BNI, Dr. Ivan Misner. How are you, Ivan?

Ivan Misner:
I’m doing great, Priscilla, and I am talking to you from BNI headquarters in southern California.

Priscilla:
That’s nice. Is it raining there today?

Ivan:
It is but it’s usually beautiful and sunny here.

Priscilla:
Well, tell us what you are going to talk about today, Ivan.

Ivan:
I am going to talk about strategic alliances and how a series of small actions over time can really yield big results. I was recently speaking to a friend of mine who’s a partner in an international consulting and training company. In a conversation we discovered we had a mutual acquaintance who’s a best-selling author and fairly well known speaker, this mutual acquaintance of ours.

In our discussion, we found out that he had contacted each of us individually to see if there were any possibilities of some sort of strategic alliance with our companies. We were both open to that possibility, but we really couldn’t see any immediate or dramatic ways that our companies could link up with this guy at that particular moment for any specific projects.

We were both kind of amused in talking to each other. We discovered and figured out that there was no big deal that we could do right then and there, and we were pretty much dropped from his radar. There was no response to e-mails or any other attempts to connect from him after that. They were subtle things. We would send an e-mail and it would take months practically to get any kind of response. We got the sense that he was looking for one big alliance that would help his company just soar to the next level.

That realization started a conversation with him and I, this consultant, that night about the difference in the relationship between the two of us and this third-party who wanted to have a connection with us. Ironically, we had the same type of phone call. This consultant and I had the same kind of phone call 18 months earlier. We came to the same conclusion that there was nothing on a grand scale that we could do together at that moment.

But the difference was the rest of the story. He and I agreed to stay in touch and we did. We connected several times over the year. We met in person on several occasions. During that time, we found some really simple ways that we can help each other. We gradually enhanced the relationship. This is a sharp contrast to the third party that we had talked to individually. When this person didn’t see any big payoff, we became kind of persona nongrata to him.

The other reason is that the two of us found ways to help each other gradually, and even to this day, we continue to build our relationship. We came to the conclusion that most people who are successful at networking and creating strong strategic alliances view the process as a series of small actions taken with many people to create long-term positive growth for your company.

The process is more of a marathon than a sprint. Throughout the race, you form these alliances and you help each other over the long haul. I think this is a great story and a great example about how you build relationships gradually. It’s not a get rich scheme. By working with multiple people over a long period of time, you build your business. Don’t just write somebody off if they can’t add something or contribute something to your business immediately.

Priscilla:
I think it’s a series of little tests. In each one, if you succeed in that small test, which would be considered the small action, then you kind of progress to the next level of trust with the other person. You know?

Ivan:
Absolutely. It has to be organic. See, this gentleman and I – you know what, I don’t mind. I will tell you who it is here in this podcast. His name is Greg D. Link. He is the international consultant. He and I were talking. Greg is partners with Stephen M. R. Covey who just wrote the book — actually it was just released in softcover – The Speed of Trust.

It was Greg and I who were talking. He is the person I am referring to in this. It was he and I who really came to the realization that we had kind of achieved what we were thinking of a year and a half or two years earlier. But it took time. By plugging away and enhancing our relationship, we have gotten to the point where we’ve really been able to help each other.

I think the best is yet ahead of us because we have been referring a lot of people to Stephen and his great book, The Speed of Trust. They certainly have been very supportive of BNI. I think they really get it in this kind of relationship. The third-party who I won’t mention just doesn’t get it and is just looking for that one big hit — and I think he still is to this day.

Priscilla:
I think that might be all we have time for. It’s a great piece of advice, Ivan. I really like it.

Ivan:
Thanks. Let me just add one quickly as this applies to BNI chapters. If you are a member, look at the members in the group. Each of them will contribute to your success and they layer a little bit of success on top of each other for you. Each one is a little layer of success for you. No one person in chapter is likely to turn your business around, but together over a long period of time, they can make a dramatic difference. That is what I try to talk about here. It’s a series of people helping you over a long period of time that really, really builds an incredibly solid foundation for successful business.

Priscilla:
I think that is so true. I know it from my own personal experience in my chapter. Well, I think that’s it for this week, Dr. Misner. Thank you so much for sharing this with us. This podcast has been brought to you by networkingnow.com, the leading site on the net for networking downloadables. Thanks for listening. I look forward to having you join us again next week for another episode of the Official BNI Podcast.