What does it mean to lead your chapter members?

It means that the chapter members are looking up to you for guidance and support.  The members have an expectation that you will run the BNI program as defined by BNI as that is what they have paid a membership fee for.

The best fit for a Leadership Team member is someone who is in control of their own calendar.  They will be a member in good standing in the Traffic Lights – Green or Yellow.  They MUST be willing to communicate with the BNI Regional Support Team and receive support by way of coaching and guidance.  Most importantly, they will lead by example.  This means adhering to the BNI policies, guidelines, Code of Ethics and chapter standards.

Prior to taking on a role training, orientation and signing of the agreement(s) are required for all Leadership Team roles. Most roles have a BNI Business Builder and BNI Online component.

Chapter Roster To Be Completed by the INCOMING VP

Frequently Asked Questions

If you have questions please reach out to your chapter’s Chapter Consultant

How are Leadership Team Elected?

There are no elections or voting in BNI. Teams are selected by the Chapter Consultant and the regional office.

How Long is the term in office?

BNI Eastern Ontario & Western Quebec Terms of Office are 12 months. All incoming Officers will be required to make the commitment to serve for the full 12 months. If an Executive Officer (President, Vice President, Secretary/Treasurer ) steps down during the term, that Officer could be asked to resign their membership in the chapter.

How often am I required to attend Leadership Team orientation?

Leadership Team members and Membership Committee members will be required to attend BNI Online Leadership Orientation. All Leadership Team Members are required to complete any role-specific courses available through BNI Business Builder. They must have completed the Member Success Program in the prior 12 months to take on the role.

President, Vice President, Secretary-Treasurer, and MC members are required to participate in LET Roundtables. The BNI Franchise Agreement requires that all leaders are trained for a minimum of 12 hours a year. Officers are required to complete the BNI Learning online orientation, attend Leadership orientation, and participate in ongoing orientation via the LT Roundtables in order for us to meet our Franchise Agreement

Once I have completed a 1-year term as President, Vice President, or Secretary/Treasurer, can I stay in one of the three positions for an additional 1-year term?

No, once you have completed a 1-year term, you will be required to sit out for at minimum 1-year.

As a current (outgoing) President, Vice President, or Secretary/Treasurer, may I serve on the Membership Committee or one of the support positions such as Education Coordinator?

Yes, you may hold a Membership Committee position or support position if you are asked by the incoming President or Vice President to do so. Even though you are assuming a support position and attended training for your Leadership position, all Membership Committee members must attend Leadership Team Orientation.

Do support positions Visitor Host Coordinator or Mentor Coordinator have to come to orientation?

Yes, they are REQUIRED to attend. Often people take these positions and have no idea what to do, or how these positions can have a positive impact on the chapter. The strength of your chapter depends on how well ALL your officers and support members do their job. Leadership Orientation provides all support members the tools they need to make a difference to their chapter’s success as well as opportunities to network and develop leadership skills.

What report?

Every Officer has a part to play in the monthly Chapter Success Meeting. At the end of each month, we review the reports.

Presidents run the Chapter Success Meeting for the first half.

Vice President’s (PALMS) reports are completed weekly and submitted within 48 hours after the meeting in BNI Connect. The Vice President also runs the second part of the monthly Chapter Success Meeting.

Secretary/Treasurer and The Membership Committee attend the Monthly Chapter Success Meeting.

Do Membership Committee Chairs have to attend orientation?

Yes, the Membership Committee is the backbone of the chapter. BNI is constantly looking at ways of improving our membership. New policies are adopted, new procedures are put into place and ways of improving the chapters are constantly discussed. If you have Membership Committee members who do not attend training, they have a tendency to derail the process. The 4 chair positions are required to attend the in person training as well as any additional MC members that have been approved by the RegionalTeam.

As an LT Officer do I pay membership dues while in office?

Yes. Before taking office, the incoming officer MUST have at least 60 days remaining on their membership. If your renewal date falls between July 1 through October 1, you must renew before taking office.

Do I receive an exemption of my dues while serving as an officer?

Effective October 1st, 2022 and forward, we are enhancing LT recognition by transitioning to a more inspired form of recognition for LTs than the current dues pause.

What is the monthly Leadership Round Table Meeting?

Each Executive Officer is required to attend the Leadership Round Table Meeting held in their area. On the rare occasion you cannot attend, a Leadership Team support member may substitute for you.

These meetings are BNI Online based. Check your regional website calendar for the upcoming LT Roundtables.

BNI Eastern Ontario & Western Quebec

BNI2023