Ed Slot
07.12.18
121’s
We are all familiar with the term 121
We all have 121s on regular basis, and not just in BNI
We have them at home with our families
We have them at work with our colleagues or clients
We have them when we go out and socialise. In fact, we have
them when we don’t even realising we’re having them.
We’re all fed the line that having 121’s with our fellow
members is important, and it is… not least of all because it’s one of the
metrics for the traffic lights.
But why? What is the point? Let’s throw it out to the room….
Any suggestions on WHY we do 121s with each other…
Get to know each other
better, get to know referral types, get to know how to refer business,
strengthen relationships
For me, there is something that underpins all of these
points… one word… understanding. I believe mutual understanding is the key to a
successful 121.
At this point, I was going to get all clever and give you guys
the dictionary definition of understanding… but it turns out the dictionary
definition for understanding is ‘to understand something’ Not particularly
helpful.
But when you look at the synonyms (word for the day) things
start to make sense.
Appreciation, Comprehension, absorption. So what am I on
about…. why is understanding so important?
Let’s break it down – If you truly understand how you can refer business to your fellow member – the
watch fors, the phrases to listen out for, the type of clients, opportunities present
themselves in your day to day interactions, you get that so called light bulb moment
and if you’re like me, that surge of adrenaline when you realise you might be
able to bag a referral for someone.
But it goes further than that – if you understand the person
(and this doesn’t necessarily happen after the first 121), what drives them,
their hopes, their fears, their motivation, their life story even, you
strengthen and underpin that relationship. Does that lead to immediate
referrals? No – of course not. But it does mean that member is on your mind
more. And that will lead to referral opportunities in the future – and probably
better ones at that.
Why would they be better referrals? Because if you know
someone, and you trust them, and you understand
them, your pitch to your prospective referral is more natural and believable.
You don’t try and sell something you don’t understand (Adam back be up!) so why
would this be any different… At BNI we believe in building trust – you can’t
build trust just by attending a BNI meeting. It takes time, effort and
crucially understanding.
So next time you schedule a 121 with someone, have a think
about how you can better understand your counterpart….yes learn about their
business, and the types of people they’re looking for introductions to. But get
to know them. Understand them as people, and the rest will follow.
