(This article was “borrowed” from the BNI Minnesota-N. Wisconsin regional blog, found here.  I’d give the original author credit by name, but it was unsigned.  Still, well written and to the point!)

It is that time of year again when your chapter leadership team will be talking to members about serving as a member of the next leadership team for your chapter, and they may be talking to you!

But why would you want to be Chapter President, VP, Secretary/Treasurer, or any other Leadership Support position?

The number one reason that you should want to serve in a leadership position within your chapter is that it will help your grow your business.  Chapter leadership, and this includes the visitor host, mentor, membership committee etc, tend to always get more referrals while they are in a leadership position, and after they serve in that position. Why is this?

1.  Visibility + Credibility = Profitability

Being a leader in your chapter automatically increases your visibility and your credibility because you are showing your commitment to the chapter.  Now, if you aren’t doing the right things right while you are leadership, i.e. showing up late, passing bad referrals etc, it can also move you down the confidence curve.

2. Additional Training

Ever wonder why BNI does some of the things it does?  As a member of the chapter leadership, you get to attend some additional training workshops that provide you an in depth look at how BNI chapters are run and you learn new skills, both organizational and interpersonal, that you can transfer to the rest of your life.

3. More Interaction with your Members

Being an active leader in your chapter will allow you to interact with the rest of your members more often.  You will be the one they look to when they have questions and this increased interaction will help you build more of that credibility that we talked about earlier, which leads to more profitability.

And last but definitely not least…

4. Givers Gain

This is the philosophy that BNI members live by and follow to build our businesses.  If I help you become successful, you will help me in return.  What better way to have a positive impact in your members’ success than by helping them grow and maintain a successful chapter that allows them to grow their business more effectively?

So when your chapter president approaches you about being on the leadership team this fall, don’t say “no” out of hand just because it may be a little more work or push you out of your comfort zone.  Remember that they are asking because they have confidence in your ability to lead the chapter to continued success, and look at it as a way to give back to your chapter members for the help and support they have shown you.