Podcast Summary

Podcast: BNI & The Power of One

Host: Tim Roberts
Episode: BNI 857: Should Our Director be in Membership Committee and Member Only Meetings?
Date: September 29, 2025

Episode Overview

In this episode, host Tim Roberts addresses a listener's question about whether an Area Director/Director Consultant should attend BNI Membership Committee and closed member-only meetings. The discussion explores the purpose of director roles, their value in supporting chapters, the importance of breaking down "us versus them" mentalities, and how to leverage director experience for chapter success. Tim delivers his perspective with candor, empathy, and his signature direct tone.

Key Discussion Points & Insights

1. Director Consultants: Roles and Misconceptions

• Director Consultants/Area Directors are meant to coach, train, and support chapters, not to act as "BNI police" (01:50).
• Titles may vary by region, but the function is consistent: help chapter members succeed.
• Many chapters mistakenly see directors as outsiders because they aren’t weekly attendees or chapter members, creating an “us vs. them” mentality.

Quote:

“They have ownership stake, if you will, for lack of a better term, in the success of the group."
(Tim Roberts, 04:05)

2. Should Directors Attend Committee and Member-Only Meetings?

• Permission: Directors can and should attend these meetings if invited, as advisors—not as decision-makers (07:18).
• Their primary role in meetings:
  • Offer advice
  • Share BNI expertise
  • Support decision-making process—not make decisions.
• Example: In member disciplinary or attendance situations, directors provide guidance on process and best practices, but committee votes and final decisions rest with the committee (08:54).

Quote:

“We do not make decisions for the membership committee... You might want that person in the meeting, because typically they have far more BNI experience..."
(Tim Roberts, 08:23)

3. Experience: A Major Asset

• Directors often bring decades of cumulative BNI experience, attending far more meetings than typical members.
• Tim compares his own experience (4–5 BNI meetings per week for 15+ years) to highlight the level of insight directors can offer.
• Emphasizes the value of institutional memory and pattern recognition directors bring to complex scenarios (13:12).

Quote:

“That 15 years of BNI experience isn’t really what you would normally count as 15 years BNI experience from a member standpoint... That was like 75 years of experience.”
(Tim Roberts, 13:39)

4. Director Participation in Member-Only Meetings

• For meetings without visitors—such as chapter strategy sessions or leadership transitions—the director’s input is especially valuable.
• The director’s role is always supportive and advisory, not authoritative or controlling (15:17).

Quote:

“Why wouldn’t you want that experience in the room? ...They’re there to be that support piece.”
(Tim Roberts, 15:28)

5. Addressing Resistance or Personality Clashes

• If chapters feel uncomfortable with a director attending, that signals a relationship or fit issue.
• Host advises leadership teams to communicate with their regional office if there is discomfort, as alignment is vital for success (16:22).
• Stresses that collaboration is non-negotiable for chapter progress; us vs. them attitudes are detrimental.

Quote:

“Your chapter will be held back if you do not work alongside your director, consultant, area director... It cannot be an us versus them situation. Nobody’s winning in that.”
(Tim Roberts, 17:03)

6. Maximizing the Resource of Directors

• Urges members and chapters to utilize their director teams more fully, encouraging:
  • One-to-ones
  • Proactive communication
  • Drawing on their knowledge for individual growth and chapter development (17:58).

Quote:

“Probably the most least utilized resource you have access to in your membership is your regional director team. However they're set up. Reach out.... Utilize that resource, that experience.”
(Tim Roberts, 18:13)

Memorable Moments & Quotes

• On chapter-director dynamics:
  “BNI doesn't win at any level of the organization when it's an us versus you...” (Tim Roberts, 03:02)

• On removing a member:
  “What do you want to do? We want to remove them. Okay. Is that your vote? Everybody votes yes. Okay, here's the next step...” (Tim Roberts, 09:46)

• On difficult regions:
  “There are regions... that might operate that way and that’s heartbreaking, but the high, high, high majority of them do not.” (Tim Roberts, 06:48)

Important Timestamps

| Timestamp | Segment/Topic | |-----------|------------------------------------------------------------------------| | 01:50 | The real role of directors and misconception as “BNI police” | | 04:05 | Directors as stakeholders in chapter success | | 07:18 | Directors’ advisory—not decision-making—role in meetings | | 08:54 | Example: How directors guide, but don’t decide in committee issues | | 13:12 | Value of directors’ years of experience | | 15:28 | Why directors should be present in member-only meetings | | 16:22 | Handling discomfort or misfit with a director | | 17:03 | Dangers of “us vs. them” mindset | | 18:13 | Call to leverage directors as a key member resource |

Conclusion

Tim Roberts delivers a clear answer: yes, directors should be included in membership committee and closed member meetings—as invaluable, experienced advisors—so long as they do not make decisions for the chapter. Chapters are encouraged to collaborate with their directors and utilize their wealth of experience. If issues with a specific director arise, communication and alignment with regional leadership are essential for mutual success.

Final thought:
“Utilize that resource, that experience. It's invaluable when you tap into it.” (18:18)