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What difference will a committed and passionate president and education coordinator make for a chapter program? For BNI Annandale in Annandale VA, it makes all the difference. Lucy Ford, the chapter’s president and Michael Botts, the chapter’s education coordinator, are great examples of strong leadership in action on the Fast Track. BNI Annandale is six years old and peaked at 24 members.

“We lost members last fall because of the economy, and I just didn’t see us coming together as a team. We needed something more,” says Lucy. “I visited a chapter doing Fast Track in our region and saw what it could do. When we started the program several members decided they were absolutely not going to do it and left.  We decreased even further to 11 members. But today we are at 18 and climbing. Now when people come to visit they see a structured team having fun and they want to grow with us. In 2010 – year to date – we had 12 visitors. In 2011 – year to date – we’ve had 31 visitors. We have the best membership of the six years we have been a chapter.

“I knew when we started the program that our chapter needed someone with energy and enthusiasm and Michael is that person. He has really kept us all on the same page, moving in the same direction.”

Michael says that when he introduced the program to the chapter he was absolutely honest with them: “I told them I want this to work. I’m committed to you and committed to asking for your participation. I said we’ve got nothing to lose and I asked for their support. I am very proud of our chapter, and I have received great support.”

“Truthfully,” says Lucy, “when everyone knows they are accountable to each other it strengthens the chapter. The new people coming on board are getting up to speed much faster because they know what to expect – there are no surprises.”

“We are now doing the program a second time,” says Michael, “As a former athlete I understand what it means to master the fundamentals. Every week Fast Track refreshes our brains and keeps us on point. In the Marines if you aren’t on point, people get hurt. In BNI if members aren’t on point, people lose money. This time our goal is to grow to 25, and we’ll get there because we know now that it’s not about filling a seat. It’s about building a team.”

“This program is life changing for the chapter and the individual,” says Lucy. “You get out of it what you put into it and having the right attitude when you go into it is everything. Good referrals come naturally when the team is really a team.”

Hear from BNI Annandale directly – from Lucy, Michael and several of the members on the Fast Track call recording. Fast Track Friday Call with BNI Annandale Referral Forum

For more information on the Fast Track Program, go to www.delfuego.com/bni.

 

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