Anyone knows what this BNI is about? More like cultish & pressurising
I read on other posts about BNI operating like in Phillipines, UK etc described what the different experiences they faced with the organization.
I recently had went to a networking event at a cafe few weeks from Eventbrite and was then further invited by this guy to his BNI chapter meetup last week. The event started at 7.30am at a office building at around Ubi.
When I went in, I was immediately surrounded by around 6-7 people who introduced themselves and started asking who am I, what I do etc. And they were surprisingly very nice and pleasant. Which was very overwhelming for me.
Did the normal stuff we exchanged namecards, trying to understand their business etc. But after the chitchat and networking. We were told to sit down.
They started off with some powerpoint slides discussing about what happened across the past month etc. Everytime they moved onto the next slide, they would start clapping and cheering.
Then it came to some pledge slide. All the paying BNI members stood up and started reciting the pledge saying they will do good, do this do that etc. Like you know the North Korea army marching in sync, all of them chanting in sync without missing a beat.
After they completed that, they gave another round of applause.
Now comes the pressure tactics, there was this one guy who chatted me up. Started saying like the founder of BNI is this ang moh guy from Canada. Talking about the philosophy like how he started this organization where everyone wants to do good for the world by helping each other grow their businesses by referring to each other. Told me I need to dedicate 3 hours weekly no matter what. And the yearly fee is a sweet $1800 SGD.
The pressure tactics increased because when the guy and I was in conversation, another one budged in and asking what yall taking about. Then the guy told him discussing about signing up. The new guy who budged into the conversation then joins in telling me yea BNI is very useful. You'll grow your business and all. Again repeating BNI wants to do good for their members and humanity etc.....
By now this discussion about me being a member grew to 5 people. I kept telling them I'll think about it. But I grew sick & overwhelmed by them. Had to use the excuse of going to the toilet to flee the place.
Instead of going to networking, I was being pressured to join in despite me telling them no multiple times and trying to change the topic of the conversation