BNI Malaysia Ambassador, VK's Law of The Garbage Truck

Beware of Garbage Trucks
By David J. Pollay

How often do you let other people's nonsense change your mood? Do you let a bad driver, rude waiter, curt boss, or an insensitive colleague ruin your day? Unless you're a robot, you are bound to blow your top off. However, the mark of a successful person is how quickly he or she can get back his or her focus on what's important.

Sixteen years ago, I learned this lesson. I learn it in the back of a New York City taxi cab. Here's what happen.

I hopped in a taxi, and we took off for Grand Central Station. We were driving in the right lane when, all of a sudden, a black car jumped out of a parking space right in front of us. My taxi driver slammed on his brakes, skidded, and missed the other car's back end by just inches!

The driver of the other car, the guy who almost caused a big accident, whipped his head around and he started yelling bad words at us.

My taxi driver just smiled and waved at the guy. And I mean he was really friendly. So, I said, "Why did you do that? This guy almost ruined your car and sent us to the hospital!"

And this is when my taxi driver told me what I now called, 'The Law of the Garbage Truck'.

Many people are like garbage trucks. They run around full of garbage, full of frustration, full of anger, and full of disappointment. As their garbage piles up, they need a place to dump it. If they happen to dump it on you, don't take it personally.

You just smile, wave, wish them well, and moved on. You'll be happier if you did that rather than fight them.

So this was it: 'The Law of the Garbage Truck'.

I started thinking, how often do I let garbage trucks run right over me? And how often do I take their garbage and spread it to other people: at work, at home, on the street? It was that day I said, "I'm not going to do it anymore." see garbage trucks everywhere and everyday. I see the load they're carrying. I see them coming to drop it off.
And like my taxi driver, I don't make it a personal thing; I just smile, wave, wish them well, and I move on.

Good leaders know they have to be ready for their next meeting. Good parents know they have to welcome their kids home from school with hugs and kisses. Teachers and parents know that they have to be fully present and at their best for the people they care about.

The bottom line is that successful people do not let garbage trucks take over their day. What about you? What would happen in your life, starting today, if you let more garbage trucks pass you by?

Here's my bet. You'll be happier.

So ... love the people who treat you right.
Forget about the ones who don't.
Believe that every thing happens for a reason.
If you get a chance, TAKE IT!
If it changes your life, LET IT!
Nobody said it would be easy ....
They just promised it would be WORTH IT

Welcoming of New BNI Landmark, Malaysia Leadership Team

Work has been piling. Landmark referrals looks to be positively increasing in the weeks and it's time to welcome the new BNI Landmark, Malaysia Leadership Team (LT). The LT are always rotated after a term of 6 months. Time has flied, new members have been invited and the new LT are now going to create a new Landmark in the family.

Thank you to the previous BNI Landmark LT:
President: Katherine Pan (Spiognon Skin Treatment)
Membership Coordinator: Paulyne Leong (AZ Total Resources)
Secretariat: Tan Mei Fong (Prudential Insurance)
Communications: Peter Lai (Sparks of Asia)
Referral Master: Jackie Chan (Jack Images)
Dance Master: Danny Foo (Simpleet Solutions)
Professionalism: Irene Teoh (Camway Energy Enterprise)
Network Education Coordinator: Phyllis Kee (CIMB Wealth Advisor)
Presentation Taskforce: Regina Tan (Jay's Jam)
Visitor Hosts: Annie Kee, Ang Kek Loone

And now let's all welcome the new LT:
President: Peter Lai (Sparks of Asia)
Membership Coordinator: Tan Mei Fong (Prudential Insurance)
Communications: Jackie Chan (Jack Images)
Referral Master: Danny Foo (Simpleet Solutions)
Dance Master: William Teoh (Fversham Supplies)
Professionalism: Irene Teoh (Camway Energy Enterprise)
Network Education Coordinator: Katherine Pan (Spiognon Skin Treatment)
Presentation Taskforce: Regina Tan (Jay's Jam)
Visitor Hosts: TBA

We will continue to hold high expectation and provide continuous support to the BNI Landmark leadership team and its members aiming to generate referrals, invite more visitors and most importantly, take BNI Landmark, Malaysia to the next level.

This is not farewell but another warm greeting to a new landmark of the chapter.

BNI Malaysia, Landmark chapter meeting today

A very good day fellow business network people. Today I had to get up earlier than usual to prep myself up for my 8-minutes. It so happened after I found out Cindy Teh (OKIN Pest Management) was living nearby, I suggested we could car pool to the meetings nowadays. So today I gave her a lift to the meeting and we both were one of the early birds there. Boo-yah!

Our BNI Landmark NEC; Phyllis Kee (CIMB Wealth Advisor) delivered a very inspiring and informative subject this morning. She shared with us secret tips on gaining referrals for fellow BNI Landmark member:

• Place 2-3 most network able chapter members cards in front in your resource pack.
  In order not to be bias I would suggest placing your power team members business cards in the front.
  
• Wear the BNI tag or lapel pins out to business meetings.
  Someone might just ask you about BNI and would like to visit your chapter. Instant visitor!
  
• Practice the 3-foot business networking rule
  Try to start a conversation with anyone within 3-feet away from you. Referral ahoy!
• Get an additional resource pack with your BNI chapter members cards to give to your spouse or partners.
  This would allow them to help you farm for referrals. BNI is not about hunting for referrals.
• Invite your spouse or partners to the BNI chapter meeting.
  Let them know what do you really do and who you might be looking for. At the same time, mingle with your fellow members and strengthen relationships.
• Form power teams within BNI or your BNI chapter.
  A power team is a group of members closely related to your business or share an almost similar inner circle of your contact sphere.

This is only but a small list shared by Phyllis during the meeting. Besides that, as mentioned the speaker of the day was myself. Today I shared my experience and knowledge in blog marketing and how it can generate business for companies in travel, music and even fitness.

The BNI Malaysia, Landmark chapter is currently looking to fill in the following classifications:

• Maid service provider
• Will writer
• General insurance
• Florist
• Real estate agent
• and others...

If you belong in one of the professions above, please do not hesitate to visit us on Tuesday mornings (7:00AM) at the WIM Building, Taman Tun Dr.Ismail.

We hope to see you at our chapter meeting next week!

What NOT To Do at a Networking Business Event

Are you attending a BNI meeting for the first time? Are you invited to your first BNI Visitors Day? Or are you even going for your first ever networking business event?

If you are then here are some confident tips to get you through the event and win you the business relationships of the business people you may meet. When at the event, remember to:

1. NOT look over the shoulders of the person you're speaking to
   It's impolite to not pay attention to someone who's trying to introduce themselves.
2. NOT talk about you, yourself and you
   Everyone wants to be heard and sometimes listening can be more powerful than speaking.
3. NOT shake hands without exhilarating confidence
   A strong "good morning" and hand shake communicates how alert and confident you are as a person.
4. NOT sell, sell, sell and did I mention...sell
   Just like #2, you are not the only person there who's got something to sell. Instead of scaring them away, if they're instead why not organize an appointment to give them personal attention.
5. NOT avoid eye contact
   Do not be afraid to look them in the eye. You don't have to stare but try to maintain consistent eye contact with them. If you don't want to look at their eyes, the trick is to look at the bridge of their nose.
6. NOT repeat their name mistakenly
   There's nothing worse than trying to say a person's name without remembering. If you don't remember, then you could refer to them as a professional you've met who is in the business of...
7. NOT arrive late
   It's rude to interrupt an event while it's going on. However, it's better late than never so just apologize and find your seat.
8. NOT bring enough business cards
   I've seen a number of times visitors may think they brought enough business cards but end up frustrated and embarrassed to not have anymore business cards when a fellow business networking person requests for an exchange.
9. NOT dress professionally
   You don't have to dress up to black tie (unless requested) but a shirt with an appropriate tie will add confidence to your first impression.
10. NOT forget the date of the event
    Set reminders. Write notes and paste them on your bathroom mirror. Do what you have to do in order to remind yourself of the big networking event. Once the event has passed, you may have lost the opportunity in a business you wanted.

There are a ton of more do NOTs to do at a network business meeting like BNI. If you'd like to meet other professionals in order to generate more business for you via word-of-mouth marketing or referrals, come visit the BNI Landmark chapter Tuesdays at WIM, TTDI.

If you're interested in attending, please leave a comment and I'll email you an exclusive invitation. :)

BNI Malaysia, Landmark Chapter meeting

A new dawn has arrived at the BNI Landmark chapter. Through the success of the previous BNI Visitors Day, we have acquired 8 brand new members from different professions. This morning we have inducted 2 of the 8 new BNI Landmark chapter members. They are:

• Melvyn Loh
  BNI Landmark videographer
• Syed Ahmad
  BNI Landmark digital signage specialist

Therefore the above classifications have already been locked out of the BNI Landmark chapter. I'm quite anxious to know who are the remaining mystery 6.

Besides that, Amy Tan from Walton International delivered her 8-minute presentation. It is important for all BNI Malaysia members to note the presentation is your referral presentation and not your sales presentation. The presentation should be done to help your members understand what you do and educate them further so they may refer more referrals to you.

The other surprise today was Phyllis Kee (CIMB Wealth Advisor) who is now our new appointed Network Education Coordinator (NEC). She talked about the importance of our business cards and reminded all BNI Malaysia Landmark members that:

• Ladies should always have business cards in every single one of your handbags!
• Men should always have business cards stored in their wallets! If not their pockets.

So that pretty much sums up this week's meeting. Let BNI Malaysia Landmark continue to grow stronger each passing minute and let us all find referrals for each other every week.

Honk! Honk! Honk!