Once you know the purpose and type of mastermind group you wish to create, it's time to find, choose and invite prospective members. What kind of qualities are you looking for? Start with yourself. Take a good look at what you are bringing to the table, not only in experience and skills, but also values. A well-bonded mastermind group will often stay together for years while growing and evolving.
The following is a list of qualities and traits to refer to as a guideline when deciding who you want to invite into your own group. Use it as a starting point and add your own desired traits.
Creative
Open
Positive
Intuitive
Supportive
Committed
Confident
Generous
Good listener
High integrity
Achievement oriented
Willing to give and receive
Where do you find this wonderful people?
Everywhere. If the purpose for forming your mastermind group is for personal reasons such as pursuing a hobby, weight loss, self-improvement book group or creativity group, start with your friends and neighbors. Even a family member may be a good choice. If you can think of only one person who is a good candidate, start there and put your heads together to find more members.
Draw from people in your work, school, church, fitness club or exercise class, chamber of commerce, Rotary club, and other organizations you belong to. Consider people you see regularly and are friendly with in stores you frequent or other places you go, such as a dog park, farmers' markets or at concerts. If you regularly run into some of the same people, it could be a sign you have similar interests.
Run a classified ad seeking mastermind members in a weekly lifestyle or entertainment paper, local newspaper, area business journal, an organization's newsletter, or online at CraigsList.org or Meetup.com.
If you are open to a long-distance group, members can be located anywhere in the world as long as you can coordinate the meeting time to suit everyone.
Do an Internet search in your area of interest or type of group you have in mind. Check the Yahoo groups.
Ask, ask, ask everybody: " Who do you know that...?"
You want to choose carefully and find the right fit, but don't get stuck over-thinking this process. Often the best members for your group are closer than you think.
How do you screen and invite prospective members?
Now that you have some good prospective members in mind and are convinced the person would be right for your group, contact them by phone, in person, or even by email if far away. Explain the purpose of forming the mastermind, why you think they would be a great addition to the group, and invite them to join you.
This is the first conversation with this person, and you are feeling pretty good but not 100 percent sure yet that you want to issue an invitation. To further qualify this potential member, use some of the following questions. This isn't necessarily an interview or audition, especially from their point of view, so just work them into the conversation gently as questions. If an assessment is something you want to use, feel free to help yourself to any of these statements.
I appreciate the value of brainstorming new ideas with a trusted team.
I am willing to respect the privacy and protect the confidentiality of the group members.
I am open to learning from my peers.
I am willing and able to give as much as I receive.
I am committed to attending all meetings and treating them as a high priority.
I am able and willing to give myself permission to succeed.
I am a person of my word and will take the actions I say I will.
I see myself as a glass-half-full (positive) kind of person.
Next step, set a date for your first meeting and start inviting. If you think some people have agreed to attend the first meeting to check it out first before committing to join for the long haul, then invite more than your ideal size. You can then ask for a firm commitment after everyone has had a taste of what the group is about, what the ground rules are, and decided if it is a good fit for them.
Enjoy the process. If a person doesn't fit for the mastermind group, you still may have made a great new friend or business acquaintance.
Susan Henderson is a coach/consultant/mentor who assists creative entrepreneurs to take that seed of an idea you've been holding close to your heart and sprout it into the business of your dreams. I will guide you through the steps in discovering your purpose and creating a life you can love. One that includes the values that are most important to you-things like independence, flexibility, integrity, and creativity. To find out how, please visit: http://www.susanhenderson.com.
Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Susan_Henderson
Saturday, March 27, 2010
Sunday, March 21, 2010
Take Refuge from Negative Influences - Form a Mastermind
Friday, March 19, 2010
Tips for Starting a Mastermind Group
In his book, Think and Grow Rich, Napoleon Hill talked about something called a "mastermind alliance." Hill went on to describe his concept of a mastermind group as, "A friendly alliance with one or more persons who will encourage one another to follow through with both plan and purpose." Today, like-minded professionals come together through a plethora of available mastermind programs to help each other achieve success, thanks in part to Napoleon Hill's original idea.
Note: This two-part article is intended to offer some valuable tips, suggestions and observations for those readers who are planning to start a mastermind group, or seeking to become an active member of a mastermind group in the near future.
Before starting a mastermind group, do your homework. Carefully select the topic(s), and solicit the advice of others who have started similar mastermind programs, so you know what to expect. Attend several group meetings to learn about the differing formats, content, membership requirements, etc. This will assist you in determining the appropriate structure for your mastermind group before proceeding.
Get help with start-up. Karyn Greenstreet, the owner of Passion for Business and The Success Alliance http://thesuccessalliance.com/, is someone you should schedule time with before you start or join a mastermind group. Karyn currently offers a variety of teleclasses and valuable resources on how to start and manage a mastermind group, including a free e-Book, to help you research and successfully start your mastermind program.
Mastermind programs, if properly constructed, require a serious commitment in terms of preparation and planning, personal and professional growth, and active participation. As a group leader, it's important to set aside the time necessary to develop the group's charter, format and content, and the outline for planned meetings, programs and events, well in advance. For the group to be successful, members must also share this same level of commitment through regular attendance at meetings, self-study, professional development and growth, and their support of other members.
The group charter and guidelines should clearly define the purpose of the group, information about scheduled meetings, attendance expectations, group etiquette, member additions and removal, communication and membership fees. Members should know as much as possible about the group's plans and requirements in advance, and what they will gain through their active participation. This clarity, in turn, will help new member candidates make informed decisions as to whether the group is the right fit for their specific need.
Whether you choose an open or closed group format, diversity and the group's dynamics are critical aspects to consider to ensure a rich mastermind experience. You want to create a "buzz" by recruiting business leaders with differing perspectives, business backgrounds, experience levels, and industry profiles. Above all, select business professionals who are passionate about their personal growth and success, and are equally dedicated to helping other group members achieve the same goals.
Prepare for growth and attrition. In the early stages, you should expect a certain amount of attrition to occur for various reasons including time and workload requirements, schedule conflicts, family and health issues, and business changes. Your recruiting efforts, therefore, should be ongoing so you have a backlog of candidates in the event that you lose group members. Also, have a transition plan to help new members quickly get introduced to the selected topics, recommended readings, homework and group exercises, to enable them to contribute from day one, and not feel left out.
Part 2 of this two-part article will focus on several additional areas you will want to emphasize when starting your mastermind group including Communications and Confidentiality, Programs, Activities and Events, and Accountability. In the meantime, please share your thoughts, ideas and experiences on this subject with me.
COPYRIGHT © 2010 John Carroll
http://trescoach.blogspot.com/2010/03/tips-for-starting-mastermind-group-part.html
Note: This two-part article is intended to offer some valuable tips, suggestions and observations for those readers who are planning to start a mastermind group, or seeking to become an active member of a mastermind group in the near future.
Before starting a mastermind group, do your homework. Carefully select the topic(s), and solicit the advice of others who have started similar mastermind programs, so you know what to expect. Attend several group meetings to learn about the differing formats, content, membership requirements, etc. This will assist you in determining the appropriate structure for your mastermind group before proceeding.
Get help with start-up. Karyn Greenstreet, the owner of Passion for Business and The Success Alliance http://thesuccessalliance.com/, is someone you should schedule time with before you start or join a mastermind group. Karyn currently offers a variety of teleclasses and valuable resources on how to start and manage a mastermind group, including a free e-Book, to help you research and successfully start your mastermind program.
Mastermind programs, if properly constructed, require a serious commitment in terms of preparation and planning, personal and professional growth, and active participation. As a group leader, it's important to set aside the time necessary to develop the group's charter, format and content, and the outline for planned meetings, programs and events, well in advance. For the group to be successful, members must also share this same level of commitment through regular attendance at meetings, self-study, professional development and growth, and their support of other members.
The group charter and guidelines should clearly define the purpose of the group, information about scheduled meetings, attendance expectations, group etiquette, member additions and removal, communication and membership fees. Members should know as much as possible about the group's plans and requirements in advance, and what they will gain through their active participation. This clarity, in turn, will help new member candidates make informed decisions as to whether the group is the right fit for their specific need.
Whether you choose an open or closed group format, diversity and the group's dynamics are critical aspects to consider to ensure a rich mastermind experience. You want to create a "buzz" by recruiting business leaders with differing perspectives, business backgrounds, experience levels, and industry profiles. Above all, select business professionals who are passionate about their personal growth and success, and are equally dedicated to helping other group members achieve the same goals.
Prepare for growth and attrition. In the early stages, you should expect a certain amount of attrition to occur for various reasons including time and workload requirements, schedule conflicts, family and health issues, and business changes. Your recruiting efforts, therefore, should be ongoing so you have a backlog of candidates in the event that you lose group members. Also, have a transition plan to help new members quickly get introduced to the selected topics, recommended readings, homework and group exercises, to enable them to contribute from day one, and not feel left out.
Part 2 of this two-part article will focus on several additional areas you will want to emphasize when starting your mastermind group including Communications and Confidentiality, Programs, Activities and Events, and Accountability. In the meantime, please share your thoughts, ideas and experiences on this subject with me.
COPYRIGHT © 2010 John Carroll
http://trescoach.blogspot.com/2010/03/tips-for-starting-mastermind-group-part.html
Wednesday, March 17, 2010
Every Leader Should Be Focused on Improvement
Last Sunday, I was asked to organize and lead a presentation on Mastermind groups at a chapter meeting of the National Speakers Association of Ohio in Columbus. There were about 80 people at the session including experienced speakers who have participated in Mastermind groups and new speakers hoping to join one.
A Mastermind group is a select number of people who gather on a regular basis to brainstorm, coach, or give feedback to one another on business practices and products. Most Mastermind groups meet several times a year in person. Others communicate by conference calls. I find the face-to-face meeting the most productive.
The value of this group is the collective wisdom of people whose businesses have similar struggles. By-products of such groups are the friendships, which blossom and deepen. However, it is important to maintain objectivity and commit to giving honest, respectful feedback to gain the most out of these groups. The typical size of a Mastermind group is no more than five to six people so that each person can get an adequate amount of attention.
A key aspect of the best Mastermind groups is accountability. Members must commit to appropriate business goals and attempt progress on those goals between meetings. At the meetings, successes and failures should be discussed and refits designed if necessary. As with every aspect of a Mastermind group, if the accountability structure fails, the group should modify it to be more productive. Experimentation on structure should be a part of every Mastermind group.
I shared with the session participants my business goals and accountability measures that I track on a daily basis such as articles distributed, sales calls made, hours spent writing, presentations made, books sold among others. I have twelve in all. I share them with my Mastermind group every other month and receive feedback on my progress.
Group members must be willing to ask for help and comprehensively share their knowledge and ideas to other group members. Detailed agendas must be developed and owned by all group members and distributed well in advance of Mastermind sessions. It can be helpful to design your next agenda at the end of each meeting.
I recommend that at the first Mastermind group meeting, the participants jointly create a set of expectations and behavioral Ground Rules to guide the actions of individual members. Expectations describe desired outcomes and Ground Rules describe the process of how you interact. Make sure every member agrees on all elements of both documents. If any group member does not accept an element of the documents, modify the agreements to gain consensus. Have them prominently displayed at all meetings and refer to them as needed.
Every leader should be focused on personal, professional, and business improvement. It can be extremely helpful to seek feedback and ideas from other professionals in your field. I recommend that if you are not already in a Mastermind or a similar group, you should seek four or five other people whom you respect and initiate one. You may experience quantum leaps in your outcomes and achievement of lifetime dreams.
R. Glenn Ray, Ph.D., is the president of RayCom Learning. To learn more about Ray's new book Tons of Stone above my head: Coal Mining Stories with Leadership Lessons, visit his Web site www.raycomlearning.com. Everyday Leadership appears each Wednesday on the Business page
http://www.mariettatimes.com/page/content.detail/id/520372.html?nav=5003
A Mastermind group is a select number of people who gather on a regular basis to brainstorm, coach, or give feedback to one another on business practices and products. Most Mastermind groups meet several times a year in person. Others communicate by conference calls. I find the face-to-face meeting the most productive.
The value of this group is the collective wisdom of people whose businesses have similar struggles. By-products of such groups are the friendships, which blossom and deepen. However, it is important to maintain objectivity and commit to giving honest, respectful feedback to gain the most out of these groups. The typical size of a Mastermind group is no more than five to six people so that each person can get an adequate amount of attention.
A key aspect of the best Mastermind groups is accountability. Members must commit to appropriate business goals and attempt progress on those goals between meetings. At the meetings, successes and failures should be discussed and refits designed if necessary. As with every aspect of a Mastermind group, if the accountability structure fails, the group should modify it to be more productive. Experimentation on structure should be a part of every Mastermind group.
I shared with the session participants my business goals and accountability measures that I track on a daily basis such as articles distributed, sales calls made, hours spent writing, presentations made, books sold among others. I have twelve in all. I share them with my Mastermind group every other month and receive feedback on my progress.
Group members must be willing to ask for help and comprehensively share their knowledge and ideas to other group members. Detailed agendas must be developed and owned by all group members and distributed well in advance of Mastermind sessions. It can be helpful to design your next agenda at the end of each meeting.
I recommend that at the first Mastermind group meeting, the participants jointly create a set of expectations and behavioral Ground Rules to guide the actions of individual members. Expectations describe desired outcomes and Ground Rules describe the process of how you interact. Make sure every member agrees on all elements of both documents. If any group member does not accept an element of the documents, modify the agreements to gain consensus. Have them prominently displayed at all meetings and refer to them as needed.
Every leader should be focused on personal, professional, and business improvement. It can be extremely helpful to seek feedback and ideas from other professionals in your field. I recommend that if you are not already in a Mastermind or a similar group, you should seek four or five other people whom you respect and initiate one. You may experience quantum leaps in your outcomes and achievement of lifetime dreams.
R. Glenn Ray, Ph.D., is the president of RayCom Learning. To learn more about Ray's new book Tons of Stone above my head: Coal Mining Stories with Leadership Lessons, visit his Web site www.raycomlearning.com. Everyday Leadership appears each Wednesday on the Business page
http://www.mariettatimes.com/page/content.detail/id/520372.html?nav=5003
Saturday, March 13, 2010
The Mastermind Group
What do you get when you put four smart, interesting people getting together to help each along the wily, treacherous path of growing a business? The magic of a Mastermind Group!
In August of 2006, I posted an article called Why your business needs a peer-led MasterMind on Mastermind Groups by Mark Silver.
He did a great job of explaining the basics of what one is, how it works, and how it compares to some the other support systems available.
Even before that article popped up, I’d been thinking about how great it would be to have a Mastermind Group. Well it only took a short three years for that to happen.
Yup, it swam around the idea phase for a good two years, broke the surface several time in that last year trying to get beached on my Project List, and then in November of 2009, it gathered up the momentum to shoot out of the water like a dolphin doing flips in the air and yelled, “The time is Nowwww!!!” Splash!
That moment fortuitously happened at an Open Conference for Leadership right at the time that the participants were being asked to volunteer subjects.The next thing I know, I’m offering a session on Mastermind Groups–zero planning or pre-meditation.
While most people didn’t know what it was, the name Spoke to them. A good 35 people showed up for that session.
I described my understanding of what a MM group was, called on some people who had been in several groups to share their experience, and then suggested a structure:
•4 people
•commit to 6 months
•meet once a week
•meet for an hour
•divide the time up between people there
•each person gets to lead their time
•use a timer
•finish and end on time
•be supportive and honest
•and as Mark calls it, compassionate accountability
Four groups of four people initiated right then! Mark’s group meets over the phone. We meet in person.
A success story
One woman in my group is rebuilding her jewelry business. She resisted calling up a new account because she was afraid that nothing would have sold. (The mind is sooo creative in coming up with horror stories when it comes to our personal work!) She finally made the call only to find out that most of the pieces had sold and the buyer bought ten more pieces.
After reporting back on this success, another woman in our group, a landscape architect, immediately identified a phone call she’d been procrastinating due to fear. She made it her homework that week to make the call.
At our next meeting, she reported back that the jeweler’s courage helped her take the bull by the horns and she had made her dreaded phone call (which also had great results).
There are books on the subject to help people jump in and kick-start their group. My experience supports the idea of just getting it going. The critical ingredients:
Commitment and Respect.
Whether concrete ideas of how to proceed in a confusing area, determining what the next step is for marketing might be, how to handle a tough client, or guidance on starting a blog–it’s likely that someone in the group has experience where another lacks it.
The progress that people can make based on this weekly support structure can be akin to magic–it’s that powerful.
Such an empowering way to let it be easy!
http://projectsimplify.com/out-and-about/the-mastermind-group/
In August of 2006, I posted an article called Why your business needs a peer-led MasterMind on Mastermind Groups by Mark Silver.
He did a great job of explaining the basics of what one is, how it works, and how it compares to some the other support systems available.
Even before that article popped up, I’d been thinking about how great it would be to have a Mastermind Group. Well it only took a short three years for that to happen.
Yup, it swam around the idea phase for a good two years, broke the surface several time in that last year trying to get beached on my Project List, and then in November of 2009, it gathered up the momentum to shoot out of the water like a dolphin doing flips in the air and yelled, “The time is Nowwww!!!” Splash!
That moment fortuitously happened at an Open Conference for Leadership right at the time that the participants were being asked to volunteer subjects.The next thing I know, I’m offering a session on Mastermind Groups–zero planning or pre-meditation.
While most people didn’t know what it was, the name Spoke to them. A good 35 people showed up for that session.
I described my understanding of what a MM group was, called on some people who had been in several groups to share their experience, and then suggested a structure:
•4 people
•commit to 6 months
•meet once a week
•meet for an hour
•divide the time up between people there
•each person gets to lead their time
•use a timer
•finish and end on time
•be supportive and honest
•and as Mark calls it, compassionate accountability
Four groups of four people initiated right then! Mark’s group meets over the phone. We meet in person.
A success story
One woman in my group is rebuilding her jewelry business. She resisted calling up a new account because she was afraid that nothing would have sold. (The mind is sooo creative in coming up with horror stories when it comes to our personal work!) She finally made the call only to find out that most of the pieces had sold and the buyer bought ten more pieces.
After reporting back on this success, another woman in our group, a landscape architect, immediately identified a phone call she’d been procrastinating due to fear. She made it her homework that week to make the call.
At our next meeting, she reported back that the jeweler’s courage helped her take the bull by the horns and she had made her dreaded phone call (which also had great results).
There are books on the subject to help people jump in and kick-start their group. My experience supports the idea of just getting it going. The critical ingredients:
Commitment and Respect.
Whether concrete ideas of how to proceed in a confusing area, determining what the next step is for marketing might be, how to handle a tough client, or guidance on starting a blog–it’s likely that someone in the group has experience where another lacks it.
The progress that people can make based on this weekly support structure can be akin to magic–it’s that powerful.
Such an empowering way to let it be easy!
http://projectsimplify.com/out-and-about/the-mastermind-group/
Mastermind Groups in the 21st Century
The mastermind principle, as originally conceived by Napoleon Hill, is about the power of a “third mind” made possible through regular collaboration.
That’s when a small group of co-equal colleagues and contemporaries share experiences and insights that create “Ah ha” moments for each of them.
In a real mastermind group there are no profesional organizers. There are no gurus acting as experts.
And nobody is paying anybody for advice, group management, or facilitation.
In a real mastermind group it’s just you with a few of your colleagues, other people you know, like, trust, and whose opinions you respect. Simply peers with no ax to grind and nothing to sell, with only your best interests at heart.
That’s right – no professional moderators and no organizers are required to have a successful sustainable group that meets regularly over the years.
Many of the old fashioned mastermind groups are the face-to-face variety, like the one that Thomas Edison, Alexander Graham Bell, Henry Ford and Harvey Firestone made famous nearly a century ago.
Just think, if you could put together a group of peers, people from your industry, who are far outside of your (and their) traditional marketing areas – you could have all the benefits that come from sharing experiences with people who know what you want to know. People whose insights are directly relevant to you. And since you are not direct competitors there is never any fear of giving away your secrets.
Today, cheap long distance calls, instant online webinar services, and free Yahoo! groups can make your meetings much more effective than the old fashioned face-to-face variety. No time and money wasted getting to and from the meetings and the ability to connect with the other members of your group 24/7 – to deal with the speed of business today.
You can get together in person of course – that’s what your trade association meetings are for.
Using the simple techniques that I later complied into my mastermind group report I established and participated in several peer to peer mastermind groups.
I personally use a conference call service that allows each member of my group to call a central number and connect over a bridge line. Nothing special about that. Except with the service we use if one of us in not able to be there the call can be instantly recorded and available for the missing member – no extra charge and nothing to do but push the record button.
Recently one of the members was out of the country on vacation. He was able to log on to the call via the Internet and participate in the live simulcast of the meeting. No extra charge for this either.
And using our Yahoo! group we can post documents to be shared confidentially among the six of us. In addition we can create a calendar of upcoming meetings, keep track of who is in charge of the next meeting, post links to the resources to be discussed, an outline of our normal agenda and set reminders for one another some of he previously time consuming activities required to keep a mastermind group vibrant and productive.
A few years ago I suggested to several business owners from across North America, members of the same association, that they create a mastermind over the phone to continue a discussion we had together at their annual meeting.
That was a dozen years ago and they still get together twice a month to share strategies, offer insights from their experiences, and provide support to one another.
If it was possible at the time, Napoleon Hill would have created this type of mastermind group process.
Just imagine how much more Harvey Firestone, Thomas Edison, President Harding, and Henry Ford could have achieved if they had the tools available to you today?
Today I am making the same tips, tools and techniques available to you – so you can create your own board of advocates – your own strategic planning team.
When you purchase the mastermind group report you’ll receive priceless tips, tools, and strategies for creating and managing your own mastermind group. 21stCenturyMasterMindGroups.com
Wayne Messick WayneMessick.com
http://www.ilabstech.com/info-blog/mastermind-groups-in-the-21st-century.html
That’s when a small group of co-equal colleagues and contemporaries share experiences and insights that create “Ah ha” moments for each of them.
In a real mastermind group there are no profesional organizers. There are no gurus acting as experts.
And nobody is paying anybody for advice, group management, or facilitation.
In a real mastermind group it’s just you with a few of your colleagues, other people you know, like, trust, and whose opinions you respect. Simply peers with no ax to grind and nothing to sell, with only your best interests at heart.
That’s right – no professional moderators and no organizers are required to have a successful sustainable group that meets regularly over the years.
Many of the old fashioned mastermind groups are the face-to-face variety, like the one that Thomas Edison, Alexander Graham Bell, Henry Ford and Harvey Firestone made famous nearly a century ago.
Just think, if you could put together a group of peers, people from your industry, who are far outside of your (and their) traditional marketing areas – you could have all the benefits that come from sharing experiences with people who know what you want to know. People whose insights are directly relevant to you. And since you are not direct competitors there is never any fear of giving away your secrets.
Today, cheap long distance calls, instant online webinar services, and free Yahoo! groups can make your meetings much more effective than the old fashioned face-to-face variety. No time and money wasted getting to and from the meetings and the ability to connect with the other members of your group 24/7 – to deal with the speed of business today.
You can get together in person of course – that’s what your trade association meetings are for.
Using the simple techniques that I later complied into my mastermind group report I established and participated in several peer to peer mastermind groups.
I personally use a conference call service that allows each member of my group to call a central number and connect over a bridge line. Nothing special about that. Except with the service we use if one of us in not able to be there the call can be instantly recorded and available for the missing member – no extra charge and nothing to do but push the record button.
Recently one of the members was out of the country on vacation. He was able to log on to the call via the Internet and participate in the live simulcast of the meeting. No extra charge for this either.
And using our Yahoo! group we can post documents to be shared confidentially among the six of us. In addition we can create a calendar of upcoming meetings, keep track of who is in charge of the next meeting, post links to the resources to be discussed, an outline of our normal agenda and set reminders for one another some of he previously time consuming activities required to keep a mastermind group vibrant and productive.
A few years ago I suggested to several business owners from across North America, members of the same association, that they create a mastermind over the phone to continue a discussion we had together at their annual meeting.
That was a dozen years ago and they still get together twice a month to share strategies, offer insights from their experiences, and provide support to one another.
If it was possible at the time, Napoleon Hill would have created this type of mastermind group process.
Just imagine how much more Harvey Firestone, Thomas Edison, President Harding, and Henry Ford could have achieved if they had the tools available to you today?
Today I am making the same tips, tools and techniques available to you – so you can create your own board of advocates – your own strategic planning team.
When you purchase the mastermind group report you’ll receive priceless tips, tools, and strategies for creating and managing your own mastermind group. 21stCenturyMasterMindGroups.com
Wayne Messick WayneMessick.com
http://www.ilabstech.com/info-blog/mastermind-groups-in-the-21st-century.html
Friday, March 12, 2010
Mastermind Groups that Really Work
By:Denis Orme
MasterMind groups that really work
Denis Orme
Founder: www.SpeakEasi.org
Napoleon Hill coined the concept of the MasterMind alliance in his classic book Think and Grow Rich some fifty years ago. He believed that a group of like-minded, achievement-oriented individuals could dramatically leverage each other\’s success.
But even earlier than that Benjamin Franklin\’s autobiography alluded to 鈥楯untos\’ in the sense of group problem-solving.
Since then many others have attested to their value.
JFK 鈥淟ofty words cannot construct an alliance or maintain it; only concrete deeds do that.鈥?br />
Hillary Clinton once said, 鈥淣o one ever became a success without the help of other people.鈥? I believe it. You need others to help and support you and for you to help and support them.
MasterMind groups are formed for a variety of reasons including: increasing business, spiritual fellowship, education or intellectual pursuits, networking, cross-coaching, problem-solving and planning either personally and in business and personal goal setting and attainment, again either as part of a life plan or in business.
Over time through your MasterMind partners you will get support, ideas, accountability on the aspects of your life you select - business, personal, career, physical and spiritual. Assisting you both personally and professionally by building resources into your life, career or business, and also providing support and encouragement. Free newsletter at www.SpeakEasi.org
Members of your MasterMind group become your partners and so their selection is critical to the success of all group members. More than any other qualities prospective members must be totally trustworthy, dependable and have a genuine desire to do better - there is no room for 鈥榥eedy\’ people. Find people who are mature enough to commit time, and healthy enough not to suck energy or induce negative energy.
Relationship bank deposits - Zig Ziglar - 鈥淵ou can get everything in life you want, if you\’ll just help enough other people to get what they want.鈥? Clearly for me this is an underlying principle of a MasterMind group. Ask yourself, Am I consistently adding-value to the Relationship Bank? Free newsletter at www.SpeakEasi.org
You will have partners/coaches and not advice givers - a broader frame of reference and experience for you to apply your own judgement to before making decisions, but more importantly acting on the information and feedback. Interdependence, not dependence.
Consider members as your sounding-board and if a little problem-solving help is required, fine. But it is not the main order of the day. The group will help you think smarter, brainstorm ideas, encourage creativity and support your efforts. Free newsletter at www.SpeakEasi.org
Remember though, in the end you are the CEO of your life, your career and your business. 鈥淚f it is going to be, it is up to me.鈥?
Determining a purpose:
For MasterMind group objectives I tend to eliminate exchanging sales leads as the purpose for such a group. There are many fine organisations like www.BNI.com you can join. That said, sometimes business just flows naturally as relationships grow.
There are many different reasons why your MasterMind might meet, ranging from career planning, growing your business, building a stronger team, to establishing broad spiritual or life connections. Be very clear on what you are trying to accomplish and the more specific you are, the more productive you will be - Build an understanding about the purpose for the group and how it will work.
Selecting members
Core values in selecting members may include:: tolerance/understanding, cooperation/growth, good communication skills, caring/commitment, synergy/mutuality, but most importantly trust and respect. Free newsletter at www.SpeakEasi.org
If the group is business-related then seek out those from complementary not competing businesses, perhaps at a similar level within their organisation, and sometimes if possible of a different business discipline. One of the successful groups I formed was to have all owners of non-competing SME\’s in the group, and in another situation participants were all CEO or COO\’s from larger businesses.
If the primary purpose for the group is life planning or spiritually related, then perhaps select members high in positive energy.
Establishing guidelines
鈥?Group Size - I recommend 5-7 only. Any smaller and it is hard to keep the group going if one or two members have prior commitments. However, the Mastermind group should be their primary commitment, and if someone is absent they get to chair the next meeting. Any larger than 7 and the group becomes too impersonal and does not allow sufficient time to focus on each person.
鈥?Frequency, time date and place of meeting. It does take time to sort this out because of conflicting schedules. Allow for social time, or a social event after the meeting.
鈥?
鈥?Establish a meeting theme in advance. Figure out a way that you will all have an opportunity to bring something new to the meeting. Maybe it is an article, book, tape or a news story relevant to your group.
鈥?Focus on goals and not telling stories - keep to the time limit and end the session on a positive, upbeat note.
鈥?Bring forth solutions and not problems or obstacles.
鈥?Ensure members share time and do not dominate. We all need to be active listeners. Alertness from both sides equals mutual success.
鈥?Create an atmosphere of confidentiality and respect.
鈥?Encourage members to jump in with support and positive ideas for the person who is talking. No criticism is allowed.
Picking a Leader
Obviously the two approaches are either fixed term or rotational. I prefer the rotational approach. It ensures a more constant flow of new ideas and themes and in the unlikely event that you have a dominant personality in the group this can provide a counter-balance. Free newsletter at www.SpeakEasi.org
Each member of your group should be well-versed in operating within your meeting guidelines so they can be more effective as the group leader. Remember, you only have guidelines and not rules. The group should be a relaxed fun place even though there is a serious purpose.
Meeting Focus
鈥?Sharing individual successes. Celebration time is a very powerful way to start a meeting.
鈥?Embark on the meeting theme. Have the theme leader bring copies of material for all and to lead the discussion..
鈥?Devote 10-15 minutes to members who need help with a particular opportunity or problem. Not all will at each meeting.
鈥?Provide an opportunity for people to share ideas on resources which have proven invaluable, and why that resource was invaluable. It may have been an online newsletter, a vendor or a professional advisor.
鈥?Make time for social interaction. Definitely a great way to grow the partnership, by having a meal or a cocktail hour afterwards.
Meeting Tips
There is an element of personal surrender with your partners and it will take time to build trust and confidence between partners. Initial meetings therefore should not centre on close personal situations. Free newsletter at www.SpeakEasi.org
I believe all participants should provide an honest report on how they are doing, or how they did in relation to last month\’s goals.
Allow social time before/after meetings or at separate events of helping relationships to flourish. I find social time is better after the meeting.
Finally, notes should be taken. Not formal records but a record in particular of goals or progress towards goals that each group member plans to undertake. In my words: 鈥淔ocus and Follow-through.鈥?br />
If it stops working
It is perhaps time to try something different or inject new blood. Maybe members have gone stale, changed their personal goals or now have larger priorities making them less frequent attendees of your meetings.
Honesty between members in recognising the need for change will ensure you retain a healthy vibrant group.
Results
No need for a disclaimer here 鈥淩esults will vary according to鈥︹€? etc.鈥? You are in a group of highly motivated people, and these are people who achieve.
I have been in different MasterMind groups and my results have included valuable input on the purchase of a business and as to whether or not the founder-seller was really motivated to sell or was lonely and just enjoyed my company; suggestions for growing a business which subsequently received a sales award; career planning suggestions and suggestions regarding relocating to another country. Free newsletter at www.SpeakEasi.org
I have seen others break out of personal relationships, get married, buy and sell houses, get suggestions in relation to dysfunctional work teams and in other cases build community involvements.
Conclusion:
The late Jack Boland and Napoleon Hill laid down some universal principles which hold true today, and which you should bear in mind when forming your own MasterMind group:
鈥?a) Align yourself with a group of as many people as you may need to create and carry out your plan or plans.
(b) Before forming your Master Mind Alliance, decide what advantages, and benefits, you may offer the individual members of your group in return for their cooperation. No one will work indefinitely without some form of compensation. No intelligent person will either request or expect another to work without adequate compensation, although this may not always be in the form of money.
(c) If your goal and the goal of other MasterMind group members is the accumulation of wealth arrange to meet least twice a week, until you have jointly perfected the necessary plan or plans for the accumulation of money.
(d) Maintain PERFECT HARMONY between yourself and every member of your Master Mind Group. If you fail to carry out this instruction to the letter, you may expect to meet with failure. The Master Mind Principle cannot obtain where PERFECT HARMONY does not prevail.
Free newsletter at www.SpeakEasi.org
Keep in mind these two facts:
First, you are engaged in an undertaking of major importance to you. To be sure of success, you must have plans which are faultless.
Second, you must have the advantage of the experience, education, native ability, and imagination of other minds. This is in harmony with the methods followed by every person who has ever accumulated great success.鈥?br />
As your MasterMind group starts you on a great journey, remember life\’s balance:
鈥淒on\’t get so busy or live so fast that you cannot listen to the music of the meadow or the symphony that glorifies the forest.鈥?br />
- Dale Carnegie
Author: Denis Orme
www.SpeakEasi.org
1-877-293-6760
About the author:
Denis Orme
Fake Watch
The Same Blog Website:
http://www.hao7.net
http://www.wjwblog.com/index.php/108/mastermind-groups-that-really-work
MasterMind groups that really work
Denis Orme
Founder: www.SpeakEasi.org
Napoleon Hill coined the concept of the MasterMind alliance in his classic book Think and Grow Rich some fifty years ago. He believed that a group of like-minded, achievement-oriented individuals could dramatically leverage each other\’s success.
But even earlier than that Benjamin Franklin\’s autobiography alluded to 鈥楯untos\’ in the sense of group problem-solving.
Since then many others have attested to their value.
JFK 鈥淟ofty words cannot construct an alliance or maintain it; only concrete deeds do that.鈥?br />
Hillary Clinton once said, 鈥淣o one ever became a success without the help of other people.鈥? I believe it. You need others to help and support you and for you to help and support them.
MasterMind groups are formed for a variety of reasons including: increasing business, spiritual fellowship, education or intellectual pursuits, networking, cross-coaching, problem-solving and planning either personally and in business and personal goal setting and attainment, again either as part of a life plan or in business.
Over time through your MasterMind partners you will get support, ideas, accountability on the aspects of your life you select - business, personal, career, physical and spiritual. Assisting you both personally and professionally by building resources into your life, career or business, and also providing support and encouragement. Free newsletter at www.SpeakEasi.org
Members of your MasterMind group become your partners and so their selection is critical to the success of all group members. More than any other qualities prospective members must be totally trustworthy, dependable and have a genuine desire to do better - there is no room for 鈥榥eedy\’ people. Find people who are mature enough to commit time, and healthy enough not to suck energy or induce negative energy.
Relationship bank deposits - Zig Ziglar - 鈥淵ou can get everything in life you want, if you\’ll just help enough other people to get what they want.鈥? Clearly for me this is an underlying principle of a MasterMind group. Ask yourself, Am I consistently adding-value to the Relationship Bank? Free newsletter at www.SpeakEasi.org
You will have partners/coaches and not advice givers - a broader frame of reference and experience for you to apply your own judgement to before making decisions, but more importantly acting on the information and feedback. Interdependence, not dependence.
Consider members as your sounding-board and if a little problem-solving help is required, fine. But it is not the main order of the day. The group will help you think smarter, brainstorm ideas, encourage creativity and support your efforts. Free newsletter at www.SpeakEasi.org
Remember though, in the end you are the CEO of your life, your career and your business. 鈥淚f it is going to be, it is up to me.鈥?
Determining a purpose:
For MasterMind group objectives I tend to eliminate exchanging sales leads as the purpose for such a group. There are many fine organisations like www.BNI.com you can join. That said, sometimes business just flows naturally as relationships grow.
There are many different reasons why your MasterMind might meet, ranging from career planning, growing your business, building a stronger team, to establishing broad spiritual or life connections. Be very clear on what you are trying to accomplish and the more specific you are, the more productive you will be - Build an understanding about the purpose for the group and how it will work.
Selecting members
Core values in selecting members may include:: tolerance/understanding, cooperation/growth, good communication skills, caring/commitment, synergy/mutuality, but most importantly trust and respect. Free newsletter at www.SpeakEasi.org
If the group is business-related then seek out those from complementary not competing businesses, perhaps at a similar level within their organisation, and sometimes if possible of a different business discipline. One of the successful groups I formed was to have all owners of non-competing SME\’s in the group, and in another situation participants were all CEO or COO\’s from larger businesses.
If the primary purpose for the group is life planning or spiritually related, then perhaps select members high in positive energy.
Establishing guidelines
鈥?Group Size - I recommend 5-7 only. Any smaller and it is hard to keep the group going if one or two members have prior commitments. However, the Mastermind group should be their primary commitment, and if someone is absent they get to chair the next meeting. Any larger than 7 and the group becomes too impersonal and does not allow sufficient time to focus on each person.
鈥?Frequency, time date and place of meeting. It does take time to sort this out because of conflicting schedules. Allow for social time, or a social event after the meeting.
鈥?
鈥?Establish a meeting theme in advance. Figure out a way that you will all have an opportunity to bring something new to the meeting. Maybe it is an article, book, tape or a news story relevant to your group.
鈥?Focus on goals and not telling stories - keep to the time limit and end the session on a positive, upbeat note.
鈥?Bring forth solutions and not problems or obstacles.
鈥?Ensure members share time and do not dominate. We all need to be active listeners. Alertness from both sides equals mutual success.
鈥?Create an atmosphere of confidentiality and respect.
鈥?Encourage members to jump in with support and positive ideas for the person who is talking. No criticism is allowed.
Picking a Leader
Obviously the two approaches are either fixed term or rotational. I prefer the rotational approach. It ensures a more constant flow of new ideas and themes and in the unlikely event that you have a dominant personality in the group this can provide a counter-balance. Free newsletter at www.SpeakEasi.org
Each member of your group should be well-versed in operating within your meeting guidelines so they can be more effective as the group leader. Remember, you only have guidelines and not rules. The group should be a relaxed fun place even though there is a serious purpose.
Meeting Focus
鈥?Sharing individual successes. Celebration time is a very powerful way to start a meeting.
鈥?Embark on the meeting theme. Have the theme leader bring copies of material for all and to lead the discussion..
鈥?Devote 10-15 minutes to members who need help with a particular opportunity or problem. Not all will at each meeting.
鈥?Provide an opportunity for people to share ideas on resources which have proven invaluable, and why that resource was invaluable. It may have been an online newsletter, a vendor or a professional advisor.
鈥?Make time for social interaction. Definitely a great way to grow the partnership, by having a meal or a cocktail hour afterwards.
Meeting Tips
There is an element of personal surrender with your partners and it will take time to build trust and confidence between partners. Initial meetings therefore should not centre on close personal situations. Free newsletter at www.SpeakEasi.org
I believe all participants should provide an honest report on how they are doing, or how they did in relation to last month\’s goals.
Allow social time before/after meetings or at separate events of helping relationships to flourish. I find social time is better after the meeting.
Finally, notes should be taken. Not formal records but a record in particular of goals or progress towards goals that each group member plans to undertake. In my words: 鈥淔ocus and Follow-through.鈥?br />
If it stops working
It is perhaps time to try something different or inject new blood. Maybe members have gone stale, changed their personal goals or now have larger priorities making them less frequent attendees of your meetings.
Honesty between members in recognising the need for change will ensure you retain a healthy vibrant group.
Results
No need for a disclaimer here 鈥淩esults will vary according to鈥︹€? etc.鈥? You are in a group of highly motivated people, and these are people who achieve.
I have been in different MasterMind groups and my results have included valuable input on the purchase of a business and as to whether or not the founder-seller was really motivated to sell or was lonely and just enjoyed my company; suggestions for growing a business which subsequently received a sales award; career planning suggestions and suggestions regarding relocating to another country. Free newsletter at www.SpeakEasi.org
I have seen others break out of personal relationships, get married, buy and sell houses, get suggestions in relation to dysfunctional work teams and in other cases build community involvements.
Conclusion:
The late Jack Boland and Napoleon Hill laid down some universal principles which hold true today, and which you should bear in mind when forming your own MasterMind group:
鈥?a) Align yourself with a group of as many people as you may need to create and carry out your plan or plans.
(b) Before forming your Master Mind Alliance, decide what advantages, and benefits, you may offer the individual members of your group in return for their cooperation. No one will work indefinitely without some form of compensation. No intelligent person will either request or expect another to work without adequate compensation, although this may not always be in the form of money.
(c) If your goal and the goal of other MasterMind group members is the accumulation of wealth arrange to meet least twice a week, until you have jointly perfected the necessary plan or plans for the accumulation of money.
(d) Maintain PERFECT HARMONY between yourself and every member of your Master Mind Group. If you fail to carry out this instruction to the letter, you may expect to meet with failure. The Master Mind Principle cannot obtain where PERFECT HARMONY does not prevail.
Free newsletter at www.SpeakEasi.org
Keep in mind these two facts:
First, you are engaged in an undertaking of major importance to you. To be sure of success, you must have plans which are faultless.
Second, you must have the advantage of the experience, education, native ability, and imagination of other minds. This is in harmony with the methods followed by every person who has ever accumulated great success.鈥?br />
As your MasterMind group starts you on a great journey, remember life\’s balance:
鈥淒on\’t get so busy or live so fast that you cannot listen to the music of the meadow or the symphony that glorifies the forest.鈥?br />
- Dale Carnegie
Author: Denis Orme
www.SpeakEasi.org
1-877-293-6760
About the author:
Denis Orme
Fake Watch
The Same Blog Website:
http://www.hao7.net
http://www.wjwblog.com/index.php/108/mastermind-groups-that-really-work
Friday, March 5, 2010
Essential Elements of a Powerful Mastermind Group
A mastermind group is a fantastic tool for success and creates a group of like minded people that support each other. The group becomes a sounding board for ideas and acts as a personal advisory board.
An ideal number of people to start a mastermind group is 10-12. Invariably, a few flake out and don’t commit the time and usually its because they don’t want to get out of their comfort zone. Also, over time, people move or leave town.
Mastermind groups work best when done at the same place and same time every week. People are creatures of habit and when they get in the habit of showing up at the same time, it works best.
A great location to hold a meeting is free from distractions. Attempt to have it in a place where kids are not playing and have people turn their cell phones off and focus on mastermind group. We have had great success using library meeting rooms and peoples homes that don’t have kids.
The first meeting should give an overview of what the process is all about. Your mastermind group should have rules to be followed, such as, no cell phones, must be on time and must show up.
A great way to teach basic success principals is to study Think and Grow Rich by Napoleon Hill. Hill’s classic book teaches many valuable lessons such as desire, faith, auto suggestion and many more. This timeless classic will get the group fired up and ready to rock.
The time the meeting should last should be at least an hour and not to exceed 1 1/2 hours. Prevent one person from doing all the talking and keep the conversation moving using everyone at the meeting for different ideas.
People should be focusing on how they can give to the other members of the mastermind group. If everyone is in a givers mentality, each person will have 10-12 people giving to them on a weekly basis. It is extremely powerful.
About the Author
Lanny Morton was trained by Bob Proctor to operate Mastermind Groups. He was seen in entrepreuner magazines, television and print. Sign up free to begin a Mastermind Group in your city.
http://business.mylucena.com/essential-elements-of-a-very-powerful-mastermind-group.html
An ideal number of people to start a mastermind group is 10-12. Invariably, a few flake out and don’t commit the time and usually its because they don’t want to get out of their comfort zone. Also, over time, people move or leave town.
Mastermind groups work best when done at the same place and same time every week. People are creatures of habit and when they get in the habit of showing up at the same time, it works best.
A great location to hold a meeting is free from distractions. Attempt to have it in a place where kids are not playing and have people turn their cell phones off and focus on mastermind group. We have had great success using library meeting rooms and peoples homes that don’t have kids.
The first meeting should give an overview of what the process is all about. Your mastermind group should have rules to be followed, such as, no cell phones, must be on time and must show up.
A great way to teach basic success principals is to study Think and Grow Rich by Napoleon Hill. Hill’s classic book teaches many valuable lessons such as desire, faith, auto suggestion and many more. This timeless classic will get the group fired up and ready to rock.
The time the meeting should last should be at least an hour and not to exceed 1 1/2 hours. Prevent one person from doing all the talking and keep the conversation moving using everyone at the meeting for different ideas.
People should be focusing on how they can give to the other members of the mastermind group. If everyone is in a givers mentality, each person will have 10-12 people giving to them on a weekly basis. It is extremely powerful.
About the Author
Lanny Morton was trained by Bob Proctor to operate Mastermind Groups. He was seen in entrepreuner magazines, television and print. Sign up free to begin a Mastermind Group in your city.
http://business.mylucena.com/essential-elements-of-a-very-powerful-mastermind-group.html
Confidence Through Mastermind Groups
Confidence in business is a necessary characteristic for success. But staying focused and ready for success is not always easy. Working with a mastermind group can be one of the most important business decisions a professional can make in a business career. These ideas give ways working a mastermind group can build confidence for business success.
1. Mastermind groups consist of a group of people with the same goals that come together to support each other to reach their individual goals. Finding a mastermind that works for you provides an effective ways for you to stay focused on your goals. If you have a problem setting goals the mastermind group can help.
2. Mastermind groups help you to maintain the self-discipline to get moving towards your purpose each day. Being in business often means feeling tired and burned out. If you feel like stopping in your business pursuits, your mastermind members are there to keep you on track and help you develop business routines for success.
3. Mastermind groups provide a place where you can be accountable to reach your goals. Because you check in on a regular basis with your group, you will soon begin to feel accountable to report on your goals to the group. You will enjoy having the other members recognize the efforts you made to reach your stated goals. This helps to build your self-esteem because you will be sharing your successes on a regular basis. They can also help you through the tough spots without being judgmental.
4. Mastermind groups hold you to the expectation of doing what you set out to do in business. They are supportive when you want to implement new ideas or try creative concepts. You have a sounding board of people who can let you know whether or not they feel your idea needs some tweaking or is fine as is. This lets you have more confidence to try something innovative before introducing it the world without this type of feedback.
5. Mastermind groups often share insider information that you wouldn’t be able to find in other settings. That is because the focus is usually very tight and the members are professionals in the same area. You can expect a level of confidentiality that is respected by each group member so you can speak freely bout your issues. Of course, be sure this idea of being confidential is a stated policy in your mastermind group before sharing too much.
6. Mastermind groups provide a mentoring atmosphere which means you are supported to understand the nuances of your profession that only come through a close mentoring relationship. Everything can’t be taught or passed along through books or even public training sessions. Some have to come through a mentoring situation and the mastermind can provide that setting in your industry.
7. Mastermind groups could help you to establish life long friendships and business partners that you wouldn’t find in other situations. Mastermind mind members get to know each other in a way the general population doesn’t. Members want to see each other succeed and often provide support and resources only with other mastermind members that could make the difference in building a business quickly an defectively.
Mastermind groups are one of the most important concepts for helping a professional grow a business and build personal self-esteem and confidence to succeed. When you know you are working with a select group of people who care about your success, hold you accountable and support you no matter what, you naturally grow in the confidence to reach you stated business goals.
http://consuelomeux.com/articles/?p=113&cpage=1#comment-22
1. Mastermind groups consist of a group of people with the same goals that come together to support each other to reach their individual goals. Finding a mastermind that works for you provides an effective ways for you to stay focused on your goals. If you have a problem setting goals the mastermind group can help.
2. Mastermind groups help you to maintain the self-discipline to get moving towards your purpose each day. Being in business often means feeling tired and burned out. If you feel like stopping in your business pursuits, your mastermind members are there to keep you on track and help you develop business routines for success.
3. Mastermind groups provide a place where you can be accountable to reach your goals. Because you check in on a regular basis with your group, you will soon begin to feel accountable to report on your goals to the group. You will enjoy having the other members recognize the efforts you made to reach your stated goals. This helps to build your self-esteem because you will be sharing your successes on a regular basis. They can also help you through the tough spots without being judgmental.
4. Mastermind groups hold you to the expectation of doing what you set out to do in business. They are supportive when you want to implement new ideas or try creative concepts. You have a sounding board of people who can let you know whether or not they feel your idea needs some tweaking or is fine as is. This lets you have more confidence to try something innovative before introducing it the world without this type of feedback.
5. Mastermind groups often share insider information that you wouldn’t be able to find in other settings. That is because the focus is usually very tight and the members are professionals in the same area. You can expect a level of confidentiality that is respected by each group member so you can speak freely bout your issues. Of course, be sure this idea of being confidential is a stated policy in your mastermind group before sharing too much.
6. Mastermind groups provide a mentoring atmosphere which means you are supported to understand the nuances of your profession that only come through a close mentoring relationship. Everything can’t be taught or passed along through books or even public training sessions. Some have to come through a mentoring situation and the mastermind can provide that setting in your industry.
7. Mastermind groups could help you to establish life long friendships and business partners that you wouldn’t find in other situations. Mastermind mind members get to know each other in a way the general population doesn’t. Members want to see each other succeed and often provide support and resources only with other mastermind members that could make the difference in building a business quickly an defectively.
Mastermind groups are one of the most important concepts for helping a professional grow a business and build personal self-esteem and confidence to succeed. When you know you are working with a select group of people who care about your success, hold you accountable and support you no matter what, you naturally grow in the confidence to reach you stated business goals.
http://consuelomeux.com/articles/?p=113&cpage=1#comment-22
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