Wednesday, April 28, 2010

5 Important Reasons A Mastermind Group Accelerates Business Growth

What do King Arthur and Napoleon Hill have in common? They both knew the power of a mastermind group. King Arthur had his round table of knights. Napoleon Hill dedicated his life to learning about the secret to success from the most powerful men of his time. Having a group of advisors you can trust is necessary for all successful business owners and leaders.

Consider the countless times you have used someone as a sounding board for your ideas. When two or more people collaborate with a specific goal in mind, the mastermind process is activated. A third unique consciousness is created by the discussion.

So many times I will be talking with a colleague and new ideas occur because of the conversation. I might have eventually gotten these ideas on my own, but the process is speeded up by discussion and feedback.

The diversity of the group lends power to the mastermind. All members of the group must be committed to a similar goal, whether professional, personal or spiritual. Having a common focus with like minded people is dynamic. Your mindset for success will strengthen from this collaborative process.

The list could go on and on about the benefits of a mastermind group. These are the top five reasons for joining a mastermind group to help you reach your goals.

1.Test ideas with the group before beginning a project
This will save you time and heartache. How often have you thought you knew exactly what your clients need? You begin to implement this idea and then launch the new product or service only to find there is no response. What you thought they needed and what they wanted were two different things.

Being able to bounce your ideas off the group will help you gain insight. When you trust the group and their feedback, you will begin to flush out an idea before going live with a new product saving a lot of time and angst along the way.

2.Accountability
It would be ideal if we were all natural implementers and be accountable to ourselves. That is true for some people, but not for everyone. The truth is you will have increased success for reaching your goal when you know others are counting on you. None of us want to let our peers down. Being part of a group helps to give you that extra nudge and drive to keep on going even when obstacles get in the way of progress.

3.Stepping out of the box
What I have learned from being in a mastermind is how much I just don't know. We all have different experiences about what works and what to avoid. Your mastermind group is your resource. Ask them your questions. You will likely get the direction you need to take the next step. The group is a valuable resource.

I am a big fan of stepping out of the box and doing things differently than everyone else. Be outrageous and have fun with the process. The suggestions I have received from my mastermind group have helped me to create products and services which are uniquely mine. The amazing women in my group have supported me with tapping into my unique purpose in a loving, gentle but honest manner. This priceless guidance has helped me shape my business and maintain a positive mindset. Sometimes you just can't see something yourself because you have always looked at things one way. Receiving insight from others opens up new possibilities as you strive to reach your greatest potential.

4.Stretching yourself
How often in your life do you have the opportunity to connect with people who encourage you to expand your focus? When you are part of a dynamic mastermind group, you will receive support to stretch yourself and reach even bigger goals than you would have envisioned on your own. There will be moments when you are stepping out of your comfort zone as you progress. You might not always know how to do something and realize a leap of faith is required before you can move forward. This is where your mindset might falter. Your mastermind group will give you the encouragement and support you need to take the next step. It is almost as if they are taking that leap of faith with you.

5.Dividing the sorrows and sharing the joys
Let's face it, there will be setbacks. Along the way toward your success challenges will arise and you might not understand where it all went wrong. Instead of allowing you to retreat, your mastermind group will provide the feedback to learn from the experience. With a positive mindset you will receive insight to refine your process. You will also know you are not the only one with challenges. Each of us experience setbacks. This is all part of the learning curve toward the next level of success.

You will achieve milestones. Share your successes and breakthroughs with the group. It is okay to brag. When you succeed, the group benefits and it motivates everyone else to keep moving forward as well. This is the place to allow yourself to shine and not feel self conscious about it. In fact, create a ritual with each mastermind meeting. Set aside a check-in process where you get to brag.

You might be in a different league from King Arthur and Napoleon Hill, but you will benefit from having your own personal board of directors. Your mastermind group will fill this role. All successful leaders have a team of consultants. This association with other like minded people will help you maintain a winning mindset to achieve the next level of your success and beyond.

Activity: There is no one right formula for a mastermind group. It can be as small as two people or as large as you want. Consider your reason for being in a mastermind. List all of the pros and cons. Write your intentions for joining a mastermind.

You can either choose to have a paid group leader or have it be a lay-led group where everyone takes a turn. If you were to be in a mastermind group, what would your goals be? How would you benefit from this type of support system? Determine how often you meet. Will the meetings be face to face, phone or virtual?

About the Author:
And now I would like to invite you to claim your FREE E-course "Tapping into Emotional Freedom" available at: => http://mindsetformarketingsuccess.com

Click here to get everything you need and begin clearing the obstacles to the next level of your success.

From Loren Fogelman, the success expert, founder of Mindset for Marketing Success.


Read more: http://www.articlesnatch.com/Article/5-Important-Reasons-A-Mastermind-Group-Accelerates-Business-Growth/1023365#ixzz0mPoXfJCk
Under Creative Commons License: Attribution No Derivatives

Wednesday, April 21, 2010

Master the Power of the Mastermind Group

In a constant effort to do more with less, our world seems to become more frenzied every day. Security issues and national politics change rapidly. We have to know more, be more, and do more than ever before. There seems to be no time for planning future personal or career moves, or thinking creatively about business issues.

One avenue that's working well for many people is a master-mind group. Such a group gives us contacts and resources to make planning and goal setting easier. Such a group helps us stay on course when everything seems to be pulling us in different directions. Master mind groups are spawning all over the country, offering support and specialized knowledge to people in every industry and sector.

A master-mind group consists of people who work together in absolute harmony to achieve diverse goals. The group members come together at regular intervals to brainstorm ideas, share knowledge, and help each other discover the tools to realize their dreams. While these people work well together, they may be very different from each other. The common element is that each draws something from the others, and each contributes freely to the group. It is the focusing of each mind on a common issue that triggers thoughts not readily available to one mind. Those in the group draw upon their unique experiences and specialized knowledge to help each other.

When many minds concentrate on a single point, the activity generates a power over and above the sum total of each of the individual minds. It is as though an invisible force joins the group and provides additional insight. As a result, the group members accomplish more than any one person could have accomplished individually.

Forming a master-mind group is relatively simple, but you need to plan carefully. Below are some tips to keep in mind while forming your group.

1. Choose people who are not like you. People with different perspectives will challenge you and contribute different ideas that you may not have thought of. While your master-mind group participants should be different from you, they should also possess some similar qualities - they should be action-oriented, have a high energy level, and have a strong commitment to follow-through. Search your contact list for only those people who share your values and with whom you'd want to meet regularly.

2. Ensure that group members can benefit from the experience, skills, and specialized knowledge of each other. Each person must have something to contribute to others in the group. This can be a specific talent, leads, or specialized knowledge or skills, such as marketing or organizational skills. Some members may choose to present tips or provide information, while others could contribute something as basic as good will and encouraging words. As a result, each person should be able to gain something from the group. The gain may not always be material. It may be increased self-confidence or "know-how." Ultimately, it may be the realization of a dream.

3. Agree on organizational matters, such as leadership, objectives, decisions on when and where to meet, and an established agenda. Group leadership initially rests with the person forming the group. His or her responsibility is to set the meeting time and place until the group decides on a permanent meeting time and place. Leadership of meetings may then rotate, meaning one person leads the session for a month, then the next month someone else leads. With an established process and ground rules, there is no need for an elected or designated leader.

Take the Initiative

Forming a master-mind group is a powerful way to get ideas and support from others. Take the initiative to start your own master-mind group today. You will soon see the wonderful benefits of contributing and receiving ideas, which will propel you and the entire group to new levels of personal and professional success.

Jo Condrill is the author of "How to Form a Master Mind Group," a downloadable 25-page booklet that provides the details. She is also author of "Take Charge of Your Life: Dare to Pursue Your Dreams" and "101 Ways to Improve Your Communication Skills Instantly." She provides a unique learning experience in leadership, team building, personal development, and success strategies. She has worked in the corporate, government, and non-profit sectors. http://www.goalminds.com/mastermind_groups.html

How to Use the Power of the Mastermind

How did the great entrepreneurs of yesterday achieve their goals and dreams?

What helped Andrew Carnegie, Henry Ford and Thomas Edison get the desired

results that they all were looking for? I would like to share the answer to that very

question with you now.

They all achieved their success through the power of the mastermind! Masterminding

by definetion is the collaboration of two or more people thinking in perfect harmony to

achieve a common goal or task. When people mastermind together, the power of the

mastermind group is much greater than each individual's power alone. To compare it

to old mathematic logic, the value of the sum total is greater than the value of the individual

parts!

Andrew Carnegie had his mastermind group that consisted of fifty men, thinking together

to form a plan to manufacture steel. Henry Ford didn't find his success until he met

with Harvey Firestone, Thomas Edison and John Burroughs. All were thought to be great

thinkers of their time. When you look at Presidents, both past and present, you see that

they all have teams of advisors around them and a large staff to help them. Why is this so?

When you mastermind with a well chosen group of people, you can create a solid well

conceived plan to translate your burning desire into your established goal. Through

massive action and great persistence in implementing the plan, you are more than half

way there. When your mastermind group is thinking in perfect harmony, all in the group

will benefit equally! No great success is achieved on your own. The power needed to create

great success is only accummulated through the mastermind. People take on the nature

and habits of the mastermind from the power of thought created by the entire group.

So remember, all great success stories from the past had big help from their mastermind

group. The power of the mastermind is much greater than anyone's thinking alone.

Great success and riches and true wealth can be only accummulated through the use of

the mastermind principle.

Source: http://www.ArticlePros.com/author.php?Norm DeCelles

http://www.newroadtoriches.com
An entrepreneur and business coach educating and training other fellow entrepreneurs to become the best version of themselves. Through great training and massive action anyone can have the lifestyle they've always dreamed of.

http://www.newroadtoriches.com