Mastermind Groups: Which ones work and why 

What is a Mastermind Group and Why you NEED to Find One

One of the biggest things that I find helps with going for any sort of goal, personal or professional, is a Mastermind Group. If you haven’t heard of them already, they are a consistent factor of success and have been around for along time. “The Vagabonds,” for example, were a mastermind group that included Henry Ford, Thomas Edison, Warren G. Harding and Harvey Firestone. The evidence of their success still influences our world today. 

What exactly is a Mastermind Group? At its core, it's a group of people that meet on a regular basis (either in person or online), hold each other accountable, and give each other input. Imagine being part of a group of successful people that you can present your problems to and get advice from.  

I have never attended a motivational class or seminar where the speaker didn’t recommend them. I have been a part of a few myself and can speak to their effectiveness in keeping you focused and giving you fresh insight, IF they are run correctly.

What an Organized Mastermind Group Might Look Like

1. Invocation: This sets the space and tone of the meeting. Some call on a higher power to direct and influence the group. 
2. A round of “What is New and Good”: Each person takes 1 minute to share a brief success story of what has happened since the last time you spoke.
3. Negotiate for Time: An opportunity for those who may require more time to get it. For example, someone may be launching something new or have an unexpected personal situation, while others may not have much happening and are willing to give up some of their time. The goal is to make sure everybody’s needs are met.
4. The Main Round: Individual members speak while the group brainstorms and shares ideas or solutions. Bring up whatever it is you need help with from the group. This part is rapid and reminds me a bit of popcorn. People start giving ideas in quick, short sentences. You want as many ideas as possible. If you need to continue talking more about this, you can arrange with that person to talk at length on your own time. Can be personal or professional. You usually have only 7-10 min for your allowed time since it depends on how many people are in the group. The person who takes on the role of the Timer keeps track of this and indicates when it's done.
5. Commitment: A round where everyone makes a commitment (30 seconds) of what they are committing to do over the next two weeks. It should be a stretch, something that challenges you.
6. End with Gratitude: This may be a group prayer expressing gratitude or a quick round where everyone at the table expresses gratitude for something. 
7. Be prepared to report on your commitment at the next mastermind meeting. 

Things I have Found Vital to a Successful Mastermind

1. The roles of Invocator, Timer and Leader are all filled. Each role is vital to the success and focus of the group.
2. Having a Timer that is on top of things is very important. Once a meeting starts going over time, people start resenting and dropping out. It is the number one thing that torpedos a good group.
3. Having an experienced leader is a huge asset. This brings a level of focus and experience that you don’t find with masterminds without leaders. They aren’t there for themselves, so they can focus on making sure everyone else is getting what they need from it. 
4. Rotating the Invocator role. Everyone has different beliefs and world views, so switching it up promotes a diverse, open environment. Everyone needs to feel comfortable sharing their goals. It requires a certain level of vulnerability.
5. Ideal size is 5-7 participants. Not too small and not too big. Too big, and the call will last forever. Too small, you limit the creative input.
6. Must be regularly scheduled. I have found bi-weekly works the best for me. 
7. Lasts no more than 60-90 minutes.

Where to Find a Good Mastermind Group

I have always found that going to motivational seminars puts me in contact with people who know where to find the best mastermind groups. You can meet people who run their own Masterminds (for a price) and get recommendations from other attendees. 

If you are an author, or aspiring children's book author considering publishing, I have a program called the Publishing Mastermind. This mastermind group has extra benefits that allow you to have your book published within the year. It's a package deal that includes publishing your book, the mastermind group, and expert one-on-one advice along the way.

If you have more questions, I would be happy to chat with you.
Contact me to book a call!