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How to Create and Run a MasterMind Groupcopyright © 2004, by Karyn Greenstreet. All rights reserved.What is a MasterMind Group? There is synergy of energy, commitment, and excitement that participants bring to a MasterMind Group. The beauty of MasterMind Groups is that participants raise the bar by challenging each other to create and implement goals, brainstorm ideas, and support each other with total honesty, respect and compassion. MasterMind participants act as catalysts for growth, devil’s advocates and supportive colleagues. The concept of the MasterMind Group was formally introduced by Napoleon Hill in the early 1900's. In his timeless classic, "Think And Grow Rich" he wrote about the Mastermind principle as: "The coordination of knowledge and effort of two or more people, who work toward a definite purpose, in the spirit of harmony." He continues ... "No two minds ever come together without thereby creating a third, invisible intangible force, which may be likened to a third mind." In a MasterMind Group, the agenda belongs to the group, and each person’s participation is key. Your peers give you feedback, help you brainstorm new possibilities, and set up accountability structures that keep you focused and on track. You will create a community of supportive colleagues who will brainstorm together to move the group to new heights. You'll gain tremendous insights, which can improve your business and personal life. Your MasterMind Group is like having a objective board of directors. What Will You Get From It? Experience, skill and confidence Real progress in your business and personal life An instant and valuable support network A sense of shared endeavor - there are others out there! Design things to be the way you want them to be, not as you've been told they "should" be Who Should Attend? People who: have a similar interest (such as a group for self-employed people, or a group for spiritual thinkers, or a group for people in a certain corporation or industry) have a similar skill and/or success level have the desire and inspiration to make this year extraordinary want a supportive team of MasterMind partners want to reach or exceed their goals are ready to move outside their comfort zone are committed to making the shift from settling for an ordinary life to one that fulfills them on new levels are ready to let their desire to be passionate about their life and work overcome their fear of change want to explore specific topics and diverse views within the context of a group are willing to support, and provide privacy and safety, when others share what truly matters to them How Does It Work? MasterMind Groups can meet in person, on the telephone, or via online message boards. For those groups that meet in person or on the phone, typically a once-a-month meeting is scheduled. Because of the group nature, a commitment is required. Look for highly-motivated people who are willing to ask for help and support, and are willing to offer help and support to other people. How Do You Screen Applicants? Before agreeing to let any new applicants into your group, it’s important to screen them to make sure they’ll fit into the existing group and that their commitment level is high. Decide in advance how many people should be in your group (5-8 is recommended), and only allow new members into the group with the unanimous consent of everyone in the group. Do you have a personal or business mission or vision statement? What are your five-year goals? Where will you find time to participate in the MasterMind Group? What is your commitment to moving forward in your business and personal life? Why should you be chosen to participate in this group? (Convince us that you're the kind of person who doesn't just talk about creating a better business or a better life for themselves, but instead you're the kind of person who DOES something about it! Convince us that you're going to commit to this MasterMind Group so that the rest of the participants know they can rely upon you.) Even with a screening process your group is likely to run across people who say that they’re committed but then don’t participate, or who say that they’re honest but then fail to keep the trust of the group. Be prepared to ask people to leave the group who are not participating up to the group standard and do it quickly once the poor behavior becomes evident. A slacking member will bring down the energy and fun level for the whole group. Group Rules & Etiquette Establish the group’s rules and meeting etiquette in your first meeting, including picking a leader who will facilitate the conversation. Type up the rules for everyone to see (and to give to new members). Make sure you enforce the rules; don’t get lax just because you get to know one another better. On the other hand, keep the rules flexible enough that the meetings are fun and not overly structured. Here are some things to consider: Authenticity: Inquire from a genuine desire to know and understand. Listen fully, with the intent to truly hear. Speak your truth from the heart, without attempting to make someone wrong. Respect: Speak one at a time; do not interrupt. Avoid attempting to change someone else's point of view. Avoid the impulse to "fix" a problem for someone; instead, simply listen and ask questions to help the participant create her own solutions. All discussion will remain absolutely confidential. Be tolerant of other people’s point of view, even if you don’t agree with it. Thoughtfulness: Speak only when moved to speak. Take time to reflect before speaking. Honor silence. Inclusion: Speak through the group for all to hear. Allow time and space for every voice. Make sure that everyone gets a chance to speak. Openness: Seek meaning, not closure. Suspend assumptions. Miscellaneous: What topics are off-limits (such as politics or religion or any topic that will cause controversy in the group) What time you’ll meet and how long meetings will last. Whether you’ll meet in person, over the phone or on the Internet The schedule of events for each meeting (schedule time to share success stories, challenges, new resources that each participant has discovered, and goals that people want to complete before the next meeting) MasterMind Groups create a win-win situation for all participants. New friendships develop and everyone grows because of the support and encouragement of the MasterMind Group. Want to learn more about how to create and run a MasterMind Group? Check out our Calendar for upcoming free teleclasses about MasterMind Groups!
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