Mastermind Groups

[tconnor]

Personal Success Tips #225
Mastermind Groups

During my career I have made more mistakes and errors than I care to admit to. Fortunately I have also made a few good decisions now and then. Unfortunately I am a slow learner. Let me explain.

In 1966 I read Think and Grow Rich by Napoleon Hill. (One of the all-time best selling self-help books. Since then I have re-read it about a dozen times. Each time I read his explanation of the concept and benefits of a mastermind group I agreed with him that it made real sense. Problem is for over twenty-five years I never did anything about it. Sure I had a lot of heroes, a few mentors and a coach or two along the way but join or start a mastermind group, didn’t happen.

In 1997 after a lot of years in the speaking and training business I decided to start one. It is now almost eight years later and I can tell uncategorically that it has been, without a doubt, the best decision I have ever made in my entire career. Ten of us meet four times a year somewhere in the continental US and sit around a large conference table for six hours and share; resources, ideas, concepts, experiences, lessons, frustrations, hopes, successes, failures etc.

Just imagine for a minute, ten successful people in the same business with an average of over twenty years of experience sharing what works and what doesn’t. All I can say is that every meeting is a powerful growing and learning experience – even after thirty years in this business.

Let me give you a few ideas that might help you not delay as long as I did to benefit from this tremendous personal and career building opportunity.

What is a mastermind group?
A mastermind group can be a formal or informal group from three to twenty people of like minds (similar goals, values, objectives. Experience, skill sets, beliefs and expectations can vary.) who periodically share information that the group has agreed, fall within the confines of the group’s purpose and/or mission. These people can be in different career positions, industries and be represented by different age groups, gender or nationalities.

What are its benefits?
Too many to list them all, but here are a few. Emotional support, friendship, accountability, creative input, helpful feedback or positive criticism, ideas exchanged, shared lessons, shared resources and brainstorming that can create new ideas for you, your business, your career or your relationships.

How can you start one?
Pick up the phone and call a few friends or business or personal acquaintances and explain the concept to them and ask them if they are interested in participating. The group can all live in the same town or they can be spread across the country as our group is. We gave our group a name and created a vision statement. Master Speakers Int’l. We have dues and one meeting a year is a weekend at a resort and includes spouses. There are no rules. As long as everyone benefits and contributes you have a winner. You can meet weekly or yearly, for an hour or three days. There are no rules. Your group can be all from the same industry or from different disciplines. There are no rules.

Who should you invite to participate in it?
Anyone you trust, like, believe can contribute something to you or the other members and can learn something from you or the other members.