Starting A Mastermind Group

Guest Contributor: Kirsten Harrell
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If you are not currently in a Mastermind group, I suggest you take the initiative to start one. A Master Mind group is a powerful way for people to support each other as they get clear about their goals and define what they need to do to accomplish them. The idea is that there is a powerful synergistic affect when 2 or more people come together in a harmonious alliance to assist each other.

I recommend 5-8 people to start a Mastermind group. If a group is larger than this it can become difficult to manage time and still give each person a chance to share and ask for input at each meeting. A smaller group can run into problems and lose energy when one or two people can't make a meeting.

One of the important points to consider when you are forming a Mastermind group is to make sure that you get a group of positive people who are goal-oriented and motivated. Negative people or people who are always saying "yes, but..." will tend to stifle the energy of a Mastermind group and can result in a less harmonious and productive group.

You might want to start by asking people you already know and trust to join your group. Then ask new members if they know anyone who would be a good fit. If you are starting from scratch, I recommend that you screen potential new members over the phone or in person to make sure they fit with the overall spirit of your Mastermind group. It is much better to discover a mismatch before accepting the person than to discover this once the group is rolling.

I started a Mastermind group by posting an invitation to join on my blog. I wasn't sure if I would get any responses, so I was delighted when I ended up with 6 wonderful bloggers (Chris Cree, Phil Gerbyshak, Kammie Kobyleski, Tony D. Clark, Thom Quinn, and Troy Worman) who were willing to join. All 6 write blogs that I subscribe to and read regularly so I had a good sense that we would all fit well together.

Our group decided to meet monthly via a teleconference call. The calls will be recorded so that each member can replay the meeting anytime they want. We will support each other between calls through email and a private online forum I set up in www.gather.com.