Paying It Forward - Masterminding for a Good Cause

Guest Contributor: Michelle Rumney
Michelle's Posts - Michelle's Blog

Last month I decided to introduce Mastermind Sessions into the mix within our new Women in Business network. Surprisingly, in a group of around 25 business women with all types of backgrounds and experience, all but one were new to the Masterminding process.

So, to 'prove' the concept and keep it fair to all participants for the first meeting, we agreed that we would focus for the whole of the 60 minutes available on a non-profit organization rather than someone's business; our hostess happened to be involved in a project in Africa and we reasoned if we were all to experiment in sharing and giving our insights and experience, then putting it into a good cause seemed the best way to start.

It was an amazing first challenge to test our Masterminding capabilities; The Shingirirai Trust is a unique grassroots development project in Zimbabwe, Africa, started by a handful of local women to provide education, food and community (and love) for the growing number of children orphaned by HIV-related illnesses. It's main problem is getting funding to keep all the good work going until they reach their goal of being fully self-sufficient. We decided to focus the Mastermind session specifically on generating marketing ideas for raising awareness globally about the project and securing funding for the Trust.

What could the power of 25 women Masterminding in a small seaside village in Spain do for another group of 30 women thousands of miles away in a rural community in Africa?

For me, as Facilitator, it was a daunting session. As you may have experienced for yourself, getting the number of participants right for a Mastermind session can be challenging - the energy and depth can change dramatically if there are too few or too many. I think an ideal number is 8-10 people. But in this case, I'd decided before we started that I wanted the whole group present so that I could show them how Mastermind sessions work and also so that it would be a shared Mastermind experience, rather than breaking off into smaller, more manageable groups. Was I biting off more than I could chew though?

The energy of 25 focused business women in one space is an incredible thing! Once they got started, there was no stopping them - ideas flooded from every corner of the room, from marketeers, from presentation experts, copywriters, project managers, sales and events organisers, artists and coaches. We worked out that between us we had over 300 years of business experience to draw on!! As the ideas flowed, I ran out of flipchart paper while I was writing them down, then I ran out again, and again... we kept this going for 30 minutes.

We took a brief pause and grouped the ideas into possible areas to focus on and then we started on the next phase - WHO do we know between us who could help with any of this? Contacts and more contacts... again the list was more than a single page of the flipchart could handle.

Finally, we concluded, our group batteries having worked in Supercharge mode for the whole hour - enough already! But what had we really achieved?

Within 48 hours, with the help of a small volunteer group that met after the session to work through all the ideas, three main marketing areas had been selected to focus on. And just four weeks have passed but there is a already a new web 2.0 enabled website/blog for the Trust with plans to enable online micro-donations, a dedicated marketing team in place to keep taking things forward and co-ordinate efforts, and a calendar of events and strategies planned already for the next 6 months. Tonight, there's the first fundraising event to celebrate this new phase of energy and help from outside. Next week the website launches in earnest. How this will affect things on the ground in Shingirirai remains to be seen, but all seems like a step change in the right direction.

Meanwhile, having participated and seen it all in action, I've had repeated requests from many women in the network to do some more Mastermind Sessions - this time on their businesses - as soon as possible, and we've scheduled 2 already for next month's networking meeting. I think then, we proved the Mastermind concept that giving, contributing and sharing your expertise and ideas feels good and does good.

So, what is the Masterminding power of 25 when put to a Good Cause? Try it for yourself - how about a Mastermind marathon? Bring in your own favorite non-profits, 3rd Sector Organizations or NGOs and offer them a Mastermind session entirely focused on them. Or team up with another Mastermind group in a different field and combine your skills. Invite a local charity and simply take your group off-topic for a session to focus on something right here where you are where together you could all make a difference.

The possibilities are infinite...

If you'd like to support or find out more about the Shingirirai Trust, please visit :
http://www.shingirirai.org/

Recession

Guest Contributor: Kelly Smith
Kelly's Posts - Kelly's Blog

My husband and I have decided to turn the news stations off for awhile. It's enough that recession is staring us in the face, but to roll ourselves around in it continuously is just being a glutton for punishment in my opinion. We don't have to be oblivious, but it's there and we know it. Watching people lose their homes, their jobs, their finances and live in tents only to end each news story telling us it's not going to get any better just doesn't help.

The point of keeping in the right mindset is more crucial than ever. It's a key factor in building a business, keeping your finances together and helping your personal relationships as well. A mastermind group can be a critical part in keeping this right frame of mind.You are who and what you surround yourself by. If you are surrounded by positive, successful people, chances are you are or you will reach your goals successfully as well. If you listen, read and watch motivational and inspirational material everyday instead of listening to the gloom and doom predictions, you too can make significant changes in your life.

In our Mastermind group one of our core beliefs is the law of attraction and the power of a strong mindset. In fact, the Master Key System - a study guide of the Universal Laws released in the 1800s is just one of the books we recommend to people when joining our Mastermind group. In fact, that was the first thing a mentor of ours in our first mastermind group gave us and it changed my husband and I forever in a positive way. It helped us to understand no matter what challenge you are faced with, you can be what You will to be. If you have seen or read The Secret, the Master Key System is actually quoted continuously throughout to give you an example.

What does all this have to do with building a business? It teaches you to be in the right mindset of giving, not just receiving and gives you the ultimate tool called perseverance. Goal setting is a focus in mastermind groups and goes hand in hand with determination.

Now, because our mastermind group is focused on working from home and helping others to make money from home, we see this recession as an opportunity instead of a setback to help others to make money from home as well. The power of the mastermind group is to create a positive learning environment that can enable you to overcome any obstacle. But the first step is developing the right mindset and with a mastermind group you are developing that mindset together and surrounding yourself with the success that you set out to be instead of becoming another one of the statistics on a news clip.

True Self

Guest Contributor: Kelly Smith
Kelly's Posts - Kelly's Blog

Have you discovered the other self within you? No I am not talking about multiple personalities. Many people call it, your true self. It's a self-actualization process many people go through when taking what others may consider the difficult road in life to access and realize of one's potentialities. I call it the high road to finding out who you truly are through introspection and putting yourself to the test.

Now, don't let me scare you, you may already be thinking, "That sounds a little scary." Yes, it does mean in mind and body you need to put yourself outside of your comfort zone, but there are some things that can help the journey be a little smoother.

The mastermind group can be a part of this intense progress and may actually help you speed up the process or at least make it a little bit easier. People usually join mastermind groups to work on themselves and discover their true potential and find a few surprises, some good and some not so good along the way.

Before we joined our first mastermind group, we truly didn't tap into any of our "hidden" resources yet. I wanted to learn how to speak in front of others and with the help of other members I found a voice and eventually ran company conference calls and found my passion. But, although I always loved speaking and wanted to learn how to tap into it, I never would have without fellow members basically getting me in front of the plate without even volunteering. I was nervous and sick to my stomach and after I was done with my first conference call with hundreds in attendance, I couldn't remember a word I said. But it was sooo worth it! If you are part of a good mastermind group, the others will push you where you need to be pushed and support you when the time comes.

I bet you know a few people in your life who you hadn't seen in years and totally surprised you when you discovered the person they had become. There are people I am sure from your high school class, no one knew or expected anything from who went on to do great things because they had discovered their true self and tapped into their potential or power.

What could be lying dormant in you right now?

How can we all improve?

Guest Contributor: Kayleen Reusser
Kayleen's Posts - Kayleen's Blog

At our last MasterMind meeting we talked with a new person (known and recommended to us by 1 member of our group) who may want to join our group.

I noticed as we each provided information about how our group is conducted that one member commented that I tend to jump in with comments throughout the meetings, such as "Oh, and then this happened to me this month." This was usually after I had already had my turn to speak and relate such information.

Ouch!

I take this comment to heart. At our 1.5-hour-long MasterMind meetings, we try to give each person plenty of time to present our month's worth of information - goals accomplished, what's on our current agenda. When I jump in during , I'm interrupting another's thoughts and time allotment.

I'm glad this was made aware to me so I can correct this for future meetings. I also appreciate the other members' patience over the months.

Consider your MasterMind meetings. Are they conducted in an organized manner with each person receiving time to share? Are members respectful of each other's time and thoughts?

I plan to write down my thoughts for the next meeting and present them succinctly (I love that word!). Then I plan to listen well to the other members as they take their turns and keep quiet until an appropriate time to add something.

What part of your MasterMind meetings could members improve on for enhanced time spent together? It is good to learn this type of behavior and know we can do something about it.

Education Within a Mastermind Group

Guest Contributor: George J. Sierchio
George's Posts - George's Blog

People have different opinions as to what should or shouldn't be a part of a mastermind group and their meetings. Many of my posts have given my insights on the differences between a completely peer based group versus one that is facilitated by a mentor that has achieved higher level goals you are seeking.

I've also talked about goals being a large part of a group as well as the help to implement what it takes to achieve those goals and the accountability to make sure you follow through. What I thought was a good idea to touch upon today is education.

When looking for a group to join or if you plan on starting a peer based group or facilitate a group as a mentor, education must be part of the mix. Every meeting should have an element of education on a subject related to all members of the group. Or the educational part should be available on a self help basis such as a download on a website that is updated regularly.

A mastermind group is a tremendous source of rallying behind you in whatever you are in the group to achieve. But I promise you that along that path you and your fellow members are going to need to learn a thing or two to make it happen. Especially in a peer driven group with no mentor to facilitate.

This is actually one of the main short falls of a peer based group. Sooner or later, nobody is going to be able to answer your questions especially if you are all sitting at the same level of experience.

If you're in a group now with no educational mode, I suggest making it happen. Take a poll within the group and see what subjects come up as a "I don't know but I want or need to know it". Make the effort to put together material or bring in a guest as constant education is crucial to the owner of any business.