Brainstorming

Guest Contributor: Julia Wert-Marrocco
Julia's Posts - Julia's Blog


Sometimes in your Mastermind Group you will want to spend time brainstorming.

A successful Mastermind Group is one that can brainstorm well. Many groups have problems brainstorming, therefore do not leverage their thinking power to the extent possible.

Brainstorming is the unashamed, prolific sharing of ideas that come to your mind when you are in the group setting.

Here are three principles to follow for better brainstorming:

Principle number one: Never judge (hold back) your own ideas. Allow the idea to flow out of your mouth before you judge whether it is feasible, outrageous, lame,etc. In other words, you are not allowed to judge your idea. The purpose of the idea is to spark other ideas. Your idea is simply a catalyst to get the "storm" of ideas going. You cannot be afraid of what others in the group will thing when you blast the idea onto the virtual blackboard. There is no teacher grading you on how "good" or "bad", "wrong" or "right" the idea is.

Principle number two: Never firehose someone's idea. That means when someone contributes an idea, no matter how ridiculous it might sound, you must not label it, you may not point out why it wouldn't work, you may not say anything about it. The whole exercise of brainstorming is to bring forth more ideas. Just listen to the idea, relax and say what that reminds you of, or makes you think of, listen to the next idea, and come forth with anything that's in your mind. Everyone in the group must feel safe and relaxed. Brainstorming should be one of the most fun activities you do together as a group.

Some people have a very difficult time with brainstorming. It requires breaking through the adult temptation to explain why something won't work. In brainstorming, it is not an issue whether it will work or not. Each idea is simply a step along a larger path of ideas your group is building together. You are the road crew.

Principle number three: Don't expect immediate results. Sometimes, the ideas will "soak" in your brain, and sprout forth a stand-alone magnificent idea. Be patient.

Lastly, the more child-like you allow yourself to be, the more creative your ideas will be, because children are less judgmental than adults as a whole. Judging is something we learn to do more of as we age. So use your best child-like mind when brainstorming.

My hope for you in 2009 is that you remain open-minded enough to see the opportunities before you, and remember there is no such thing as a bad idea. Only bad implementation.

To your abundant success and happiness in the coming year,
Coach Julia

Secret Holiday Mastermind

Guest Contributor: Julia Wert-Marrocco
Julia's Posts - Julia's Blog


Yes, I know you already belong to at least one mastermind group. (If you don't, join one today)
Just because you already belong to a Mastermind Group or two doesn't mean you aren't always on the lookout elsewhere for great ideas and thoughts, right??
You have a perfect opportunity starting right now to leverage your time spent with family and friends over the holidays:

When you are entertaining, rather than having a "surface" discussion at the table (you know, the typical default pattern of non-substantive dribble that happens when you are with your relatives or whomever), try an experiment: Be specific and intentional about guiding the conversation into something meaningful. (avoid off-limit topics to keep people the peace. I am not talking about starting a debate that turns into hurt feelings and division.)

I am talking about becoming the question asker, trying on something like this for size: "Hey, guys, I was wondering......If you found out you were only going to live through 2009, what things would you do that you don't already have in your plans?" or "if you were 18 and starting over,knowing what you know now, what would you do for a living?" or "I was curious what our family bucket list would look like, so I started listing some things I've always wanted to do, who wants to add to it?" Pass around the paper and people will begin talking about their dreams, and usually adding to the list if you have a pen with it. can keep adding to it until everyone gets tired or can't think of anything else.

You can ask deep questions in the form of a "fantasy" when you are at someone else's house, too. That pre-empts boring conversations. "If you had to move to another city for your job, but it could be any city but here, which city would it be and why?" Doesn't that beat "Did you see Lindsay Lohan got flour thrown on her fur coat"? Give me a break.

Instead of letting holiday conversations become pablum, or worse yet, poop, promise yourself you will be the interesting question asker. You will get ideas, which will remind you of other things, and those ideas can lead you to another layer of questions. What you are basically doing is facilitating a mastermind group that doesn't know it is one.

One Thanksgiving, I set up a family teleconference since my family is all spread around the world, and couldn't be together. We talked about the most menaingfuo movies and books we had seen/read that year that made the biggest differences in our lives. What a great conversation that was!

Lastly, don't underestimate what children can contribute. Out of the mouths of babes come some of the best ideas ever. Why? Because they don't know all the limitations you do, and they don't firehose ideas like we do as adults.

Whether you a are playing facilitator to keep things lively during the holidays, or you are having a meaningful conversation, always remember, if you are bored, it's your own fault. Take personal responsibility for keeping dicussions meaningful and lively, whether you are a guest, or the host. Jim Rohn used to say, "To be interesting, you must be interested.". How true. Why not be the question asker this season, use you brain more, drink less, and grab onto a great idea or two to carry into the new year?!

I wish you many wonderful, idea-filled, interesting holiday conversations with your clan, whether your clan is easy or stressful to be around....May you turn your time together into a brilliant MasterMind!

Coach Julia

How to have "Tremendous" MasterMind Group Meetings

Guest Contributor: Julia Wert-Marrocco
Julia's Posts - Julia's Blog


My dear, inspirational friend Charlie "Tremendous" Jones just passed away. His memorial service is November 7th. His most famous quote is "Five years from today you will be the same person you are today, except for the people you meet and the books you read". I carry his torch, as do many of my colleagues, to encourage people to read more. "It's all in the books", he used to tell me, referring to the secrets of success, the stories of life, the encouragement, the drama, the humor, the wisdom of the ages. That is one of the most powerful things about this website..it is full of so much valuable information.

One of the best things you can do in your MasterMind Groups is share titles of books that inspired you, helped you along the way, gave you a new perspective, or gave you great ideas. Titles of books come up very often in the discussion. When someone is struggling with something and needs a little "boost" or some extra knowledge in a specific area, be thinking of the books you have read that will help that person. The title of a book can be one of the greatest contributions you can make to the individuals in your group.

For those of you who don't have time to read, consider getting executive book summaries (condensed versions on CD you can listen to in your car), or loading audio books onto your Ipod to listen to while you work out or go for a walk. I just got a "Kindle" and I absolutely love it. I am addicted, in fact. In one device, I can have all the books I'm reading all at once, and no more toting around a huge briefcase full of books when I travel! It's the coolest toys, in my opinion. You can be just about anywhere and order a book, which downloads immediately (no more waiting for 3 days for it to arrive at your doorstep), and your Amazon account is charged immediately. The price is lower than the book, because there are no costs of shipping, etc.

In addition to sharing titles of books, I have seen some groups decide that a book study is an appropriate framework for their success as a group; for instance, studying "Think and Grow Rich", one chapter at a time, and discussing how you can implement the ideas in the book, and having the accountability and support in place......how could you go wrong with that as a format?!

There is no way I can list the books here that have made a difference in my life here. The list is far too long. I know Charlie was a fan of Oswald Chambers, Og Mandino, James Allen, and many others. Let's pick up Charlie's torch and carry it to our MasterMind Groups. Share the books that have made a positive difference in your lives. That is one of the greatest contributions you can make to your fellow group members.

Charlie will be missed. But I believe his heavenly mansion has a huge library!
Until next month, may you find the answers in your books, and have exponential success!

Coach Julia

The Diversity in the world of MasterMinds

Guest Contributor: Julia Wert-Marrocco
Julia's Posts - Julia's Blog


For the last 4 months, I have been using one of my fee-based Mastermind Groups as a "test case",(with their permission, of course) to attempt to prove that diverse groups (not industry-specific) are more effective than industry-specific groups. So far, my theory is still simply that: a theory. The sampling is still too small to publish any reliable results. The criteria for "more effective" in a MasterMind Group is also difficult to establish. So the experiment lives on. Counting the ratio of renewals to members is one good way to compare. Survey results are good measures also. I will let you know.

Here is what I observed over the last 4 months with my "test" group of 12 members, who are all in different industries, (one is in a different country):

Approximately 1/2 the group became the "core" who were committed, always showed up on time, took action, made promises, accepted accountability, contributed, and built strong relationships with each other.

1/4 of the group attended about half the time, and regularly gave explanation fo why they couldn't attend. (business conflict, out of town travel, emergency, etc). When they did attend, they contributed and were fully engaged. They just have very busy lives.

1/4 of the group attended the first couple meetings and then just "fizzled out". Stopped showing up.

There seems to be no correlation between the behavioral assessments and who became the "core" of the group. The "core" contains a wide range of age, different upbringings, different spiritual beliefs, and opposing political opinions. I believe that the diversity of the "core" might be what made it so vibrant. I will continue to bring in non-homogenized members and see, ultimately, if what I believe is true.

Each of the core members, at least once during the 4 months said "This Mastermind Group is my life line", or "I don't know what I'd do without the group", etc.

The ratio of re-committing/renewing, however, holds true to my industry specific groups: About 1/2 the people will stay committed and really make transformations in their business and personal lives, 1/4 will come and go, but will be vibrant when they attend, and about 1/4 will just fizzle away.

So, as far as renewing membership, there seems to be no difference in an industry group vs. a non-industry group. It still remains to be seen whether there is a difference in effectiveness.

If you are starting a group of your own, you might consider inviting a few more members than you want to end up with, since after a period of time, approximately 1/4 of your members' commitment will wane and you will have your "core" plus your come-and-go members.

I'd love to know your experiences!

What's the difference between a Mastermind Group and Group Coaching?

Guest Contributor: Julia Wert-Marrocco
Julia's Posts - Julia's Blog


I often get asked "If I join a Mastermind Group don't I eliminate my need for coaching?"

That depends. In some instances, if the Group is strictly a business peer group with a paid facilitator who is a certified coach, my answer might be "Yes". For instance, there are fee-based CEO groups that meet twice a month for 1/2 day (or full day). These meetings cover common business matters in a group-coaching environment, and sometimes the membership fee includes a separate private sessions with the facilitator/coach as part of the membership.

The amount of Masterminding within a group setting like this will vary: some of these groups bring speakers in for the session, therefore the actual masterminding may be minimal. These groups are usually a hybrid of group coaching/private coaching, and teaching forum. My suggestion is: if you already pay to belong to one of these groups (some of them are very expensive): utilize the other members in between meetings to mastermind on your own, not necessarily in a formalized setting, but with emails, phone chats, coffee or lunch, to maximize your ROI. This way you are getting coaching, learning, and Masterminding all out of one group. I have had many members of these kinds of groups also coach privately with me because either the quality, the quantity, or the agenda of the "coaching" was not adequate to deliver their true private coaching needs. (In a true coaching model, the client sets the agenda. In these groups, the coach usually brings the agenda)

So, unless the above is the case, my answer is "No". A Mastermind Group is not a substitute for coaching. If you are serious about advancing your business, increasing revenue, advancing your career within an organization, or becoming a more effective leader, you will need a private coach. DO not expect your Mastermind Group to substitute for a professional coach. If you are in senior management or you are the top leader, you absolutely need an executive performance coach in addition to your Mastermind Group.

That being said, the reverse is also true. Your private coach will never be able to substitute for a well-picked, committed, enthusiastic Mastermind Group! A smart executive or entrepreneur has both. Remember: the whole idea of a Mastermind Group is to get varied ideas on a common theme, and to be able to piggyback on the ideas of others, put new ideas into action. You are also there to contribute ideas, support, and accountability. You are a team. You play together, you strategize, you practice, you try new things, you fall down, you share what did and didn't work, you listen to what did and didn't work for your team members. The "coach" equivalent for your Mastermind Group is strictly a faciliator, who does minimal or no coaching. She is there to keep time, translate, ask clarifying questions, summarize, keep order in the group, and help it stay on task (and on time).

Sometimes Mastermind Groups can be used as transitional moves in or out of private coaching.

For example, if you really want a private coach but can't afford a really good one yet, a Mastermind Group is a great starting place! Join a well-picked, professionally facilitated group, be committed and involved. When you are financially able, transition into private coaching. Don't give up your Mastermind group, however! You need both!

The converse is also true: if you have been working on a project with a private coach and your project is complete, trust me: you don't want to just unplug and be totally alone out there in today's hyper-competitive, fast changing business world! That's the perfect time to join a good Mastermind Group if you aren't already in one! You'll have listening, support, accountability, ideas, and whenever you need a one-on-one coach again, you can just pick one up.

In conclusion, remember that private coaching is often for a finite time with a certain project to be completed and certain metrics met (perhaps 3-6-12 months), or it can be ongoing for the length of your business-life (especially if you are the top person in your organization). But no matter what, you will always want to belong to a Mastermind team of like-minded people with singleness of purpose, a good facilitator and committed members. You may even want to belong to two or three, for different purposes. I know many people who do. As the American Express saying says: "Don't leave home without it". Join a group today!

To your MasterMinding success

Errors in Thinking

Guest Contributor: Julia Wert-Marrocco
Julia's Posts - Julia's Blog


Let's address two errors in thinking that affect your personal success in Masterminding:

Error Number One: Underestimating what you can learn from other members.
Error Number Two: Underestimating the value of your contribution

Both mistakes tend to occur in industry-specific groups.

Error Number One:

Somewhere along the line, someone taught you to seek out people who are more successful than you are, to "rub shoulders" with them, and to see what you can learn from them. I absolutely agree. In fact, I encourage my clients to go "shadow" people in their industry who are performing at a higher level, so they can see the "gap" between their current level and the desired level and figure out the steps they need to take to take it up to the next notch. All very well and good.

Now back to our Mastermind Group. Example: Let's say you want to join a Mastermind Group of peers in your industry but you want to make sure all the members are above your level of production. If the other members insist on the same thing, there would never be a group! There will always be someone at a higher level and someone at a lower level. Yet, I hear this quite often: "I don't want to be the most experienced member of the group and get stuck with a bunch of newbies". WHY NOT?

Let me be honest. That's your ego talking. Some of the most transformational ideas I have heard came from absolutely green, wet-behind-the-ears people. I have even heard a child say something that turned into a brilliant idea I would have never thought of on my own.

If you are in a receptive state, you will receive. And of course, another universal law is that you get out what you put in. (You reap what you sow)

Error Number Two:

Error Number Two is a close relative of Number One. It goes like this: "What could I possibly contribute? I'm the new kid on the block. I don't know as much as the rest of the people in the group so I'll just listen." This will keep the group from moving ahead. As Sam Silverstein, the incoming President of the National Speakers Association said when he came to visit our Oregon Chapter recently, "All I have to share with you are the experiences I've had and the decisions I've made". That is what each of us has to share with others, and that's the good news. We each have our own stories. Our own past journeys, our victories, our mistakes, and our knowledge and wisdom that resulted from those experiences. THAT is what you bring to the table. Never underestimate that. In your past experiences is some nugget that one of the members of the group needs to hear. It may be just a seed that brings forth another idea, upon which yet another idea may piggy-back. That is how a Mastermind Group works!

Please don't tell me that you don't want to be the most experienced person in the group. You may have the most experience in your industry (assuming your group is industry-specific), but another member have immense experience in something that could really be your next launching pad. Or the simple child-like idea that sprouts your next big success.
If you have a child at home, ask him or her a question relating to business, and listen carefully. And if you don't think you have anything worthy to contribute, you need to change your thinking.

To your MasterMinding success,

Coach Julia

Should a Mastermind Group Be Industry Specific Or Not?

Guest Contributor: Julia Wert-Marrocco
Julia's Posts - Julia's Blog


Many MasterMind groups are composed of people in the same industry: speakers, authors, real estate brokers,insurance agents, coaches, you name it. These MasterMind Groups are generally formed out of a large industry-specific gathering, (such as a convention). Sometimes they spring up from big organizations because someone with leadership qualities decides they want a small group for accountability, brainstorming, and support. Sometimes people organically get together and create their own group. Sometimes the large organization structures, oversees and/or sponsors the group. This certainly follows the "singleness of purpose" concept written in Napoleon Hill's books. I have facilitated a number of these groups and the results can be phenomenal. When all the members have a deep understanding of the industry, the sharing of ideas can be at a very deep level, and accountability can be intense. I have seen amazing breakthroughs in this kind of group.

On the other hand, a group with a variety of expertise from different industries, can be one of the most exciting groups you will ever experience.

I currently facilitate a group of 12 members, all in different businesses, all with different goals and needs. It meets twice a month on the telephone. It might as well be called the Diversity MasterMind group. The youngest member is 23 and the eldest is 60-something. The group consists of people in banking, show business, politics, real estate, sustainability consulting, physical training, professional speaking, graphic design, sportscasting, music, international development, entrepreneurial investments, you name it. This group is one of the top two best MasterMind groups I have ever been affiliated with over the years. What makes it work is the variety of ideas and thought patterns, and the potpourri of industry experience. There is no getting "stuck" with "what used to work" in this group! It is all about "Have you ever thought of........." and "In our industry we sometimes.........maybe a variation on that would be an idea". This group goes wide with ideas and has no limits.

When you are choosing a group, think about whether you would rather have:

Industry-specific: narrower and deeper.
Or:
Varied industries: wider with no limits.

Henry Ford, Thomas Edison, and Harvey Firestone were not in the same businesses, yet they contributed to each other, and supported each other, thereby going down in history as the greatest men in their field.

There is no rule about which type of group you should be in. It is your choice. Maybe you will choose one of each! The main thing to remember is to be able to contribute and to be willing to receive. Above all, harmony is the nucleus, as Dr. Hill states in "Magic Ladder to Success"

To your MasterMinding success,

Coach Julia

Turbo-Charging Your MasterMind Group

Guest Contributor: Julia Wert-Marrocco
Julia's Posts - Julia's Blog


Mastermind Groups, just like any person or group of people, on its own, will take the path of least resistance, unless someone helps push the group along. Sometimes people in the group are naturally big thinkers,doers, and encouragers, but not always.

Some MasterMind Groups, however, are finding themselves going nowhere, or even dissolving.

When the group and the individuals in the group are not moving forward, there are some things you can do to re-start the group's engine:

1. Change/rotate leaders. It's easy to get into habits (and ruts). The group may need new leadership. Change it around on a regular basis. You might want to change leadership every quarter or so, depending on how often you meet. fresh, new ideas and patterns of how you operate the group may be just the boost you need.

2. Begin to push each other out of your comfort zones. Your group always needs to be a place of trust and respect, but that does not mean a comfy, cushy, crying towel. It needs to be fertile soil for big new ideas, where you can make bold, daring promises and be held accountable to them.Step up to the plate, and ask each other to do the same. If they promise to work out twice a week, ask "why not 3 times?" etc.

3. Learn how to think bigger. My friend Charlie "Tremendous" Jones says, "5 years from now you will be the same person you are today, except for the books you read and the people you hang around". The only way you will learn to think bigger is with practice. The only way to practice thinking bigger is by reading, and by talking to big thinkers. I call this "pumping mental iron". Start letting your bigger ideas out. The group is a safe place for big ideas, even if they seem crazy at first; ideas can always be refined. Let them out!

4. Join a professionally faciliated group, or hire a professional facilitator to lead your group. Not someone to tell the group what to do, but someone to facilitate the group. A skilled facilitator will keep the group moving ahead, help identify when it is "stuck", make sure the objectives of the group are clear, and get each meeting started and wrapped up on time. You can pay anywhere from $100 to $2,000 a month per person to either join a professionally run group, or hire a professional facilitator to run your group. Consider the value of your time. This is well worth the money if it will really turbo-charge your group engine.

5. And, speaking of "pumping mental iron", what ARE you reading? Here's an idea for you: Why not have everyone in your group read a book, write a report on it, and give a copy to everyone else in the group? If you did this once a quarter and you have 5 people in your Mastermind group, essentially you will have read 20 extra books this year! If you did it once a month, you will read 60 extra books a year! Now THAT's pumping some mental iron!

6. Put some skin in the game. One cause of groups dissolving is that the members don't have anything invested in the group. If you charge a membership fee, people find more value, and are more apt to take the group seriously. You will weed out "wanna-be's", and end up with people who are serious about taking their lives or careers to a big "NEXT". I once paid $2,000 per month to belong to a specific MasterMind group that met 6 times a year. Do you think I put some effort into it? That's an understatement! It was life-transforming.

7. Do some homework. Time goes quickly and our lives can seem rather chaotic, and all of a sudden, tonight is the meeting and you are not prepared. With all the worries of the day, everyone arrives at the meeting waiting for someone to "lay the magic on them". WRONG.
But all too common. We've all been guilty. As a coach, I have this happen with clients. they come rushing into their appointment, panting, unprepared and wait for the magic to happen. If you have homework to complete before your next MasterMind meeting, you are more likely to implement the changes you have promised yourself, kept the thought process going, and come up with some new ideas in the meantime. You reap what you sow.

I hope these seven tips help you Turbo-Charge your MasterMind Group. Notice I did not title this "The Seven Habits of Highly Effective MasterMind Groups". Boring. Boring we are not.
(No offense, Stephen, it's just that we need to come up with our own material!)

A Checkup for a healthy Mastermind Group

Guest Contributor: Julia Wert-Marrocco
Julia's Posts - Julia's Blog


How healthy is your Mastermind Group?

When you go to the doctor for a regular physical, there is a list of things she checks, such as your blood pressure, your temperature, and how you are feeling currently. She might have you do some blood profiles,and she will review what medications you are currently taking. She will listen to your breathing and your heart with her stethoscope, and probably check your ears, nose and throat. (say "AAAAAH"!)

When is the last time your MasterMind Group had a checkup? Here are the three major items to check to make sure your MasterMind group is healthy:

1. Chemistry. (Esprit de corps) Does your group have a common understanding and is it acting as a "mass mind"? If not, you could have conflicting ambitions, or your purpose may not be clear. Each participant in the group must know the purpose of the group. It is worth reviewing on a regular basis. What are some of the things you can do to have better chemistry in your group? This would be a wonderful topic for your MasterMind Group to discuss at your next meeting.

2. Organized knowledge. In Napoleon Hill's book "Magic Ladder to Success" he says "Power is organized knowledge, expressed through intelligent action!" Without a doubt, each of our biggest asset is our own brain. The brainpower we have must be gathered together in an organized manner. You already know your group has brainpower. The question is, how is it being organized? Honing this one facet can really take your gorup to the next level. This is a great topic to address in one of your meetings: How can you organize your knowledge better to have more success?

3. Perfect Harmony. Harmony, Dr. Hill says, "is the nucleus around which the MasterMind must be developed". Think of a small Chamber orchestra or a Barbershop quartet. The harmony comes from practice, blending individual sounds together, and using collective listening as much as using vocals or instruments. The groups who are the best have been together the longest. A group can have chemistry and organized knowledge without being in harmony. How can you listen more carefully to each other, and blend together as one mind? There's another topic for a future meeting!

Above are the three items you need to have in your checkup. As with the doctor's checkup, these items can show signs of deterioration, yet with attention and treatment, can be repaired and revived. All this is dependent on your commitment to the group, just like your commitment to your health. The doctor can say "quit smoking" and you may choose not to, and you may die from it. Your MasterMind Group is no different. It is a living, breathing organism, a collective mass of power that, cared for, will thrive and serve you. Uncared for, it can slowly wither and die.

Give your group a checkup on these three items. You may be amazed at what comes out of this exercise. And remember, you are an important member of the group, so give yourself your own individual "checkup from the neck up", as the oldtimers say. Are you contributing? Are you actively listening? Are you bringing your most valuable asset (your brain) to the meeting and using it to serve the greater good? Are you in harmony? Are you moving in the same direction as the rest of the group toward your collective purpose?

I wish you great health, both in body, in your brain, and in your collective mind.

Possible Mastermind Exercises - Crazy Eights for Stirring Things Up

Guest Contributor: Julia Wert-Marrocco
Julia's Posts - Julia's Blog


Have you started a Mastermind Group and you don't know how to kick it off? Or maybe you're stuck in a rut and the group is not moving ahead?

Sometimes changing the status quo is a good idea. A departure from old habits might be just what the doctor ordered to give the group new life!

Whether your mastermind meets in person or virtually, here are some possible pattern-breaking ideas to change things a bit:

1. Have everyone read one chapter of "Think and Grow Rich", before each meeting and discuss it with each other, until the entire book is finished. (You can do this with any other great book, too.)

2. Have a "round-robin" style meeting, where you divide up the available time and each person gets an equal portion of time to share their biggest "win" and their biggest "challenge" and have the group contribute ideas within their allotted time.

3. Have one meeting where each person shares their vision, values, and mission statement.

4. Focus on only one person for a whole meeting, let them bring their own agenda (a challenge or idea) and have everyone else contribute positive ideas and thoughts to help move that person ahead. The next meeting will be another's turn. Do that until everyone has had an entire meeting dedicated just to them.

5. Bring in a speaker on a specific topic that would be helpful to everyone. This can be done on some regular recurring basis to keep the group moving forward.

6. Have one fun meeting just for "dream-building", where you all brainstorm big dreams and see how big and outrageous you can make the dreams/ideas. Make a game out of this one. See if you can make the balloon of thought so big it "pops".

7. Have an "appreciation" meeting, where each person gets to share something she appreciates about each of the other members, one by one, and then shares something that she appreciates about herself.

8. Start a (virtual) business together. Discuss the details of what the business would be and how you would get it off the ground. This is another brainstorm exercise that promotes creativity. This can be an ongoing exercise.

Hopefully, these 'crazy eight' ideas spark some ideas of your own. Remember, a MasterMind group should have a singleness of purpose, so if the group is floundering, it could be that you are not completely clear on your purpose. A meeting to discuss your purpose (or re-visit it) is a healthy idea, too.

If a Mastermind Group is not going anywhere, something needs to change. Unless you just enjoy a social get-together.(Not that there's anything wrong with that, just call it what it is!)

The Role of Facilitator in a MasterMind Group

Guest Contributor: Julia Wert-Marrocco
Julia's Posts - Julia's Blog


When groups fall apart, it is commonly due to lack of clarity, wobbly leadership, or insufficient commitment on the part of the members.

The objectives and the format of the group both need to be very clear to everyone in it. Is the group's purpose just for sharing ideas? Brainstorming? Is it for support? Critique? Accountability? A mixture of all of these? If you need to go back to the drawing board to figure it all out, or re-invent it, do so. Otherwise, it is destined for disintegration.

The two people at each meeting who need to be the most stalwart are the facilitator and the timer.

The facilitator needs to be crystal-clear on both the overall objectives of the group, the objectives of the particular meeting, and the agenda for the meeting (which may change from meeting to meeting). He needs to be the person who pulls someone off a tangent and back on track. She needs to be the person who confronts someone who is ignoring or breaking the rules of the group, purposely or not. He is the person who stops someone from 'firehosing' an idea during a brainstorming session (where there are no wrong ideas), and she may even need to notify a member that they have been "ousted" for inadequate participation, or not meeting group criteria. She may also be in charge of setting dates and/or sending out reminders of the meeting.

I recommend the timer be a different person than the facilitator. It is too hard for the facilitator to have laser-like focus and keep the meeting on track if he has to watch the time as well. You could say it like this: the facilitator drives and the timer navigates. Make sure the timer has an agenda to keep the meeting on time-track, and a stop-watch.

Discipline is the name of the game. Remember: the chain is only as strong as it's weakest link. If your meetings become loose and sloppy, people ramble, talk about non-pertinent topics, repeatedly take more than their share of time, or don't have their work done (if there is homework) you will lose your most committed members. Now is the time for tough love. You may choose to focus a whole meeting on one person, that's fine, but do it by design, not by default. If you just sit back and let stuff happen you are in rocky territory.

Who should facilitate the group? You've heard me say it before, and you'll hear me say it again: There is no right or wrong. You can just designate a leader/facilitator of the group and have them do it indefinitely. Sometimes, however, one person may not be willing to take that responsibility for the long haul. I facilitate one group for the long haul. I started another group and set it up from the beginning to switch facilitators every 90 days (we meet twice a month), so each person facilitates 6 meetings and it's another 18-24 months before that person has to facilitate again. I like the difference in style of different people leading. Just remember that strength, discipline, and commitment are necessary for that role. If things start to get wishy-washy, and the facilitator doesn't tighten things up, as a committed member of the group, that will be your responsibility to step up and say something.

Remember that your group has the potential to spawn the next great collaborative marketing idea: such as Starbucks selling books and music, the marriage of the I-Phone and AT&T, the wireless module that fits into the sole of Nike+ running shoes and a receiver that plugs into the base of an I-Pod nano (450,000 in the first three months of availability), and so on. Your group has endless possibilities. The next joint venture that makes history could originate in your Mastermind. Your group could contain the next Rachel Ray or Oprah, and it's only one comment or idea away from happening right now. That ONE good idea from the group.The group saying "You can do it!" and holding you accountable to taking the next step.

It all hinges on the group staying disciplined and focused, and that takes good leadership on everyone's part, especially the facilitator.

What should a good MasterMind Group be like?

Guest Contributor: Julia Wert-Marrocco
Julia's Posts - Julia's Blog


That depends. There is no right or wrong; the Mastermind Group needs to have a clear purpose and be formed and styled around its vision and what the members want to accomplish through it.

Once I belonged to a MasterMind group with 100 people in it, all in the same industry. There were various requirements for being in, and staying in, the group. It was very tightly run by one person with a support team. The group met 6 times a year in person at different locations around the country. We each brought a book report on and distributed copies to everyone, so that each person went home with many reports on books, without having to read the whole book. I loved that part. We always brought in a well-known speaker, and spent about 3 days together doing various activities. We would break down activities into small groups of 6-8 for idea creation, then aggregate with the rest of the groups' ideas, have a piggy-back style conversation and then compile all the ideas. Small independent groups formed organically within the larger MasterMind and developed little projects totally on their own, voluntarily. Sometimes we made challenges to each other involving money. For instance, 6 of us each wrote a check for $2,000 to a charity, and had one person hold all the checks. We each agreed to one thing outside our comfort zone, within the next 6 weeks. We wrote our promises down and signed them. Anyone who didn't accomplish their promise, their check was sent in to the charity. If they were able to accomplish their promise, their check was held and carried over to the next meeting, at which time another agreement was made. On another occasion, one fellow in the MasterMind Group challenged me to do something I tried hard to accomplish but didn't quite hit the mark,and the deal was that I had to count out 1,000 in cash (ten one hundred dollars bills) to him in the hall in front of several other people. These might sound like silly things, but do you hear the underlying theme of accountability in there? With "negative" consequences for non-accomplishment. And stretching out of what is comfortable...... That's what that particular group was about. It was a great group. It really stretched me and made me uncomfortable and my business grew and so did I personally.

On the other end of the spectrum, I belong to a MasterMind currently that is small (3 of us) and is gentle, supportive, and akin to group therapy; dealing with problems we each have in our businesses.

No rights...no wrongs....just differences. Decide what you need out of your group and find other like-minded people who have the same needs and similar goals.