"There is no I in Team." Ever heard this expression? I think some have either forgotten it or someone neglected to teach it to them. I have found one thing that can not only ruin a business or a relationship is an ego. If there is one person in the group that has seen or think he has experienced a bit more success than a few others, that person may come to expect others to bow to their needs even in a Mastermind Group.
Ego actually led to the downfall of a mastermind group I belonged to, people didn't want to participate in events because they were often belittled or pushed by one particular member that even the mediator was intimidated by. The particular member seemed to lose sight of the mastermind focus.
Of course, confidence in oneself is important but an inflated ego can push others away and eventually work it's way through a group like a virus through a computer eventually rotting it out from the inside leaving everyone feeling resentful for even taking part. The whole purpose of a mastermind group is people meeting on equal ground to share like minded ideas and work together. It's NOT meant to be a hierarchy. I repeat a mastermind group is not a dictatorship even if you're the one who started it! If you initiate a mastermind group find one to three people who can act as unbiased mediators if possible and tell them to even call you on it and hopefully your ego won't be so inflated by that time that you will listen.
One of the benefits I can say about being a mom is it really teaches you humility. You share everything, don't have many private moments, constantly working as a team with your children and hopefully your spouse and even reveal some not so proud moments when you're children are testing you. ;)
You want a mastermind group to be an enjoyable experience with other peers where you can learn and grow together.
In my last post I discussed the importance of rules in a mastermind group. I read somewhere that without rules there is chaos, and I have to say I agree. I mean, we don't always like the rules but let's face it, they are there for a reason. I am a mother of two and also run a private dayhome and I definitely need rules!
So, if you were to set up your own mastermind group or going to join one what are some rules that your group would benefit from to keep it in tact?
I will give you examples through some of the rules one of the mastermind groups I belong to uses. Now, it's my belief that it's much easier to have accountability when you have a group where people are meeting face to face. But online, I find especially for newer people, that they may have more anonymity and have a tendency to not follow the rules the same way they would in person. Our mastermind group chats online through skype groups, web conferences and the phone. The best way I have seen the rules work is with a monitor. We do have a gentleman appointed by everyone who actually monitors the conversations to be sure they are appropriate and safe for everyone. Especially our chat area that's open 24 hours a day, what we call the "virtual water cooler".
We call our monitor the sheriff because he is unbiased and everyone in the group feels they can turn to him when there is a problem or even a question. This can be a tricky thing when appointing someone in this position because it can be a powerful position or detrimental position if not taken seriously. Our group just happens to be very fortunate to have a sheriff who exudes the leadership and trustworthy qualities that makes him the perfect man for the job. If someone does say something out of line, (including the one who originally started the group), he/she is immediately called on it, any inappropriate words or conversations in the chat are deleted and the person will be given a warning and if not stopped, will be removed from the group.
These enforced rules creates a safe haven where people can discuss what's on their mind or brainstorm ideas without being judged or criticized.
The other point of rules is to keep the atmosphere positive within the mastermind group. The outside world can often be a negative place that doesn't influence creativity, entrepreneurialism and other freedoms of the like. The rules will set the tone of a positive and support place for people to go. So, are you catching my drift of what a fantastic influence rules can be in a mastermind group?
Since our mastermind includes people who run businesses from home, another rule is no cross recruiting, sales pitches, spamming, etc.
Inviting new people into the mastermind group - we can all invite people but we must propose each new member to a leaders board to be approved before entering the group.
Those of us on the leaders board are also expected to lead or be part of the trainings. This is a huge benefit to being part of a mastermind group - the trainings. Our particular group is based around online marketing so the leaders use their strengths to help others who may be new to online marketing, wanting to pick up tips or just share their ideas with so they don't feel all alone in the marketplace. It can take a lot of work to run a mastermind group and having all of these leaders working together to help trainings run, monitoring the chats and answering questions when needed helps everything run smoothly.
This rule is another great one, it's orientation. People are required to attend a type of orientation before being active in the group. This is a huge benefit, so that the new people can feel comfortable when first joining and they aren't fumbling around in the dark, so to speak, when they attend trainings. It takes care of the small stuff first so they can get down to the fun part of joining a mastermind group - participation!
"What do you mean there are rules?!" A new mastermind member said to me in an exasperated tone.
In any good mastermind group you of course want rules and neutral people to enforce them, we actually call ours the sheriff. He is not the one who actually founded the group, so he doesn't have a biased opinion in fact, he keeps everyone in check ,including the founder.
"Without rules there would be total chaos," I answered. "It's a mastermind group, not a competition in here. It's a safe place without judgment where people can learn and support each other," I responded.
That's what rules do. They keep us in check and create the atmosphere where people can be supported and be positive to each other. There is no cross recruiting or selling of any kind in the group or negative talk towards others for that matter. Three strike rule applies and if people test it, they find out.
See, that's what separates a group such as a mastermind from just a social networking or forum where there is a lot of pitching being done and no one is really learning or working as a team to help each other on their chosen path.
So, if you're thinking of joining a mastermind or even starting one, sit down and think of what you want and don't want to see in the group you belong to. You want to create a positive, encouraging atmosphere that makes the mastermind a true inspiration.
A Mastermind group can make your business profitable in more ways than one. Since Brad and I were recently invited to belong to a second Mastermind group, it has really hit home with me how being part of this exclusive group compared to many others in a particular program who don't have a Mastermind group can be a huge advantage.
Why? Well, when you think about it, at least in the home based industry most people have failure to launch. Most times it's because they just don't have anyone around them to say, "Get to work", "Make that happen by this deadline", or "If it's not done by the end of the day your fired."
When people, especially ones who have never been their own bosses, suddenly have that freedom, they tend to take advantage of it to the fullest, until they are completely broke and going to work for someone else again.
The fantastic part about being part of an exclusive group of people who are masterminding, sharing ideas, training and keeping each on task is they remind each other that they are in business for themselves but not by themselves. They have someone to motivate them and someone to bend their ear about the ups and downs of the business. Otherwise, working from home can be sometimes lonely especially when starting from scratch and no contacts or business partners to work with. These factors alone can be often overwhelming for many. Hence, the failure to launch.
Word is, about 98% fail in the home based networking industry and most claim it's bad product, bad company, bad comp plan, blah blah blah. But my experience through the years is that if you are completely surrounding yourself by other motivated and success-minded people the only way is up. And to be able to offer to others when marketing a training program the option of also being part of a Mastermind group if they make a good fit as business partners can make a huge difference from someone who doesn't offer the same kind of support.
So, if you're one of those people who believe a mastermind group is just for mindset. Remember, it can also put more profit into your business as well, so think twice before you dismiss the thought.
One of the things I really love about mastermind groups is that it can be a place where you can learn to hone your skills and be pushed to your potential. One of the mastermind groups I belong to has ongoing trainings and many of us, if we feel ready, are asked to train on a particular subject we may have a passion in or background in.
Stepping up in front of others may not always be the most comfortable experience, but in most businesses, the person who stands in front is the most recognized. You may remember this from school.
A mastermind group is a great place to hone these skills because you are doing it in front of a group of people you already know in an atmosphere that is safe and non-threatening. Your fellow masterminders will usually encourage while you to do it and push you to step up to the plate because let's face it, you may never think you are truly ready to teach others. Did you know you can actually learn more from experience of teaching than many of your students?
Stepping up to the plate can be empowering, build self-esteem, speaking and communication skills which can be key to a more profitable and powerful business.
Other trainings will include doing live calls to prospects in front of others, now talk about nerve wracking, but imagine what this can ultimately do for your self confidence in who you are and where you want to be?
I found this to be one of the most powerful experiences of mastermind groups because while I was growing up, my parents tried to shield me from failures by not pushing me to live up to my inner potential. They would tell me to quit when things got tough. I suppose because they struggled so much, they did not want me to experience the same kind of grief. They didn't realize they were just enabling me and not equipping me with the skills I needed to be successful I had to learn them all on my own as an adult and it didn't exactly give me an edge starting out first as a freelance writer and now as a marketer.
Mastermind groups gave that power and place to practice and learn those skills to succeed and push beyond whatever limits I had already set for myself. Today, I am always ready to be put out there in the forefront, it's not to say I won't ever stumble. But the obstacle of fear has been broken through due to my mastermind experiences, and for that I am truly grateful.
Not too long ago, I took a detour along the roadside not knowing it would lead me to the destination I wanted to follow. Does that even make sense? Because sometimes things don't. At least, while you're doing them anyways. "The tree came out of no where," you sometimes hear people say. But we all know it was there all along, the person just wasn't paying attention to the fact it was larger than life and in plain view.
Whenever I am offered a detour, I stop and think where would I be if I didn't take all of the other roads less taken in my life? When I met my husband I was on my way to California instead I ended up in beautiful Calgary, Canada with two incredible children. What if fear had stopped me to take that risk?
The point is, we don't always see what's in front of us, but just follow our inner instincts and not what we see outwardly. Being part of a mastermind group is helpful in this respect when you have your 'ah ha" moments because a member of your group talks about his/her path hits a chord with you that finally helps you to understand where you are going.
You see, when you are in the process of making decisions on your own, in particularly decisions that may involve risk and might scare you, you tend to analyze them to death resulting in paralyzing fear. The end result? Nothing. Nada. No move because the fear overcomes you and stops you dead in your tracks.
Belonging to a mastermind group can offer you a different end result and allow you to be open and secure enough to take the risk, take the detour. Because in the end, you will find the detour was actually the track you were supposed to be on in the first place.
Bringing balance to your life and your business. Wow, this can be a real tough one for most people including myself. I am a mom first to my two toddlers, then comes writer and marketer, home maker, and teacher. But how does someone find a balance between home and business? I have a passion for all of these aspects of my life and I find there are times when one part of my life is sacrificed for another. So, what's the answer?
I am sure you have heard this by now, but I will say it again, the mind is key to achieving everything and being part of a mastermind group can be an incredible source to help you develop and keep that mindset.
Don't forget, there is a also a spiritual side of your life that helps you develop the winning mindset. I am not telling you all of this to overwhelm you but to show you the difference between letting the balance slide along with your goals or achieving the balance while reaching the goals you have set out for your life.
Many of us have goals or expectations written down or in our heads of where we want to be in our business in 6 months or a year, but do you have goals of where you want to be in your relationships with your children? Your spouse? Yourself? It's important to discuss and break down barriers that may be holding you back from your success. You may surprised to find out how one aspect of your life no matter how unrelated it may seem, may affect other areas. That is why so many trainers tell people to focus on their Why. Your Why may be to have more money to travel. My Why is to be able to give my children whatever they need. Many try and give a general answer such as "I want more money," but there is ultimately a much deeper reason such as what will that money enable me to do in my life?
This is where a mastermind group can be really useful because they are a group of people who understand mindset is everything and to achieve the proper mindset you must have both feet firmly on the ground.
A mastermind group can help you stay grounded and focused on what is a priority at the time and what's ultimately the most important. Our group uses the Universal Laws as the basis for everything by studying the Master Key System, a book written in the 1900s. Some groups focus specifically on the Law of Attraction, other groups are more religion based but the theory is the same. A mastermind is usually a group of people using a way to keep their mindset focused and achieving a balance in all areas of life.
That's the great part of belonging to a mastermind group as opposed to groups which focus on only one area of your life because the balance is needed. Think about it for a moment. Have you ever experienced a traumatic event or been physically ill? Think back to how it affected you mentally which in turn affected your work productivity or even your attitude towards life. You probably felt tired or even depressed.
Now, think about any seminars you may have been to or having an 'aha' moment during a mastermind session. Did your productivity shoot up and did you feel motivated to achieve your goals? It probably also affected how you treated others around you because you were feeling so good you wanted to share it.
A mastermind group can be an important part of the process of balance which can lead to wealth in the truest sense, not just money, but success in every area of your life. With balance come freedom and greatness and what could be better than that?
Because I am running a business from home I am not surrounded by a group of people on a day to day basis to converse with (unless you count my toddlers) whenever I am deciding on something. All home based entrepreneurs soon discover the fact that decision making is all on themselves.
Or is it?
One of the many benefits of belonging to a mastermind group is that you are never alone. You always have people you can bounce ideas off of or talk to when making serious decisions. Recently, I ran into a conundrum when a group of business partners were deciding on whether to market a particular company. I had been very involved in running conference calls, trainings and even putting their first convention together so when we ran into a morale dilemma I had some big decisions to make that would ultimately change the course of my whole business and how involved I would still be.
Fortunately, because I belong to a mastermind group I can hash things out not only in my mind but with other mastermind members who have experienced the same issues.
One of the best pieces of advice I received from a fellow member? "Take the emotions out of your decision making and think only as a business person." Believe me, it's much harder than it sounds but it was both feet on the ground advice in an industry that can sometimes take you on a fast ride when all you can do is hold on tight and sit back.
These are the times though, when you can really use a piece of advice from someone who is in more of a neutral state or an "outside opinion". Because our particular mastermind group is based on home based business members we can all learn from each others' mistakes and this can be so invaluable. Many decisions are minor but some could have a significant effect on catapulting your business to new levels, so doesn't it make business sense to have other entrepreneurs to confer with?
So what kinds of decisions are you making in your business right now? Are you trying to decide the best ways to advertise or how to make sales calls? Or are you just trying to decide what direction you want to go in with your home based business? These questions will pop up on a daily basis if they haven't already and why would you want to sit and attempt to do everything alone?
A true mastermind group is not going to tell you what you should do, but tell you what they learned along the way and how it turned out for them. A member may be able to give you honest and neutral advice that could make all the difference on what path you will take.
When it comes to success, it's all about who you know.
Hmmm, I thought that only applied to the outside world of traditional business? Nope. This is something my mentor taught me a long time ago.Meeting the right people can get you everywhere. It can help with referrals, specialized training and be the difference between finding ok business partners to excellent business partners who already have solid contacts of their own.
But how do you get to know the right people? Networking. And a mastermind group is networking in its truest form. A mastermind group can really elevate you and your contact list to a new level in this respect. When you join a group of people, you become connected to others and develop incredible partnerships and friendships.
You also develop a trust level with a select few that can really pay off in more ways than one. Although you are in different networking businesses or just different teams outside of the mastermind group you learn to help each other by sharing marketing tools, marketing ideas and a confidence in each other that if you're stuck on a computer program and contact one of your fellow master minders he will help you out. You start to leverage each other by sharing your strengths where your weaknesses may be.
That is such a powerful concept when you're doing business because it can otherwise be very difficult to start and run a home based business by yourself. Let's face it, no one is strong in every area. You don't have to be by yourself when there are so many of us out there also running a home based business. Because of our mastermind group, my business partner and husband, Brad and myself have developed incredible business contacts not just from fellow members in our mastermind group but their contacts as well. Without our mastermind group, we wouldn't have gained half the education we have from all of the incredible partnerships we know have and it keeps going like a domino effect.
Not to mention, it's resulted into some of our closest friendships. Who can replace that? We help each other with developing programs, tips on leads, give referrals, etc. These kinds of contacts are invaluable in the business world and can last a lifetime.
One of the aspects I have noticed by being part of a Mastermind Group is the sense of community. Let's face it, people don't quite connect with others like they used to. Neighbors don't bring over a home baked pie when you move into the neighborhood and people are often paranoid in the "big city" to even say "Hi" when passing you on the sidewalk. The world has changed, but that's not to say it isn't for the better. We are now on a bigger playing field and can meet people from all over the world like never before.
We are adjusting to that change. The possibilities are incredible. We now connect through telephone lines and with people across the world through our laptops. We are still human beings and possess that sense of belonging that a Mastermind group can give us. Yes, there are still local business groups that can operate like Mastermind groups but connecting from the comfort of home is what many of us have become accustomed to.
Communities often give us consistency that we crave in our lives. A Mastermind Group can do that for you while some ventures may come and go but a Mastermind Group community can create a commitment from everyone knowing we are accountable to others. This kind of community of like-minded people works together in harmony to help each other discover the most within ourselves and reach beyond what we once thought were our limitations.
An industry like Internet marketing is changing faster than we can keep up. It's good to have some passengers to travel with on that wild ride, people whom you have developed a sense of trust with.
As human beings, we crave that interaction, especially meaningful ones with people who are also committed to each other. It's critical to success to be with others who are also bringing energy, excitement and a fresh perspective to the Group.
Mastermind Group community advantages include:
Support system Energy Motivation Balance Sense of belonging
We join parenting communities to have a support system and help us be better parents so wouldn't it be only logical to join and entrepreneurial community to be better business owners? It only makes sense.
When we envelop ourselves in a community it becomes a daily ritual, part of a successful habit instead of a chore. It gives us a sense of who we are and becoming successful means developing successful habits and surrounding yourself in a community of positive, energetic, motivated and successful people. Brad and I look forward to our Mastermind group classes and would feel lost without our community.
EvanCarmichael.com is the world's #1 website for small business motivation and strategies. Evan also runs a series of successful Mastermind Groups in Toronto for entrepreneurs.
Guest Contributor: Kelly Smith
