How a new Mastermind Group is evolving

Guest Contributor: Chris Barrow
Chris' Posts - Chris' Blog


Having created our latest Mastermind Group of 18 dental practice owners in January, we are beginning to see the group emerge and evolve.

Our first meeting in January followed the usual format of a working dinner on Sunday evening, a few social drinks in the bar and a full day meeting on the Monday.

To ensure that everyone had a voice, we split into two equal groups on Monday morning - after an inaugural session of all 20 (18 clients and 2 facilitators) we split into two board rooms and began the process of discovering more about each group member and addressing their business concerns and challenges on the day.

Since the meeting in early January, we have listened to feedback, positive and negative, from group members.

On the positive side they have overwhelmingly enjoyed the "tribal" element of the group - new relationships with clinical and entrepreneurial peers.

On the negative side, we were called to account because of the complete absence of an agenda for the first meeting.

Therein is a paradox.

We have facilitated Mastermind Groups for 4 years now.

In year 1 we had a strict agenda and clients told us that they felt too restricted.

In year 2 we had no agenda and clients told us that there was too little organisation (they came unprepared to the meetings).

In year 3 we tried a morning of structure and afternoons of free-flow - the clients told us that we had the balance about right.

In January we made the mistake (with a bigger group, 2 facilitators and a new dynamic) of leaving the day free to assess their needs.

A timely reminder that they want structure first (I suspect to give them a sense of being led) and then free-form (to stretch their wings).

Next meeting will be re-organised that way.

A pleasant surprise has been the success of our email group for MMG members only.

UK dentists are not as IT- savvy as their North American colleagues.

After a few test emails had arrived in everyone's in-box, they seem to have captured the potential.

Now - we are witnessing a healthy correspondence which focuses on practice management issues but is also drifting into questions on clinical equipment and procedures.

As facilitators, we can stand back from this conversation - largely because as a non-dentist I don't understand it (!) but also because they are quite happily chatting amongst themselves now but crediting us with forming the community.

One of our MMG members wrote to me a couple of days ago:

I am certainly grateful of how membership of your M.M.G. opens other doors and carries a currency with other coaches/groups and am becoming aware of the esteem that other people regard you with.

Now that's a very nice compliment for me - but also demonstrates another benefit of the MMG. This client had expressed an interest in building an investment property portfolio and, through the MMG, was introduced to a wealth coach, who is now working with him. I know the wealth coach, I introduced the first client to her some years ago!

The new introduction has been made without my knowledge - but I am still seen as the "source". My credibility grows - my client tells his peers how useful his relationship with me has been - and so the business snowball rolls.

Having found success with our email group - we are now looking at turning that into a properly managed forum, so that clients can follow the threads of individual conversations.

Oh - and did I mention the golfing group that spontaneously formed before our first meeting (at a leading golf hotel) and is now arranging further sporting encounters?