Suggested Guidelines For Mastermind Groups

Ryan Mercer wrote a great article on the Importance of Masterminding. In it he outlines what Mastermind Groups are, how members can get the most out of their experience, and what the top 10 benefits are of joining a group.

He also provides 7 suggested guidelines for how a Mastermind Group should be run. They include:

1. Invite the 'givers'. In other words, create good company and be in good company.

2. Coordinate in the spirit of harmony. Complaining or whining, arguing with or negating anyone else's ideas is not productive. Gently remind people to express positive solutions.

3. Plan a mastermind session bi-weekly or once per month, and make them fun. Try lunches, dinners before or after the weekly conference calls when the energy of the group is naturally high.

4. Start each session with a time "Good News", Success Stories, or Joke of the day, from the group or even Chicken Soup Books. This generates incredible synergy for the group.

5. Encourage team members to determine their "Top Challenges." One person can facilitate and lists the challenges out on a board, overhead, or shared electronic media.

6. Let the group prioritize and take a vote on each of the challenges listed by asking the question: "How many of us would like to focus on this one first and work on it until it's resolved?" And then take a vote. Do that for every challenge down the list.

7. The facilitator can then asks the group, "Who has any experience that can help with this challenge?" Then, brainstorm all of the solutions on the overhead/board/media.