Know What You Want From Your Mastermind Group

Guest Contributor: Tony D. Clark
Tony's Posts - Tony's Blog


"What's in it for me?"

That's a question we often ask. It's human nature.

If you're a considerate person, you ask it in your head. If you're rude, it's probably out loud.

But it's not necessarily a bad thing.

There's a difference between being selfish and being self-aware. A selfish person only looks out for himself. A self-aware person takes others into consideration, but not at the expense of their own needs.

When you join a mastermind group, it's important to ask, "what's in it for me?" Knowing what you want to get out of the group is as important as knowing what you can contribute.

The Right Fit

Different groups have different dynamics. Often, a mastermind group may evolve into a something other than a textbook group, or may not follow the guidelines established. This is why it's critical to know what you are looking for when you join the group.

Some groups become support groups or bitch sessions. Members may drop out, others stay on but mostly complain. If you don't have a clear goal for your involvement from the beginning, it can be easy to just go with the flow of the group. Rarely is this kind of group helpful to those looking for the true benefits of a mastermind group.

A group may evolve into a jam session or book group. A jam session is where a group folks of a similar craft get together and spends the time working on something - a project, a song, a program. This isn't a bad thing. It's actually very beneficial. I've been involved with groups like this before.

A group that becomes a meeting to discuss personal development books or other resources can be a natural progression of a mastermind group. I've seen it happen. Again, not a bad thing. But if it's not what you had in mind, these types of groups may not provide you with what you're looking for.

The group I belong to currently does a great job of following the core guidelines of a mastermind group. This is what I was looking for in a group. I wrote down goals and had a clear idea of what I wanted to gain from the group - along with what I felt I could contribute. I know at least some of the members did the same. Knowing "what's in it for me" has helped shape the group dynamic. Making it fit the plans we each had in mind.

When you set out to join a mastermind group, have a clear idea of what you're looking for. Ask the other members to do the same, and allow that to be the foundation for the group.

Remember, a mastermind group with a clear vision is formed by individuals with a clear vision. Knowing what's in it for you will help ensure everyone gets what they need from the group.

Thinking Through Different Minds

Guest Contributor: Tony D. Clark
Tony's Posts - Tony's Blog


Pull together a somewhat like-minded group of folks. Throw in the collective desire to succeed. Now, combine that with the fact that most success-oriented people tend to want to reach out and help others, and you have the real power of a Mastermind Group.

Everyone has different reasons for joining a Mastermind Group. The knowledge and wisdom of the group, to me, is the biggest benefit. The ability to think with different minds is priceless.

Many Brains = Many Perspectives

If you have a magnifying glass focusing the Sun, you'll eventually get a flame. Add more lenses, and the flame comes faster. I experienced this first hand during a recent Mastermind Group meeting.

One member was looking for some options and guidance on approaching an influential person with their product. It was almost as if you could hear the gears turning as the members brainstormed ideas. Some were good, others were brilliant. Listening to the multiple brains tackle a challenge from different directions was incredible.

Each person had a different perspective on how to approach the goal -- perspectives that fed one another, and sparked other views. Ideas became refined, and polished by the group. Others were discarded respectfully.

The many minds offered more than just ideas. It created hybrid ideas that a single individual may have taken days or weeks to find out, alone.

Sharing knowledge is one of the many benefits of being part of a Mastermind Group. The opportunity to gain other perspectives - to think through other minds - can be a valuable tool for success.

A Solo Always Sounds Better as Part of a Group Performance

Guest Contributor: Tony D. Clark
Tony's Posts - Tony's Blog


"Individual commitment to a group effort -- that is what makes a team work, a company work, a society work, a civilization work." - Vince Lombardi

One of the downsides of being a solo entrepreneur is the solo part. I've been a home-based entrepreneur for pretty much my entire working life - 15+ years. A lot of that time is spent working alone. But there's great value in getting outside of your own head, and having the input and feedback of others. By enlisting the help of like-minded folks - who themselves are successful - you increase your own success. Just like hanging with a group of unmotivated sad-sacks can drain your own motivation - joining a group of those focused on success adds fuel to your own passion to thrive.

Enter the Mastermind Group

I've had the privilege of being part of several Mastermind Groups over the years. Each one brought its own dynamic and perspective. I've also recently joined a new group of masterminds that includes Chris Cree, Phil Gerbyshak, Kirsten Harrell, Kammie Kobyleski, Thom Quinn, and Troy Worman. The benefit of a Mastermind Group, particularly for the solo entrepreneur, is the diverse thinking, with a similar focus. It can be a sort of advisory board, where challenges that need more than your own thinking can be explored. A good Mastermind Group can offer growth, awareness, and new view-points. It's important when you work for yourself to get feedback and input from trusted advisors, and a Mastermind Group can be one of the best sources of guidance available.

Yet, the real power of a Mastermind Group comes from the commitment and participation of all the members. As you work on your own goals, challenges, and ideas, you provide support for other group members, offering your perspective, knowledge and guidance. This cooperative approach has many benefits over traditional "expert-on-novice" models of advising. As a participant, you are more likely to gain as much as you contribute, and the success of the group will grow as each individual grows.

Being a solo entrepreneur offers some of the best opportunities for real success available. And though a solo performance can be the highlight of the show, without the backdrop of the rest of the cast, it can also be a very lonely performance.

Starting A Mastermind Group

Guest Contributor: Kirsten Harrell
Kirsten's Posts - Kirsten's Blog

If you are not currently in a Mastermind group, I suggest you take the initiative to start one. A Master Mind group is a powerful way for people to support each other as they get clear about their goals and define what they need to do to accomplish them. The idea is that there is a powerful synergistic affect when 2 or more people come together in a harmonious alliance to assist each other.

I recommend 5-8 people to start a Mastermind group. If a group is larger than this it can become difficult to manage time and still give each person a chance to share and ask for input at each meeting. A smaller group can run into problems and lose energy when one or two people can't make a meeting.

One of the important points to consider when you are forming a Mastermind group is to make sure that you get a group of positive people who are goal-oriented and motivated. Negative people or people who are always saying "yes, but..." will tend to stifle the energy of a Mastermind group and can result in a less harmonious and productive group.

You might want to start by asking people you already know and trust to join your group. Then ask new members if they know anyone who would be a good fit. If you are starting from scratch, I recommend that you screen potential new members over the phone or in person to make sure they fit with the overall spirit of your Mastermind group. It is much better to discover a mismatch before accepting the person than to discover this once the group is rolling.

I started a Mastermind group by posting an invitation to join on my blog. I wasn't sure if I would get any responses, so I was delighted when I ended up with 6 wonderful bloggers (Chris Cree, Phil Gerbyshak, Kammie Kobyleski, Tony D. Clark, Thom Quinn, and Troy Worman) who were willing to join. All 6 write blogs that I subscribe to and read regularly so I had a good sense that we would all fit well together.

Our group decided to meet monthly via a teleconference call. The calls will be recorded so that each member can replay the meeting anytime they want. We will support each other between calls through email and a private online forum I set up in www.gather.com.