The Mastermind and the Art of Listening

Guest Contributor: Janet Napora
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You have your mastermind, like minded members working towards similar goals. Plans are put in place and input from different people is encouraged. Even when a group of people have similar goals, opinions can always differ. We all have different perspectives. We've all had different experiences which shape our thought process.

Frequently we look at things from our own perspective. We are by nature a sum of our parts, our own experiences and lessons learned. Sometimes we try to look at things from someone else's perspective but still manage to color our thinking with our own experiences.

Often times we do this sub-consciously. It isn't that we're unable to understand or are trying to be difficult. Sometimes we just can't help it, especially if it's something we're passionate about. So how does this affect the Mastermind? It can create disharmony or sometimes chaos. Disharmony and chaos are best dealt with before it starts.

Every Mastermind should have some kind of structure or guidelines. Handling disagreements should be dealt with from the beginning. No matter how proficient the Mastermind group, not all situations may be resolved easily. Have a system to handle these delicate situations before it has a chance to permeate the group with negative energy.

We've all heard the saying "walk a mile in someone else's shoes". The problem is we sometimes have difficult imagining what "that" must have been like ("that" can be any experience you haven't gone through). That experience could be business related or personal. Both kinds of experiences shape who we are.

Ultimately the best situation would be for everyone to listen not only with their head but also with their hearts. Some people do this more easily than others. If you're in a Mastermind group you're already one step ahead.