In recent posts, I mentioned I have been in a small Mastermind group for about four years. We're all good friends and come together once a month for about 4 hours. I admit our structure is a bit loose in some strategic ways and, over the years, we have made changes to include stronger accountability and motivation. Overall, I have still found the group to lack a degree of consistency and focus in fulfilling our monthly intentions. We all realize how we contribute to a degree of laxness and avoidance that exists in the group.
So, I have found myself evaluating the effectiveness of this group several times over the last 18 months to gain clarity. I began to think about leaving. After all, it has been 4 years!
1. What was working in the group? What wasn't?
2. What was really bugging me about the group?
3. Had I communicated my concerns to the group so that possible changes could be made?
4. Was I looking forward to the group meetings? If not, why not?
5. Were we still a good fit as a mastermind team?
6. Were my needs getting met in the group?
7. Was I showing up for others in a way that held them to their best?
8. What was my contribution to the lack of effectiveness?
9. In thinking about leaving, what were my true motivations? Avoidance of accountability? Fear of success or failure? It just wasn't working for me anymore?
10. Was it time to move on?
My final decision was to leave the group and form a new one. I realized that if I stayed it would be out of loyalty to my friends and at the expense of my commitment to my personal and business success. Additionally, how would I be serving my friends by staying for the wrong reasons in my desire to support their own success?
So often we hold onto things because we fear change and it's comfortable to stay with the status quo. What might be the cost be to hold on when letting go opens more doors of opportunities and possibilities?
I suspect with my departure my friends will invite some new folks to join. I see this decision as a good stretch for us all to experience fresh viewpoints and make some new connections
We've found two key things about entrepreneurs and goal setting. 1) When you commit to someone else (ie your Mastermind Group) you are more likely to follow through and 2) When you have clearly written goals you are more likely to understand where you want to take your company and will actually go out and achieve it.
In my Mastermind Groups everyone has two set of written goals. The first is one main annual goal. Each entrepreneur takes the most important goal for them for the year. Come December 31st what does your company look like? It has to be a goal that is numeric and can be measured. It can't be something qualitative like "I want to feel better about my company." Most of my members choose a revenue goal but sometimes they have a goal that is more meaningful than revenue. For example, my December 31st goal is to be at 35,000 or under in Alexa rankings.
Each meeting the members update where they are with their goals and how they are making progress (or not). The key here is to have the other members help hold you accountable for doing what you said you were going to do and help you achieve your goals.
The second set of goals we write down are the plans of action for the next month. We meet on a monthly basis so at each session the members discuss their plans and write down the three most important things they are going to work on over the next month. Throughout the month they are partnered with another member who will check up on them to make sure they are following through. Then at the next meeting each member updates how they have done and checks the items from their list.
By writing down your goals and sharing them with the Mastermind Group members you gain greater clarity on where you want to take your company and have someone to help hold you accountable for accomplishing what you said you were going to do.
This afternoon, I sat in a Teleclass where Kim Fulcher interviewed Barbara Sher about this book. Many of the audience members commented that they could totally identify with what she wrote. I bet some of my readers can, too.
According to Barbara Sher, scanners are creative thinkers who have an insatiable desire to learn and explore new things. They are usually multi-talented quick learners who are drawn to many interests all at once and want to do everything they are interested in. They get bored easily by repetitive or routine activities. Many scanners appear unable to make up their minds about what they want in life, cannot get started, or cannot finish what they started. That's because the "rewards" they are after in each activity they pursue might be very different from most people can understand. Once they get the "reward" they want in a particular activity, they would lose interest and move on to the next new thing. Because they are drawn to so many things, and they don't want to just choose one thing, some of them end up not doing anything at all. It's like "I won't do anything, if I can't do everything". It's worth noting that although many scanners have ADD/ADHD (including Ms. Sher), it's not the same.
In the book, Ms. Sher identifies 9 types of scanners: Double Agent, Sybil, Plate Spinner, Serial Specialist, Serial Master, Jack-of-All-Trades, Wanderer, Sampler, and High-Speed Indecisive. Most scanners are a mix of two or more types. For example, I can see myself as a Serial Master in some areas, and a Sybil & a Sampler in other areas.
The exciting thing about this book is, Ms. Sher not only identifies the traits of each type of scanners, shares many stories of people she has worked with, but also offers many tools, strategies, Life Design Models and ideal careers for each type of scanners. Guess what careers she recommends for Serial Masters? Career/life coach, motivational speaker, talent agent, teacher, and athletic coach. Hey, I guess I'm on the right track! Coaching certainly allows me to combine many of my passions and interests, and offers enough challenges, variety, and learning opportunities to keep me interested. If you think you might be a scanner, I highly recommend that you check out this book. It's a fascinating read.
One of the success strategies Ms. Sher offers in the book is what she calls a Support Team, which is essentially a Mastermind Group. In her first workshop years ago, after teaching goal-setting techniques, and asking participants to map out their action steps, she set up Support Teams with groups of 6 people. These teams were supposed to set up nightly phone calls and weekly meetings with each other, so they can cheer each other on, keep each other on track until they reach their goals. She has found such teams extremely effective and successful. As she states, "Support combined with accountability creates a Real Deadline".
Isn't it so true that when we make a commitment to someone else, we are more likely to stick to our commitment? That's the power of accountability (which is a crucial component in the coaching process too). A Support Team (Mastermind Group) provides the structure, support and accountability that are so critical for scanners' success. In the Teleclass today, she mentioned the Support Team too, and said that some of the teams she set up lasted as long as 12 years. That's quite remarkable considering that most scanners can't stick to anything for long, which I think is evidence that mastermind groups obviously work very well for scanners (and anyone else, really).
So, what are you waiting for? Pick up a copy of Refuse to Choose!, hire a life coach (contact me for a complimentary coaching session), and join a mastermind group, if you have not done so. You can also check out BarbaraSher.com and GeniusPress.com for an online forum and more resources for scanners.
Let me know what you think. I'd love to hear from fellow scanners!
I was pointed to the Life Two Midlife Improvement blog this morning (I'm not close to my midlife yet) because of a post written by Dave the Coach about who to invite and how to run a Mastermind Group. His advice is:
Who Should be a member?
You want people who have a similar interest. For example, a group of executives starting their own consulting companies.
They should be willing to make a commitment for a year to give a chance for the group to work. Note: It takes at least 4-6 months for the group to really gel and get to a consistent level of performing.
Interview people you are considering. Ask them what they can bring to the group and share what you bring to the table as well.
You all will need to be able to give each other feedback and be honest and willing to discuss when things are not going well. This is the most challenging aspect. And the most rewarding.
This needs to be a group that is passionate about blowing through the roadblocks and really exceeding everyone's goals.
What are the logistics?
I recommend meeting every two to four weeks at the same time. That way you can protect the time in your calendar. It means protecting that time as part of your commitment to each other.
You generally start a meeting with a check-in to share what you need to discuss. That drives the agenda with equal time given. Sometimes, my MM group will devote an entire meeting to working on a single issue for one member. We then make sure subsequent meetings shift their focus to the rest of the group. It is very democratic.
Whether you are mid-life or not, Mastermind Groups are a great way to help you connect with your passions and build a plan to accomplish your goals.
One of the greatest things about effective goal setting is that when you commit to someone else you are more likely to follow through. When you get involved in a Mastermind Group, make sure that you use your fellow members to hold you accountable to doing the things you said you were going to do.
A great example of this is Naadi Salaam. Naadi is a startup entrepreneur who always wanted to create a company in the hair industry. With the help of a newly formed Mastermind Group, Naadi was able to get the support and ideas she needed to launch her business.
I decided to embark upon the exploration and creation of a mastermind group in order to pursue my life's passion (natural hair and make-up). i'll have to expound more on the mastermind group, but i HIGHLY recommend the book think and grow rich by napoleon hill. since the creation of the mastermind group, 7 weeks ago, i have finally legitimized my hair business and created promotional materials and an advertising plan for the south asian bridal make-up service! ever since i got the ball rolling, it has grown and taken on a life of its own. i am now considering pursuing a home study course in aromatherapy so that i can better understand essential oils and their healing properties, in an effort to grow and expand my business by offering different services and products. i would have never thought that i would have gotten so much out of a simple networking seminar, but i did.
Have you had any similar experiences where your Mastermind Group really helped you get into gear?
Most people I've come across who run their own business have goals planned out for what they want to accomplish. They are really passionate about their goals and want to achieve them but for some reason never seem to get there because "life" gets in the way.
A large benefit of any Mastermind Group should be the Accountability Partner. If you commit to someone else you are more likely to follow through on your goals than if you just tell yourself. Having someone to push you and bounce ideas off of also helps.
Blogger Debbie Lousberg discussed this topic in a recent post of hers:
"Get support. Find a friend, coworker, or hire a coach to keep you accountable and moving forward. Check in weekly with that person to track progress and celebrate victories you have along the way."
By sharing your goals with someone and asking them to help you stay on track toward achieving them, it's not so easy to just shove them into a drawer for the next several months and hope they come true somehow. A little bit of self-induced pressure to meet a goal and keep your word with someone is great motivation! Choose this person carefully - someone who is objective, not too emotionally tied to you, and won't let you off the hook. Your "accountability partner" may be a friend, co-worker, mentor, coach, or even a small group of colleagues, such as a Master Mind group. Even better if you can reciprocate by holding them accountable to their own goals.
Make arrangements to meet or phone the same time every week to check in on progress and successes. As this person becomes more understanding of your goals and actions, they may be able to provide ideas, information, contacts, and resources as well. They become an important piece of your network.
"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.
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: Lorraine Cohen
. I first heard of this book from another coach I was working with last year. She is a "scanner" and could see the same quality in me. After reading the book, I have to agree with her.
