Online Mastermind Group Template

There is an increasing number of Mastermind Groups starting online. I personally haven't ventured online with my Mastermind Groups because I question how to get the same value and keep the commitment level high as with a face to face group. I'm still, however, curious as to the various ways people are using Mastermind Groups to grow their businesses.

An example I came across recently was to have an open group in the form of a Forum where each participant would post their thoughts and follow the following structure:

1) Once a week, someone starts a thread in the Business forum, entitled (Name) Business Discussion - John's Business Discussion, Neil's Business Discussion, etc.

2) That thread is to focus on ONE aspect, or one problem, or one concern that person has for their business. The only discussion in that thread - in John's Business Discussion thread, for example - will be helping John achieve, or overcome, or answer matters concerning John's business.

3) Every week a new thread begins on another member's business and special topic.

4) Each thread may continue as long as it has life, and as long as it remains on topic.

5.a) This will alleviate any leadership problems
5.b) This will allow everyone to post when convenient, thereby overcoming time differences
5.c) The discussion can go on as long as required (weeks, months), and is not limited by time in a chat session
5.d) Goals could be discussed, set, encouraged, followed up and adjusted over time

6) For those who enjoy and feel they can get something out of a chat session could call for a chat meeting as part of their discussion thread, and the thread used to report on, and discuss further the points raised in chat.

I'm curious to see if this gets off the ground and how it works out. It sounds great on paper - the challenge is getting people to commit.

Joining / Starting A Mastermind Group

Guest Contributor: Doug Emerson
Doug's Posts - Doug's Blog


Looking through "Think and Grow Rich" last year about this time, I reread the section about Mastermind groups. Like a lot of people, my copy of "Think and Grow Rich" is quite worn and is filled with inked in arrows, circles and notes highlighting the passages of importance. Napoleon Hill's section on mastermind groups always intrigued me when I read it, but Fear had always stopped me from forming my own mastermind group.

• I was afraid of my invitation to join being rejected by potential group members; worse yet, a declination to join might also be taken as personal rejection.
• I was afraid that some members would not provide the right kind of support and input to the group and the messy process of rejecting them from the group would be controversial and painful.
• I was fearful that the project would die a slow death of apathetic neglect as enthusiasm dwindled by group members.

I wish my imagination for success was more powerful than my imagination for disaster all of the time, but at that moment about a year ago, my thoughts for the success of forming a mastermind group overpowered all fears of failure.

With the help of another member, we talked about and invited two others to be members of a mastermind group that met on a conference call weekly. We knew each other; not all of us had known each other for the same amount of time.

One year of masterminding weekly has provided these results:

• Accountability to members who understand me and my business objectives.
• A forum to whine a little and then be positively directed to move on.
• Education about others' business problems which are common to all businesses.
• Quick observations and suggestions from members in a spirit of helpfulness and camaraderie with no strings attached.

If you are thinking of joining or starting a mastermind group to help you in your business, the only thing you need to be fearful of is waiting another day.

Doug Emerson writes a blog about making money in the horse business.