Positive and Negative

Guest Contributor: Michael Lipp
Michael's Posts - Michael's Blog


I've just begun to use Mastermind groups - I'm in two of them. Now it seems that friendship is inevitable (and I like that) and that trust is essential. But what builds that?

Well, let's look at what I want from the group. I want useful suggestions on what I'm looking for (which may well change from meeting to meeting.)

Last time I brought up an idea I've had for a new product (to me a mega-idea) And my group put it down and gave their reasons for putting it down (as well as suggesting some work I could do that would validate their input). I was crushed. But do I trust their input - I mean do I trust the validity of their input, the viability of my idea? Would I trust them more if they were orgasmic about the idea?

Will I use disappointment to invalidate trust? On the contrary, I will use that to increase trust. It takes something to give that feedback.

In fact, that's what I want; that's why I joined this group - to get honest feedback from other points of view. If they shared my point of view, I would only be getting echoes of my point of view. It means I can trust their positive input also - and it reinforces my ability to give honest feedback to them.

So - a difficult - but very valuable lesson.

Your Master Mind Personal Life

Guest Contributor: Kayleen Reusser
Kayleen's Posts - Kayleen's Blog


It's funny how a Master Mind group can carry over into personal life.

A good friend in my Master Mind group is a prosecuting attorney. This came in handy lately when I heard my college-bound daughter say she has an interest in law that takes place in a courtroom. In other words, she doesn't want to practice Elder Law or other types that are less confrontational.

(I'd like to take a minute to credit our local Teen Court group for instilling this interest in my daughter. It is a group of high school from different school systems who meet regularly to act as a jury of peers and mock court room for students who have gotten into trouble with the law. A student, for instance, who has a DUI will be judged by his peers as to his guilt and if he should be punished. The punishment is also set down by the jury of peers. It can include anything from 20 hours of community service to counseling with parents to paying back a shop owner for shoplifting good.

The teen standing trial agrees to go along with the punishment set up by the teen court system. The teens taking part in the court agrees to keep all of the information from the trial, including names of students involved, confidential. The court is presided over by a local attorney who volunteers his or her time to the proceedings.

My daughter has been a part of this group for several years and has assumed various positions in the courtroom, including prosecutor. She has never revealed anything about this process of a personal nature to her family.)

I wanted to encourage my daughter to think about pursuing law an an avenue of career. Since I am not a lawyer, nor have a member of the family that is, I looked to my Master Mind friend for help.

"Could I bring my daughter to meet you so you can give her some idea of what it's like to be a prosecutor?" I asked her recently by email.

She immediately wrote back that she would be interested in talking with my daughter and suggested some meeting times. We will be meeting with her soon.

My Master Mind friend is very focused on her career and family and yet, she feels the need to share that knowledge and positive view of life with others. Her one goal developed during our Master Mind meetings is taking physical form and may be available soon for an announcement.

Hopefully, I can help her in some way in the future.

Personal friendships are a great result of Master Mind groups.