I first wrote about mastermind groups when I joined one formed with local Launceston business owners a few years ago. I have since joined Sarah Prout’s Sprout Mastermind and thought it was worth revisiting the idea of the benefit of masterminds because together we can achieve great things.
While it has now disbanded, several of the members in the Launceston-based Motivational Minds have since worked together on projects and in new businesses, so it’s clearly a powerful melting pot of possibility. I loved the opportunity to stretch my skills, be challenged by other members and consider new ways of doing things. And once the members of the mastermind group understood each other’s offerings, they became great ambassadors for the member’s brands.
So here’s my list of why mastermind groups work:
• Support – each person’s goals are different, but members all work together to make them happen
• Celebrating differences – none of us approach the same situation in the same way, so pooling members’ combined experiences and skills makes for many different approaches
• Help – you never know when another member will have the perfect solution for your problem. Just ask
• Keeps you accountable – the members who share goals or complete tasks by a deadline keep each other accountable
• Business partnerships and friendships – new projects form from a meeting of minds, along with great friendships.
I love Napoleon Hill’s definition of a mastermind group from Think and Grow Rich: “The coordination of knowledge and effort of two or more people, who work toward a definite purpose, in the spirit of harmony.” Of course for this to work the way a mastermind group should, it must be made up from similarly committed people who can make a regular meeting either online or offline. But there aren’t too many other essential ingredients to make it work.
Are you a member of a mastermind group? How does it work for you? If you’re not, why not form one by finding 2-3 like-minded people and start yourselves off by asking what you’re working on, what you’ve learnt recently and where could you do with some assistance? This can cover business or personal issues (or both). Let me know how you go.
Image from clker.com
Strawberry Sundae PR Mastermind Group
The two groups I have been involved with have broad business-based purposes, but I have been toying with the idea of running a PR mastermind group. I’ve even come up with the name – Strawberry Sundae (because you get all the delicious tips and tricks from me plus input from fellow members on top!).
I want you to let me know how this mastermind group should run by responding to this newsletter. Let me know which options you like from my ideas below:
• Meet monthly for an hour online (either Google+ Hangout or Facebook chat)
• Set topic each month (like how to write a media release or how to pitch to journalists), or free choice based on members’ needs
• Private Facebook group to chat and swap ideas in between meetings
• Limited to 10 people
• Run over six months, with option to extend indefinitely
• $97 per month for everything.
Tell me what you think now. Once I have enough feedback I’ll let those who are interested know when and how the mastermind group will run.
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