Category Archives: Being in a Mastermind Group

Sharing Success Stories in Your Mastermind Group Meetings

November 30, 2011

In mastermind groups, atmosphere and mindset matter. To helpl set the right tone and atmosphere in mastermind group meetings, I encourage you to start each meeting with a round of Success Stories. These are 1 or 2 minute retelling of something that’s happened to each person since the last meeting that makes them feel successful.

Each person’s definition of “success” is different. For one person, it might be finally cleaning and decluttering their office. For another person, it might be having an important relationship-building conversation with their child. It could be the million dollar sale, or walking three times in the past week.

It doesn’t matter what the actual success story is. What matters is that we bring forward those things that make us feel successful and share them with the group…and that the group hears it and acknowledges it and applauds it. And it helps us to define what success looks like and feels like.

This helps foster a positive mental attitude and helps people look for success in everyday occurrences. And after all, isn’t that what a mastermind group is all about? Helping each other with great ideas, getting into action around those ideas, and feeling successful because of that action.

By Karyn Greenstreet | Comments Off

Allow Off-Topic Conversations in Your Mastermind Group?

August 9, 2011

Let’s pretend that you have a mastermind group focused on real estate investment. John, a member of the group, wants to mastermind about his divorce. Should that topic be allowed?

It doesn’t matter what the primary topic of your mastermind group is, the purpose of most mastermind groups is to create success in your personal and professional life, as YOU define success.

Ah…but what do you do when the members want to talk about something off-topic that is affecting his success? What are the rules and guidelines you use to figure out whether to allow that conversation to blossom or to nip it in the bud?

Here’s my take on off-topic conversation in a mastermind group: if the topic of conversation affects the member’s performance in the MAIN focus area of the group, it should be allowed.

So let’s go back to John’s story. The emotional, financial and physical aspects of his pending divorce ARE affecting his ability to be a good real estate investor. His judgment is clouded. His financial resources are low. He’s overwhelmed and preoccupied.

Allowing him to talk about his divorce — and how it’s affecting his success as a real estate investor — will give him new insights and creative options, as well as support and encouragement. Refusing to talk about his divorce hog-ties his success.

For both the Facilitator and the group members, the trick is to not turn your mastermind group into a psychotherapy support group. You’ll all need to work together to focus John’s conversation on how he can find creative solutions and get the support he needs. If all John can talk about is his divorce then he probably needs to find a different kind of group to help support him during his divorce. Then you can invite him back to the mastermind group when he’s ready to begin moving forward again with his real estate investing.

As the Facilitator it’s your job to pay attention to repeat behavior, repeat topics and repeat performance. If John wants to mastermind about his divorce once or twice, I wouldn’t worry about it. But if it becomes a repeated topic and outside the scope and purpose of your group, then you’ll need to speak with John about his situation.

By Karyn Greenstreet | Also posted in Mastermind Group Facilitation | Comments (2)

How to be a Good Mastermind Group Member

July 17, 2011

Think being a mastermind group member is easy? Just ask member Chris Everson.

“I thought that all I had to do was offer advice and sit back and relax. I almost got fired from my group!”

There’s a heightened sense of responsibility that comes from being a mastermind group member. Mastermind groups succeed or fail based on everyone’s two-way involvement: both in asking for help and giving help. If you don’t have balance in those two areas, you’re not an asset to the group.

Here are some tips to being a super mastermind group member:

  •  Tell your group members what you need from the group that day. Do you just need to be heard or do you need them to brainstorm 30 new ideas with you? Do you need to be held accountable for getting things done or do you need a pat on the back for your successes?
  • Don’t hog the limelight. Even if you’re in the Hot Seat, a mastermind group is about everyone getting a chance to share and connect. Try to speak in short paragraphs: get to the crux of the comment or question as quickly as possible, but don’t leave out any crucial information that will affect the conversation.
  • Write your Prep Form the day before the meeting so that you’ve thought through the big questions in advance. Don’t prepare for the meeting 10 minutes before it starts and expect amazing results.
  • Ask questions. If something doesn’t make sense, if a comment from a mastermind group member doesn’t align with their stated goals and values, if you feel there’s more under the surface: ask about it.
  • Listen and take notes. Whether you are in the Hot Seat or someone else is, listening carefully in a focused way to what’s being said (and what’s not being said) will give you 100 times more information than just staring off into space. Taking notes helps you keep focused on the discussion at hand, and gives you a place to jot down your own ideas until it’s your turn to speak — you know how easy it is to have a brilliant idea just fly out of your head the moment you’re trying to remember it!
  • Learn how to give constructive feedback. Never attack the person — attack the idea. Be robust in your thinking; don’t let people skate by with flimsy ideas or poorly thought-out action plans. Challenge each other to fulfill their potential and create success in their business and personal lives.

Yes, the success of a mastermind group depends on the quality of the mastermind group facilitator. But more importantly the success of your group depends on your willingness to devote yourself to your own success and the success of others.

By Karyn Greenstreet | Tagged , , , | Comments (4)

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