Category Archives: Running Your Mastermind Group

Mastermind Groups and Longevity

March 1, 2012

How long will your mastermind groups live?

Many people are concerned about starting mastermind groups for fear that it will be a lifelong commitment. Others are afraid to start a group that lasts only a month.

Never fear: there are no mastermind group police haunting the hallways, keeping track of how long your mastermind group stays together. I’ve been in mastermind groups that have stayed together for only 60 days (on purpose), and I’m currently in one that has been meeting every month for EIGHT years.

First decide for yourself how long you would like to be in a mastermind group. Can you commit to 60 days? Longer?

I suggest that the minimum time should be 60 days. You need time to connect to one another, to form trust, respect and rapport. If you go for a short group, meet more often — like once a week or every other week. This gives you plenty of time to get to know one another, to mastermind together, setting goals, making plans and implementing them towards success.

My personal preference is for mastermind groups to last for at least a year. This gives you time to plan and implement large goals: real, measurable steps to success in your life. While 60 days might be okay for a short project, a year-long mastermind group will give you time to think about success in all areas of your life and make some major changes.

Whether you decide to meet together for two months or twelve months (or more!), commitment is key. Every member has to make the commitment to the full duration of the mastermind group. Pay close attention to commitment issues, as well as the other reasons why mastermind groups fail.

By Karyn Greenstreet | Also posted in Being in a Mastermind Group | Tagged | Comments Off

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 | Also posted in Being in a Mastermind Group | Tagged , | Comments Off

Setting Yearly Goals: Is Your Group Asking You To Grow?

October 25, 2011

It’s that time of year again…time to start thinking about your goals for next year. Setting yearly goals significantly increases the likelihood of success. But setting the bar too low is a recipe for self-sabotage.

We know in the study of motivation that there is a “growing edge” where people are most likely to accomplish their goals and tasks, and move forward on their dreams. The growing edge is the place in your mind that says two things that are true: that the task is challenging AND the task is do-able; it’s the place of the possibility of the most growth.

Finding the place where the most growth can take place is an important task, even if it’s the most painful place, because it is often the most fertile place as well.

We often resist changes in our life. It is inevitable that resistance and fear will happen. Because this is a holistic model, your growing edge will naturally bring up your fears and your resistance to change. Keep your focus on the vision of possibility while respecting the fears that come up. Making mistakes and taking risks is welcome because it releases creativity and imagination.

When looking for your growing edge, always start with the “truth” of where you really are Now. Do not start with your pathology (what is preventing you from moving forward). Instead, always start with your vision.

Many people have two dreams, two visions: the “big dream” for the distant future (also called the “meta-vision” or all-encompassing dream of how we’d like things in the future), and a vision “in the now” of what can be accomplished today or this week or this month. It’s important to keep both dreams in your mind simultaneously when doing this work, because that is where your passion and energy resides.

Remember, no growing edge is better or worse than another. Each growing edge is unique and people rarely have the exact same growing edge, even if they’re dealing with the same issue.

When you are part of a mastermind group, your mastermind partners should be aware of your growing edge and should hold your feet to the fire. When making plans for the next 12 months of your personal and professional life, make sure that your plans are “challenging but do-able.” And ask your mastermind partners to always, always ask you: Are you on the growing edge?

By Karyn Greenstreet | Tagged , , , , | Comments (1)

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