Category Archives: Starting Your Mastermind Group

How Many Members Should Be In a Mastermind Group?

November 1, 2012

I’ve been running mastermind groups for 16 years and I’ve seen groups of all sizes. There are some questions you need to ask yourself before deciding how many members should be in your mastermind group:

  1. How much total time is available at each meeting? Meetings need to have a begin and end time, and many meetings that run over 90 minutes can run out of steam without frequent breaks. Yet breaks also cause interruption of the energy levels. So first decide how long each meeting will be, then go on to Question 2.
  2. How much time should each member get to be in the “hot seat” to talk about their problem, challenge or decision? Members need time to first verbalize their situation before masterminding can begin in earnest. Some members are quick and can sum it up in five minutes or less. Others need 10-15 minutes just to set the stage. THEN you need time to mastermind after that. We did an experiment in one of my mastermind group meetings recently: we had a non-timed meeting, just to see what would naturally occur. Thirty minutes per member was our average time for each hot seat.
  3. What other items are on your agenda? Remember that your meeting typically includes some sort of opening and closing, as well as possible guest speakers, training or other events. Allow time for those in your agenda, then plan accordingly.

In my mastermind groups, I tend to look for 4-6 members per group. Less than four and the energy level can drop (though I know several very successful mastermind groups with three members in them!), and more than six members will probably cause you to run out of time. However, if you’re doing half-day or full-day meetings, you may be able to include more members.

By Karyn Greenstreet | Also posted in Running Your Mastermind Group | Comments (6)

How to Approach People to Invite to Your Mastermind Group

October 17, 2012

So, you’ve hand-selected people you want to be in your mastermind group. What do you say to them and how do you approach them?

Be clear about the purpose of your group.

Prospective members will want to know if the purpose of the group matches what they need at this point in their personal and professional lives. Is it a group for professional reasons, or personal? Or both?

Be clear about the benefits.

  • What is a mastermind group?
  • What topics will be covered?
  • What outcomes can people expect?
  • Why do people join a mastermind group?

You need well thought-out and well-written answers to these basic questions, because your prospective members are going to ask. It would be helpful if you had a page on your website that answers these questions, and definitely helpful that you can verbally answer these questions.

Be clear about the commitment.

Mastermind groups are not for weenies or the feint of heart, because your group relies upon you showing up and participating. Your group relies upon you being willing to give and take advice. Your group will ask you to grow, which means you have to be ready to take on challenges to achieve the results you want. So explain to your prospective mastermind group members that they will be asked to commit to the mastermind group and the process.

Be clear about the logistics.

Nothing will scare away prospective group members faster than not having the details. Tell them how often you’ll meet, where you’ll meet, and for how long. Tell them how the Hot Seats will be constructed and how many members will be in the group. Explain to them how to register for the group. Make sure they have all the facts.

Call them.

Now that you’ve gathered all the information to share with a prospective group member, call them. Mastermind groups are all about personal relationships, so an email will not suffice as an introduction to a group when you have hand-selected the people you want to invite. (If you haven’t hand-selected prospective members, an introductory email to your list might be the best place to start.) If it helps, create a bullet-point list of how you want to approach the conversation so that you don’t forget what you want to say.

If it’s a long-term mastermind group with a big commitment (say, a 12-month group), consider meeting your prospect in person, if possible. Discussing your mastermind group over lunch or dinner could be helpful, as it gives each of you time to talk about it and come up with questions/answers.

Then follow up with an email and a link to your website.

People rarely make the decision to join a mastermind group immediately, and you wouldn’t want them to. You want them to consider the commitment level required before they say “yes.” And while they’re thinking about it, it’s helpful if they have something in writing to use as a reference and a guide. If you have a website, add a page that describes the mastermind group. If you don’t have a website, follow up with an email listing all the pertinent information.

As you can see, it’s helpful to plan ahead. If you want your mastermind group to start in January, you will need to approach people in November and December. This means your script and your website need to be updated in October. Plan for at least a three-month marketing cycle to get your marketing materials ready and implement your marketing…that way, you’ll fill your groups!

By Karyn Greenstreet | Comments (0)

6 Ways to Find a Mastermind Group

October 16, 2012

You want to join a mastermind group, but don’t know where to start looking for one, right?

Mastermind groups are everywhere; you just need to know where to find them.

Be sure you know what you’re looking for in a group before trying to find one to join. For instance:

  • Do you want to meet in person? Or is meeting by phone or video chat acceptable?
  • Do you need to meet in the evening, or is a day-time meeting better?
  • What topic areas do you want the group to focus on?
  • Do you want to be held accountable for getting actions done and reporting back to the group, or do you want something more casual?

Here are six tips to get you started:

  1. Start a group of your own. It’s easier than you think, and you can hand-select the people you want to brainstorm with. This way you get to choose the dates, times, locations and topic areas that work best for you. You’re bound to find friends and colleagues who are searching, too.
  2. See if there are any local mastermind groups by checking Meetup.com. You can search within a radius of your zip code to find local mastermind groups on many topics. Then contact the group organizer and find out if the group is still meeting, and if they’re taking new members.
  3. Use my Find a Mastermind Group service, which lists people who have existing mastermind groups and are looking for new members. Read the descriptions to see which group is right for you, then email the facilitator to set up time to talk on the phone about their group.
  4. Talk with colleagues. Ask your connections via email, Facebook, Twitter and LinkedIn if they know of any existing groups looking for new members, or any new groups that are forming. Telephone colleagues and friends and let them know you’re looking. Ask coworkers. They might be in a mastermind group right now and would know if the group is a good match for you. Or through their network of friends and colleagues, they can spread the word about what you’re looking for.
  5. Check with your favorite mentors, teachers and writers. They often have mastermind groups, and they don’t always advertise them. If they don’t have groups themselves, they may know of others who do.
  6. Check with  your local professional organizations, including trade groups, chambers of commerce, religious groups, networking groups, and schools. Anywhere that groups of people regularly meet together are the most likely to have mastermind groups.

Look around and you’ll be surprised how many groups there are. Then interview the facilitator and some of the other members of the group to determine if the group is a good match for you. Ask if you can attend one meeting to get a feel for the group and how it’s run.

You’ll love being part of a mastermind group!

By Karyn Greenstreet | Also posted in Being in a Mastermind Group | Comments (0)