It’s no surprise that both positive and negative group psychology shows up in mastermind groups. Humans are social creatures and we have similar behaviors in any type of group. But in a mastermind group, we actively push back against those negative group psychological norms, to create a productive experience.

The supportive group behaviors

We think and act differently in groups than we do on our own. We work better because it’s motivating to be part of a group. You form clearer goals, make wiser decisions, and take consistent action toward your goals when you witness others in your group doing the same thing. Working in a group makes your members feel they are part of a community.

Psychologists find that smaller groups work in a more cohesive manner. According to a study by Michael J. Saks, PhD., they studied the use of 6-person juries versus 12-person juries. In the end analysis, he indicates, “In smaller groups, members shared more equally in the discussion, found the deliberations more satisfying, and were more cohesive.” This is one reason I recommend smaller mastermind groups versus larger ones: you can take discussions deeper and create stronger bonds among members.

The behaviors that harm the group

Groups can support and encourage us. But we do odd things in groups that reduce our effectiveness.

• Groups have a psychological need for a sense of harmony among the members. In the “groupthink” norm, people modify their ideas to go along with what the majority wants so they don’t rock the boat. But in a mastermind group, this can be deadly. As the mastermind group Facilitator, tell your members about this social phenomenon and assure them that each individual idea is important, even if it doesn’t match what the others are saying. Sometimes the best ideas are generated by outlier thinking, not consensus thinking.
• “Social loafing” means avoiding effort because you think someone else in the group will pick up the slack. When you are facilitating a meeting, pay attention: Is everyone participating equally? Or do some members sit back and let the others do all the work and share all the ideas? Are the conversations deep and impactful, or do they only flit across the surface? Also note: As a group grows in size, social loafing increases.

The Google Team study explains it: On the good teams, members spoke in roughly the same proportion. As long as everyone got a chance to talk, the team did well. But if only a few people dominated the conversation, the collective intelligence declined.

And that’s what mastermind groups are all about — sharing the collective intelligence. We can’t control group social behavior. But we can be aware of group psychology and watch out for it in our own mastermind groups. Then, bring it up in your meetings and have your members discuss it.