subject: Is Your Mastermind Group Doomed From The Outset? [print this page] For your mastermind group to be successful over the long haul you must have the collective belief that you're all in this thing together, no one is special, everyone contributes their share, and share the responsibilities and obligations of membership equally. That's right, mastermind groups that don't share responsibilities equally among the members are doomed!
When we share the responsibilities the group stays vibrant, no one begins to burn out while their friends begin to feel guilty for having a free ride on the efforts of other. In the 21st century successful mastermind groups operate on the principle of a flattened hierarchy, everyone is considered an equal and shares in the responsibilities. There are no permanent leaders, bosses, or followers, no special treatment for anyone.
Of course it is human nature for some people to naturally assume more of a leadership role than others. While we cannot change human nature, we can implement practices that keep the responsibilities equal.
That is the number one reason for a process which insures that no one takes control of the process or the agenda, overwhelming their less assertive counterparts. For example the support roles played by the facilitator and timekeeper are shared and rotated among all the members.
During a meeting, the facilitator acts as the host, the leader for that meeting. The facilitator's role is to manage the meeting whether in person or on the phone. A good facilitator is there to guide when needed, then soon out of the way. The stars of the show are the members discussing their business matters and getting feedback and ideas.
It is important, at the outset of your mastermind group's formation, to explain the facilitator's role as a functional one, not a performance one. The objective of the meeting is the meaningful discussion amongst the members. All else is secondary. The facilitator is to get the meeting on tract and then let the discussions proceed within the time constraints of the agenda.
The same holds true for the timekeeper. The timekeeper's role is to track the time and nothing more. The secret to success is simplicity. The simpler the meeting can be, the better. The purpose of the group is to be a source of feedback and perspective to provide each member with insight and confidence into his or her situation.
Therefore, from the outset, the group needs to know the policies. At the end of each meeting, the members collectively determine the facilitator and timekeeper for the next meeting. In the event a facilitator or timekeeper is absent, the group members will pitch in to fill that role.
And don't forget about sharing the back room responsibilities. You never know when the person who has been handling these and other details gets sick, joins a commune, or sells his company and moves to Bora Bora.
In a volunteer based organization often the responsibilities fall to the 5% who are willing to do them. Don't let that happen to your mastermind group! Keeping it simple and straight-forward is a good formula for success.
These days the most successful business mastermind groups are those that use technology to connect over the miles so that members share experiences without fear of giving away their secrets to their competitors. Along with the ability to communicate easily, keep audio records for the members who miss a particular session, and adopt tried and a true step by step process - your decisions will be better than ever before.
Better decisions lead to better results and better results mean greater profitability.
