What about mastermind groups? Do you have experience with them in your work or personal life and what successes did you achieve? Share your victories.
For those who aren't familiar with the concept. A mastermind group is a group of people, sometimes a thinktank, that come up with new ideas or solutions and/or support eachother in achieving their personal and/or business goals or any other goal.
Good Answers (5)
Hi Robert,
We run a series of Mastermind Groups in Toronto and write a blog on Mastermind Groups as well.
The concept of Mastermind Groups was first discussed by Napoleon Hill in his famous book, "Think And Grow Rich." In his research of the most successful people of his time, Hill found that a key difference that made people successful was being involved in Mastermind Groups. Masterminding involves bringing people together with different experiences and ideas to collaborate, brainstorm, and provide support to help the participants achieve their goals. For business owners Masterminding can help you model other successful entrepreneurs, make you accountable for achieving your goals, and provide you with your own personal experienced board of directors.
How we run our groups:
• Meetings with your group are once per month
• Sessions begin with a 15-20 minute brainstorming session for one group member or expert guest on a lesson learned
• Each member will then have 15-20 minutes of their own time to share their challenges and get feedback and suggestions from the rest of the group. This is your time to bring up your important business issues and get valuable advice to help you move forward
• At the end of the session members set goals for the next month and are paired with another member. A weekly time is set between pairs for a quick phone call to follow up and make sure you follow through on your goals
• Members are from non-competing industries and sign confidentiality agreements
• Members get a guaranteed profile on EvanCarmichael.com, one of the top 10 Internet sites globally for entrepreneurship
You can learn more at http://www.evancarmichael.com/entrepreneur-mastermind-group-toronto/entrepreneur-mastermind-group-toronto.html or read our blog http://www.evancarmichael.com/Mastermind-Group/index.html
Good luck!
Evan.
Links:
Unless you are paying them...have an NDA and Contract ready BEFORE you start your group. You must understand the laws pertaining to ideas. If you openly discuss them, they become public domain and that one person who might have a rich uncle in some other country can then support his/her new company out of that idea. Don't ever let yourself be an open target. If you want a mastermind group, then have every one sign a contract and NDA. Bottom line. This will also protect you in case you ever run for office some day so that someone does not go to the press about what you have said behind closed doors.
Clarification added February 22, 2007:
Sorry, yes, I have used these groups and I have done well with those I have trusted and NDA's and Contracts keep that trust and makes everyone feel better. If they feel hurt or offended, then do not use them, move on to a professional. You don't want "feelings" to be a part of any guess or ideas if you want to make money.
Richard H
Software and Datastructures Guru
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I'm currently a member of such a group at work. At the beginning of last year, a collection of maverick gurus from different walks of IT were pulled together under a fairly maverick VP and given writ as the "IT Infrastructure & Special Projects Team." IT, as a business function, is our primary, direct customer.
Since we take on the problems that others can't, it's been very challenging and correspondingly rewarding. We each offer specialty areas of expertise, but, more importantly, all the members are exceptionally bright and widely experienced. Having a bunch of very smart, knowledgeable people offer insights, even, perhaps especially, on topics not directly in their own specialties has led to some wonderfully innovative solutions.
Raymond Chip L
Linkedin Training│Referral Training│Business Development Training & Consulting
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I've been part of a Mastermind Group for the last 4 years.
These groups are invaluable as they provide a forum to deal with the things that we would never disclose to the general public.
Done well, with a diverse group of expertise, you harness not only the perspectives of folks who problem solve all day, but you can actually get to the heart of the things that you personally do to interrupt your success. Discovering that amongst people who are invested in your success completely alters the dynamic of your life. With a good group, with good agreements, you will not be able to get away with that behavior any more.
Probably the best thing I've ever done both personally and professionally.
Ray V
Social Media Strategist, Speaker, Corporate Community expert
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Yes, I am in quite a number of them. It can be very enriching to your personal development: www.vandenbel.com
More Answers (1)
Darryl D
Lead Consultant, Resource Management Solutions Group - Sales Recruitment | Training | Resume Writing & Career Coach
Darryl D suggests this expert on this topic:
Evan Carmichael created and facilittates the Mastermind group that I am a part of.
It has been a great experience. A great venue for bouncing off ideas, getting advice, sharing war stories, etc. with fellow entrepeneurs and business leaders. In busines, many times you feel ‘alone’ when faced with challenges. The Mastermind group is a support group, board of advisors and networking meeting all rolled in one.
