Ever wish you had a whole crew of trusted colleagues supporting you in your business? You can have just that, with a business mastermind.The term 'mas...
Ever wish you had a whole crew of trusted colleagues supporting you in your business? You can have just that, with a business mastermind.
The term 'mastermind' was coined by Napoleon Hill, the author of the iconic book, Think and Grow Rich. He called a mastermind a "coordination of knowledge and effort, in a spirit of harmony, between two or more people, for the attainment of a definite purpose".
The idea behind a business mastermind is pretty simple. A group of entrepreneurs comes together, and everybody gets a chance to talk about their business and get feedback.
It sounds simple, but it's incredibly powerful.
With a mastermind, you tap into the experience and expertise of each member's successes, and failures. You learn what they've learned. You get a diversity of perspectives.
You also get accountability. The best masterminds hold their members to a high standard. The members challenge you to stay true to yourself, to do that to the best of your ability. That challenge helps you stay on course.
That doesn't mean that masterminds are perfect. They can have their flaws. Once the members get to know each other and become friends, people may be reluctant to be tough, and you can wander off track.
That's why facilitated masterminds usually work best. The facilitator is most often a coach. You get bigger and faster results because the coach facilitating it understands where you want to go and why, and can keep you on track.
Participation in a mastermind goes hand in hand with supporting you in working with the facilitating coach, because it reinforces the benefits of that relationship: support, accountability, and staying on your path.
Despite any issues that might arise, masterminds still have great value. Even if the value of the mastermind only stemmed from the knowledge and advice you gain, it would be worth it.
That only scratches the surface of a mastermind.
You not only get the brain trust. You get a heart trust as well. The spirit of harmony, the generous offering of time and energy, and the support are all part of that giving of the heart that a good mastermind involves.
If you're thinking of participating in a mastermind, do it only if you're willing to give as much as you get. It's in that spirit of generosity that the mastermind really comes into its own.
I've had a number of powerful mastermind experiences in my life as an entrepreneur. Each group has been filled with smart, generous business leaders who were willing to share what they knew and offer unconditional support.
Who'd have thought that business could be filled with so much love?
That's what we all want more of in our lives, and business provides us with surprising ways to have it.
I still marvel at the great gift the amazing beings in these groups are, both personally and for my business.
Get all the support you can as a business person. It will make your path a lot easier, and a lot less lonely. The bonus? You'll make strong connections with some truly amazing people.
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