Chapter Seven - Collaboration is the Key to Masterminding Success - Stuart B. Fields

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COLLABORATION IS THE KEY TO
MASTERMINDING SUCCESS

Stuart B. Fields

STUART B. FIELDS
Success Facilitator and Coach
www.stuartbfields.com / stuart@stuartbfields.com

Have you heard motivational speaker Jim Rohn’s quote? He states, “You are the average of the five people you spend the most time with.” Following this advice, I recommend that you invest in building a quality network and surround yourself with success-oriented people. Befriend those interested in mutual support rather than hang out with those who bring you down. 

      As a misguided youth, being with the wrong crowd taught me an early lesson. I once had a court appearance where a surprised judge said to me, “You are a Boy Scout and an above-average student. I do not know why you are here. Perhaps you had better consider other friends.” Afterward, I started making different choices, and my circumstances changed. My life transformed. 

      My social circles continued to change. Continued self-development was expected by my employers – especially in the field of learning and development. Focus on education allowed me to grow both personally and professionally as well as intellectually. Having always wanted my own business, I decided to leave corporate. 

     At first, as a solopreneur, I was lonely. I missed being on a team. To recreate the “team” experience and sate my hunger to learn, I connected with success-oriented individuals from whom I could learn and grow. There I discovered the concept of mastermind groups. 

      Napoleon Hill, author of “Think and Grow Rich,” defined a mastermind as follows: “The coordination of knowledge and effort between two or more people who work towards a definite purpose in a spirit of harmony…no two minds ever come together without thereby creating a third, invisible intangible force, which may be likened to a third mind also known as the Mastermind.” 

      I have been involved in various types of mastermind groups. Some worked well; others did not. Group commitment, facilitation, meeting structure, frequency and many other elements are important considerations leading to masterminding success.

What I have learned to create a great experience:

• Group size matters. Plan to include five to eight members.
• Meet regularly. I recommend twice a month.
• Identify a facilitator, timekeeper and invocator. Consider rotating these roles.
• The facilitator guides the meeting; the invocator brings people into mindful presence; the timekeeper allows everyone a chance for feedback.

Upon launching your mastermind meetings, I recommend:

1. Establish roles. Ideally, decide this before the meeting.
2. Open with an invocation to bring people to the present moment (a meditation, a prayer or a mindfulness moment).
3. Each member shares new and good; perhaps as a follow-up on commitments from earlier.
4. Determine timing to share and receive feedback, based on member numbers and meeting time. 
5. Negotiate time. One member may have an immediately pressing issue others may wish to release their time.
6. The first person shares. The more time spent formulating the question/request, the less time that person will get feedback.
7. After hearing each request, seek clarification. Ask questions until everyone fully understands the nature of the request. Avoid solutions as this step is just for clarification.
8. When the issue is clear, members contribute thoughts, suggestions and ideas. As person one finishes, move on to person two. Continue until each member has their allocated hot-seat time.
9. Wind down the meeting by asking for commitments based on the feedback received.
10. End the meeting with each person sharing gratitude.

As with anything new, this structure may take some time to establish. However, the closer you follow the steps and the longer the group meets, the more you will bond and share. 

STUART B. FIELDS

Co-Author of “Life Lessons in Success,” Stuart is a Jack Canfield certified success coach, master facilitator and workplace learning consultant. He enjoys connecting with corporations, teams and individuals across the globe, excelling at inspiring and encouraging others to step outside their comfort zones. Through coaching and facilitation, he becomes a trusted adviser who guides professionals to overcome obstacles on their path toward abundant success.

Stuart’s “Masterminding Success” program combines success principles with professionally structured and facilitated mastermind sessions.