Monthly Archives: March 2015

I, John, have been master minding off and on for about 27 years And I definitely notice when I have a strong masterminding group, my results and miracles soar compared to when I have a group that is not working right.

This series of weekly emails will provide some of the best tips I have had, used and created to facilitate great group work. There are many levels that groups and masterminds work on. It is our goal to support you at working with the highest level of Masterminding, synergy, collective group mind, group soul and connection, and manifesting as possible.

Below are my top 12 big benefits of masterminding

1. Clear self expression – We need more opportunities to be clearly heard. To have a caring sounding board and to be valued. As we respect our group more and more, we want to put our best foot forward.
2. Accountability – We make weekly commitments and follow up. We learn to honour ourselves and our word. We tend to move out of victimhood conversations into ‘I will’ conversations.
3. Being vulnerable – For most of us life is about healing the programming and filters that keep us limited, blind and robotic. It blocks seeing our authenticity, uniqueness, purpose and potentials. Your group is a safe place to move out of your comfort zones and shadows to share and be vulnerable without judgment.
4. Clarity of goals – Know what is important to you and have others know also. It is natural for group members to create a much bigger vision of themselves that escalates their growth and results.
5. Learning and growth – Although not in all master mind groups, resolving problems and learning from each other or as a group with formal learning sessions is a great way to learn, grow and apply what you have learned in a safe play ground. And we consistently ask ourselves – what is working and not working so the group becomes more powerful every session.
6. To care and share and unconditionally give – We are all different and we are not perfect and the more we can appreciate the differences and uniqueness aspects, the more we grow and mature as individuals. We learn the balance of giving and receiving.
7. Holding the energy, space, vision, abilities, love of others AND THE GROUP as a whole, is a powerful gift that generously pays oneself back many times.
8. Perspectives – All of us being of different levels of awareness, styles, characters and experiences offer a supportive, well rounded view on life that protects each of us from our blindsides, limitations, patterning and tunnel vision.
9. Celebrations and witnessing other’s miracles. – Celebration is an act of completion as it anchors mini successes within us and is a confirmation that the universe (the mastermind) and your inner master mind circle provides what we need.
10. Meaningful, purposeful and empowering conversations – We tend to be focused on what is important to us. Mediocrity and superficial conversations do not happen. It is the best meeting of the week and is empowering and motivational. We come prepared with our game hats on while still make time to laugh at ourselves.
11. Be supported – It is even rare in the best relationships to have a caring, trusting, respectful, creative, compassionate group of others that objectively and subjectively care for you. A group that will in a loving way call your B.S. excuses and keep you learning about accountability.
12. Resource base – Your ‘go to’ place for answers, ideas, options, immediate results and resources from your trusted team that support your big decisions in life.

Check out our unique, 24/7 convenient online mastermind group process with a professional facilitator.

If you want to find a mastermind group, you have come to the right place.
If you still want to check around, we will give you a link.

I, John Robson, have been masterminding for over 25 years and have had significant miracles occur – as have my fellow group members. There is magic that happens in a well structured group that applies the higher mastermind principles – that want to go beyond socializing, status reports, networking and basic brainstorming.

Take your masterminding to a new level where it is meant to work – the only place that true connection and miracles happen. And we have a professional mastermind coach/facilitator as part of your group.
As a bonus our weekly reminder emails offer training of participants in areas of support, communications, personal growth, manifesting, consciousness raising and group dynamics.

Our uniqueness at MasterMind Circles is we post our celebrations, challenges, learnings and requests on a secret Facebook group and then others, at there best times, with some intention and time to support you, send you messages to support and empower you and answer your requests. Our process works at your convenience from anywhere, anytime.

For more information on how our program works, see ‘Why MasterMind Circles?’

These MasterMind Group rules support the creation of trust, order, results and a safe environment. You are free to change the rules to suit your own group’s needs.

1. Attendance – Any member missing two or more meetings within a quarter will be asked to leave the group. Should the group elect to let the person stay due to extenuating circumstances that individual may not miss any more meetings without pre-negotiating their absence with the group or they will be asked to leave.
2. Contribution – Any member deemed to not be contributing will be talked to by the group up to a maximum of two times. After that, they will be asked to leave the group. Contribution includes any and all of the following:
   a. Participation in the meeting
   b. Coming prepared with their update
   c. Keeping support agreements
   d. Providing resources, tools, contacts, expertise, or other forms of input that supports the other members of the group and/or the group process
3. Confidentiality – All member goals and sharing are to be kept confidential without express permission from the member to share with someone outside of the group. You are free to share your goals, insights, and about the Mastermind process – but do not share other people’s experiences or information.
4. Voting Existing Members Out:
   A member may only be voted out of the group based on attendance or performance once specific behaviors or actions are discussed, negotiated, have a trial period and are voted on and passed by a majority of members.
5. Voting New Members In:
   New members may be recommended by anyone, must be introduced to the group, pass a two session trial period and then needs a unanimous vote to be accepted as a new member.
6. Keeping Agreements – Meetings will start and end on time (unless otherwise negotiated in advance). If you agree to do something for someone – do it. The trust, wellbeing, and cohesiveness of the group depend on the impeccability of people’s commitment to the process, to themselves, and to one another.

Roles and Responsibilities

You can optionally have roles that rotate every meeting so that every person in the group will fill every role at least once in the process of the time the group is together – and no one person monopolizes any role more than twice in a row.

This ensures a fair distribution of the workload, supports the smooth operations of the group, and provides an opportunity for each member to practice the various skills involved in each role.

Facilitator: This person is responsible for ensuring that the meeting stays on track and on time. They make sure that everyone is heard, that no-one dominates the meeting, and that the structure is followed. Additionally they may act as the host or hostess for the meeting (whatever the location may be) ensuring that everyone is welcomed and comfortable. As the leader for this meeting, they are responsible for helping everyone create value by following the process and participating. They may also set an agenda and adhere to it.

Timer (Note – may be the facilitator although it is much easier if it is a separate person): This person is responsible for keeping track of time so that the meeting stays on track. They will advise people when they have 30 – 60 seconds left and need to wrap up. They will also ensure that the meeting begins and ends on time. The timer needs a stopwatch or a watch or clock with seconds on it.

Recording Secretary: This person will keep notes of the meeting using the agenda form as a guide. They do not need to capture everything that everyone says – they do need to capture the following:

• Times – Start and end time for each segment of the meeting
• Attendance – Note everyone in attendance at the meeting and who is filling which roles
• Commitments – Any commitments made including by whom, to whom, with any relevant details about the commitment and deadlines
• Important issues – Any discussion that may need to be referred to later should be recorded in point form. In particular, anything that is being voted upon. The proposed ‘resolution’ that is being voted upon needs to be recorded as well as the number in favour, against, and abstaining. (NB: Only a majority vote can be carried)
• Hot Seats – Capture the initial goal and request for support plus all brainstorming, action plans, and commitments made during the hot seat.
• Finally, the Secretary ensures that the meeting notes are circulated to all of the members (including those that were not in attendance) within one week of the meeting. They should ideally be typed, but must be legible.

Everyone is responsible, at all times for group leadership, and for being a strong and collaborative team member. That means being willing to communicate honestly, accountably, and clearly. To listen with respect. To choose to “show-up” and be fully present to everyone there and to the process.

Food and drinks – It is best to have as a minimum water and if the group as a whole wants – coffee or tea. It is best that there is no eating (unless it is a meal meeting) as it tends to be a distraction and the meeting tends to be more social.

Start time – Try Lombardy time. Have the recommended start time 15 minutes before the meeting starts. It takes that long to allow the group energy to align and to complete the greetings and socializing. You can also have a finishing time and then at the end for up to another 15 minutes have extra, off agenda sharing – often the best ideas come up then.

Guidelines for our Master Mind Circles.

• We have professional, trained facilitators to keep things on track.
• Our Facebook group and periodic reviews of the facilitator create a written audit trail. We also have detailed profiles and goals for each member.
• Our members are paying members and they can do their check-ins, requests and supporting of others at their convenient timing, so participation is quite good.
• Our rules and guidelines are fewer and a regular survey identifies what improvements can be made each month.
• The connections are not limited to one session per week or 2 or 4, but to as many times as you want during the week with reminders to post twice per week.

I was brought up to believe that we shouldn’t bother others with our needs and wants. To keep it to myself. Be strong. Suck it up. Move on.

I accomplished a lot in my life by keeping emotions and energy to myself, creating my own momentum, and making progress. There were times that I tried leaning on others but didn’t get what I needed. Sometimes I even lost my motivation along the way. I knew there must be a better way. The problem was that I truly didn’t know what it was or how to find it. As I got older, and some may say wiser, I realized that friends and family that wanted the best for me, either didn’t understand me or were scared that I may fail… or succeed and not need them anymore.

I read books to get to know who I really was. I set personal goals. I went out and met new people through various business and community meet-up groups. I searched high, I searched low. I finally found what I was looking for within a mastermind group. It turns out that I needed to be around people who were motivated and driven to make more and do more for themselves and others. I had to change my way of thinking. I moved from the doing it alone attitude and into the mindset of group thinking.

The collective unit brings more experience and knowledge. It was a small intimate space. We shared our successes and leaned on each other for guidance and ideas on how to improve on our challenges. There was a consistency that made me feel accountable to the group; I wasn’t going to show up empty handed. I wanted to grow and develop who I was but also wanted to contribute and ensure the other participants were getting great value from my participation.

However, there were some limitations to the in-person mastermind group. Timing wasn’t always perfect. Some days I had to rearrange my schedule to be there; other days I had to miss the meeting. When I did, I let down the other participants that were always there to support me.

The power of mastermind groups is incomparable. Each member of the group left feeling recharged, full of ideas, and ready to make more progress that week. It is exciting to know this power can now be shared and experienced at the convenience of the participant’s schedules and time restrictions through MasterMind Circles.

Bringing strength, accountability, and determination to empower and unify like minds.

Tara Leske

Success Coach and MasterMind Facilitator