Successful Mastermind Groups Use A Time Tested Agenda
Here’s an agenda that has proven for over a decade that it works, it’s sustainable by the group, and focused toward action.
If you are like essentially everyone I’ve ever met you’ll think you can let this slide, or adjust that, and tweak something else.
The result, wasted time and the possibility of sabotaging the process before it gets its legs.
Do yourself a favor and stick to the script! You can tweak it later, after you’re rolling along successfully.
In fact you will make adjustments but wait until you are making them in order to optimize a group that is already working.
First, your group sets a day/evening and time for the meetings. This should not vary, mark it down and make it an important date. Do not let anything stand in the way of your meetings.
Second, decide on the length of each meeting. If there are six of you, the proven optimal number, 90 minutes twice a month is the most effective.
Set up your conference call via one of the companies on the Resources page or a similar one that offers free or cheap access and inexpensive audio recordings. Or perhaps the state of the art system mentioned on the resources page?
Third, be sure to establish your Yahoo group, invite everybody to join and use as many of its automatic features as possible (meeting reminders, links to your own resources, audio files etc.)
Fourth, begin the meeting with an introductions managed by that meeting’s leader/facilitator.
Here’s a tip – when starting the call, take out a sheet of paper and draw a circle on it. As each person checks in, add him or her to the “seat” around the Round Table. This will provide a visual cue that will make the process more real.
If you’re the leader, you simply start with one person and move around the “table” just like you would if you were in the same room.
Fifth, here’s where the important role of the timekeeper comes in. The leader takes the meeting around the table, with each person having 10 minutes followed by 5 minutes of follow up Q& A.
It is the timekeeper’s responsibility to announce the end of each person’s time and to call time again when the five-minute Q&A is over.
With 15 minutes dedicated to each person and 6 people on the call, you’ll burn right through the 90 minutes.
NOTE: It’s not required that you limit the calls to 90 minutes but from experience I’ll tell you this works – because it makes you ask laser like questions, keep the small talk to a minimum, and with the timekeeper’s help get everything done!
Also, whatever the agreed upon time, stop the call when that time is up. I cannot be clearer because just like with face-to-face meetings, if they consistently go over time, people will eventually drop out!
Sixth, how does each person use his or her 10 minutes? The most effective way is to spend 2-3 minutes briefly bringing everyone up to date regarding what they had committed to do at the previous meeting, before today.
That leaves 7-8 minutes to talk about new business, what’s important to them right now, something that is problematic, some opportunity that’s just been discovered.
This will be hard work, the timekeeper and the facilitator/leader will have their work cut out for them to keep everyone on schedule and everyone included.
Nevertheless, the discipline required will be worth the effort.
Whatever you do, even if someone gets left out – make it that week’s leader – do not go over your allotted time slot!
Force the progress and it will happen over time.
Facilitator/leader:
- While the timekeeper rings the bell, it will be up to you to help the shy and reticent participate and rein in those who have loose lips.Needless to say you’ll have to be firm, but kind – you’ll be held accountable by someone else at the next meeting.
Over time I will email you some of the tips I’ve used personally to become a more effective virtual meeting facilitator.
I strongly suggest that each person, if possible, take it upon himself or herself to learn more about the art and science of virtual meeting facilitation!
Emergency!
- From time to time we all have something come up that is dominating our thinking and something for which we desperately need to input of advocates.If this happens, it’s important to note that it’s perfectly fine, if everyone agrees, to set aside tonight’s agenda and focus the entire 90 minutes helping your fellow member gain perspective around this matter.
You might choose to add another meeting to replace the one whose agenda was postponed, but in my experience this is unnecessary and gets you out of your rotation.
Remember your mastermind peer group is in a marathon not a sprint – stay focused but be flexible!
Assignments, Notes, Follow up:
- Toward the very conclusion of the meeting, the leader/facilitator reminds everyone who’s on deck as facilitator and timekeeper next time.Each member leaves with at least one action step to carry out and if the group chooses to maximize their Yahoo group, these action steps can be posted there for each member to see.
You could assign a third role for each meeting, the recorder, who will take notes and post them on the Yahoo group. This would also be a rotating position.
Most groups elect to hold each member accountable for their own notes, recording the results of their assignments etc.
This equally shares the commitment, the accountability, and the responsibility – so everyone grows together.
Recommended Reading
- Business Mastermind Groups Are A Proven System For Organizational Success
- Jeff Dennis and his 12 steps to entrepreneurial success Part 1
- Mastermind Groups … Are They REALLY All That??
- Mastermind Group to Propel You to Success">Finding the Right Fit With a Mastermind Group to Propel You to Success
- Business Mastermind Group Blueprint (ebook)
