The Mastermind “Hot Potato” Explained – SCN Encourager 6/17/2014
This is something I should’ve pointed out before.
At SCN’s “Come Smart. Leave Smarter.” seminar in Lansing on June 27, I will not be the mastermind in Session #1.
You will be.
Or rather, WE WILL BE.
And it’s the “WE” thing that ignites all of the wonderful possibilities found in the uniquely formatted learning sessions called “Masterminds.”
Masterminds are a collaborative problem-solving resource that are surging in popularity.
Many of the top business and entrepreneurial leaders today invest in regular opportunities to collect fresh perspectives on their most relevant concerns, and ever-increasing numbers are choosing to participate in structured “Mastermind” sessions alongside their professional colleagues.
Across all specialties and disciplines, there are thousands of Mastermind groups now in operation, each one offering their participants the unique benefits derived from a guided, focused, fast-paced, and “prodded & poked” exchange of tips, experiences, and insights.
A Mastermind is defined and characterized by the “whole group” that gathers together – not any one person.
And it’s the group dynamic that generates its potential for both for a steady flow of creativity coupled with tangible value. (aka ideas you can actually put into action later)
The Mastermind concept explained
A Mastermind is formed whenever individuals who share common professional goals come together AS A SMALL GROUP for a set time period in order to benefit from a focused and directed discussion.
Typically, every Mastermind is guided by a discussion leader who begins the session with a brief presentation of a real-world scenario to get the ball rolling. (I’ll be doing this on June 27.) As comments and ideas are then offered, attendees are also encouraged to share their own scenarios, with more directed discussion taking place all along the way.
Attendees don’t need to bring anything special to a Mastermind – just a willingness to engage and share with others.
A Mastermind offers a safe place for peers to purposefully and comfortably talk about things most important to each other.
An effective Mastermind can cover 8-12 constructive scenarios in 70 minutes.
The secret sauce in every Mastermind is the attention every participant gives to the high priority situations and concerns voiced by the individuals in the group. A Mastermind is not an in-depth presentation on a single topic. It is an in-the-trenches “roll up your sleeves” talk-thru and think-thru of the very issues that currently cause the most trouble to the group’s participants (and in our case, school communicators!).
Did you know that there’s a Mastermind made up of 15 billionaires who each pay $100,000 annually to be a part of a structured monthly group?
Oh, how I wish I could’ve written this news as; Whenever my 14 best buddies and I get together to… but no such luck.
So while it may be difficult for any school communicator to contemplate what a Mastermind session made up of billionaires must be like, we can all imagine the issues they might exchange tangible insights about.
They probably discuss ways to protect their families from harm, how to safely travel from here to there, how and where to effectively educate their children, and which new challenges and opportunities should be on their radar.
And, of course, they also set the stage to help and support one another as only they can, including occasional mutually agreed upon “follow-up” check-ins.
But billionaires shouldn’t be the only ones having all the fun, right?
The SCN 75 minute Mastermind session on June 27 is exclusively for school leaders and communicators.
Participants in this session will garner a clear understanding of what dedicated Mastermind groups are all about and see first hand the benefits they offer.
Most importantly, participants will leave with a few new ideas and resources that they can carry into their ongoing preparation for the new school year.
Remember, no one person is a “mastermind.”
The power in every Mastermind session is unleashed from within the group itself.
You may be surprised by what you’ll learn.
I always am.
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