Use Your Mastermind

The Power of the Mastermind By Dave Tester
Two minds thinking positively are better than one. In fact, if you’re trying to come up with a solution for your business challenge, five minds can be even better. In 1727, Benjamin Franklin created a group of like minded individuals called a junto, which is Latin for meeting. His group created solutions to problems of the early days; the first paved streets, hospital, street lights, fire department and even a wood burning stove—the Franklin stove. The concept worked like this: one group member would lay out an issue or problem for discussion and then systematically go around the room as each other member of the junto proposed a solution to fix the problem. The interesting point is that by the time the problem rotated through junta members, the individual who presented the challenge usually arrived at his own solution. Today this process is called “Mastermind.” A few years ago this was a common activity for all big thinkers. Recently such groups have been on the decline and I’m not sure why. My Mastermind groups have also decreased in membership by two-thirds. With the economy moving so slowly, NOW seems like a great time to conducting the Mastermind.Here are the five keys to running a Mastermind: 1. Allow only solution oriented, positive individuals2. Keep your membership at a maximum of five members
3. Meet for no more than 1 hour4. As moderator or official, your job is to move along the conversation (especially if someone begins to pontificate)
5. All ideas are good ones, and all matters are confidential6. Make sure each member brings one issue or problem and offers up two ideas or solutions Remember when you surround yourself with positive people or a group that wants to find solutions, the energy to solve any problem is incredible and empowering. So remember that five minds are better than one. Just make sure it is a “Mastermind”that you are using to drive out the problem and bring home a great sales solution.