“We don’t get extraordinary things done by working alone – with no support, encouragement, expressions of confidence, and help from others. We don’t make the best decisions, get the best grades, run faster, achieve the highest levels of sales, invent breakthrough products, or live longer that way.” – Jim Kouzes, leadership scholar and best-selling author
Jim Kouzes’ sentiments are true. Sometimes the best way to boost our own personal success is through listening to and learning from others. As you reflect on your current and desired life and career status, have you ever considered these questions: How can you brainstorm, learn, and grow with the support of others? Where can you find a group that supports, motivates, and challenges you to accomplish your personal and professional goals? How can you benefit from collaborating with a cohort that holds you accountable but doesn’t work in competition with you? Can you imagine being a part of an encouraging community with diverse perspectives that can help you navigate challenges? Well, you can gain these things and more through our Mastermind Program.
What is a Mastermind?
A Mastermind is a rigorous professional development program that’s typically comprised of eight to ten group members. Members are highly motivated, engaged, and committed to growing personally and professionally. A Mastermind group is also known as a peer mentoring group or personal board of directors. Napoleon Hill defined the Mastermind concept as: “The coordination of knowledge and effort in a spirit of harmony, between two or more people, for the attainment of a definite purpose.” The group meets regularly and focuses on leveraging the power of many minds coming together for a single purpose – to foster personal and professional growth and development, drive results, and realize the attainment of their goals through accountability.
The cohort’s time together may be structured in various ways; from a weekly one-hour conversation to a monthly three-hour intensive to a quarterly full-day held off-site or remotely. One convenient model that fits into most participants’ schedules is a sixty to ninety-minute meeting that takes place on a regular basis. This model gives each member time to step into the “member spotlight”, bring a challenge or opportunity to the group, work through it to arrive at an understanding, and determine their next steps. The topic that each member chooses to bring to the Mastermind for suggestions from the other members is their own choice. The topic choices are often incredibly diverse, which adds to the learning experience. Joining a Mastermind also helps develop one’s ability to work in group settings and is a great way to gain insight faster than you would on your own.
Who should attend a Mastermind?
The strength of the Mastermind structure is its ability to be shaped to the needs of the group. A Mastermind can be dedicated for a group of leaders, individual contributors, or even entrepreneurs. It’s important that participants have approximately the same level of professional experience so that they can share and brainstorm ideas that add value to each other. Most importantly, however, is that the group members share a desire to grow and develop personally and professionally by developing new competencies. They must also want to be accountable to self and their group. Participants should be willing to ask for assistance when needed and share in their challenges, opportunities and insights. The program is about learning with peers and encouraging them as they strive to achieve their goals and visions. Therefore, a group member should be willing to play this role. Commitment and full participation during the entire program is necessary for all members to benefit and ensure the success of the program.
What’s in it for you?
This is a practical and transformational program that provides tremendous benefits for both members and organizations. Through personalized support, members strengthen their problem-solving skills and learn to work together to advance themselves and the organization. Meanwhile, organizations and companies benefit from the results of this investment in their human capital.
Benefits for Members (Leaders, Individual Contributors, and Entrepreneurs)
- Support, solid feedback, and diverse perspectives from like-minded people
- Learn to overcome challenges in a safe environment that builds a sense of community
- Access to the “member spotlight” and one-on-one coaching with Dr Mary Ritz
- Clarity, accountability, and focus to move your vision forward
- Empowerment and exponential growth towards your goals
- Greater personal and team success through extraordinary transformation
- Identify solutions to challenges and opportunities
- Reach your greatest potential with confidence
Benefits for Organizations
When organizations integrate Mastermind Programs into their training and development strategy, they benefit in the following ways:
- They help break silos in the organization and increase collaboration and cooperation
- They build communities of learning that are far more sustainable and cost-effective than one-day workshops or off-site group activities
- Organizational challenges and issues are solved creatively and from diverse perspectives
- They attract, retain, and engage key talent
- They enjoy increased loyalty from their leaders and staff members
What’s unique about our Masterminds?
Group Size – our groups are deliberately small and consist of eight to tern people. When groups are too large, the level of engagement and participation decreases, which becomes contrary to the purpose and benefit of the Mastermind. A small, intimate group allows members to receive personal attention and advance in their growth and development faster.
Virtual Format with In-Person Retreats – Most of our Mastermind Programs are held virtually, but when the environment and the situation permit; we have in-person retreats. Meeting in person allows the group members to interact, gain momentum, and dig deeper into matters to encourage growth. Virtual meetings keep the group connected and moving forward without the time or expense of traveling to a meeting location.
Flexible Duration – our standard duration is six months, which is an ideal length of time for a group to learn and grow in a significant way. However, if a group or an organization requires a longer duration, the Mastermind can easily be extended.
Investment – Our Masterminds are affordable while offering an excellent value at the same time. We offer several different Mastermind Programs; making it easy to find one that fits your needs. For example, you can join a leaders or a contributor’s Mastermind group, and depending on the program duration, the monthly investment will vary.
Member Spotlight Opportunities – Each of our Mastermind Programs includes a Member Spotlight Session in which the entire group focuses on an individual member’s issue, goal, or idea and offers recommendations, identifies pros and cons, asks probing questions to gain clarity, and shares resources to assist the spotlight member. The spotlight sessions encourage the member to set weekly goals to meet an urgent organizational or team need. This allows participants to record their thoughts, actions, and successes on their journey as they achieve actionable and measurable results.
One-on-one Coaching Sessions – Also available to members are individual sessions with private meetings and communications with the group facilitator. This benefit provides an additional avenue for each member to connect, share, and gain additional insights between meetings without the group collaboration setting.
What do others say about our Mastermind Program?
“Dr. Ritz was an amazing facilitator, allowing us to explore our ideas while keeping us focused and directed on our goal of becoming more effective leaders. The ability to be heard and encouraged in an environment designed to enhance, develop, and send out confident leaders was an awesome experience.”
“The Mastermind program helped me develop into a better leader, improved my communication with my team, build a support network of leaders within our agency. I have improved my ability to identify behavioral patterns and to use that information to have improved communication with my team and my manager.”
“The information provided and discussed in this program has allowed me to expand my thought process and broaden my personal and professional goals. It has allowed me to pay close attention to the people around me and assist them in increasing their potential. Over the course of the program, the ability to brainstorm and get feedback from a team of peers has been transformational. To be the National Leader in the delivery of Public Service, you must promote, direct, inspire and motivate your team. The Mastermind Program does that and more.”
Are you ready to challenge yourself?
Are you ready to advance your personal and professional development in a practical and significant way? Is it time to grow to the next level and explore life-changing and creative ideas and strategies? If the answer is yes to these questions and you want to spark your performance, create powerful change, and enjoy exceptional returns, reach out to us here.
