Mastermind groups have become wildly popular with business leaders and entrepreneurs. Yet, many mastermind groups are facing leadership challenges and as a result these groups are less functional - if not a complete waste of time. For the past 5-6 years I have been coaching mastermind teams and have seen many of these challenges played out in front of me. Some have been fixable - others not. So today I want to share some key ways to overcome leadership challenges in mastermind groups.

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Common Leadership Challenges in Mastermind Groups
Mastermind groups operating as coaching groups

Mastermind groups are not the same as a group coaching sessions - nor should they be. They are equal partners sharing.

Common signs you have a coaching group pretending to be a mastermind group:

* The leader is always talking and has an answer for everything.
* You feel like the leader is offering the same advice to everyone - you all are in the same box and there are no new ideas shared.
* All voices are not heard.

Leadership vacuums

Even among equals we have to have leadership that works, otherwise it all falls apart. Signs of a leadership vacuum in your mastermind group:

* No agenda or plans for the meetings
* Personal conflicts that are not dealt with quickly
* Lack of a designated co-leader

Burnout

Not only from members, but from the leaders. Common signs of mastermind group burnout are:

* Members often fail to show up
* The leader cancelling meetings
* Suggestions such as "let's take a week or two off and then reschedule sometimes later" when later is not defined
* Members saying things like "I feel the group is not serving me"

Lack of Real and Helpful Content

As a group, you should be helping each other and speaking into each other's businesses. Signs this is not happening are:

* The meetings become a rehash of ideas in popular books instead of members speaking from experience.
* Lack of member's transparency.
* Members showing up bragging and never have real questions or doubts.
* Membership treating the group as a way of growing customers.
* No accountability or challenges to the other members

15 Minute Fixes to Mastermind Challenges
If you are not in a mastermind group

* Schedule about 15 minutes per day to get into one
* Define what you would like and who you would like to see in your group. Be reasonable.
* Reach out to the main person and set a time to talk about it.
* Set ground rules and put in writing.
* Define the leader and co-leader
* Re-evaluate progress quarterly or semi-annually and adjust (on calendar)

If you are in a mastermind group but not the leader

* Rethink your needs. Put in writing what you want from the group.
* Is this the right group?
* Discuss with leader(s) and ask where the group is going. Be open with your challenges and needs
* Commit or Quit

If you the a leader

* Send out a group message asking for individual and honest feedback about the group
* Based on that feedback- take it to the group for a group discussion about where they would like to go
* Establish or revisit ground rules
* Establish or evaluate co-leader
* Set periodic review of the group - quarterly or semi-annually

Join and listen to how to overcome leadership challenges in your mastermind group. 

 

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