A key component of your Perfect Personal Team is the Mastermind Group. Simply stated, a Mastermind Group consists of individuals with common interests coming together for mutual support. The ideal mastermind group will consist of individuals who:

• Share similar interests or careers
• Have relatively equal experience levels
• Possess both unique and complimentary skills
• Share strong motivation to achieve their goals and help others do the same
• Are compatible with other group members.

Ideally, the members of a mastermind group will challenge each other to set goals and develop plans to reach them, brainstorm ideas in order to refine them or provide alternatives and support each other honest and respect.  

In addition to choosing the group's members, there are five considerations involved in forming a mastermind group that must be considered:

Purpose.  Why will/does the group exist? Keep in mind what a mastermind group is not; it is not a social club, a networking opportunity or a coaching organization. Rather, it is a gathering of equals committed to providing one another with insight, encouragement and ideas in pursuit of each individual's specific goals.

Location. Where will the group meet? Face to face meetings are most effective, so it is important to choose a location convenient to all participants. This location can rotate from meeting to meeting, especially if group members do not live or work in the same general area. And, while many groups include a meal or other social activity as part of their agenda, it is best that the majority of the working portion of the meeting be conducted in a relatively private location such as a meeting room or residence.

Frequency. How often will the group meet? Opinions on this vary; some mastermind group proponents feel that weekly meetings are best, while others opt for monthly meetings. The key here is to choose a frequency that works best for your particular group.

Duration. How long will each meeting last?  Here again, the needs of the group and the specific agenda will determine the ideal length of a meeting. Generally speaking, though, 2 to 3 hours works well for most groups.

Agenda. What will the group discuss during the meeting? I have found that the following general agenda works well:

• Successes: Each group member in turn discusses their accomplishments, good news and other positive news that has occurred since the last meeting. This is usually limited to approximately 5 minutes per person
• Challenges: During this period each group member is given the opportunity to share any particular challenge that they would like the group's help with. Group members should then brainstorm, exchange ideas and generally provide whatever support they can offer. The time allotted for this portion will vary depending on the needs of each member but generally runs from 10 to 20 minutes per person.
• Intentions: Finally, each group member shares their short-term goals and action plans to be accomplished prior to the next meeting. This added layer of accountability to the group provides extra motivation to commitment to executing those plans and working towards those goals. This normally takes no more than 5 minutes per person.

Many groups end their meetings with a meal or some other form of socializing. This is an excellent opportunity to continue discussions on specific points raised during the meeting or simply to strengthen the bonds between group members.

Once you have developed an agenda it is important that it be closely followed at each meeting. Ideally, each member should provide the group with read-ahead material prior to the meeting covering the specific challenges or issues that they will be discussing. This allows the others to provide considered, thoughtful input during the meeting and lessens the possibility of the meeting taking more time than planned.

Finally, keep in mind that there is no one right way to form and run a mastermind group. These general guidelines can serve as a starting point, but ultimately the group's members must decide what works best. The measure of a mastermind group's success is the success of each member, not an arbitrary adherence to some expert's opinion on how the group should operate.

So whether you follow them exactly or simply use these ideas as a guide, take an important step towards achieving your goals by forming your mastermind group. You will be amazed at the difference it makes in achieving High Performance Success.