The benefits of participating:

Anyone can benefit from participating in a positive and goal-oriented Mastermind group. For smaller businesses owners, these types of peer-support groups are particularly useful. In today’s complex world, individuals in growing numbers are finding the mastermind approach invaluable as support for life changes and for navigating through complicated business or personal issues.

The key to successful masterminding is to be serious about and ready for growth and change. As a member of a Mastermind, you need to be willing to commit to regularly attending – and participating in each session. It’s important to recognize that if you generally do not feel energized by working in a small group, or a collaborative think-tank atmosphere, you would most likely not find participating in a Mastermind group a valuable experience.

Balanced Act believes that “smaller is better”, so we usually limit the number of participants to six or less individuals unless a group votes when forming to expand the number of participants. By keeping our groups small, members have more opportunity to expand ideas, address challenges, and get to know each other as well – all within a manageable amount of time per session. Larger groups require additional time per meeting, which sometime exceeds what individuals are able or willing to commit.

Size of group and format:

Mastermind groups meet on a regular schedule – a specified day and time agreed upon when the group is forming. Some groups want to meet weekly, some every other week, some monthly. Some groups prefer to meeting at the beginning of the day, others mid-day, still others in the late afternoon. Small groups (3-5 members) can meet effectively in an hour’s time. Larger groups (6-8) need 90 minutes. The length of time for sessions is gear toward allowing everyone enough time and opportunity to participate equally.

To attend Balanced Act telegroups, members simply dial an established teleconference phone number at the scheduled time.

Newly forming groups are provided with a format (agenda) that they can elect to use as is, or vote to customize to better fit the group’s specific needs. Groups operate like a democracy – what everyone thinks counts.

Membership application, non-disclosure forms:

The application process helps assure that group members are truly interested and committed from the very beginning so that the group is cohesive and productive during its life span. This also helps Balanced Act match the right people into the right groups for the right reasons. It helps alleviate possible conflict of interest situations among members.

Each applicant is also required to sign a non-disclosure agreement so that all participants can be assured that their conversations are private. Meetings are never recorded.

Applications are approved on a first-come, first-served basis until the upper limit of that particular group is reached. Balanced Act will notify applicants of their acceptance within a week of receiving the application in a Welcome Email. Once you are accepted, please reserve meeting dates and time on your calendar for the full length of your Mastermind Group’s meeting schedule. Your Welcome Email will also contain the link where you can pay our website via credit card using PayPal. Once you pay your membership dues, we will email you the call-in phone number and passcode. A reminder email will arrive several days prior to the start of the group and will confirm the teleconference phone number.

Span of time groups generally meet:

The lifespan of each group varies. For example, a group might commit to meeting every other week for at least 6 to 8 sessions and then vote whether to continue for another cycle. It is not uncommon for successful groups to elect to continue to meet – sometimes for months or even years. This is especially true for groups with a business focus. When groups are re-forming, some members can elect not to continue. Remaining members can vote to keep the group “closed” or open up to new or additional applicants.

Format/agenda:

Group’s participants receive a sample format, or agenda when the group is forming. Members agree upfront to the format they wish to follow. To assure equal participation there needs to be sufficient time at each meeting for each member to share progress/success stories achieved between sessions, discuss current challenges or upcoming decision, ask the group questions, or for help through brainstorming. When it is his or her turn, each individual focuses on what is most important to them within the context of the groups’ purpose. While each session’s discussion is fresh, new, and different the format is consistent.

Mastermind groups are not like training or coaching sessions where a trainer or coach is a focal point. Instead during the meeting, the facilitator simply acts as time-keeper and administrator to help keep things flowing smoothly.

The group’s facilitator:

To assure that each Mastermind Group is a success, Balanced Act provides administration and facilitation. We process applications; match individuals to the best groups to meet their needs; distribute and collect the required confidentiality agreements to provide a safe environment; help each group establish a format/agenda: send out announcements as needed; and provide the teleconference phone line; and collect associated membership fees. For groups that meeting in person, Balanced Act sets up the location and provides on-site facilitation for each session.

During sessions, the facilitator does not participate as a member, but instead keeps track of time and assures that all participants receive an equal opportunity to participate. Unless specifically asked for an opinion, the facilitator does not act as the subject matter expert, coach, or trainer.

Carol Hartman, Balanced Act’s owner, acts as facilitator for all of our Mastermind groups. She is a business consultant and coach who has personally benefited from the masterminding process in both her business and in her personal life. Carol has years of experience working with businesses who want to improve their direction to achieve better results, and with individuals committed to personal life change and/or career reinvention. She is trained as a Mastermind facilitator and administrator.

Click here to find out more about Carol Hartman.

The telegroup process:

The power of any group is tied to the participation by the participants rather than how or where it meets. Groups that meet by phone conserve a valuable commodity – time. Oftentimes successful telegroups are more diversified – comprised of members from a wide array of locations because they are not restricted by geography. To participate, members simply call the teleconference number provided to them by Balanced Act in their new member information announcement.

Note: Balanced Act’s teleconference service is not toll-free. Each member’s specific long distance phone service plan would dictate whether any additional per meeting phone service costs would apply. For instance, if a member has an unlimited calling plan they would not generate any additional costs per call to the teleconference number.

Occasionally, Balanced Act forms Mastermind Groups that meet in person.

New Mastermind Group – supporting both business and individual interests – are forming on a continual basis.

Mastermind groups versus networking or referral groups:

Over time Mastermind participants may benefit from networking or shared referrals that occurs outside the actually meetings but these are an additional benefit. During scheduled meetings, the sole purpose of a Mastermind group is to accomplish results through brainstorming, support, encouragement and getting/giving advice.

Mastermind groups versus training classes or group coaching:

Mastermind groups follow an agreed-upon format and are educational, but they are like a training class that has an instructor and pre-defined curriculum or a coach that plays a “center stage” role in meetings. Even though Balanced Act group’s facilitator is an experienced trainer and coach, she serves in an administrator role during sessions. She is willing to provide her best advice or share an idea, but only if the group asks her for an opinion.

Typical issues participants bring up in Mastermind meetings:

The sky is perhaps the limit, but here are two examples:

Small or home-based business:

Group members might brainstorm issues like marketing or advertising, promoting business through Social Marketing, innovative ways to drive customers to your website, how to deal with difficult employees or boost productivity, competitive pricing, ways to achieve a more competitive edge, how to balance work and personal life to avoid burnout and more...

Career reinvention:

Group members might focus on developing their vision of an ideal new job, moving past the fear of change, creating action plans to avoid procrastination, analyzing and packaging skills, redesigning resumes, using Internet job resources.

Private one-on-one coaching with Carol:

Carol Hartman is also available for coaching via telephone. During the course of any Mastermind group, a member can purchase private coaching or consulting time with Carol at a discounted rate.