Why business leaders should join Mastermind

Anne Sugar At the New Year, many business owners pause to examine the vast array of opportunities to push their businesses forward.Many gravitate towards joining a loosely organised coterie of like-minded individuals with the same goal. However, many times, even with the best intentions, meetings start to become sparse and non-existent. Then as a result, there is incredible frustration, and goals and activities skid to a halt. After going through many of these same frustrations, last year I found a consistent means of moving my business forward with the side benefit of building relationships with other interesting leaders. I joined the Trajectory Mastermind Group. Mastermind is peer-based groups organised to help solve each other's business issues. After some research, I got involved with Trajectory Mastermind, organised by Dorie Clark, author of such books as Stand Out and Entrepreneurial You.Why join a Mastermind groupThere are many benefits to joining a formalised Mastermind group. Research studies indicate a group can help develop and operationalise ideas in a quicker fashion than working alone. More importantly, a Mastermind group can be a setting where leaders can be challenged and feel uncomfortable in a low-risk environment which allows for the breakthrough of ideas. For example, I came to realise with the group's help that my topic for my TEDx proposal wasn't the right first story for my brand. Now I am considering other topics and will revisit giving a TEDx talk at the end of the year.Opportunities gained From my perspective, there is an abundance of opportunities gained by joining a Mastermind group. For example, I met many business owners and leaders that I wouldn't have been able to access otherwise. I met an author from Denmark, an owner of a storytelling company, a founder of a brand consultancy and other like-minded executive coaches. With this diverse group of team members, there is a greater opportunity for debate and a methodical means for pivoting. In our group, debate and learning was formalised each month with a specific challenge and a call with a designated team member. For example, I had the opportunity to hash out my calendar of topics to write about for 2019 with a fellow Mastermind participant.Selection process Choosing a mastermind group, of course, is a personal decision. In my experience there are some guidelines for selection. First, when investigating a potential group to join, think about the type and profile of the leaders involved. Members should fit a similar profile in terms of where they are in the trajectory of their business or income. For example, if you have been in business for 20 years, working with a group that is just starting out will not be a good fit. Then it is time to have a conversation with a Mastermind leader. I looked for a leader that was like-minded and had solved many of the issues in line with my goals. Another point to consider is: What are the activities and events that are planned out for the year. In my selection process, I looked for means to strategise about revenue-generating activities, solutions for my writing process and the opportunity for lasting relationships. Finally, I wanted to work with leaders who are like-minded, had similar company issues and opportunities that we could jointly work on.There are many ways to develop yourself professionally and create a strategic plan for your business. Personally, I have found that joining a Mastermind group is one of the best ways to create that opportunity in an organised and systematic fashion. -www.inc.com*Anne Sugar is an executive coach and speaker.

Why business leaders should join Mastermind

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Namibian Sun 2025-11-17

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Why business leaders should join Mastermind

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Namibian Sun 2025-11-17

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