When thinking about great mastermind group members, people’s first inclination is to invite people they know. But I want to invite you to pause before you hit that send button. I want to make an important distinction between your social friends vs. your successful friends. They usually aren’t one in the same. There are the people you kick it with and there are the people who kick you in the butt.

Successful vs. Social Friends Selection Chart for Mastermind Group Members

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  • Take you out of your comfort zone
  • Keep it 100 (real)
  • Are there for the journey
  • Call to lift you up
  • Became your friend by choice & commitment
  • Like who you are becoming and what you to grow

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  • Take you out to a party
  • Keep it PC (Politically Correct)
  • Are there in the beginning & end
  • Call to say “What’s up?”
  • Became your friend by convenience
  • Like who you are and want you to stay

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Using Vital Friends for your Mastermind Group Members

One of my favorite books is Vital Friends by Tom Rath of Gallup. In this book, he outlines the people you can’t afford to live without. While the book is framed in terms of who you need on your individual team, I think the same roles apply to your mastermind group members. As the group initiator, you get to handpick the team. Vital Friends is about your personal team, but the mastermind group is about a team that supports all of your mastermind group members, so keep that in mind as you consider these roles.

1. Builder: Builders are great motivators, always pushing you toward the finish line. They continually invest in your development and genuinely want you to succeed — even if it means they have to go out on a limb for you.

2. Champion: Champions stand up for you and what you believe in. They are the friends who sing your praises. Every day, this makes a difference in your life. Not only do they praise you in your presence, but a Champion also ‘has your back’ — and will stand up for you when you’re not around.

3. Collaborator: A collaborator is a friend with similar interests — the basis for many great friendships. … When you talk with a collaborator, you’re on familiar ground … you often find that you have similar ambitions in work and life.

4. Companion: A companion is always there for you, whatever the circumstance. You share a bond that is virtually unbreakable. When something big happens in your life, this is one of the first people you call.

5. Connector: A connector is a bridge builder. …. Connectors get to know you — and then introduce you to others. Connectors are always inviting you to lunch and other gatherings where you can meet new people, and point you in the right direction when you need something.

6. Energizer: Energizers are your ‘fun friends’ who always give you a boost. You have more positive moments when you are with these friends. Energizers are quick to pick you up when you’re down — and can make a good day great.

7. Mind Opener: Mind Openers are the friends who expand your horizons and encourage you to embrace new ideas, opportunities, cultures, and people. They challenge you to think in innovative ways and help you create positive change. Mind Openers know how to ask good questions, and this makes you more receptive to ideas.

8. Navigator: Navigators are the friends who give you advice and keep you headed in the right direction. You go to them when you need guidance, and they talk through the pros and cons with you until you find an answer. In a difficult situation, you need a Navigator by your side. They help you see a positive future while keeping things grounded in reality.

5 Final Keys To Selecting Great Mastermind Group Members

Remember that you are considering the composition of the entire mastermind group. If you focus on selecting individuals, you will not create a team. Some final key considerations to keep in mind as you select your mastermind group members include:

  1. Personal Commitment: If you have to convince or persuade someone to join, they are committing to you, not the group or themselves. Present the opportunity, but don’t seek to persuade someone to make a decision they aren’t ready to made.
  2. Giving Spirit: You want people who always seek to create more value than they take. You should see or they be able to readily tell you how they already contribute to the lives of those around them beyond just immediate family.
  3. Inspires You: Think about the people who are around or somewhat distant that inspire you. They way they inspire you will likely inspire others in the group as well. The group offers you a way to be around them and work with them on a more frequent basis.
  4. Great Aspirations: Someone with big aspirations will be self-directed and already have a great sense of purpose and source of motivation. Not only can the group benefit from their vision, the will see the group as a mechanism to help them achieve that vision.
  5. Specific Skill Set: As you round out your group, consider what skill or subject mastery is needed to complete the team. Each mastermind group member should be the go-to person for something. This creates an easy way for members to begin being of service to one another.

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