Jon Cooper - Mastermind Groups ensure you are not alone.
Life in business is necessarily tough; if it wasn’t, everyone would be doing it!
And yet one of the biggest challenges to success often comes from your own isolation as the boss. Quite simply, you have no-one to discuss ideas and voice concerns with. In that environment, judgement and motivation can desert you just when you need it most.
Wouldn’t it be great if you could meet regularly with a group of like-minded individuals, who could share experiences, skills and support?
This is the basis of Mastermind Groups, a concept first penned by the legendary Napoleon Hill in 1937.
He said that "No two minds ever come together without thereby creating a third, invisible intangible force, which may be likened to a third mind [the master mind]."
There are such groups now across the globe, spanning every sector of commerce and human interests.
One of my clients runs a successful Financial Advice firm, and has put together his own Mastermind Group to develop and promote industry best practice for its five members. This is what he does to make it work –
1: Meets regularly, every week or month.
2: Selects members with similar success and experience levels.
3: Ensures members are not direct competitors who may not be comfortable opening up to the Group.
4: Insists on commitment to meeting schedules and effective participation.
5: Develops a spirit of harmony, trust and respect. Eliminates argument; instead fosters constructive discussion.
6: Agrees a Group objective that this year is going to be the best ever for all members.
7: Accepts and gives honest feedback on himself and others.
8: Encourages each member to make his or her own plan, with defined goals for which the Group then holds them accountable.
9: Brings in guest speakers to inspire and educate.
10: Provides an immediate and perpetual support network.
The way to set up your own Mastermind Group is simple; pick up the phone to half-a-dozen or so of your peers and invite them to join with you.
Incidentally, the concept works equally well if you are work colleagues employed by an organisation, or if you want to form a group of participants in your sport, leisure or recreational activity.
Have a question you'd like Jon Cooper to address? You can submit it by either adding a comment to this post online or by e-mailing it to jon@jupiterdawn.com
Showing posts with label networking. Show all posts
Showing posts with label networking. Show all posts
Tuesday, 28 July 2009
Wednesday, 10 June 2009
Is your address book keeping you broke?
Choose your friends carefully!
Last week I decided to “cancel” a friendship I had with a guy (let’s call him Gordon,
for no particular reason) who, over the 12 years I’d known him, had always seemed
to be in a parlous financial state, despite having a succession of reasonably paid sales
jobs.
Worse, he perpetually blamed the Government, the tax-man, his divorce and recently
the economic meltdown for his feeble position and lack of tangible success.
Sometimes, if my day hadn’t quite gone according to plan, I’d found it comforting, in
a strange kind of way, to hang out with someone else whose day, year or entire life
was going even worse.
Problem was, allowing him to sympathise over my occasional disappointments had
saved me the trouble of doing anything constructive to stop the same things
happening again. Even worse, after a half-hour of his desolate diatribes, I would even
find myself starting to buy into his thinking!
Believing as I do that our success is based almost entirely on the attitudes and
behaviours of the people around us, Gordon just had to go.
Inspired by that experience, I’m now spring-cleaning and de-cluttering my whole
address book, exterminating any other Gordons who may be lurking in there
masquerading as worthwhile associates. Try it for yourself, using these 3 simple
criteria –
1: How are they fixed financially? It’s a spooky mathematical reality that if you take
the five people closest to you, add up their salary and divide by five, you’ll have your
annual earnings potential. Don’t tolerate anyone who drags down your average.
2: How much value can they bring to your life? Fruitful and rewarding associations
are about a fair exchange of value, with each party adding to the other’s success. If
it’s all their way, bin them!
3: Do they move in circles you’d like to penetrate? If they operate at a lower level
than you do and never venture out of their discomfort zones, they’re unlikely to be
capable of improving your life.
After you’ve ruthlessly culled your contact list, get to work on those you decided to
keep, and resolve to spend a lot more time with them. That shouldn’t be difficult if
you’ve done it properly; because there won’t be too many names left…
Have a question you'd like Jon Cooper to address? You can submit it by either adding a
comment to this post online or by e-mailing it to jon@jupiterdawn.com
Last week I decided to “cancel” a friendship I had with a guy (let’s call him Gordon,
for no particular reason) who, over the 12 years I’d known him, had always seemed
to be in a parlous financial state, despite having a succession of reasonably paid sales
jobs.
Worse, he perpetually blamed the Government, the tax-man, his divorce and recently
the economic meltdown for his feeble position and lack of tangible success.
Sometimes, if my day hadn’t quite gone according to plan, I’d found it comforting, in
a strange kind of way, to hang out with someone else whose day, year or entire life
was going even worse.
Problem was, allowing him to sympathise over my occasional disappointments had
saved me the trouble of doing anything constructive to stop the same things
happening again. Even worse, after a half-hour of his desolate diatribes, I would even
find myself starting to buy into his thinking!
Believing as I do that our success is based almost entirely on the attitudes and
behaviours of the people around us, Gordon just had to go.
Inspired by that experience, I’m now spring-cleaning and de-cluttering my whole
address book, exterminating any other Gordons who may be lurking in there
masquerading as worthwhile associates. Try it for yourself, using these 3 simple
criteria –
1: How are they fixed financially? It’s a spooky mathematical reality that if you take
the five people closest to you, add up their salary and divide by five, you’ll have your
annual earnings potential. Don’t tolerate anyone who drags down your average.
2: How much value can they bring to your life? Fruitful and rewarding associations
are about a fair exchange of value, with each party adding to the other’s success. If
it’s all their way, bin them!
3: Do they move in circles you’d like to penetrate? If they operate at a lower level
than you do and never venture out of their discomfort zones, they’re unlikely to be
capable of improving your life.
After you’ve ruthlessly culled your contact list, get to work on those you decided to
keep, and resolve to spend a lot more time with them. That shouldn’t be difficult if
you’ve done it properly; because there won’t be too many names left…
Have a question you'd like Jon Cooper to address? You can submit it by either adding a
comment to this post online or by e-mailing it to jon@jupiterdawn.com
Tuesday, 24 February 2009
Elevator pitch to take you up in the world
Get new business every day with your own 30 second commercial
As a newcomer to a breakfast networking group last week, I was reminded how important it is to be able answer the question “so what do you do…?” concisely and in a way that both grabs attention and leaves a lasting impression.
Most of the attendees were lucid and confident, but there remained others I spoke with who were only ever going to make a dreary and easily forgettable impact on their peers.
If your career in business means you regularly meet new people – and who’s doesn’t? – then it’s critical to be able to create and present a personal 30-second commercial, often called an “elevator pitch” in the States.
It’s the basis of personal networking, self-promotion, and pretty much everything else you need to stand out from the crowd in an over-crowded world.
Here are my top 10 tips for making that first impression –
1: Talk benefits, not just features. “I’m a lawyer who makes sure people don’t get ripped off in property deals” rather than just saying you’re a property lawyer.
2: Be conversational and confident. Don’t hesitate, fidget or blather, and always present with a smile and a twinkle in your eye.
3: Don’t use jargon and particularly not industry-specific acronyms (OMG!)
4: Boast a little. It’s ok to start a sentence with “My key strengths are…”
5: Fulfil a need. Reminding the listener that you’re a qualified Zeppelin commander marks you as quirky and interesting, but a little redundant.
6: Tailor to your audience. Investors want to hear how they can get returns, customers how you can solve their problems, and potential partners why you’re going to be a success together.
7: Use power adjectives such as “astounding” and “spectacular” over mundane words like “ok” and “good”.
8: Be prepared for follow-ups. If you’ve been convincing and engaging up to now, you’ll get questions. Rehearse the answers to any likely comebacks.
9: Review and revise regularly based on feedback. Conversely, if it ain’t broke, don’t fix it!
10: Test your commercial on a 7-year old. If they don’t understand every word of it, you’ll lose half your target audience before you get a chance to finish!
Jon Cooper is the founder of JupiterDawn.com business consulting.
Email jon@jupiterdawn.com with feedback and business strategy queries.
As a newcomer to a breakfast networking group last week, I was reminded how important it is to be able answer the question “so what do you do…?” concisely and in a way that both grabs attention and leaves a lasting impression.
Most of the attendees were lucid and confident, but there remained others I spoke with who were only ever going to make a dreary and easily forgettable impact on their peers.
If your career in business means you regularly meet new people – and who’s doesn’t? – then it’s critical to be able to create and present a personal 30-second commercial, often called an “elevator pitch” in the States.
It’s the basis of personal networking, self-promotion, and pretty much everything else you need to stand out from the crowd in an over-crowded world.
Here are my top 10 tips for making that first impression –
1: Talk benefits, not just features. “I’m a lawyer who makes sure people don’t get ripped off in property deals” rather than just saying you’re a property lawyer.
2: Be conversational and confident. Don’t hesitate, fidget or blather, and always present with a smile and a twinkle in your eye.
3: Don’t use jargon and particularly not industry-specific acronyms (OMG!)
4: Boast a little. It’s ok to start a sentence with “My key strengths are…”
5: Fulfil a need. Reminding the listener that you’re a qualified Zeppelin commander marks you as quirky and interesting, but a little redundant.
6: Tailor to your audience. Investors want to hear how they can get returns, customers how you can solve their problems, and potential partners why you’re going to be a success together.
7: Use power adjectives such as “astounding” and “spectacular” over mundane words like “ok” and “good”.
8: Be prepared for follow-ups. If you’ve been convincing and engaging up to now, you’ll get questions. Rehearse the answers to any likely comebacks.
9: Review and revise regularly based on feedback. Conversely, if it ain’t broke, don’t fix it!
10: Test your commercial on a 7-year old. If they don’t understand every word of it, you’ll lose half your target audience before you get a chance to finish!
Jon Cooper is the founder of JupiterDawn.com business consulting.
Email jon@jupiterdawn.com with feedback and business strategy queries.
Monday, 16 February 2009
Reading and meeting for a Tremendous Life
Reading and meeting are the keys to a Tremendous life
Like many in business, and with an interest in the success habits of others, I’m an avid reader.
I was reminded again of the power of a well written phrase when I picked up an article celebrating the life of Charles “Tremendous” Jones, an inspirational American speaker, author and life coach who died in 2008.
For six decades he toured the world imparting his wisdom and touching the lives of millions of people, but the one thing he’ll be remembered for above all else is a simple 26-word mantra –
“You are the same today as you will be next year except for two things: the people you meet and the books you read.”
It’s a beautifully simplistic view of course, but how true! If you read nothing and meet no-one for 12 months, it’s highly unlikely you’ll be particularly successful.
It’s also a given in that statement that it matters what you read and who you meet. If you read the Beano and meet only the postman every day, you’ll get what you get.
In a life devoted to advancing the understanding of business fundamentals, Jones published nine books, all of which have become reference works of their kind.
I’m about to re-read my copy of his 2 million selling “Life is Tremendous”, still available online and in bookshops.
Peppered with memorable quotes such as “To know what to do is wisdom. To know how to do it is skill”, his output consistently redefined how we should think about generating lasting wealth and happiness.
Like many business icons, he was a passionate philanthropist, and firmly believed not only that to receive anything you first have to give something, but also that giving is simply returning what you owe anyway. “Everything I have was a gift from someone”, he said recently.
Charlie also said that the secret to success is two words – “I will”, as against “I’ll think about it” or “I might”, or (God forbid) “I can’t”.
This year I’m going to follow Charlie’s “Tremendous” guidance. I WILL meet some more exceptional people, and I WILL read some more amazing books. I hope you do too.
Jon Cooper is the founder of JupiterDawn.com business consulting.
Email jon@jupiterdawn.com with feedback and business strategy queries.
Like many in business, and with an interest in the success habits of others, I’m an avid reader.
I was reminded again of the power of a well written phrase when I picked up an article celebrating the life of Charles “Tremendous” Jones, an inspirational American speaker, author and life coach who died in 2008.
For six decades he toured the world imparting his wisdom and touching the lives of millions of people, but the one thing he’ll be remembered for above all else is a simple 26-word mantra –
“You are the same today as you will be next year except for two things: the people you meet and the books you read.”
It’s a beautifully simplistic view of course, but how true! If you read nothing and meet no-one for 12 months, it’s highly unlikely you’ll be particularly successful.
It’s also a given in that statement that it matters what you read and who you meet. If you read the Beano and meet only the postman every day, you’ll get what you get.
In a life devoted to advancing the understanding of business fundamentals, Jones published nine books, all of which have become reference works of their kind.
I’m about to re-read my copy of his 2 million selling “Life is Tremendous”, still available online and in bookshops.
Peppered with memorable quotes such as “To know what to do is wisdom. To know how to do it is skill”, his output consistently redefined how we should think about generating lasting wealth and happiness.
Like many business icons, he was a passionate philanthropist, and firmly believed not only that to receive anything you first have to give something, but also that giving is simply returning what you owe anyway. “Everything I have was a gift from someone”, he said recently.
Charlie also said that the secret to success is two words – “I will”, as against “I’ll think about it” or “I might”, or (God forbid) “I can’t”.
This year I’m going to follow Charlie’s “Tremendous” guidance. I WILL meet some more exceptional people, and I WILL read some more amazing books. I hope you do too.
Jon Cooper is the founder of JupiterDawn.com business consulting.
Email jon@jupiterdawn.com with feedback and business strategy queries.
Focussed Upstream Networking for success
FUN takes practice!
One of the hardest things to do in business, as in life, is to make connections with those people who can truly enhance your prospects for success.
Most of us are reasonably good at networking, but often only in a close comfort-zone, interacting with those in a similar position to us. Doing that can be great for shooting the breeze and comparing tales of woe, but isn’t always a recipe for creating any radical change.
I have a friend and client with a plot of land which he wanted to develop, but wasn’t sure what to build or how. He asked me who I knew who might be able to help him. I suggested he picked the phone up to the wealthiest and most successful property developer in the City over recent times. I’d met him recently, and felt sure he would listen to my friend’s dilemma and try and help.
Sure enough, when asked “can I have the benefit of your opinion on a project I am considering?”, Mr Big invited my friend to come along to his office, and not only offered advice, but is now working with him to create a fantastic new site which will reap far more than either of us had imagined.
The technique we used there is what I call FUN, or Focussed Upstream Networking. It’s a massively powerful way to move your business forward, and easier than you think.
Start by making a list of the ten most successful/wealthy (often one and the same) people you know. Even if you only know someone else who knows them, put them on the list if you can get their contact details.
Then, email or call each of them with a (very) brief intro and a request such as “I’d like to get the benefit of your experience on…” or “as I know you’ve been very successful at…can you spare half an hour to look at my situation?”
You’ll find most people are flattered and more than happy to open up to you, and you will create at least 2 or 3 worthwhile lasting relationships.
Remember the key is to choose your network carefully, and always be looking to expand it outside of your current reach.
Jon Cooper is the founder of JupiterDawn.com business consulting.
Email jon@jupiterdawn.com with feedback and business strategy queries.
One of the hardest things to do in business, as in life, is to make connections with those people who can truly enhance your prospects for success.
Most of us are reasonably good at networking, but often only in a close comfort-zone, interacting with those in a similar position to us. Doing that can be great for shooting the breeze and comparing tales of woe, but isn’t always a recipe for creating any radical change.
I have a friend and client with a plot of land which he wanted to develop, but wasn’t sure what to build or how. He asked me who I knew who might be able to help him. I suggested he picked the phone up to the wealthiest and most successful property developer in the City over recent times. I’d met him recently, and felt sure he would listen to my friend’s dilemma and try and help.
Sure enough, when asked “can I have the benefit of your opinion on a project I am considering?”, Mr Big invited my friend to come along to his office, and not only offered advice, but is now working with him to create a fantastic new site which will reap far more than either of us had imagined.
The technique we used there is what I call FUN, or Focussed Upstream Networking. It’s a massively powerful way to move your business forward, and easier than you think.
Start by making a list of the ten most successful/wealthy (often one and the same) people you know. Even if you only know someone else who knows them, put them on the list if you can get their contact details.
Then, email or call each of them with a (very) brief intro and a request such as “I’d like to get the benefit of your experience on…” or “as I know you’ve been very successful at…can you spare half an hour to look at my situation?”
You’ll find most people are flattered and more than happy to open up to you, and you will create at least 2 or 3 worthwhile lasting relationships.
Remember the key is to choose your network carefully, and always be looking to expand it outside of your current reach.
Jon Cooper is the founder of JupiterDawn.com business consulting.
Email jon@jupiterdawn.com with feedback and business strategy queries.
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