Most workplaces face constant imperatives for changefrom trivial-seeming matters such as

installing new office printers to major ones such as implementing new policies to support
diversity. The question of how to drive change, though, is perennially vexing.
Some things make it easier: If you are the boss, you can order change (although that doesnt
always work). If you have a broad coalition, you can create the perception of a flood of support.
If people rely on your work output, you can impose conditions on how and when youll deliver
it.
Often, though, the people charged with driving change dont have any of these things. Consider
Brian Welle, a Google manager who needed to roll out a huge initiative to tackle the problem of
unconscious bias in the workplace. Some people are very receptive to investigating their own
biases and trying to reduce them. Others, though, reject the notion that they might unwittingly
hold prejudice, as reflected in some peoples indignant reactions to the slogans check your
privilege and #blacklivesmatter. Convincing a Google-sized workforce not to resist his ideas, let
alone embrace his initiatives, was a huge challenge for Brianwho was not the boss, didnt lead
a huge coalition among those he was trying to influence, and couldnt horse trade to compel their
cooperation. He was just a guy from People Analyticsin other companies, that would mean HR
who was planning presentations to try to change peoples minds.
Its no surprise that people resist organizational changethey are overworked and overburdened,
and simply dont have the bandwidth to embrace change. Further, they rely on habits and
routines to help them meet their own work demands, and so changewhich disrupts those habits
and routines, and forces people to engage in new, active, and energy-demanding waysappears
highly undesirable. So when change agents like Brian cant rely on power, rank, or wide support,
they need good strategy.
An effective strategy for creating change requires several elements, but one of the most
important is to convince people to alter their attitudesto move from rejection to openness, at
least, or embrace, at best. If you can create change in peoples attitudes, its much easier to
change their behavior.
The Power of Baby Steps
Psychologists Muzafer Sherif and Carl Hovland identified a powerful dynamic about attitude
change, and gave it a clunky name: the latitude of acceptance. Heres how it works: We can think
of any attitude on a continuum from pro to con. For example, some Googlers were likely excited
to see the company address unconscious bias (strong pro), others likely resented the effort,
believing that they were not biased and did not need to change (strong con), and others had
reactions somewhere in between.
Wherever your own attitude along the continuum, Sherif and Hovland argued, you are willing to
entertain some other views, but only within a narrow range around your own attitudethis range
is the latitude of acceptance, or OK zone. A Google engineer in Brians presentation audience
might think, Im not biased and I dont need to change; if so, her OK zone would likely

include attitudes such as, Diversity initiatives are a waste of time or Some people like to
make me feel guilty about the success Ive worked hard to attain.
Are You the Best Messenger?
The OK Zone approach is extremely effective in many situations, but be aware of a key
limitation: Sometimes people are strongly invested in a position not because theyve thought it
through, but out of a sense of identity or moral intuition. For example, in current debates over
science-related policy (regarding vaccinations, climate change, or GMOs), some people embrace
views that contradict scientific findings because of religious convictions or because they identify
strongly with clean movements that oppose intervention in nature. Even before opening their
mouths, advocates face huge challenges in persuading such individuals to consider a more proscience view: Being identified with the scientific community paradoxically makes their
arguments suspect. The OK zone can be used to produce movement even among strong
partisans; however, it may have to be used in a more covert way. Recruiting someone less
objectionablea fellow clean eater or a credible religious figureto deliver the message is one
tactic that helps overcome this problem.
If Brians presentation started with a big slide proclaiming All of you are biasedthat is way
outside of this engineers OK zone. Its in her latitude of rejectionor the reject zone. This is
the crucial point: When attitudes are too far from our OK zone, we not only dont buy themwe
actively retrench against them. We marshal all of our resources to oppose the person making the
argument. If Brian started his presentation by proclaiming that everyone is biased, the engineer
would likely respond by becoming even more committed to denying any bias in herself. If we
want to change someones attitude, first we need to understand where that persons OK zone is.
We do this by asking questions to identify where they are on the attitude continuum right now.
Finding the OK Zone
In 2005, Dave Licher was a project manager for a large defense contractor. One of his projects
was to replace thousands of one-off copiers, printers, scanners, and fax machinesmany sitting
in peoples own officeswith multifunction devices (MFDs) that required leaving ones office
and walking down the hallway. These days, the office multifunction print machine is a familiar
fixture. But 10 years ago, it was new, and introducing one to the workplace meant asking people
to change habits that were deeply ingrained and replace them with something whose benefits
were unknown, but whose immediate inconvenience was obvious.
Dave encountered immediate resistance, notably from Ken (not his real name), the manager of a
large unit, who insisted that he didnt want his peoples work disruptedand Kens influence
meant that many others followed his lead. Dave wasnt sure why Ken was so vehement, but he
knew he needed Ken on board. His first move was to get up from his own desk and walk to
Kens office to askwith genuine curiosityfor Kens views. Ken explained that his staff was
already under the gun and couldnt afford to spend the extra time needed for a new process. Then
Dave asked how Ken typically handled his print jobs. Ken showed how hed print from his
computer to a local printer in his own officea small, inefficient machine that took a long time

to spit out the job. Then hed have his administrative assistant walk that original down to a
formal copy center to make stapled copiescopies that looked second-generation.
Dave had been prepared to pitch the new machines superior properties and the cost savings, but
the chat with Ken revealed the need for a different approach. Dave asked for just one step from
Ken: to allow Dave to install a software driver, right then and there, on Kens computer, so that
he could show him one print processand if Ken didnt like it, Dave would go away (for now).
Ken agreed, Dave installed, and then Dave asked Ken to print a document. This time, though, the
job was sent to the new MFD, a few doors away. By the time they walked to it, Kens joball
copies, fully stapled, and all first-generation qualitywere waiting for him. No assistant, no
walk downstairs, no wait for the copy center to get to it. Ken became a big supporter, and when
others heard that hard case, change-resistant Ken was on board, they decided the change must
really be a good thing.
Daves willingness to understand Ken and tailor his ask to Kens OK zone meant that Ken was
willing to embrace a change he had fought. The small step of getting Ken on board helped roll
out the switch to MFDs. And the MFD switch, though it may seem like a small project,
ultimately saved the company $85 million over 5 years.
Changing the OK Zone
Of course, changing the OK zone typically requires more than a simple, one-step demonstration.
Consider Brian Welles initiative again. Brian designed an hour-long presentation (which you can
watch online) to pitch Googles new initiatives around unconscious bias. (A presentation is
generally not the most powerful way to use the baby-steps approach to changeindividual, faceto-face discussions tend to be more effectivebut Brian had to influence a lot of people in a
short time and he used baby steps so masterfully that he pulled off change-by-presentation.)
Within the video, you can see how he went to his audiences OK zone and moved it, step by step,
toward his target.
First, he acknowledged Googlers identities as smart people who like data and evidence (0:30).
He next encouraged audience members to acknowledge that it was possible that we all make
suboptimal decisions at timesparticularly about other people (0:53). He presented research
(1:15) showing how people very much like his Google audience can be biased in some situations,
and then (3:20) recast the notion of bias entirely by showing how bias can be a positive and
adaptive thing, such as when it allows us to recognize dangerous animals and avoid being eaten.
This let him, in short order, invite the audience to think they might sometimes show the positive
kinds of bias (4:38) and then acknowledge that they definitely do so (5:00). From here, it wasnt
too big a step to helping the audience confront that they also have some biases they dont like so
much (9:27), and then that its worth trying to work on such biases.
Avoiding Common Errors
Using this incremental approach can help you avoid some of the major pitfalls that threaten
efforts to drive change. These pitfalls include:

Trying to achieve conversion and not just progress. Dont expect to achieve all your
goals in a single shot.

Talking mostly to people who already agree with you.

Trying to drive change without others help. Messages are more persuasive when they
seem to arise from many people, and theyre less easily dismissed as one persons pet
project.

Relying primarily on email blasts. Even well-crafted messages dont result in major
change.

Motivating change primarily by appealing to lofty principles. Self-interest beats lofty

principles.

At this point, the phrase slippery slope may have come to mind. In fact, thats exactly what
were using. You create a slippery slope by presenting small, incremental attitude positions and
helping the person move from one to the next. Time and patience are often required with this
approach, though sometimes it goes very quickly. And the attitude change it creates is much
deeper and more genuine than that created by speech-making, peer pressure, or giving orders.
The process of using baby steps can seem time consuming in the abstract. Brian shows that it
doesnt have to be. He uses just 13 minutes from the start of his presentation to bring the
audience along on a step-by-step argument thatas we can see from the body language and
energy of the audience members shown on camerapeople are now buying. He never takes a
rigid or confrontational stance, but acknowledges his audiences likely views at each stage, treats
those views as legitimate, and uses them to build a case that is effective because it incorporates
their views.
Like any change effort, effective use of this approach requires some planning. Youll work not by
sending email blasts and trying to convert the entire organization at once, but by targeting
carefully selected individuals in carefully tailored ways. A few key questions to ask yourself
when you need to leverage the power of baby steps to create change are:

What is this particular stakeholders current attitude about the proposed change?

What are the small steps that will take this particular person from his current attitude to
where you need him to be?

Can you enlist evangelists to advocate the change instead of carrying the water by
yourself?

How much change do you require from each person? Does she need to come around
entirely to embrace your view? Or is it sufficient to move her OK zone closer toward you,
without getting all the way there?

Whether youre buying new printers, reducing biasor merging departments, revising reporting
relationships, or anything elseconsider using the power of baby steps in your change initiative.
By investing just a bit of up-front effort, youll almost certainly achieve stronger and more
widespread support.

Jen Overbeck is a social psychologist and associate professor of management at Melbourne

Business School, and an internationally-recognized expert in power and influence.

This article is about INFLUENCE

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OJM Jim 16 hours ago

Corporate teamwork is about critical mass

I had a new employee ask about my departments teamwork. Did we have a good team? I
said, I do not know. He look at me with a puzzled look, he was confused. I guess he
was confused, sense he is always hearing managers say what a great team they had in
their department. Then to hear me say, I did not know was very unusual. I explained.
If you look at our departmental results we are always on or near the top. But, I do not
know about teamwork in the since of what people mean when they say something about a
corporate team. I have noticed there is no great elaboration by a manager who states they
have a great team. If they mean there is never a problem on their team, then that is not us.
We have problems from time to time, sometimes business related, sometimes personal.
I played on a winning football team in high school. Our coach consecrated on us as
individuals, knowing that we would make us a great team. Our coach had trained us to
know our role on each play. He told us that if we performed our role, each play was

designed to go for a touchdown. We were good, but of course, every play did not score.
Coach stayed on the sidelines during a game. He did not know what happened in the
huddle. We had an orderly huddle because he had trained us how to act in the huddle.
As a first line manager, I am on the sideline like my coach. I can tell the employees how
to act. It is up to the employees of our department to perform their roles and maintain
order. I have a winning team on the field. I do not know what goes on when I am not in
the huddle. But, I am the coach and I can do something to make us successful.
I aim for critical mass in an individual. The unit in our organization that makes a
difference is the employee. Each employee is trained to know our departments mission
and policies. The employee knows the role they play in the accomplishment of our
mission. When the employee thoroughly buys into our mission; you can see it in their
actions and attitude. The employee has reached critical mass. When an employee reaches
critical mass, they spread that energy to other employees. When this happens our
organization becomes filled with energy. This energy really shows at critical times when
our department is under stress to perform. Our department functions at a high level
because each person is fulfilling their role. By concentrating on the individual, I think
teamwork becomes a natural outcome of the process.
Teamwork cannot be mandated; it is a process. Teamwork does not start with the
department; it starts within the employees that make up the department. If critical mass
takes place, other departments and our customers see an energized team.
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You want to work for a great boss someone you can respect and learn from. But what if your
manager isnt good at his job? What if youre more competent or have greater skills? Should you
be raising a ruckus or keeping your head down? And how do you get what you need without
making your boss look bad?
What the Experts Say
There are a lot of bad managers out there, says Annie McKee, founder of the Teleos
Leadership Institute and coauthor of Primal Leadership. So its not unusual to feel smarter or

more qualified than your boss. Still, being in good company doesnt make the situation any more
tenable. Toiling under someone who you feel is incompetent can be demoralizing. But not all
hope is lost. Even less-than-great bosses have something to teach, says Linda Hill, the Wallace
Brett Donham Professor of Business Administration at Harvard Business School and coauthor
of Collective Genius and Being the Boss: There are very few people in this world that I dont
think I can learn from. So try not to discount your boss completely. Heres how to make the
most of the often frustrating situation.
Be honest with yourself
Before you declare your boss an incompetent fool, take a close look at whats really happening.
Some people need to believe theyre better to keep their self-esteem intact, or they may just be
more qualified in one area, McKee says. Ask yourself if youre genuinely smarter than your
manager or if its possible that youre more qualified in some areas but not others. As people
move up its natural to get better at leading and managing while losing your technical edge, says
McKee. Be honest with yourself about what skills you have and which your boss lacks. Being
smarter than your boss doesnt mean youre going to be more effective, says Hill. After all, to
be good at your job, you dont just need smarts. You need experience, strong relationships,
social capital, and emotional intelligence, she says.
Further Reading

How to Motivate Yourself When Your Boss Doesnt

Motivating People Article
o

Julie Mosow

You have more control than you realize.

o

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Keep quiet
If after reflecting on the situation, you conclude that youre actually smarter or more qualified,
think twice before talking to anyone about it. McKee says its tempting to plead your case to
higher ups or to try to prove that you should have you managers job. But this rarely works. You
put yourself at risk if you decide to go directly into that conflict because bosses usually win, she
says. Sure, you may want to vent to one or two trusted colleagues, but be careful. If your boss
senses you are critical or derogatory of her, that relationship may be over, she says. Many
people in this situation make the mistake of telling others how incompetent or unqualified their

boss is. You need to be respectful. If you badmouth your manager, its going to reflect badly on
you. People notice and worry youll talk about them the same way, says Hill. Nor should you
take it out on her. Dont be mad at the boss, be mad at the people who didnt make you the
boss, she says.
Focus on doing a good job
Dont get caught up in ruminating about who should have what job. Youre better off focusing on
your responsibilities, says Hill: You want to make sure you do your work and people understand
what youve been able to accomplish. It might help to focus on the bigger picture instead of
your relationship. You have to find a higher purpose, says McKee. Take it outside of the
interpersonal fight with your boss. Hill agrees: Dont come in as the smart, young hotshot. Do
whats best for the enterprise.
Help your boss be better
Theres no reason not to be generous. If your boss is successful, theres a greater chance youll
be successful too. See yourself as a complement to the person. Find a way to compensate for
her weaknesses, says Hill. If he isnt good at seeing the big picture, ask questions that help him
pull back from the details. If she doesnt understand the technical ins and outs of your product,
offer to cover the part of a meeting where the features will be discussed. Offer up ways that he
or she can use you better, says McKee.
Dont cover up
Theres a big difference between delivering on what youre supposed to do and covering up
your bosss mistakes, says McKee. If your boss has a pattern of making gaffes, it doesnt serve
you or the company to continuously clean up his mess. You need to do your job well and you
need to deliver on what your boss is asking of you, but if your work is being used to cover up
serious deficiencies, you may need to have a conversation with HR, says McKee.
Find something to respect
Its easy to focus on the bad but even the worst bosses have redeeming qualities. How can you
find something you respect? asks McKee. She recommends looking beyond the work
environment if necessary. Is your boss a good mom or a kind husband? If you truly cant find
something you admire, you may need to find a new job. If not now, soon, says McKee. Its
soul destroying to work for someone you truly dont respect. Hill agrees: If you think you cant
partner with that person, then you need to think about whether you should be at the
organization.
Learn from someone else
If your boss isnt giving you the coaching you need, broaden your network, Hill recommends.
Take your learning into your own hands and, McKee suggests, volunteer for projects that will
allow you to interact with other senior people in the company. Be explicit about what you want.

You might approach another manager and say, Id love to learn more about how you do X. Do
you mind if we spend a couple hours together over the next few months? You can choose to
see every opportunity as a way to learn, McKee says.
Principles to Remember
Do:

Help your boss do her job see yourself as a complement

Find something you genuinely respect about him

Seek out other mentors to help you learn and grow

Dont:

Assume that youre more qualified than your boss chances are she has
some skills you dont

Try to take over her job bosses usually win

Cover up egregious mistakes or a long-standing pattern of ineptitude

Case study #1: Help out when you can

When Patricia Wright* was appointed by a government official in South Africa as an assistant,
the job was meant to be administrative. But it was quickly clear to her and her new boss that she
had valuable technical skills and experience. My knowledge and experience on IT-related issues
superseded those of my colleagues and my manager, she says.
At the beginning, she found it irritating to know more than her boss. But he was very open to
learning and being shown how things should be done, Patricia says. We grew up in different
eras so it did take time and patience to teach him but when he used my ideas, he would thank me
and attribute the suggestions to me. So her frustration soon turned to pride.
Eventually Patricia moved on because she wasnt passionate about the work. Still she got a lot
from her experience. I learned to have plenty of patience and to be a solution seeker. This way
of thinking helped me get the job I have today.
Case study #2: Make your boss look good
Soon after Abike Eze* became a marketing and business development manager at a financial
services company based in Lagos, Nigeria, he got a new boss well call her Rose.* Rose
moved to marketing from HR and had no background in the function. Abike found himself
having to cover a lot of her work. Even though she heads the marketing unit, I am responsible
for coming up with the strategy to grow the business and for cutting costs, he says.
He admits that its frustrating at times, especially when she makes decisions that go against what
he thinks is best based on his expertise. Still, he does whatever he can to support her and make
her look good. Humility is the way to go, he says. I offer to help when I sense she may be
struggling with a task or an idea. And when he presents an idea to more senior executives, he

often gives Rose the credit or at least says that they worked on it together. She is aware of what
Abike does for her and returns the favor, saying good things about him to their boss.
This collaborative rather than combative approach has worked for Abike. He is well
regarded by his bosss boss and he has critical responsibilities in the company, even if he doesnt
hold the head of marketing title. Besides he doesnt see another good option. If you have
friction with your manager, and the company values him more than you, you may risk being let
go, he explains. Shes been with the company for over a decade and I have only been here for
eight months. Besides she is my boss after all, he says.
*not their real names

Amy Gallo is a contributing editor at Harvard Business Review. Follow her on Twitter at
@amyegallo.

Have you stopped by the airport newsstand recently? The section with advice books on
leadership and self-help for entrepreneurs is overflowing. If the funny picture or the catchy title
doesn't do it for you, how do you know whose advice to listen to?
With a million management books out there, how do you know which one will give you milliondollar advice?
Earlier this month I was with a group of global experts who regularly consult with the most
successful entrepreneurs and leaders both in small growing businesses and Fortune 500
companies. We were preparing for the Million Dollar Consulting Convention, hosted by the
rockstar of consulting himself, Alan Weiss, and I realized I had to ask everyone for their No. 1
piece of advice so that I could share it here.
Here is their collective wisdom on leadership actions that determine exceptional results:

1. Run through the tape.

"Remarkable leaders create acceleration and urgency among others that results in people who
reach the finish line fast and then keep running. How fast are you running?"
--Alan Weiss, President, Summit Consulting Group

2. Take action! Underplan and overexecute.

"The most successful people start a lot. Stop trying to make it perfect. You'll never make it
perfect. Rather, make it helpful, and send it out to your customers and prospects."
--Alex L. Goldfayn, CEO, Evangelist Marketing Institute

3. Follow me.
"Growing up in Israel and serving in the Israeli military, I learned that the most powerful leaders'
mindset is that of having others follow them. Lead by example."
--Chad Barr, President, Chad Barr Consulting

4. Talk the walk.

"The finest leaders I've encountered know when to tell (direct) and when to ask (explore). They
not only 'walk the talk,' they consistently talk the walk. Their communications inspire and create
dominant organizations."
--Kim Wilkerson, Owner, Wilkerson Consulting Group

5. Know where you stand.

"The best leaders are more like Archimedes than Sisyphus. They make the most important
decision--where must I stand for maximum leverage?"
--Constance Dierickx, President, CD Consulting Group

6. Get rid of your average.

"Top-performing leaders manage their teams to ensure 80 percent or more are hitting targets and
poor performers are coached up or out quickly. To do this, they get rid of their average, not
merely their underachieving. Their tolerance level is far below what most companies will endure.
I call this 'Finding the best, removing the rest.'"
--Colleen Francis, President, Engage Selling Solutions

7. Stand out.
"They live their brand with passion and on purpose, whether it's popular or not. They are not
afraid, and they consistently project their story."
--Karen Post, President, Brain Tattoo Branding

8. Full speed ahead.

"The best leaders are focused on speed so that they can pursue quick results in a series of sprints.
They keep their people focused on short-term goals that are not only visible but exciting and
valuable for both the business and its customers."
--Phil Symchych, President, SYMCO & CO

9. Challenge the ordinary.

"Great leaders make exceptional decisions and insist others do too."
--Linda Henman, President, Henman Performance Group

10. Be thoughtfully ruthless.

"Remarkable leaders know how to be ruthless, in a thoughtful way with their time, their energy,
and their resources to generate energy and extra capacity, and to catapult their growth."
--Val Wright, President, Val Wright Consulting
Did you read through the list and nod your head? Or perhaps wince as you realized a
shortcoming? We know many of these ideas in theory; it is easy to know what to do. The
challenge is to get on and do it. Start by rating yourself against all 10 traits using the following
criteria:

Superpower: It comes naturally.

Energy Zapper: I can do it, but it takes effort and deliberate attention.

Danger Zone: Others do this much better.

Take credit for your superpowers, develop a plan to practice your energy zappers, and spend
more time and attention to correct your danger zone areas. Outstanding leaders also are brilliant
at demonstrating their brilliance: all 10 of these experts will be sharing their collective wisdom
with 200 attendees at the Million Dollar Consulting Convention hosted by Alan Weiss. Where do
you go to be inspired by top leaders in your field? Maybe the next Inc. GrowCo conference?
Quickwhat's your greatest strength? Figuring out what that really is, and applying
that "superpower" as a multipurpose tool in all new or tricky situations, can help you
excel at whatever you set your mind to.

This advice comes from Duct Tape Marketing's John Jantsch, whose superpower, curiosity, has
helped him become "really, really good at everything [he does]." And everyone, he says, has at
least one superpower.

Although it may seem a bit simplistic, if you really take the time to think about your greatest
strength or qualitybe it resourcefulness or creativity or logic or intuitionand apply it every
day to what you do, you'll at the very least be staying true to who you are and letting that guide
you.
Put in more comic-book-like terms:
Your superpower is your greatest defender, it shreds resistance and that inner and outer critic that
tells you something is hard and that you're no good at it anyway so why bother.
Your superpower allows you to outsmart the fact that some of this stuff is just plain hard and no
fun and not natural.
Your superpower helps you tune out those invested in keeping you right where you are.
Your superpower zaps fear.
Over at Work Happy Now!, Karl Staib has previously suggested you can cultivate your
superpower(s) by building a network of people who support you, "superheroes in your back
pocket", as it were.
The next time you're in a difficult situation or rut, try to summon up your superpower or see if
applying your best quality can help. Photo by Zach Dischner
So what's your "superpower"?
Written by Patrick Allan

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1
Sometimes we're more than willing to work on our weaknesses, but the problem is we haven't
taken the time to identify them properly. This exercise has you identify your traits and place them
into three distinct categories.
Whether you have trouble identifying the things you're good at or the things you need to work
on, you'll have an easier time figuring it out this way. Val Wright at Inc. suggests you use these
three categories to help you as you go:

Superpower: It comes naturally.

Energy Zapper: I can do it, but it takes effort and deliberate attention.Danger
Zone: Others do this much better.

Everyone has a Superpower, and now is the time to take credit for yours. You might have several
of them, but be honest with yourself. Superpowers are things you can do without expending a lot
of energy or anxiety. Once you've identified your Energy Zappers, practice those things so they
might become Superpowers one day. After you've identified your Danger Zones, plan out some
time to give them attention so they don't end up hurting you. They don't need to become
Superpowers, but you don't want those things holding you back. Don't get down on yourself
either, just be aware of them. With your strengths and weaknesses identified you know what to
focus on.

The first email I send to every new member of the my website, Living For Monday,
ends in the same question: What is the number one thing holding you back from
creating more purpose and fulfillment in your life? I get a wide variety of answers
to this question. Some people say time. Others say money. Some people are waiting
on the right idea or the right time to start a business. However, far and away the
most common answer I receive to my question is this: People.

In 2010, I had the wonderful opportunity to study abroad for a full semester at the University of
Oxford, in Oxford, England. One of the most intriguing destinations I visited during travels with
my girlfriend was less than a mile away from our lodgings. The Eagle and Child pub is similar to
many other pubs in Oxford. Its dimly lit, serves beer at room temperature, and cider is an easy
find. They have fish and chips along with other pub food. By all accounts, its just another
common place in one of the greatest college towns (personal opinion) in the world. Except for
one thing.
You see, in the 1930s and 1940s, a very special group used space in The Eagle and Child to
challenge and support one another while offering criticism on their best work and generally
having a good time. The group would go on to produce some of the most read fiction and non
fiction works in all of the world. J.R.R Tolkien, C.S. Lewis, Owen Barfield, Charles Williams,
and several others formed a group called The Inklings, who used the pub as one of several
locations for their "mastermind meetings." Whether directly or indirectly, this group pushed each
member to create their best possible work. They pushed one another to reach their full potential
and hone their writing to make it the best in the world.
While the 1930s may seem like a lifetime ago (it is) and the members of The Inklings may seem
larger than life (they are), this group forms the perfect case study for why so many of our
community members identify people as the single greatest factor holding them back from more
purpose and fulfillment in life.

Surround Yourself with Remarkable People

Deep down, we all want to be pushed. We want to be challenged to put our best work into the
world. We want to be understood, supported, listened to, encouraged, called out, and loved by
people that care about us. We want to be the average of five incredible people whom we
constantly surround ourselves with. We want these things, and yet so many of us lack the right
people in our lives to make it happen.
The real problem here is that our relationships early in our lives and careers are largely a function
of our location. We go to high school with the people who live in our neighborhood. We go to
college with the people admissions officers decide are qualified to be in our class. We join a
company based on incomplete information and a general lack of direction upon graduating from
college. And one day we wake up realizing that the people we spend the most time with are not
necessarily the ones that we want to be influenced by.
Its a scary realization in that it leaves us feeling completely subject to chance. For a period of
time, we wander around lost in thought trying to understand our alternative options. Eventually,
we reach a decision point. Do I settle into a life of complacency and empty dreaming? Or do I do
something about my dreams and find the people who will help me reach them?

What Exactly is a Mastermind Group?

A mastermind group is a collection of 4-8 creative individuals who meet on a regular basis to
help one another reach their fullest potential. I think thats definition allows for the flexibility to
fit most peoples needs. To get a mastermind group together, youll have to find 3-7 other people
who will be as committed and dependable as you. Theyll need to be creative, which simply
means theyre dedicated to achieving their dreams (and yours) through creative problem solving,
goal setting, and accountability. Finally, everyone in the group needs to be willing to meet on a
regular basis.
This sounds simple enough, but theres much more that goes into forming a successful group
than just understanding a common definition. In fact, "mastermind" as a term was defined and
popularized as long ago as 1937, when Napoleon Hills Think and Grow Rich was originally
published. So, if the concept has been proven to help millionaires make their fortunes and its
been around for nearly 100 years, why arent we all in a group yet? Because it takes real work.
The rest of this post will help you take action to successfully form your own group as soon as
youre ready.
How to Form Your Own Group
Step One: Know What You Want (and Need)

There are three questions (via Donald Miller) that we should all answer in order to reach our
dreams:
1. Who are you?
What do you want?What did it feel like when you went for it?

I think these questions nicely package the core topics you'll want to capture in your group:
purpose, passion, values, strengths, vision, and mindset. By answering these three questions
before you ever get started with a mastermind group, you guarantee yourself that youll seek out
the right people to help you reach your goals.
Who are you? There are four essential aspects of who you are that youll need to consider:

Purpose: why on Earth are you here on Earth? Why do you do what you do?
What are the beliefs you hold to be absolute truths in the world and how do
they affect your words and actions?

Passion: What are your interests? Which of your interests inspire you enough to
become the best in the world? On what projects, topics, or interests do you spend
most of your time?Values: What are the 3-5 ideals or short phrases that describe
the way you live your life, make decisions, and want other people to think about
you? What values have you demonstrated through your actions in the past? What

do you need to start doing, stop doing, and keep doing to make sure your actions
reflect your values?Strengths: What are your innate talents and tendencies that
you were born with? How do you do your best work? What are examples of
situations in the past when you were at your best and how can you replicate those
situations in the future?

Get to the bottom of each of these questions on some level before you try to setup a mastermind
group. Without this information, it will be hard to know what type of people are most likely to
align with who you are to help you reach your goals.
What do you want? Again, like knowing who you are, there are four essential levels on which
you can consider what you want:

Vision: Your vision encompasses the complete picture of what you want your
life to look like. It includes how you want family, friends, and colleagues to
think about you when you reach the end of your life. Most importantly, it
includes the aspects of what you consider to be a fulfilling, impactful life.

Long term goals: Your long term goals, or BHAG, paint a picture of your next 1025 years. How will you know you are on the path to a life of fulfillment and impact
over that timeframe?Short term goals: Over the next year, what do you need to
accomplish or maintain under each of the seven fulfillment factor categories in
order to remain on track to reach your long term goals and life vision?KPIs: Under
each of the seven fulfillment factors, what daily, weekly, and monthly practices or
habits will allow you to reach your short term goals? The seven fulfillment factors
include: career; financial; relationships; faith & spirituality; health & fitness; mental
& learning; travel & adventure.

Establishing a full breakdown of what you want will help you communicate how your
mastermind group can help you reach your goals and ideal lifestyle. Without a clear vision, it
may be difficult to effectively use your group to your advantage. Our goal setting course in the
Impact Toolkit helps you establish each of these levels of goals.
What did it feel like when you went for it? This one is actually pretty straight forward and
helps you form the mindset and motivation necessary to go for what you really want in life. Take
the time to imagine exactly what it will feel like when you reach your 1 year, 10 year, and
lifetime goals. How will you feel about yourself when you make them happen? How will your
family, friends, and colleagues feel about what youve accomplished and the way youve lived?
The answers to these questions form the basis for the motivation youll need to take on the tough
daily tasks to help you reach your goals. That includes the process of seeking out and forming a
mastermind group.
Step Two: Seek Out People with Similar Goals and Experience Levels

Alright, you know who you are and what you want, and youve got the motivation to make it
happen. You know that other people can help you reach your goals faster and with more
creativity, now what?
You need to locate your people aka the people who will form the core of your mastermind
group. This is partly an exercise in trial and error, as some people are likely to come and go from
the group. However, the more intentional you can be at the beginning, the more likely you are to
form a core group that stays together for many years, just like The Inklings, who met regularly
for nearly 20 years.
Youre looking for people who have three key characteristics:
1. They seem to have answered the three questions.
They have similar goals to yours.They have a similar experience level as you.

Ill use a personal example to illustrate this step and then give you a couple of methods for
finding your right people: Im in a mastermind groups with three inspiring, creative, and
dedicated individuals. Weve accomplished a lot together, which Ill cover in more detail later,
but for now, how did we find one another? Well, we all met at World Domination Summit, which
is a ready made gathering of people who share alignment of values and a common desire to live
remarkable lives. From there, it was simply a matter of finding other individuals with similar
goals and levels of experience.
So, how can you find the people who will make up a great mastermind group? Here are a few
ideas to get you started:

Attend networking events in your area. Have as many conversations as

possible, and take notes on the ones that are most interesting and engaging.

Attend conferences that have messaging and storylines that appeal to you.Ask your
mentors, family, friends, and close contacts for recommendations of people that
meet the three key characteristics from above.Search for blogs that seem to contain
similar messaging, goals, and mindset as you.

Once you think youve found the right people, youll want to have conversations with each one
over Skype or in person to see if theyll actually be a good fit.
Step Three: Create Structure

Once you have a solid group of 3-7 other individuals, take some time to create a proposed
structure. There are many formats that can work for these meetings, so youll have to try
different things out, keep what you like, and discard what you dont. However, in my groups
weekly meetings for the past year, I think its safe to say that weve all benefitted massively.
Here is a list of some of the groups accomplishments this past year:

Six figure ebook launch

Launching 1,000 member membership siteCreating an iPhone appLanding

$100,000+ in fundingFeatures in Smashing Magazine, Lifehacker, Entrepreneur on
Fire, Blogcast FM, and more

I would bet large amounts of money that as a group, we would not have completed as many
exciting projects, made as much money, been featured around the web, or, most importantly,
impacted as many lives without our weekly meetings. So, based on our experience, here are a
couple of ideas for meeting structure that have worked for us:

Have regular meetings, preferably every week or every other week.

Hold the meetings at one consistent time that works for each person in the
group.Expect each person to attend unless they tell the group ahead of
time.Meeting in person is best, by video chat is second best.Set specific goals at the
end of each meeting and write them down on a shareable document.Give each
person the opportunity to update the group on their progress as compared to their
goals at the beginning of the meeting.Each week, focus intently (20-30 minutes) on
one persons specific challenges or goals by offering feedback, advice, and criticism
to help them create even better ideas or solutions.Respecting a time limit usually
means that more gets done, but if the group is crushing it on a particular problem
by building creative solutions, then dont stop the flow.Coming prepared makes for a
more productive meetingif someone needs the hot seat, as we call it, on a given
week, they will get better feedback by sending out reading or materials for which
they want feedback ahead of time.

If you put these structural pieces into place from the very first meeting, then youll be off to a
great start. Once you choose which elements you think will work best for you and your group, be
sure to send the proposed structure out to the group. Ask them to offer feedback and suggest
alternative options. Incorporate everyones thoughts so they feel ownership of the group as well.
Step Four: Start Compelling Conversations

In addition to the regular practices weve put into place, Ive also found several other methods
for creating compelling conversation during your mastermind meetings through my coaching,
consulting, and research. Many of these are based on an educated hypothesis that theyll work
well in a group, so be sure to try them out for yourself before promising their rainmaking
potential.

The Inklings had a really interesting practice wherein they would write
pieces of literature or non-fiction and then read them aloud at the
group meetings. The criticism and feedback in return was raw, substantial,
and sometimes harsh. But through this continuous sharpening of the
expression of complex ideas, thoughts, and stories, each member became
ever better at their craft.

Craft annual plans at the beginning of each year (or every 12 months), ask for
feedback, and check in every quarter or half year on progress. By stating your
biggest goals for the year out loud, they immediately become more rule. By being
held accountable for those goals, they become much more likely to be
reached.Create bucket lists or impossible lists that you read out loud to the
group. This will allow the group to get to know each other better. It will also allow
your peers to push you towards your real dreams rather than allowing you to settle
for second-tier dreams because youre scared of failure.Undertake common
readings (books, periodicals, or blogs). You can take this in many different
directions. You could spend the first 15 minutes of each meeting in a book club type
format. You could pick one periodical or blog article per person per meeting and
discuss them for the first 15 minutes.Discuss real life case studies. Identify
specific examples of excellent, inspiring performance within your industry or area of
interest. If we were going to do this in my Mastermind Group, we would take on
comprehensive studies of specific, successful blogs and communities. Then, at our
meeting, we would discuss the most compelling successes and failures of the
community, pulling out the most important insights and applying them to our own
blogs/businesses.Conduct 30 minute workshops. If you get the right people
for your group, each one will have a unique skillset that you could learn from. Once
per quarter, someone in the group could give a 30 minute workshop or walk through
of a process or skill that has helped them reach their goals. For example, in our
group, we have informally learned a ton about web design from Nathan, video
editing from Caleb, and copywriting from Krista.Get together in person once per
year. Getting together in person changes everything about the dynamics of the
relationships within your Mastermind Group. Working relationships turn into
friendships, and the creative ideas that come from the meeting are even more
impactful than over video chat. Work hard to plan a specific group retreat or plan to
attend a conference where you can all meet up.

These are just a few ideas for taking your mastermind group to the next level once you have it up
and running. You are equally capable of brainstorming creative and compelling sparks for
conversation within your own group. Try different strategies and see what sticks. Different
people will respond to different stimuli, but you can be sure that you will learn from each passing
experience.

Get Started

Right now, take the time to answer the three questions and then look up conferences, networking
events, or specific people you believe might be great for building your mastermind group. You
are in control of both of these actions, so schedule a work period on your calendar to make it
happen. There is nothing holding you back. Whether youre a young professional just kicking off
your career, a new business owner, or a seasoned career veteran, you can benefit from
surrounding yourself with incredible people.