Two simple proven strategies for high-level decision-making

Have you ever found yourself having an internal chat with a trusted friend or mentor? Or imagining the advice they would give you in a challenging situation?

This is a strategy! I use it when I'm faced with a big decision and I can't connect directly to the people I respect. I imagine their voices and the advice they'd give me. These internal conversations are helpful and available 24/7.

Recently, I've been having these conversations with the women profiled in this blog.

I imagine the advice Emmy Noether would give me when faced with bureaucratic conflicts. Or how far Mary Shadd Cary would go to stand up for her beliefs? Can I push a bit harder in my own life? These women's stories help me to understand my own experiences.

Another source I go to for advice is a group of women I meet with to discuss our professional aspirations. We keep each other accountable for meeting our personal goals, we vet our ideas, and we act as one another's board of directors.

Vanessa Van Edwards calls these types of get-togethers 'Mastermind Groups'. A Mastermind Group is a group of people, often professionals, who come together regularly and consistently to provide peer support, and accountability, and to brainstorm ideas.

These are Van Edwards's guidelines for a successful mastermind group:

1. Find 4-8 people who are like-minded but not competitive (if you're competing, you can't give honest feedback). Members should understand your industry but don't have to be part of it.

2. Meet regularly and consistently (usually once a week or month, it doesn't matter where, when, or how) to offer professional brainstorming and encouragement. Meeting consistently is crucial for accountability.

3. It must be goal-oriented. Each member can have their individual goals — but there needs to be some goal, Van Edwards says "Without a goal, it is simply a hangout."

4. There should be established group guidelines at the outset. eg. confidentially, non-judgmental

5. It's essential that there is a structure. Van Edwards suggests reviewing the same questions at every meeting, these may include: What was your biggest success since the last time we met? What is your biggest challenge right now? What one goal do you want to achieve before our next meeting? How can we help you?

Mastermind groups can be invaluable in helping you to achieve your goals. A Mastermind group provides you with a team of people you respect to bounce ideas off of and get advice from. It can also improve your people skills, as everyone contributes equally to communication and people learn to be patient. Mastermind groups are leaderless because problems are solved better as a group than they can be individually.

Van Edwards says, "Successful companies have boards of directors, why shouldn’t you have your board of directors?"

Here is the link to Vanessa Van Edwards's full Mastermind article: https://www.scienceofpeople.com/mastermind/

Have you ever been part of a mastermind group? If so, was it successful?

Sara Plaw is a Toronto-based writer and content creator.  This blog explores the lives and contributions of female figures who are often disregarded by the mainstream.