Back to The Peak Performing Professor, with Supplemental Materials on MasterMind Groups

So the next few chapters of the Peak Performing Professor are about time management -- that tasks are more often completed if they are subdivided in to subtasks that you can visualize, for example, and that starting with the endpoint and reverse engineering can move you toward a realizable schedule.

All of this is stuff I take for granted when I teach grantwriting.  So I won't talk much about it here.

In Chapter 9, she talks about Mastermind Groups.  Most of the time, I think in terms of "writing groups" and "mentoring relationships."  I am sitting in a coffee shop right now with a colleague, where we are writing together.  I have had many mentors.  This is different, and it seems right for the Associate Professor stage of a relationship.

In "Creating your MasterMind: personal and professional development through mastermind groups" by Benjamin N. Arnold, Lucas Friedrichsen and Mo Nishiyama, we learn that the MasterMind group is defined as “Coordination of knowledge and effort, in a spirit of harmony, between two or more people, for the attainment of a definite purpose.”

2.1 The Spirit of Harmony Collaborating in a harmonious manner is important. In an environment of competitors, one will rarely be truly open and share experiences, knowledge, and wisdom. One is always holding something back If you are in competition with any in your group you will not feel truly free to open up for fear of your weaknesses getting spread around the office or having them used against you...
2.2 Working Toward a Definite Purpose A MasterMind group is typically focused on one purpose or theme—physical fitness, career advancement, becoming more productive, becoming better mothers or fathers, or something similar... 

2.3 Mutual Benefit for All Group Members The difference between a MasterMind group and a mentor/mentee relationship is that all members of a MasterMind group stand to benefit from their participation equally. In the traditional mentor and mentee relationship the mentee tends to be the primary person to benefit from their relationship. “Mastermind groups create a win-win situation for all participants. New friendships develop and everyone grows because of the support and encouragement of the Mastermind group.”... 

2.4 Benefits of a MasterMind Group Members continually encourage each other through tough times and recognize accomplishments. The positive energy this generates can help sustain members between the meetings, through rough patches at work or even motivate them to seek new challenges by changing their work environment. The group can provide external accountability and motivation, through the mechanism of gentle peer pressure... Imagine a group outside of work, family and close friends that constantly pushes you to do your best, looks out for your best interest and is genuinely interested in the topics and input you provide—not to mention, a group that will listen to your ideas and respond in kind with honest feedback and different perspectives before you present to your colleagues...

I like this idea.  I'm not sure I would be any good at being part of organizing it -- I'm just not familiar enough with how they are structured, and I would fall into old models of relating to each other -- mentor, coach, writing partner.

But I like it.