AP 0385: How Do I Find a Development Coach or a Mastermind Group?

AskPat 385 Episode Transcript

Pat Flynn: What's up everybody? Pat Flynn here and welcome to Episode 385 of AskPat. Thank you so much for joining me today.

All right, here's today's question from Mary.

Mary: Hi Pat, Mary Metcalfe here from Orlando. Quick question about finding a personal development coach and a mastermind group. I feel like I'm at a point in my career where this would be really beneficial for me. How would you recommend finding both, a personal development coach and a mastermind group? Thanks so much.

Pat Flynn: Hey Mary, thank you so much for the question today. You know, I feel everybody has room in their life for a personal development coach or at least somebody to inspire them and definitely no matter where you're at in your business, a mastermind group is very very beneficial. So, just wanted to say that out there up front, but for you specifically, I don't know who you are, but one of the things that you'll need to know is, okay, what areas of your personal life do you need to develop?

You could find an overall coach who could help you with everything and help you discover what those things are or you could find somebody to help you develop in certain ways that you know you need help with, whatever that may be. So it might take some internal kind of looking at what needs improvement or maybe what's working, what you want to work even better, what do you want to optimize about yourself and finding those people who are experts in that particular realm.

Now in terms of finding a personal development coach, 'cause finding a mastermind group is going to be totally different. But, a personal development coach … This is somebody you're going to be working with for quite a long time on a lot of personal things hopefully that are going to help you improve and just master who you want to become.

Now, I wouldn't just go in and find somebody … You know, I wouldn't do a Google search and look up personal development coach and then just hire somebody on the spot. Obviously, you're going to want to have a conversation with this person beforehand, talk to them, perhaps meet them in person and that's really where I would go.

If possible, I would look for personal development coaches, potentially, in the same space that you're in or in around the type of personal development coach that you want and then see if you can, you know, make a connection with them so that you can see if it's a right fit.

You don't want to just hire somebody without actually getting to talk to them because a personal development coach, especially … You're going to have to have a good vibe with this person, you're going to want to see if this person is the right kind of fit for you and you want to understand, well, how do they teach, how do they help develop a person? Is it going to be a right fit for you?

So, even before that, you'll have to know, well, what works for you? Are you motivated by people who are more like drill sergeants or are you more in tune to get work done in things when you have somebody like a friend, holding you accountable or things like that? So, you're going to want to see if this person will help fit that bill, and that only can happen through conversations, whether they are online or in person.

Now, in person would obviously be best, where you can sit down have a coffee, have a chat. Maybe they're at a conference, and you know that they're going to that conference, and go ahead and meet them, or you schedule a call or maybe you do something for them, and then they'll want to spend time with you just to make sure that you're a right fit. I mean that is always how these things start, is with a call or a meeting of some sort. So, putting yourself where those people are already … If they do events, if they speak, that's the best thing you can do.

Second best thing is try to get on a call with them on a Skype conversation, a face-to-face Skype conversation would be, I feel the second best thing where you can an just have a chat and talk and see what they have to offer and how they might help you and then you can talk a little bit about what you're looking to achieve and see, again, if it's a right fit.

You'll also want to do some research, if possible, any other clients that they have, if they're willing to share a little bit about how this person that you're potentially going to hire as a coach is going to be. I mean, you want to do your due diligence and you want to talk to other people just, you know, sort of like references to see how they work and what they've done and how they've improved as well. Have they improved in the same way that you want to improve? Then, that's a good sign.

If not, or if maybe something else took off that really isn't part of what you're looking to do, then it might not be a good fit, but, again, it's going to take a little bit of research and that's something that's definitely worth your while up front to do to find that personal development coach.

Now, you can find and start with Google search, but I wouldn't just hire right off of a Google search. But that's where you can start. You can see who in the space is actually providing this kind of service and then you can use your gut and the vibes that you get from this person's content and any videos that they might have and then, hopefully, any conversations you might have with them … Even on Twitter, but again, like I said, Real one-to-one conversations on Skype via video or even a phone call could potentially work, but in person is best. So, that's how I would go about doing that.

In terms of a mastermind group, there's a lot of different ways to find people in mastermind groups. I've found that the easiest thing is similar to a personal development coach is in person. But it's a little bit easier because you are with people who are in the same boat as you're in, and you are going to find people who are interested also in starting a mastermind group, and even if they aren't or don't even know they're looking for one, this is something where when you're in person, you're building relationships, you're creating friendships and you can just say, “Hey, what if we did this? Why do we have to stop talking when we go home from this event? Why don't we continue to talk regularly over time? Why don't we start a mastermind group and hold each other accountable? I really like what you're doing. Hopefully, you like what I'm doing. We can help each other out and that'll be cool. Maybe we can find some other people.” That's how a lot of mastermind groups start. And it's not, necessarily, a conference.

I've seen mastermind groups form at meet-ups. So, oftentimes, when I go to different events to speak, I will rent out a restaurant and treat people to dinner sometimes and just the people who gather there, they often get together and create mastermind groups of their own as well.

Chris Ducker and I, we go and set up a 1-Day Business Breakthrough training in San Diego when he comes to town and we get about 20 to 40 entrepreneurs who are coming and those people who are all learning together decide often to start mastermind groups together as well. So in person is a great way to do it.

Second best, and I've done this before personally myself, is through online communities. So, whether through a Facebook page or group or group or better yet, a forum or some type of membership site that you are already a part of where there's other people like you who you want to connect with. That's another great place to find a mastermind group. And so, that's how I would go about it.

But again, like with the personal development coach, you want to make sure that these guys are the right fit first … These other people that you're getting together with, that they're a right fit. You want to learn about what they're doing, what their values are and they don't have to be, necessarily, in the same niche as you, but they have to have the same values as you.

They have to make sure that they are committed to this mastermind group as much as you are and I've created a lot of videos actually. The entire month of May, I believe, was dedicated to mastermind groups for SPI TV, so actually, if you go to WatchSPI.tv, you'll see a number of videos listed there that all relate to mastermind groups … How to find your mastermind groups, how to get the most out of your mastermind group, things to look out for when you have a mastermind group, when to leave a mastermind group and all those sorts of things are answered there at watchSPI.TV. I believe it's Episodes 9 to 12, around that time. You'll see them listed there, so go ahead and check that out. Again, that's WatchSPI.tv.

So, Mary, I hope that helps you and gives you a little bit of direction. Thank you so much and I wish you the best of luck. It's great to hear that you are looking for a personal development coach and a mastermind group. That's only going to elevate your brand and your life. So, so much more … It's going to be a huge benefit to you in what you're doing. So, I wish you the best of luck Mary. Thank you so much. An AskPat t-shirt is headed your way for having your question featured here on the show.

For those of you who are listening, if you have a question you'd like, potentially, featured here on the show, please send it in. Just go to AskPat.com, press the record button and you can leave a voice mail from there. Thank you so much.

I wish you all the best today and here is a quote from John Cage to finish off this episode. He said, “I can't understand why people are threatened over new ideas. I'm frightened of the old ones.”

Cheers, take care and I'll see you in the next episode of AskPat. Thanks guys.