Five entrepreneurial brains gathered around a dinner table. Brain number one was struggling to find answers to a vexing question: "what should I title my new keynote speech and related seminar?"
This brain, belonging to Joan, knew that she could get help from similar brains if she just brought them together, opened everyones mind with a clear statement of her problem, and then let the ideas flow. For two hours we focused on her question. Each new idea generated other questions. Joan captured this outpouring of creativity. By the end of the dinner we had debated the top four or five ideas, with a list of pros and cons for each. Joan would choose her title from among those.
This dinner started The Braintrust. Everyone wanted their turn too, so we agreed to meet quarterly, with each person being host and the focus of our attention. We recognized the power of five brains trained on one problem. We agreed to lay one specific problem on the table, give help freely and keep our conversations and trial balloons completely confidential.
Once each person had their turn in Braintrust Year One we realized:
- We were energized in the process of helping others.
- We had created something larger than our original purpose.
- We wanted more . . .
Braintrust Year Two got off to an amazing start. We completed Goal Positioning Sheets and laid our highest hopes and worse fears on the table for everyone to see and hear. Each of us prefaced our goal presentation with the statement I took a deep breath, faced what I was most afraid of or most daunted by, and made that my goal. Everyone received praise for their guts, and specific help for their next steps. My own goal is to sell more products online. My obstacle to that is my limited understanding of how to use internet marketing tools. One of the others suggested I look online for tutorials. Imagine my surprise when I opened the home page of my shopping cart service and there in bold print was a link to their tutorials. Although I know its been there for years, I had never before seen this link because I wasnt looking for it!
Whats new here? Isnt this a Master Mind group? Heres whats new:
- We came together because we knew and liked each other
- Our processes have developed organically over time and in response to our needs
- We have complementary businessesno competition, but similar issues (services businesses, business development, marketing, customer service, fees/prices)
- Calling ourselves The Braintrust reflects our confidence in each others smarts and that trust is commitment number one.
Stuck in a rut? Need a board of creative directors? Wondering if your newest idea is crazy or concrete? Bring together your own Braintrust and see what you have never seen before even if its been there all along.
Speeches and consulting by Susan G. Trivers, MBA to executives and entrepreneurs leads them to new discoveries, ways to think fresh about old ideas, and how communcation skillfulness is the basis for all achievements.
Start with Susans two fundamental principles: Put the Audience First and Be Yourself, Polished. Add effective leading (not supporting) materials to your key points, craft excellent stories, and add engagement activities and youll raise your career profile.
The Red-Hot Guide to COOL Speaking Craft and Deliver presentations that are Creative, Original, Outsized & Liberated is Susans easy-to-use, apply-it-now e-book that answers all your questions about standing out when youre standing up in front of an audience. Available at http://www.susantrivers.com/store.php
Questions are always cheerfully answered at susan@susantrivers.com
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