Mastermind sessions

Our “mastermind” group
is a peer-mentoring network usually composed of three to six participants with
a maximum of eight to ten participants. The main purpose of our mastermind
group is to help its members navigate the challenges and solve problems using
their collective knowledge and experiences. These groups are self-directed. The
original purpose of the mastermind group concept was to enable a group-based
approach to problem-solving.

Each mastermind group
agrees on the agenda, goals, approaches, timelines, frequency, and format of
its meetings. Meetings are regular and can be face-to-face, virtual (e.g., via
teleconference or Skype), or a mixture of both based on the group members’
needs and preferences. The agenda of the meetings address a specific common
interest of the participants, e.g., research or teaching. The members support
each other by contributing different skills, perspectives, and experiences.
Mentoring programs with colleagues at a medical faculty can lead to
participants experiencing an appreciative culture, clarifying their own career
goals and priorities, and feeling enhanced enthusiasm for collaboration. The
success of peer-mentoring programs in a university setting has been reported to
rely on the relationships within the group and on the use of feedback as a
coaching tool.

Our mastermind group is
a peer-mentoring network that contributes to a deeper understanding of each
member’s current work situation, experiences, and skills. The members
collectively tackle current challenges and opportunities, mentor one another,
and hold each other accountable for actions collectively agreed upon at group
meetings. These groups can be effective toward shifting focus from the negative
aspects of a challenge faced by a group member to the positive aspects of a
potential solution. Involvement in a mastermind group facilitates early career
researchers’ pursuit of a career within or outside academia. Our mastermind
group provides a level of support beyond that offered by the
department/institution. In the long-term (median four years), involvement in
peer mentoring activities has been associated with increased satisfaction with
productivity and associated benefits.