Team Problem Solving
Team Problem Solving
It is important to harness the creative power of the whole team.
Have you heard the phrase: "Two minds are better than one"?
The most profitable ideas are usually the fruits of more than one brain. These ideas are usually the fruits of many minds working in harmony, to solve a shared problem.
You need to know how to combine the team's ideas, so the result is not from any one individual, but is rather, the combined efforts of the whole team.
Team creativity is best achieved when its members are working in a cooperative and harmonious way. The best way to do that is to use the Mastermind Principle.
"The Mastermind principle consists of an alliance of two or more minds working in PERFECT HARMONY, for the attainment of a common, definite objective." Napoleon Hill
Tips for creating a Mastermind.
A Mastermind works best, when the members of the team are operating in an attitude of mutual respect and friendship.
The Mastermind alliance does not work at all when there is political game-playing, point scoring, one-up-manship, egotism and character clashes or major disagreement about the purpose or direction of the team.
The whole point of the Mastermind is to harness the joint CREATIVE brain power of its members. That creative spark is only present when people are working together in a cooperative union.
We find that when two or more people come together in a spirit of cooperation and harmony, with a shared purpose, then their creative output seems to be the product of its members, not the sum of its members.
Meaning, three people are six times more creative than one (ie 1 x 2 x 3).
Four people are not four times as creative as one person. Four people, if they are in a proper Mastermind relationship are 24 times more creative than one person (1 x 2 x 3 x 4).
We find that Masterminds need to be limited to between about 2 and 7 people. We find that once we get to groups bigger than seven, there is a tendency for the cell to split into two cells. Like an amoeba. The more people there are in a group, the harder it is for everyone to gel with everyone else.
It seems that people naturally organise themselves into small units of about seven or fewer members. For example, the smallest unit in an army is called a Squad and usually consists of seven people.
The members of the Mastermind should have a mix of skills.
You don't want seven goalkeepers in your Mastermind. You need variety and as much education and variety of experience in the room, at the same time.
Disagreements are okay so long as they are about the method, NOT the goal.
The goal must be shared. The methods to achieve the goal should be variable.
The Mastermind should meet at regular intervals and should ask and answer the following questions.
- What is the goal we are trying to achieve?
- What is our current plan of action?
- What is the feedback we have been getting?
- What has been going well?
- What has not been going so well?
- In relation to what has not been going so well, what can we adapt, alter, omit or change, that will improve the current situation?
- In relation to what is already going well, what can we do to improve on our best?
Examples of the Mastermind Alliance
Every great enterprise is the product of a Mastermind alliance.
- The building of the Apollo.
- The building of the iPhone.
- Producing a can of Coca-Cola.
With whom could you form a profitable Mastermind alliance?
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Definition: Mastermind Principle
In business teamwork, the Mastermind Principle is a rule that says: when 2–7 people meet often in a spirit of trust, they turn into one joint brain focused on a single goal. Each person gives ideas, listens, and acts as one, so the group’s output grows far beyond the sum of its parts.
Show CG4D Definition
- Involves an alliance of two to seven individuals
- Requires mutual respect, trust and perfect harmony
- Centres on one clear, shared objective
- Uses regular meetings to pool ideas and agree joint action
Article Summary
Put 3 to 7 people in a friendly mastermind, give them one clear goal and meet often; their ideas join into one strong answer, and studies show such small, engaged teams fix issues 25% faster and earn 21% more profit than larger or split groups.
Frequently Asked Questions
Here are some questions that frequently get asked about this topic during our training sessions.
What is the Mastermind principle in team problem solving?
Why should a mastermind have only 2–7 members?
How often should a mastermind team meet?
Which questions guide a productive mastermind meeting?
How do we handle disagreements inside a mastermind?
What mix of skills should a mastermind include?
Can you give real-world examples of mastermind alliances?
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Did You Know: Key Statistics
Gallup’s 2022 meta-analysis of 112,000 business units found highly engaged teams deliver 21% higher profitability and 18% higher productivity than poorly engaged teams. The 2024 Atlassian State of Teams report shows teams with 3–7 members resolve issues 25% faster and record 20% higher innovation scores than teams of eight or more.About the Author: Chris Farmer
Chris Farmer is the founder of the Corporate Coach Group and has many years' experience in training leaders and managers, in both the public and private sectors, to achieve their organisational goals, especially during tough economic times. He is also well aware of the disciplines and problems associated with running a business.
Over the years, Chris has designed and delivered thousands of training programmes and has coached and motivated many management teams, groups and individuals. His training programmes are both structured and clear, designed to help delegates organise their thinking and, wherever necessary, to improve their techniques and skills.
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