APSS PROFESSIONAL DEVELOPMENT · COMPONENT 3 OF 6

Mastermind Groups

Four to six members. Once a month. Real work, honest feedback.

Web edition 2.0 · 27 October 2026 · PD Pillar

A Mastermind Group is four to six APSS members who meet every month to sharpen each other's craft in speaking, training, coaching and consultancy.

Here is everything you need to form one, run it well and keep it healthy, in the Spirit of APSS and based on how professional speaking masterminds work around the world.

At a glance

Everything on this page in one table. Each line is explained in the sections below.

Question	Answer
What it is	Four to six APSS members who meet every month to sharpen each other's craft by doing real work in front of each other.
What you practise	The four practices: speaking, training, coaching and consultancy.
The spirit	The Spirit of APSS: build a bigger pie by making sure speakers are better. Give as much as you take.
Who can join	APSS members. Associate and Professional Members form groups together. CSPs may join or form their own circles.
How many	Four to six. Five is ideal.
How often	Once a month, at a fixed time, for three hours. Online groups can meet for two hours.
How long you commit	Twelve months, with a review at six months.
What happens	At every meeting two members bring real work: a slice of a talk, a training segment, a live coaching session, a sales call. The group tells them what landed. Everyone does one short drill.
The rules	What is said here stays here. Real work only. Feedback on the work, not the person. Ask before you advise. The owner of the work decides. Equal airtime.
Who runs it	The members. A convenor sets it up. The host of each meeting rotates. There is no chair and no expert.
Cost	No APSS fee. Members share any room or food costs.
What APSS does	Encourages groups, keeps a voluntary register and counts groups. APSS never assigns members and never monitors what you discuss.

What a Mastermind Group is

A Mastermind Group is a small group of APSS members at a similar stage who meet regularly to make each other better at the work. In APSS we describe it in one line: we sharpen each other's sword.

The sword is your craft in four practices: speaking, training, coaching and consultancy. Most members earn a living from two or more of them. Each one is a skill you only get better at by doing it, being watched and being told what landed.

So the heart of every meeting is simple. A member does real work in front of the group. The group tells them what worked and what did not. The member takes it away, uses it, and tells the group next month what happened.

Where the idea comes from

The phrase "master mind" comes from Napoleon Hill. He wrote about it in The Law of Success (written in 1925, published in 1928) and made it famous in Think and Grow Rich (1937), where he defined it as the "coordination of knowledge and effort, in a spirit of harmony, between two or more people, for the attainment of a definite purpose."

The practice is much older than the name. In 1727 Benjamin Franklin started the Junto in Philadelphia: a club of up to twelve tradesmen and clerks who met on Friday evenings to improve themselves and each other. In Oxford in the 1930s and 1940s, C.S. Lewis, J.R.R. Tolkien and their friends met as the Inklings and read their works in progress aloud for criticism. First drafts of The Lord of the Rings were heard in that room.

Speaker associations were built on the same idea. NSA in the United States calls it the Spirit of Cavett, after its founder: members share their time, expertise and knowledge to help each other become better speakers. Professional Speakers Australia began as two small groups of speakers meeting over drinks at the pub. Today speaker associations from Canada to Southern Africa run masterminds for their members (see "What the best speaker masterminds do").

Our version sits closer to the Inklings than to Hill. We do not only talk about our goals. We bring the work itself.

How it differs from mentoring, a class and networking

	Mastermind Group	Mentoring	A class	Networking
Who is in the room	Peers at a similar stage	You and one mentor, a level above you	A trainer and learners	Anyone
Who leads	The members, in turn	The mentor guides	The trainer	No one
What happens	You do real work and get candid feedback	You get guidance on your path	You learn content	You meet people and swap contacts
What you leave with	One change to your work, tested in the room	Direction and a next step	New knowledge and a module done	Contacts
How long	Twelve months, renewable	Six month cycles	One run of a module	One evening

What it is not

Not a goal setting circle. Reporting back on what you tried takes three minutes. Practice takes the rest of the meeting.
Not a sales room. Nobody sells to anyone in the group.
Not therapy. Personal life comes in only as far as it affects the work and the member wants it to.
Not an APSS committee. It reports nothing to APSS except that it exists and who is in it.
Not an assessment. Nobody in your group grades you.

The Spirit of APSS in your group

APSS began in 2004 on the Spirit of APSS, adopted from Cavett Robert, the founder of the National Speakers Association: an association where professional speakers "support each other's growth". A Mastermind Group is that spirit at its smallest scale. This is how the words on our website become habits in your group.

In the words of APSS	What it means in your group
"Build a bigger pie for all in the speaking industry"	Help each other win. Share ideas, contacts and opportunities freely. Never poach.
"Make the speaking pie bigger by making sure speakers are better"	The purpose of every meeting: better speakers, trainers, coaches and consultants.
"Service leads to growth"	Give as much as you take. Prepare, show up and give real feedback to others.
"You get from the association in proportion to what you put in"	Your group gives back what you bring to it. Bring real work.
"Led by the members for the members"	Members form and run their own groups. APSS supports and never directs.
"We value honesty, integrity, trust and good character"	Honest feedback, given kindly and kept in confidence.
"We honour the creative property of each member"	What you see in the room stays the member's own work.
"Share knowledge, experiences and expertise among members"	Generous notes in every spotlight and real experience in every clinic.
APSS Kampong Spirit: "fostering strong bonds with fellow APSS members in your vicinity"	Want to meet in person? Start with members in your Kampong zone.

Where it fits in APSS Professional Development

APSS Professional Development has six components that work as one. Competency (the course) and Assessment (the check) are the assessed pair, and completing both is Certification. The Mastermind Group is component 3. It is where you practise what the course taught you, in front of people who will tell you the truth.

Figure 1. The Mastermind Group is one of six components that work as one.

Component	How your Mastermind Group links to it
1 Competency	Practise what a module taught you. Bring the framework from AM08 or the opening from AM01 and run it in front of the group.
2 Assessment	Rehearse before you submit. Your group can watch your video and tell you what landed. The evidence you submit must be your own work.
4 Mentoring	Your mentor guides you from one level above. Your group sharpens you from alongside. Bring your mentor's advice to the group and test it in practice.
5 Serving and Showing Up	Monthly meetings, the Convention, Special Interest Groups and Kampongs are where you meet future group members. Go together and review what you saw at your next meeting.
6 Personal Breakthrough	Tell your group which of the 8 Seasons of Growth you are in: Clarity, Story, Expertise, Build, Visibility, Connection, Expansion or Regeneration. It tells them what kind of help you need right now.

The four practices and the four Es

The four Es are the pillars of APSS PD: Expertise (what you know), Eloquence (how you deliver it), Enterprise (how you build a business on it) and Ethics (how you conduct yourself). Every activity in this guide builds at least one of them, in at least one of the four practices.

Figure 2. One group, four practices. "PD activities for your group" has the full list of activities.

What the best speaker masterminds do

Before writing this guide we looked at how professional speakers around the world run their masterminds: the speaker associations in the United States, Canada, the United Kingdom and Ireland, Australia and Southern Africa, Toastmasters, and well known speaker trainers. This is what they do and what APSS has taken from them.

Who	How their speakers mastermind	What APSS took
National Speakers Association (NSA) USA	Some chapters, such as Austin, run mastermind meetings on the business of speaking, either led by one member or as an open roundtable, focusing on one question or idea at a time. Others, such as Wisconsin, hold mastermind sessions for Academy graduates and Professional Members. Members also meet in online community groups, for example by income level or by role such as emcees.	Masterminds for craft and for the business of speaking. One question at a time.
Canadian Association of Professional Speakers (CAPS) Canada	Lists masterminds among its member benefits, next to skill specific communities and a group for high income earners.	Masterminds as a core member benefit.
Professional Speaking Association (PSA) UK and Ireland	Regions meet monthly. Some evenings give members five minute slots to test new material in front of a friendly audience: a new opening or close, a story, a slide sequence, jokes or an unfinished idea. Then two fast mastermind rounds: one on an opportunity, one on a problem. Other regions run sessions on how to run a good mastermind.	Test real material, unfinished is fine. Short, timed slots. Structure and facilitation matter.
Professional Speakers Australia Australia	Began as two small groups of speakers meeting over drinks at the pub and grew into a national body built on peer to peer support.	Small groups of peers are where speaker communities start.
Professional Speakers Association of Southern Africa (PSASA) South Africa	Masterminds are hosted by members, not run as official chapters, and meet online so members can join from anywhere. Groups form around a focus, such as coaches, trainers and facilitators, podcasting or book writing. One group, for women who use speaking, facilitation, coaching, training and consulting in their business, meets monthly on the first Thursday at 7.30pm. A chapter ran a workshop to help speakers form or join masterminds, describing them as small, committed groups whose members share on an equal footing with nobody in charge.	Member hosted, association supported. A fixed monthly slot. Equal footing. Groups that span the four practices.
Toastmasters International Global	Its magazine reports that four to eight members is common. Each member gets equal time in the "hot seat". A leader keeps the discussion on track and watches the time. Expectations on attendance, participation and confidentiality are set up front, with a structured agenda every meeting and a way to talk between meetings. "Group chemistry is everything." One member credits his group for helping him reach Accredited Speaker.	Equal hot seat time, a host and a timekeeper, rules agreed up front, chemistry first.
The Speaker Lab USA, speaker training company	Groups of four to eight, with four or five easiest to schedule. Meetings of 60 to 90 minutes, weekly, every two weeks or monthly, in person or online. In the hot seat, members listen to feedback without responding straight away. Look for peers at your level or slightly ahead. "Mastermind groups are not a class." Commit fully or wait.	Small groups, the owner listens first, peers not teachers, full commitment.
Jack Canfield USA, speaker and trainer, The Success Principles	Meetings every week or two of one to two hours, with a leader and a timekeeper. Each member shares something new and good, asks for help in an agreed slot, then commits to a stretch before the next meeting and reports back.	A short report back on what you tried, and one clear commitment at the close.
Karyn Greenstreet USA, mastermind facilitator	Five to eight members. Below four the energy drops; above eight you run out of time. A hot seat takes about 30 minutes. Choose members at a similar level, keep direct competitors apart, and agree written guidelines.	Group size, choosing members, written guidelines.
Napoleon Hill USA, 1928 and 1937	Coined "master mind": a group working in harmony towards a definite purpose achieves more than one mind alone.	The name and the purpose.

Twelve practices the best speaker masterminds share

Small groups. Four to eight is common. Four or five is easiest to schedule. APSS uses four to six.
Peers on an equal footing. Nobody is in charge and nobody is the teacher. It is not a class.
Chemistry first. Talk to people before you invite them. Look for generosity, honesty and commitment.
Rules agreed up front. Attendance, participation and confidentiality are settled before the first real meeting.
A structured agenda every time, with a host and a timekeeper.
Equal time in the spotlight. Every member gets their turn.
Real material, tested live. Openings, closes, stories, slides and jokes, tried in front of a friendly room before a paying one. Unfinished is fine.
Craft and business together. Delivery, and also marketing, positioning, pricing and sales.
The owner listens first. Take the feedback in before you respond.
A fixed monthly slot, in person or online.
Member hosted, association supported. Members run their own groups. The association helps them form and keeps them visible.
Report back and commit. A short report on what you tried, and one clear commitment for next time.

What we chose to do differently

Practice is the main event. Many masterminds centre on goals and accountability. In APSS the report back takes three minutes. Doing the work in front of peers takes the rest.
Shorter spotlights. Some formats give each member a full hour early on. We keep a spotlight to 40 minutes so two members get one every meeting.
One retreat a year, not four. The Speaker Lab notes that quarterly retreats can leave people drained.
No fines and no strict expulsions. Some business forums fine latecomers and remove a member on the third missed meeting. We prefer a conversation (see "Rules of engagement").

Methods we borrowed for practice and feedback

Speaker masterminds tell us what to do. For how to give feedback on a performance, we also borrowed proven methods from the stage, the classroom, film, writing and coaching. "Giving and taking feedback" explains each one.

Method	Where it comes from	How we use it
Critical Response Process	Choreographer Liz Lerman, USA, 1990	Our main feedback format, "What landed"
Speech evaluation	Toastmasters International	Feedback language: the speech, not the person
Microteaching	Stanford University, USA, 1960s	Teach back, and Two plus two feedback
Lesson study	Japan; brought to a Singapore school by NIE in 2006	Learner watch: watch the audience, not the presenter
Milford method	Writers' workshop, USA, 1956	The Milford round for proposals, workbooks and scripts
Braintrust notes	Pixar, USA	The owner of the work decides
Mentor coaching	International Coaching Federation	Recorded session review, with client consent
Balint groups	London, UK, 1950s	Case reflection for coaches
Clearness committee	Quaker practice, written up by Parker Palmer	Honest, open questions
Case clinic	Presencing Institute (Otto Scharmer)	Stuck client clinic
After action review	US Army	Gig review
Murder board and premortem	US military; Gary Klein, 2007	Pitch defence and Premortem
Forum confidentiality levels	EO forum practice	Three levels of confidentiality
Stages of group development	Bruce Tuckman, 1965 and 1977	Planning for the life of a group

Who to invite and building chemistry

How many members

Four to six. Five is ideal.

Speaker masterminds around the world mostly run with four to eight members, and The Speaker Lab finds four or five the easiest to schedule. Karyn Greenstreet, a US mastermind facilitator, finds that the energy drops below four and that above eight you run out of time. In a practice group everyone needs time on their feet. Our spotlights run 40 minutes, two per meeting. With five members, each person is in the spotlight every two or three months and does a short drill every month.

The right mix

Aim for	Avoid
A similar stage. Members at a similar level of experience and income. Peers, not mentor and mentee.	One member far ahead of the rest. That turns the group into mentoring.
Different practices. At least two of the four practices in the group. A trainer sees things in a keynote that a speaker misses.	Five people with the same topic chasing the same buyers.
Comparable ambition. Everyone wants to be noticeably better in twelve months.	Members who want company more than feedback.
Reliability. People who keep their commitments.	People who already miss most things.
Generosity. People who give as well as take.	Members who only want the spotlight.
Clean roles. Keep your mentor, mentee, business partner and close relatives out of your group.	Mixed roles that make candour hard.

Direct competitors. If two members chase the same buyers with the same topic, say so at the start. Agree how you will handle it, or form different groups.

What chemistry really is

"Group chemistry is everything," says Toastmasters Magazine in its guide to mastermind groups. Chemistry is not everyone liking each other. It is everyone trusting each other enough to show rough work and hear hard truths. Google's Project Aristotle found that how a team works together matters more than who is on it, and that psychological safety, feeling safe to take risks in front of each other, matters most of all. The same is true of a mastermind.

Signs of good chemistry	Warning signs
People bring unfinished work without apologising.	People only bring polished work.
Feedback is specific and kind.	Feedback is vague praise, or point scoring.
Quiet members speak as much as loud ones.	Two people do most of the talking.
Members report back on what they tried.	The same problems come back unchanged.
People look forward to the meeting.	Meetings keep getting moved.
Disagreement is open and short.	Disagreement goes to side chats.

Test before you commit

Do not commit to a year on the strength of one coffee. Test first.

Chemistry coffee. All the possible members meet for 45 minutes. Each brings a two minute sample of their work. Use the ten chemistry questions in "Questions to ask".
Two test drive meetings. Run them exactly like real meetings, with spotlights and feedback.
Decide privately. After the second test drive, each person tells the convenor yes or no. Anyone can say no without giving a reason. The group forms only if everyone says yes.

Form your group in eight steps

Forming a group usually takes four to six weeks. Then the year begins.

Figure 3. Eight steps to form the group, then twelve monthly meetings with two review points.

Step	What to do	Tip
1 Know what you want sharpened	Write one sentence: "In twelve months I want to be noticeably better at ___."	Name the practice and the season you are in.
2 Find possible members	Look in your cohort class, at monthly meetings, in your Kampong or Special Interest Group, at the Convention and in APSS chat groups. Ask the APSS PD team whether anyone on the register is looking for a group.	Faculty may invite their cohort to form groups. They never assign people.
3 Hold a chemistry coffee	Meet for 45 minutes. Use the ten chemistry questions in "Questions to ask".	Bring a two minute sample of your work.
4 Run two test drives	Run two meetings exactly like real ones, with spotlights and feedback.	Decide privately after the second. Everyone must say yes.
5 Sign the group agreement	Adapt Template A. Everyone signs.	Read it aloud at the first real meeting.
6 Fix the calendar	Book twelve monthly dates now, in the same slot each month, plus a half day retreat.	A fixed slot beats a floating one.
7 Pick roles	Choose a convenor for the year and hosts for the first three meetings.	Rotate the host every meeting.
8 Tell APSS	Send the register details in Template E to the APSS PD team.	APSS records that you exist and who is in it. Never what you discuss.

After that: meet every month, review at six months, and at twelve months decide together whether to renew, reform or close (see "Six month and twelve month reviews").

Roles in the group

Role	Who	What they do	For how long
Convenor	One member	Sets up the group, keeps the calendar and the agreement, is the contact for APSS, welcomes new members and calls the reviews.	Twelve months, then rotates
Host	Rotates	Runs the meeting, keeps to the agenda, agrees the feedback format with each spotlight member, makes sure everyone speaks.	One meeting
Timekeeper	Rotates	Runs a visible timer. Calls time politely and firmly, for responders as well as presenters.	One meeting
Spotlight member	Two members each meeting	Brings real work, says what feedback they want, then decides what to use.	One meeting
Responders	Everyone else	Watch closely, follow the feedback format, give specific notes.	Every meeting
Note keeper	Rotates, often the host	Keeps only the "next time" list: who brings what next month. Never a record of what was said.	One meeting

There is no chair and no expert. Nobody in the group outranks anyone else, whatever their tier. Up to twice a year the group may invite a guest, such as a CSP, a faculty member or a friendly client, if everyone agrees. Guests follow the same confidentiality rule.

Rules of engagement

These twelve rules put the Spirit of APSS and our values into practice, using what works in professional speaking masterminds around the world and the feedback methods in "What the best speaker masterminds do". Read them aloud at your first meeting, change what you need to, and sign them (Template A).

	Rule	What it means	Where it comes from
1	What is said here stays here	Nothing about another member's work, clients or life leaves the room, not even to partners or friends.	APSS values (trust), Toastmasters, The Speaker Lab, EO and YPO forums
2	Bring real work	Bring the actual talk, segment, session or proposal, not a description of it. Rough is fine.	PSA UK and Ireland, the Inklings
3	Prepare and show up	Come on time, prepared, with your work ready to run. Phones away.	Spirit of APSS (service leads to growth), Toastmasters, The Speaker Lab
4	Feedback on the work, not the person	Talk about what was said and done, never about who someone is.	Toastmasters
5	Observation before opinion	Say what you saw and heard first. Opinions come last.	Critical Response Process, microteaching
6	Ask before you advise	Offer an opinion only when the owner wants it: "I have a thought on your close. Do you want it?"	Critical Response Process
7	Speak from "I"	"I lost the thread at the second story" beats "You lost us."	Toastmasters, EO forums
8	The owner decides	The group has no authority. Listen first, then choose what to use and what to leave.	The Speaker Lab, Pixar Braintrust
9	Equal airtime	Everyone speaks. The host draws out quiet members and holds back loud ones.	Toastmasters, Jack Canfield, Google Project Aristotle
10	Close the loop	Next month, tell the group what you used and what happened.	Jack Canfield, after action review
11	Respect ideas and clients	What you see in the room is the member's own work. Do not use it. Anonymise clients. Record only with consent.	APSS values (honour the creative property of each member), ICF mentor coaching
12	No selling, no poaching	Do not sell to each other or chase another member's client. Declare any business between members to the group.	Spirit of APSS (a bigger pie for all), Karyn Greenstreet (keep competitors apart)

Three levels of confidentiality

Some things need extra care. Borrowed from business forum practice, any member can name one of three levels when they share something.

Level	Name	What it means
1	In the room (the default)	Stays within the group.
2	Only when I am here	The group discusses it only when I am present.
3	Never again unless I raise it	Nobody brings it up again, inside or outside the group, unless I do. This matches the Quaker clearness committee rule.

How we disagree

Franklin's Junto fined members for flat contradiction. We do not fine anyone, but the spirit holds. Disagree with the idea, in the room, briefly. Try: "I saw it differently. For me the story worked because..." Then let the owner decide. Do not carry the argument on in side chats.

Attendance

Treat every meeting as a commitment to the others. Your absence costs them a spotlight or a responder.
If you cannot come, tell the host at least 48 hours before.
Miss two meetings in a row and the convenor will call you for a friendly chat.
Miss three in twelve months and it is time to step down so someone else can take the seat. No hard feelings.

Between meetings

Use one group chat for logistics, wins and useful links.
Do not give feedback on someone's work in the chat unless they ask for it.
Practice pairs can meet for 30 minutes online between meetings to rehearse.
The chat is confidential too. No screenshots, no forwarding.

How often you meet

Monthly, for three hours, at a fixed time. That is our recommendation, and it matches what works around the world.

Rhythm	Length	Best for	Spotlights each time
Monthly in person (recommended)	3 hours	Groups of four to six in Singapore	2
Monthly online	2 hours	Groups with members overseas or who travel a lot	1 or 2
Every two weeks online	90 minutes	Groups of four who want a faster pace	1
Annual retreat in person	Half day	Every group, once a year	4 or more, plus the year in review
Practice pairs (optional)	30 minutes	Two members rehearsing between meetings	Not applicable

Whatever you choose, keep the slot fixed, for example the second Saturday morning of every month. Commit for twelve months and review at six.

How speaker masterminds around the world do it

Group	Size	Rhythm and length
PSASA Global Women Speakers Mastermind (Southern Africa)	Not stated	Monthly, first Thursday at 7.30pm, online
PSA UK and Ireland regions	A regional meeting	Monthly evening meetings, some with test slots and mastermind rounds
NSA Austin chapter mastermind (USA)	Chapter members	About two hours, held regularly
Groups described in Toastmasters Magazine	4 to 8	From 90 minutes weekly for three months to ten two hour meetings a year
The Speaker Lab guidance (USA)	4 to 8, or 4 to 5 for easy scheduling	60 to 90 minutes, weekly, every two weeks or monthly
Jack Canfield's mastermind format (USA)	Small group	One to two hours, every week or two
Karyn Greenstreet's groups (USA)	5 to 8	Three hour meetings worked well for eight
APSS Mastermind Group	4 to 6	Monthly, three hours, fixed slot

Our meetings are longer than most because every meeting includes live practice, not only discussion.

How a meeting runs

Every meeting has the same shape, so nobody has to invent the process. This is a three hour meeting for five members.

Figure 4. A three hour meeting at a glance. Practice fills most of the time.

Time	Part	What happens
0:00	Settle (10 min)	Coffee, set up the room or the call, timer on. The host names today's two spotlights.
0:10	Since last time (15 min)	Each member, three minutes: what I tried from last month's feedback and what happened. No discussion.
0:25	Spotlight 1 (40 min)	Set up (3 min), the work itself (10 to 15 min), feedback in the agreed format (20 min), the owner sums up what they will use (2 min).
1:05	Spotlight 2 (40 min)	Same shape. A different member, and usually a different practice.
1:45	Break (10 min)
1:55	Drill round (30 min)	Everyone practises one short thing, such as a 90 second opening or one coaching question. Quick Two plus two feedback.
2:25	Clinic (25 min)	One member brings a live problem: a stuck client, a pricing question, a tricky group. Honest, open questions first, then experience sharing.
2:50	Close (10 min)	Each member names one thing they will try before next month. Confirm next month's host, spotlights and venue.
3:00	End	Start on time. Finish on time.

Setting up a spotlight

Before the work starts, the spotlight member takes three minutes to set the scene:

What the piece is and where it will be used.
Who the real audience is and what they already know.
What they want the audience to think, feel or do at the end.
What feedback they want today, and what they do not want today.
Which feedback format to use (see "Giving and taking feedback") and any confidentiality level.

The group then becomes that audience: a room of sales managers, a board, a coaching client, a class of new supervisors.

The online version (two hours)

Time	Part
0:00	Settle (5 min)
0:05	Since last time (12 min)
0:17	Spotlight 1 (40 min)
0:57	Break (5 min)
1:02	Spotlight 2 (40 min)
1:42	Lightning drill (10 min)
1:52	Close (8 min)
2:00	End

Cameras on. Use speaker view while a member performs.
Record only a spotlight, only with the owner's consent, and send the file only to the owner.
Use breakout rooms for triads and pair drills.

Your first meeting

Time	Part
0:00	Settle (10 min)
0:10	Introductions, each with a two minute work sample (25 min)
0:35	Read and adapt the group agreement, then sign it (30 min)
1:05	Each member's twelve month sentence and current season (25 min)
1:30	Break (10 min)
1:40	Pick the convenor and hosts, and fix the calendar (20 min)
2:00	One demonstration spotlight using "What landed" (45 min)
2:45	Close (15 min)

The annual retreat

Once a year, meet in person for a half day. Look back: what is each member now better at? Compare a video from month one with one from month twelve if you have them. Run four big spotlights, such as full talks or long segments. Hold the twelve month review (see "Six month and twelve month reviews"). End with a meal.

Giving and taking feedback

Feedback is what a Mastermind Group produces. These formats come from theatre, film, writing, teaching, medicine and the military. Agree one with the spotlight member before they start.

Format	Steps	Best for	Time	From
What landed (our main format)	1 What landed. 2 The owner asks. 3 Neutral questions. 4 Opinions, with permission.	Any performance: a talk, a segment, a session	20 min	Liz Lerman's Critical Response Process
Two plus two	Each responder gives two strengths and two suggestions.	Drills and short runs	2 min each	Stanford microteaching
Milford round	Each responder speaks once, timed and uninterrupted. The owner stays silent, then replies.	Written work: proposals, workbooks, scripts	3 min each	Milford writers' workshop
Experience share	"When I faced something like this, I..." No advice.	Business and client problems	15 to 20 min	EO and YPO forums
Honest, open questions	Only questions the asker cannot guess the answer to.	Decisions and stuck moments	20 min	Quaker clearness committee
Gig review	What did I expect? What happened? What went well and why? What can improve and how?	After a real talk, workshop or engagement	15 min	After action review
Case clinic	The case giver explains. Stillness. Coaches mirror images and feelings. Open dialogue.	A stuck client or project	45 to 60 min	Presencing Institute
Pitch defence	The group plays a tough panel and grills you.	Proposals, fees, hard Q&A	20 min	Murder boards

How to run "What landed"

Step	What happens	Example
1 What landed (5 min)	Each responder says what stood out, what they will remember, what moved them.	"The pause before 'and then she stood up' made the whole room lean in."
2 The owner asks (5 min)	The owner asks their own questions. Responders answer only those.	"Did the second story feel too long?"
3 Neutral questions (5 min)	Responders ask questions with no opinion hidden inside.	"What did you want them to feel at the end?" rather than "Why was the end so flat?"
4 Opinions, with permission (5 min)	Responders offer an opinion only if the owner says yes.	"I have a thought about your close. Do you want it?" The owner can say "Yes" or "Not today."

Then the owner takes two minutes to sum up what they will use. Nobody argues with the summary.

Good feedback language

Instead of	Try
"You seemed nervous."	"You clicked the pen twelve times in the first two minutes."
"It was great!"	"The callback to the airport story got the biggest laugh."
"You should cut the middle."	"I drifted at the data slide. Do you want a thought on it?"
"You lost us."	"I lost the thread after the second story."
"That's wrong."	"I saw it differently. For me..."
"Why did you do that?"	"What were you hoping would happen there?"

Describe what you saw and heard, not what you think it means.
Name the one or two changes that matter most. A list of twenty helps nobody.
Say what to keep, not only what to fix.
Talk about the work, never the person.

Taking feedback well

Listen and take notes. Do not defend or explain while feedback is being given.
Say thank you, even when it stings.
If a note is vague, ask for an example.
Decide later what to use. You own the work.
Tell the group next month what you used. That is how they learn to help you better.

PD activities for your group

Every activity below has a member doing real work in front of peers and hearing what landed. They are grouped by the four practices, plus two that cross practices. Pick what fits the work your members have coming up.

Speaking

Activity	What you do	Time	Feedback	Builds
Keynote slice	Deliver 10 to 15 minutes of a real talk, ideally one you are booked to give. The group plays the actual audience.	40 min	What landed	Eloquence
Three openings	Deliver three different 90 second openings for the same talk. The group says which one they would stay for, and why.	15 min	Two plus two	Eloquence
Story stack	Tell a signature story in three minutes, then in 60 seconds. The group names the one detail that must survive.	15 min	What landed	Eloquence, Expertise
Tough room	Give a short talk, then face five minutes of hard questions from the group playing sceptics.	20 min	Pitch defence	Eloquence, Ethics
Video replay	Watch five minutes of a recent gig. The speaker says what they were thinking at each point. The group watches the audience as well as the speaker.	30 min	Gig review	Eloquence
Punch up	Bring three lines that should get a laugh or a nod. The group works on them like a comedy writers' room.	15 min	Two plus two	Eloquence

Training

Activity	What you do	Time	Feedback	Builds
Teach back	Teach a 10 minute segment of a real workshop to the group as learners. Take feedback, then teach the same segment again with the changes.	45 min	Two plus two, then reteach	Expertise, Eloquence
Activity test drive	Run a new exercise on the group as real participants. Debrief it as you would in class.	30 min	What landed	Expertise
Learner watch	Run a segment, live or on video. Observers watch only the learners: where they lean in, where they drift, where they get lost.	40 min	Gig review	Expertise
Debrief drill	Run only the debrief of an activity, using your real questions. The group answers as learners would.	20 min	Two plus two	Eloquence
Difficult participant	Teach while two members play a challenging participant: the know it all, the silent one, the cynic.	20 min	Experience share	Eloquence, Ethics
Materials swap	Bring a workbook, slide deck or handout. The group reads it cold.	25 min	Milford round	Expertise, Enterprise

Coaching

Activity	What you do	Time	Feedback	Builds
Coaching fishbowl	One member coaches another on a real issue for 15 minutes. The rest watch against an agreed standard, such as the ICF core competencies.	40 min	What landed	Expertise, Ethics
Triads	In threes: coach, client and observer, 10 minutes each, then rotate. The observer gives the feedback.	45 min	Two plus two	Eloquence
Recorded session review	Play ten minutes of a recorded client session, with the client's written consent.	30 min	What landed	Expertise, Ethics
Case reflection	Describe an anonymised client who is on your mind. The group explores the relationship, not the fix.	30 min	Honest, open questions	Ethics, Expertise
Question drill	The group coaches one member for ten minutes using only honest, open questions. No advice at all.	20 min	Two plus two	Eloquence

Consultancy

Activity	What you do	Time	Feedback	Builds
Discovery call	One member plays a buyer using a real brief. The consultant runs the first 15 minutes of the call.	35 min	What landed	Enterprise
Proposal autopsy	Bring a proposal you won or lost. The group reads it cold, then works out why it won or lost.	30 min	Milford round, then gig review	Enterprise
Pitch defence	Present a recommendation or proposal in five minutes. The group grills you as the client's board.	25 min	Pitch defence	Enterprise, Expertise
Premortem	Imagine your current engagement has failed badly. Everyone writes down why. Plan against the top three risks.	30 min	Experience share	Enterprise, Ethics
Fee defence	State your fee for a real job. The group pushes back as buyers. Hold the price, or trade scope, without discounting.	15 min	Two plus two	Enterprise
Stuck client clinic	Bring a client situation that has stalled.	50 min	Case clinic	Enterprise, Ethics

Across practices

Activity	What you do	Time	Feedback	Builds
One idea, four products	Take one piece of work in one practice, such as a keynote, and turn it into a product in another: a workshop, a coaching programme or a consulting diagnostic. The group designs it with you in the room.	45 min	Experience share, then What landed	Enterprise, Expertise
Grey area round	Bring a real, anonymised ethical grey area: a conflict of interest, using someone else's material, a question about AI, a client asking for something you should not do. Test it against the APSS Code.	25 min	Honest, open questions	Ethics

Practising for your core modules

Core module	Practise it in your group with
AM01 Foundational Stage Delivery	Keynote slice, Three openings, Video replay
AM07 Speaker Brand Assets	Materials swap on your one sheet, bio and showreel
AM08 Developing Your Expert Content	Activity test drive and Pitch defence on your framework
AM13 Ethics and Professional Standards	Grey area round

A sample year

Month	Focus	Suggested activities
1	First meeting	Introductions, the agreement, one demonstration spotlight
2	Speaking	Keynote slice, Three openings
3	Training	Teach back, Activity test drive
4	Coaching	Coaching fishbowl, Question drill
5	Consultancy	Discovery call, Fee defence
6	Six month review	The review, plus One idea, four products
7	Member choice	Spotlights on whatever members have coming up
8	Speaking	Video replay, Tough room
9	Training and coaching	Learner watch, Triads
10	Consultancy	Proposal autopsy, Premortem
11	Ethics	Grey area round, plus member choice
12	Annual retreat	Year in review, four big spotlights, renew, reform or close

This is only a starting point. Real bookings come first. If a member has a keynote next Tuesday, that is the spotlight.

Questions to ask

Standing questions for every meeting

Franklin's Junto had 24 standing questions. Here are eight for APSS, adapted from his list. The host picks two or three each month.

What have you seen another speaker, trainer, coach or consultant do lately that worked, and why?
What did you try since last time, and what happened?
Where did a piece of work fall flat this month, and what do you think caused it?
What did a client or an audience say that surprised you?
Is there a member just starting out whom this group could help?
What have you read, watched or heard that the rest of us should know about?
What is coming up in the next month where the group could help you prepare?
Is there anything in how we run this group that we should change?

Chemistry questions, before you join

In twelve months, what do you want to be noticeably better at?
Which of the four practices earns you most today, and which do you want to grow?
What is the last piece of feedback that changed how you work?
How do you like feedback: straight, or with some cushioning first?
Can you commit to one fixed slot a month for a year?
What will you bring to the group, and what do you hope to get?
Which of the 8 Seasons of Growth are you in right now?
Is there anyone here you would find it hard to be candid with?
What would make you leave a group?
What do you need the group to keep confidential?

Before a spotlight (the owner answers)

What is this piece and where will you use it?
Who exactly is the audience, and what do they already know?
What do you want them to think, feel or do at the end?
What feedback do you want today? What do you not want today?
Is anything confidential here, and at what level?

Neutral questions by practice

Use these in step 3 of "What landed". They help the owner think without hiding an opinion inside.

Practice	Neutral questions
Speaking	What did you want the room to feel at the end? Why did you choose that story for that point? Where do you usually feel the room lean in? What would you cut if you had half the time?
Training	What should learners be able to do on Monday morning? How will you know they got it? What happens if the group finishes early? What did you expect them to find hard?
Coaching	What did you notice in your client just before you asked that? What were you choosing not to say? Whose agenda was driving the last five minutes? How did you decide when to stop?
Consultancy	What problem does the buyer think they have? Who else decides? What happens if they do nothing? What is the smallest first step they could say yes to?

Honest, open questions for clinics

Parker Palmer's test: an honest, open question is one you cannot possibly guess the answer to.

Good questions	Advice dressed as a question
What would a good outcome look like for you?	Have you thought about raising your fee?
What have you already tried?	Wouldn't it be better to walk away?
Which part of this is yours to decide?	Why don't you just call the CEO?
What are you not saying yet?	Isn't the real problem your proposal?
What will you do first?	Have you tried what I did last year?

After a real gig

The four after action review questions. Use them after any talk, workshop, coaching programme or engagement.

What did I expect to happen?
What actually happened?
What went well, and why?
What can I improve, and how?

Keeping it healthy

The life of a group

In 1965 the psychologist Bruce Tuckman described how groups develop: forming, storming, norming and performing. In 1977 he and Mary Ann Jensen added adjourning. Mastermind Groups go through the same stages. Knowing that makes the bumps less alarming.

Stage	What it looks like	What to do
Forming (months 1 to 2)	Polite. Feedback is soft. People bring safe work.	The host goes first with rough work. Use "What landed" strictly.
Storming (months 2 to 4)	Some friction. A note lands badly. Someone misses a meeting.	Name it at the meeting, not in side chats. Revisit the agreement.
Norming (months 4 to 6)	The rhythm settles. Feedback gets sharper and kinder at the same time.	Raise the stakes. Bring bigger, rougher work.
Performing (month 6 onwards)	Members show real progress. Meetings feel short.	Keep the practice hard. Try new formats. Guard against comfort.
Adjourning (month 12 or later)	The group renews, reforms or closes.	End well, with a last meeting on what each member is now better at.

Making it safe to be candid

The host goes first with unfinished work.
Thank people for hard notes, out loud.
Keep airtime equal. The timer applies to responders too.
Never repeat a member's rough work or mistake outside the room.
Laugh with each other, never at each other's work.

When things go wrong

Problem	What to do
One member dominates	The host uses rounds: everyone speaks once before anyone speaks twice. The timer applies to all.
Feedback is too soft	Switch to Two plus two. Ask: "What is the one change that would make this better?"
Feedback is too harsh	Go back to rule 4 and the feedback language table. The host steps in on the spot, kindly.
Someone always comes unprepared	The convenor has a quiet word. Book spotlights a month ahead.
Someone is selling	Point to rule 12. Business between members is declared to the group.
Two members clash	The convenor talks to each, then to both, outside the meeting. If it cannot be fixed, one may move to another group.
Confidentiality is broken	Talk to the member directly. A serious breach means they leave the group.
The group gets too comfortable	Raise the stakes: bigger work, a tougher format, a guest responder.
Members drift away	Hold an early review (see "Six month and twelve month reviews"). Ask honestly whether the group still works.

Friendship and business

Many groups become close friends. That is a gift. Keep the meeting for the work and the meal for the friendship. Referrals between members are welcome but never expected. If two members do business together, tell the group.

When members join or leave

A member can leave at any review point, or earlier with a short goodbye at a meeting.
A new member joins only after a chemistry coffee and one test drive, and only if everyone agrees.
Keep the group at four to six. If you drop to three, recruit or merge with another group.
When anyone joins or leaves, or the group closes, tell the APSS PD team so the register stays accurate.

Six month and twelve month reviews

The six month review

Take 45 minutes of the sixth meeting. Before the meeting, each member scores the group from 1 (not at all) to 5 (fully) on six statements. At the meeting, talk about the lowest scores first.

Statement	Score 1 to 5
We bring real work, not safe work.
The feedback I get is specific and useful.
I have changed my work because of this group.
Everyone gets fair airtime.
I feel safe showing rough work.
Meetings start and end on time, and people turn up.

Then agree: What should we keep? What should we stop? What should we start?

The twelve month decision

Each member decides privately first: stay as we are, stay with changes, or leave. Then share.
Renew: the same group, a new convenor and a new calendar.
Reform: some members leave and new ones join after a test drive.
Close: end well, with a final meeting on what each member is now better at.
Tell the APSS PD team what you decided.

What APSS does

APSS does	APSS does not
Encourage members to form groups at cohort classes, monthly meetings and the Convention	Assign you to a group
Let faculty invite their cohort to form groups	Place anyone in a group without their yes
Keep a voluntary register: group name, convenor, members, start date	Ask what you discuss, or ask for minutes
Count how many groups are running each quarter	Monitor or audit your meetings
Publish this guide and its templates	Assess you through your group
Help members who want a group to find one	Charge a fee to join a group

Costs

There is no APSS fee. Members share any room or food costs. Many groups rotate between members' offices, use free meeting rooms, or meet online at no cost.

Common questions

Can non members join?

Mastermind Groups are a member benefit. If you are taking the APSS Speaker Certification as a non member, you can join a group once you become a member.

Can Associate and Professional Members be in the same group?

Yes, if their stage of practice is similar. What matters is that members are peers in the work, not their tier.

Can CSPs join?

CSPs may join a group or form their own circles. A CSP in a group of much newer members usually ends up mentoring rather than masterminding, so think about fit.

Can I be in two groups?

You can, but one group done well beats two done half way.

Can my mentor be in my group?

Better not. Your mentor guides you from a level above. Your group works alongside you. Keep the two roles separate.

Can members overseas join?

Yes. Meet online, or run a hybrid group with a strong host.

What if two of us compete for the same clients?

Say so at the start. Agree how you will handle it, or join different groups.

Does APSS see what we discuss?

No. APSS records only that your group exists and who is in it.

Can we invite a guest?

Up to twice a year, if everyone agrees. Guests keep the same confidentiality.

Can we use AI tools?

Yes, for your own preparation, such as transcribing your own talk. Never put another member's work or a client's details into an AI tool without their consent.

Can we record meetings?

Record only a spotlight, only with the owner's consent, and send it only to the owner.

What if our group is not working?

Hold an early review (see "Six month and twelve month reviews"). If it still does not work, close it well and form a new one. That is normal.

How do I find a group?

Ask in your cohort class or at a monthly meeting, or contact the APSS PD team and ask to be added to the register of members looking for a group.

Templates

Copy these into your own document or notes app. Change anything that does not suit your group.

Template A: Group agreement

Item	Fill in
Our group name
Our purpose	We meet to sharpen each other's craft in speaking, training, coaching and consultancy by doing real work in front of each other.
Members (name, tier, main practice)
Convenor for this year
When and where we meet	Day, time, place or link:
Our rules	We follow the twelve rules in "Rules of engagement", with these changes:
Confidentiality	Level 1 is our default. Any member can name Level 2 or Level 3.
Attendance	We tell the host 48 hours ahead if we cannot come. After two misses in a row the convenor calls. After three in twelve months we step down.
Review dates	Six month review: ______ Twelve month decision: ______
Signed and dated

Template B: Meeting plan

Item	Fill in
Date, time and venue or link
Host
Timekeeper
Standing questions chosen
Spotlight 1: member, practice, feedback format
Spotlight 2: member, practice, feedback format
Drill round: what everyone will practise
Clinic: member and topic
Next time: host, spotlights, venue

Template C: Spotlight card

The spotlight member fills this in and sends it to the host a week before.

Item	Fill in
My name and practice
What I am bringing
Where and when I will use it
Who the real audience is
What I want them to think, feel or do
Feedback I want today
Feedback I do not want today
Feedback format	What landed / Two plus two / Milford round / Experience share / Honest, open questions / Gig review / Case clinic / Pitch defence
Confidentiality level	1 / 2 / 3
After the meeting: what I will use

Template D: Six month review

Statement	My score (1 to 5)
We bring real work, not safe work.
The feedback I get is specific and useful.
I have changed my work because of this group.
Everyone gets fair airtime.
I feel safe showing rough work.
Meetings start and end on time, and people turn up.
One thing we should keep
One thing we should stop
One thing we should start

Template E: Register your group with APSS

Send this to the APSS PD team when you form, and again whenever members change.

Item	Fill in
Group name
Convenor name and email
Members (name and tier)
Start date
How you meet	Monthly in person / Monthly online / Every two weeks online / Hybrid
Six month review date
Confirmation	Every member agreed to join this group. We understand APSS records only these details, never what we discuss.

Sources

Checked in October 2026.