| Now you may ask, "Where is the link?" How | | | | overlooked or underplayed. Without it, one |
| could chimpanzees and mastermind groups | | | | could not hope to survive in the rough and |
| possibly be linked to each other? And how are | | | | tumble of the business world. It is the means |
| they supposed to influence you? Before I | | | | by which success is achieved, usually in a |
| attempt to answer the question though, allow | | | | win-win scenario. For you to implement the |
| me to share with you a little background on | | | | power of masterminding into your business in |
| the behavioural nature of chimpanzees. | | | | order to succeed, you need to be like the |
| | | | chimpanzees, that is, to know how to |
| In a study conducted at the Ngamba Island | | | | collaborate with others to serve your needs |
| Chimpanzee Sanctuary in Uganda, chimpanzees | | | | and how to be a good collaborator in order to |
| were required to pull two ends of a rope | | | | have people flocking to you the next time |
| which dragged a tray of food towards them. | | | | round. |
| Both ends of the rope had to be pulled at the | | | | |
| same time or the rope would simply be pulled | | | | In order for you to master the skills of |
| out. It was observed that the chimpanzees | | | | collaboration, you need to know your |
| only allowed a partner into the room (by | | | | objective, your end-point, where you want |
| opening their door) when the ends of the rope | | | | your business to be within a specific |
| were too far apart for them to pull on their | | | | timeframe, then go and work on it. Without |
| own. Also, an interesting fact to note is | | | | the goal, success is usually never in sight. |
| that during the secound round of experiments, | | | | Once you have drawn up your objective, |
| the chimpanzees unanimously selected the more | | | | recognise what you need and select the person |
| effective partner to help them pull the rope. | | | | whose expertise offered best suits them. As |
| | | | seen in the case of the study on the |
| What does this study tell us about | | | | chimpanzees, it is vital to find the right |
| chimpanzees? It tells us that chimpanzees are | | | | person otherwise the effort will all be in |
| smart animals. They realise when they needed | | | | vain. |
| help in order to help them achieve their | | | | |
| objective (which is to get hold of the food) | | | | How do you arrive at this juncture then? |
| as well as the fact that they needed to go | | | | Well, you need to be able to muster your |
| out there and ask for that help. They | | | | courage and ask. Do not allow your ego to |
| understood why and how they needed their | | | | take over and most important of all, do not |
| partners and went about seeking partners for | | | | be afraid to ask. You never know what the |
| that sole purpose. Hence, we gathered that | | | | outcome will be unless you actually allow the |
| chimpanzees knew their roles, that of their | | | | other party to learn of your intention. Speak |
| partners and therefore went about choosing | | | | up. Convey your thoughts with clarity and |
| who they wanted to work with. | | | | purpose. Explain to that person exactly what |
| | | | you need and why you think he/she is able to |
| The last characteristic is the most powerful | | | | plug the gap and be the final piece of the |
| of them all and is what we would like to | | | | jigsaw. Be polite and not be too expectant. |
| highlight today. During the first round of | | | | The other party has the right to turn you |
| the experiment, the chimpanzees already noted | | | | down. In that case, thank the person for his |
| who the weaker partner was and remembered | | | | her time and continue your search. Do not be |
| him. Hence during the second round, that | | | | discouraged. However, should that person turn |
| chimpanzee was not selected again. Instead, | | | | out to be the one, you are looking at a |
| the chimpanzees selected the more effective | | | | potentially great partnership which could |
| one to help them achieve their aims. The | | | | serve you and your business well for years to |
| basic term used to describe it all is | | | | come! |
| "collaboration". It is the single most | | | | |
| powerful tool in the principle of | | | | With that, I hope that the relationship |
| masterminding and is what we would like to | | | | between chimpanzees and mastermind groups has |
| emphasise here. | | | | truly given you an insight into the power of |
| | | | collaboration and that you will make use of |
| Collaboration is a very powerful business | | | | it in your business through the power of |
| building strategy, yet, it is often | | | | masterminding to bring you even more success! |