Pause to Belong

“No one of us is as smart as all of us." Ken Blanchard 

This week I had the pleasure of speaking for a group of real estate agents. They were members of the Woman’s Council of Realtors. Like many groups, they gather monthly for education, networking, and idea sharing. In my pre-work for my presentation, I interviewed one of their long-time members who told me about another group she’s involved with called the Bad A$$ Broads. BAB is a women only group that meets separately from their WCR meeting to support, encourage, and help each other grow. She said the group has made a huge difference in her career and the support received has been invaluable.

 “We’re not afraid to talk about anything and no one is afraid that they might look stupid in front of our members. We share our personal and professional challenges. The group allows us to be vulnerable without feeling embarrassed or ashamed. Having a sounding board right now is vital to our survival as real estate agents.” 

Over the years I have belonged to many groups. Most of them have been professional but somehow personal conversations enter the discussion.

Last week while speaking to an audience of insurance agents, I heard about another group that one of the audience members shared with me. He has belonged to this group for more than 12 years.

 Why?

Because:

• groups can help you grow.
• groups can challenge you.
• groups can make you more productive.
• groups can help prevent you from making mistakes.
• groups can help you take more risks.
• sometimes group members recognize a blind spot that might never have been obvious to you.

Belonging to a group can be a powerful way to advance your career while allowing you to do the same for others. Belonging to a group can be transformational. They have the power to change a person’s outlook and open them up to ideas that might not have been possible without the encouragement a group can provide.

Whether you call it a mastermind group, a study group, a support group, an accountability group, a truth circle, or Bad A$$ Broads, look for a group for which you can help others, and they can help you.