As part of the Mind Mapping Insider (MMI) program, I’m pleased to announce the launch of a monthly coaching call series, which can be accessed at no cost by MMI members. It’s part of your monthly membership fee. This is your opportunity to ask questions and get answers from me, as well as learn new skills that you can apply immediately to improve your visual mapping.
During these coaching calls, I will:
- Answer your questions about mind mapping software, including practical “how-to” advice, applications and usage scenarios
- Answer questions you have sent to me via the feedback form on the Mind Mapping Software Blog (hint: This is a perfect way to make sure that your questions get answered during these calls!)
- Open up the conference lines to encourage free-flowing discussion of key mind mapping issues
- Ask you questions, to help me better understand your needs.
In short, these calls are all about you, and helping you to take your mind mapping skills to the next level!
These calls will be managed via GoToMeeting, which will provide us the opportunity to not only to talk via audioconference, but also for me to do a little “show and tell” with mind mapping software, or to illustrate a point I’m making when answering your questions.
Coaching call vs. webinar
I want to emphasize that these are not webinars. Rather, they are a series of coaching calls, opportunities for you to access me and my expertise on this type of software. A webinar is where you join an online conference to hear someone speak at you for 45 minutes or so. If you’re lucky, there’s time for 5-10 minutes of Q&A. The amount of interaction is limited, however.
What I envision with these coaching calls is much more collaborative. Anyone can ask a question, and anyone can share their experiences and expertise. In this open sharing process, everyone benefits.
I recently attended an “unconference” that utilized this open, collaborative format. Yes, they brought in some big-name speakers, but they limited the amount of time they could present to about 10 minutes maximum. The rest of the time was devoted to open discussion. The results were amazing and energizing. What the other attendees and I discovered is that the speaker didn’t “own” all of the knowledge about their topic. There were some wicked smart people in the room, too. By providing an open forum where the speakers and attendees could share their experiences, expertise and advice, everyone benefited immensely.
Coaching call format
Initially, there won’t be a set topic for each MMI coaching call, unless you want more structure. We’ll talk about that briefly on the first call, about how to structure these coaching sessions to provide you with the maximum benefit. If the majority of you want more structure or a monthly theme around which to focus our discussion, we can do that, too. It’s your forum – it’s up to you!
Here’s how it will work:
Mind Mapping Insider members
- Get free access to these monthly coaching calls.
- Have access to the archived content of each and every call.
- Have input into the focus of future coaching calls (this is, after all, your program – so it ought to be focused on your needs)
Non-MMI members
- Will be asked to pay a fee of $19.95 per coaching call to participate – the equivalent of the monthly fee for the Mind Mapping Insider membership (Why not sign up now? You can easily cancel at any time if you want to. But once you see the value that MMI members receive, you’ll want to continue to be involved in this unique program)
- Only the first few calls will be open to non-members. Once the Mind Mapping Insiders program gains a little more momentum, the coaching calls will only be accessible to MMI members. I need to preserve the unique value that MMI members are paying for. But in the short term, I also want to give the rest of you an opportunity to see what this coaching program is all about.
Timing
Coaching calls will be held on the 4th Monday of every month, 12:00-1:00 p.m. U.S. Central Daylight Time. That means the first session will be held on Monday, June 28, 2010. Each call will be approximately 60 minutes.
If you have any questions you’d like to submit, please use the feedback form on this blog to send them to me.
How can you sign up?
- MMI members will receive information on how to dial into the conference approximately one week prior to each coaching call. You don’t need to do anything. You’re already “in.”
- Non-members will receive instructions on how to register for the first few coaching calls approximately two weeks prior to each event.
As always, please feel free to ask me any questions about this program.
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