MAINTAINING EXCELLENCE

I'm proud to report that our Mastermind Group is slowly growing, developing into something that just might stand the test of time. But is that enough? Is not dying the same as living a life of excellence? I think not!
Now having formed the nucleus of our Mastermind Group we are entrusted with not only its survival but whether it will flourish magnificently or settle into mediocrity. I sometimes fear that my zeal alone will not carry the load long enough until others also champion the cause. I always wondered what it would really be like if one person's unwaivering belief in excellence could be cloned several times thereby growing geometrically. More simply put, what if every one of my fellow Masterminders matched my enthusiasm and passion beat for beat. I can only imagine the things we could accomplish and collective power we could realize.
Right now we stand at a crossroads with our Group's future in our hands to be molded like soft clay into whatever truth we wish to create. We could be destined for greatness and something that will not only stand the test of time but maintain excellence limited only by our lack of vision and belief that it can be so.
The responsibility is now ours with no one else to blame for the outcome.

MASTERMIND FIELD TRIP - NAP of the AMERICAS

Last night 5 members of our newly formed Mastermind Group took a quick trip to Miami to attend an event at the amazing NAP of the Americas. I perosnally haven't been there for several years and was quite impressed with how well it has developed staying on the leading edge of technology. I was on the original Information Technology Task Force committee charged with making the NAP a reality. It was a different time (1999-2000) when all thing seemed possible until the infamous "Tech Bubble" burst killing many dreams and stalling many professional lives. The NAP, however, emerged from the rubble managing to navigate the pitfalls that befell many other enterprising projects.
Anyway, our group had a great time first sitting in on an eForensics Roundtable which was both interesting and humorous at times. The highlight of the evening was the tour we took of the facility which was met with a lot of "oohs and aahs" as we traveled from room to room staring starry eyed at the beauty of this technological marvel we were witnessing. I must admit that I did feel a tinge of pride as I reflected on the many meeting we had with the "tech retards" we were challenged to educate on the what a NAP was and why should one be built in South Florida. Whatever adversity we met with was very much worth it as I now stood within its walls.
The secondary benefit of the evening was that I got to bond and share this experience with my fellow Masterminders who were now rapidly becoming my friends. During a few quiet moments on the way home I felt a renewed sense of purpose and vowed to myself to continue to fight for recruiting the best and brightest minds I can find to add to the Group. In addition I also felt even more responsible for not letting our present members slip on their initial commitment they made when joining the Group for my experience has taught me that if they do they then become a cancer that must be removed. Sometimes I need to look upon these responsibilities as "tough love" as it is that rationale that allows me to be OK with making hard choices which sometime makes me the bad guy.
All that aside, I had a great time and look forward to more like it!

MASTERMIND GROUP UPDATE

Another great Mastermind meeting today. Syeve brought Jack and Nick, 2 new potential members who have agreed to join. It is becoming increasingly clearer to me that we must be very careful who we recruit and ultimately let join as it has a direct and significant effect on the group dynamics and the direction it will self adjust to. We did all agree that the ultimate acid test is what can one "contribute" to not just how they can "benefit" from!
We will meet at a new location as a test and most of us are going on a field trip to a holiday event at the NAP of the Americas this Wednesday.
I'm tires so it's short tomight.
Until nest time....