The ATA Chronicle - March/April 2021 - 14

expert on the subject matter.

outcome everyone is looking

any previous leadership

membership benefits and

Activities such as selling your

to create. Confidentiality is

experience, and there is

division activities.

services, discussing unrelated

another critical aspect, so

no expectation of teaching

concerns, or taking over the

participants need to be sure

or being an expert. This

conversation will be firmly

to talk about what everyone

means that the facilitator

discouraged. The quality

can and can't share.

can have the same level of

of discourse makes all the

Participants must commit

professional experience as

difference. When members of

to attending every meeting.

the other group members.

a Mastermind group abandon

As mentioned earlier, they

Qualifications include an

their cooperative dialogue

are expected to show up fully

interest in learning about

and start complaining, they

prepared, take responsibility

the topic and a willingness

have turned their group into

for their own goals, and hold

to network with peers in

a committee.

each other accountable for

other language pairs/fields/

working toward these goals.

locations. Please be aware

Instead of a group
of people learning
from one expert, the
groups are self-guided
and choose their
own activities.

The work of a Mastermind

that all group facilitators

group doesn't end after a

will be asked to commit for a

meeting. Everyone must

six-month period.
Facilitating a Mastermind

dedicate time for taking
action, learning, and

group can expand your

research between meetings.

network beyond your

The group can also decide

language pair or division.

on shared activities outside

Because all participants

of meetings, such as reading

are ATA members, you'll

an article or chapter of a

learn more about other ATA

Want to Learn More?
Tess Whitty and Dorothee
Racette recorded a free
webinar in November to
provide an overview of the
program, which is available
on-demand.3
ATA is excited to offer the
Mastermind Program as a
new membership benefit in
2021. With your active
participation and feedback,
we hope to roll out a more
extensive variety of groups
in 2022. If you have any
questions or suggestions,
please reach out to us at
mentoring@atanet.org.
We look forward to hearing
from you!

book together. Groups may
Experience has shown that

invite outside speakers on

the excitement and learning

specific topics or arrange

intensity of Mastermind

for presentations. The

groups can wane after about

most crucial point is that

six months. People usually

NOTES
1	

You can find more about ATA's Mentoring Program here:
www.atanet.org/careers/mentoring.php.

activities are planned

2	

See www.atanet.org/newcomers for more details.

begin to drift away because

jointly and that everyone

3	

the topic has been addressed

takes an active role in the

to their satisfaction, or the

conversations. Leaning back

ATA Mastermind Program Training Session,
http://bit.ly/ATAmastermind-webinar.

group is not as fruitful as

and letting others do the

it was initially. Of course,

work is not acceptable.

some groups may want to
stay together longer, but our
expectation is for the groups to
work together for six months.

Mastermind Group
Facilitators
Applicants to the program

What Does It Take to
Be a Mastermind Group
Participant?

will have the option to

To make a Mastermind group

and run the groups. They

successful, participants

help initiate discussions

should be both interested

among members and ensure

and committed to making

a successful group dynamic

it work. Before the first

by encouraging teamwork

meeting, members will

and accountability.

agree on group rules,

volunteer as a Mastermind
group facilitator. What does
this entail? Facilitators start

Being a group facilitator

expectations, and guidelines.

has many benefits.

That includes setting a

It's an ideal way to try

single, definite focus for

something new. A group

the group and clarifying the

facilitator doesn't need

14

The ATA Chronicle | March/April 2021

Dorothee Racette, CT, an ATA-certified
German<>English translator, has worked as
a full-time freelance translator for over 25
years. She served as ATA president from 2011
to 2013. In 2014, she established her own
coaching business, Take Back My Day, to help individuals
and organizations solve problems related to workflow and
time management. As a certified productivity coach, she
now divides her time between translating and coaching.
dorothee.racette@gmail.com
Tess Whitty, CT, is chair of ATA's Business
Practices Education Committee. An ATA-certified
English>Swedish translator, she has been a
freelance translator since 2003, specializing
in corporate communications, software, and
information technology. With her degree in international
marketing and background as a marketing manager, she
enjoys sharing her marketing knowledge and experience with
other freelance translators as a speaker, trainer, consultant,
author, and podcaster. tess@swedishtranslationservices.com.
www.atanet.org
http://www.atanet.org/careers/mentoring.php http://www.atanet.org/newcomers http://www.bit.ly/ATAmastermind-webinar http://www.atanet.org
The ATA Chronicle - March/April 2021

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