Now you may ask, "Where is the link?" How could chimpanzees and mastermind groups possibly be linked to each other? And how are they supposed to influence you? Before I attempt to answer the question though, allow me to share with you a little background on the behavioural nature of chimpanzees.

In a study conducted at the Ngamba Island Chimpanzee Sanctuary in Uganda, chimpanzees were required to pull two ends of a rope which dragged a tray of food towards them. Both ends of the rope had to be pulled at the same time or the rope would simply be pulled out. It was observed that the chimpanzees only allowed a partner into the room (by opening their door) when the ends of the rope were too far apart for them to pull on their own. Also, an interesting fact to note is that during the secound round of experiments, the chimpanzees unanimously selected the more effective partner to help them pull the rope.

What does this study tell us about chimpanzees? It tells us that chimpanzees are smart animals. They realise when they needed help in order to help them achieve their objective (which is to get hold of the food) as well as the fact that they needed to go out there and ask for that help. They understood why and how they needed their partners and went about seeking partners for that sole purpose. Hence, we gathered that chimpanzees knew their roles, that of their partners and therefore went about choosing who they wanted to work with.

The last characteristic is the most powerful of them all and is what we would like to highlight today. During the first round of the experiment, the chimpanzees already noted who the weaker partner was and remembered him. Hence during the second round, that chimpanzee was not selected again. Instead, the chimpanzees selected the more effective one to help them achieve their aims. The basic term used to describe it all is "collaboration". It is the single most powerful tool in the principle of masterminding and is what we would like to emphasise here.

Collaboration is a very powerful business building strategy, yet, it is often overlooked or underplayed. Without it, one could not hope to survive in the rough and tumble of the business world. It is the means by which success is achieved, usually in a win-win scenario. For you to implement the power of masterminding into your business in order to succeed, you need to be like the chimpanzees, that is, to know how to collaborate with others to serve your needs and how to be a good collaborator in order to have people flocking to you the next time round.

In order for you to master the skills of collaboration, you need to know your objective, your end-point, where you want your business to be within a specific timeframe, then go and work on it. Without the goal, success is usually never in sight. Once you have drawn up your objective, recognise what you need and select the person whose expertise offered best suits them. As seen in the case of the study on the chimpanzees, it is vital to find the right person otherwise the effort will all be in vain.

How do you arrive at this juncture then? Well, you need to be able to muster your courage and ask. Do not allow your ego to take over and most important of all, do not be afraid to ask. You never know what the outcome will be unless you actually allow the other party to learn of your intention. Speak up. Convey your thoughts with clarity and purpose. Explain to that person exactly what you need and why you think he/she is able to plug the gap and be the final piece of the jigsaw. Be polite and not be too expectant. The other party has the right to turn you down. In that case, thank the person for his/her time and continue your search. Do not be discouraged. However, should that person turn out to be the one, you are looking at a potentially great partnership which could serve you and your business well for years to come!

With that, I hope that the relationship between chimpanzees and mastermind groups has truly given you an insight into the power of collaboration and that you will make use of it in your business through the power of masterminding to bring you even more success!