Membership Training Program
Reference Documents for a New Member
Welcome Letter
New Member Manual
How to Make Code of Honor Calls
Reference Documents for an MTP Mentor
Moving the Program Forward Every Week
MTP Mentor Manual
New Member Manual, see above
How to Make Code of Honor Calls, see above
Commitment and Completion Ceremonies
Reference Documents for a Team MTP Manager
Moving the Program Forward Every Week, see above
Manager Manual
MTP Mentor Manual, see above
New Member Manual, see above
For All MDI Men
How to Receive Code of Honor Calls
Details for Milestones
1. Join MDI
2. Agree to Uphold the Code of Honor
3. Agree to Uphold Your Team’s Standards
4. Commitment Ceremony
5. Learn CPR
6. Commit to a Measurable Goal
7. Deliver a Teach
8. MDI Vision and Mission
9. Study the Code of Honor
10. Lead Circle Time
11. Lead Fun at a Team Meeting
12. Lead Ceremony at a Team Meeting
13. Attend a Division Core Team Meeting
14. Enrollment
15. Lead a Team Meeting
16. Trust and Reveal
17. Optional Milestone 1
18. Optional Milestone 2
19. Completion Ceremony
Join MDI
You have probably already completed this milestone before starting the Membership training Program. It is still considered the first milestone, to make sure it's done and emphasise it as the first big step on your journey.
Joining MDI involves accessing MDI's website and signing up. By doing so you join a worldwide network of men and men's teams, all doing what you are doing: Supporting each other to become the best versions of themselves.
Success Criteria:
The new member pays dues and registers on the join page of the MDI Member Website, mdiconnect.org
Agree to uphold the Code of Honor
A man living a higher purpose is a man who will accomplish great things! The men of MDI consider honor to be an essential part of being a mature masculine man. No one can live by the Code of Honor 100% of the time, but as an ideal, you are asked to embrace it as a useful blueprint.
Later in the program you will be asked to study each of the tenets in greater detail, but for now, have a conversation with your mentor about MDI's Code of Honor. You'll find it a rich topic of conversation; during which you will be asked to agree to uphold each of the code of Honor's tenets. Agreeing to uphold the Code of Honor is a fundamental requirement for membership in MDI.
The Code of Honor (1987)
Commitment Before Ego
Honor the Truth
Respect Confidentiality
Keep Your Word
Be a Three Dimensional Man
Be Prepared
Defend Humanity
Always Be Faithful To the Men
Defend the Code
Never Engage In Battles With Weaker Opponents
Fight Only Honorable Battles
Earn and honor rank
Be Humble
Embrace All Men
Be an Example to Children
Success Criteria:
The new member and his mentor discuss MDI's Code of Honor. The conversation includes:
How we utilize the CoH in our meetings and in our lives
The mentor's personal experience around using the code
Ask the new member if he agrees to uphold each tenet of the Code of Honor individually. He is asked "Can you uphold ..." then each tenet is spoken, one at a time. He must say "Yes" to uphold each tenet.
If he says "no" to any tenet of the Code of Honor he is embraced with a good-bye hug and sent on his way.
Agree to Uphold Your Team's Standards
Every men's team has standards. Have a discussion with your mentor about the idea of standards, and what your team's standards are. The team's standards have been agreed to by unanimous vote of the men on your team. Agree to the standards and the men on your team will support you in upholding them. You should ask for clarity if any of the standards are unclear or contain jargon that isn't clear.
Success Criteria:
Before a team meeting, the new member and his mentor discuss what standards are.
During a team meeting, new member declares that he agrees to the team's standards in the same way he previously agreed to uphold the Code of Honor.
Ask the new member if he agrees to each standard individually.
Commitment Ceremony
The Commitment Ceremony is an opportunity to honor the tradition of the program and to be honored as a man who makes a commitment to give 100% to the process. Once you complete the ceremony, you are on your path to greatness. Every man who starts the Membership Training Program does the same Commitment Ceremony. The ceremony is simple. It is designed to inspire you to give your best. It is defined in Commitment and Completion Ceremonies.
Success Criteria:
The new member and his mentor perform the MTP Commitment Ceremony as defined in Commitment and Completion Ceremonies.
Learn CPR (Context, Purpose, Results)
CPR stands for Context, Purpose, Results. It is a powerful tool MDI men have found of great value used to plan meetings, activities and events, which helps men to be more productive, organized, inspired and focused. Once learned, CPR technology can be used for any activity in life that requires focusing on an outcome. CPRs can be used to plan any activity, which could be as small as mowing your lawn, or as large as creating a multi-million dollar start-up.
Your mentor will also help you learn the technology. Several milestones require writing a CPR for them.
Your mentor may require additional milestones to have CPRs written for them.
After writing each of the CPRs, have it cleared by your mentor, then review it after the event is over.
While learning how to write a CPR following the letters C, P and R, it is smart to create a CPR by starting with the Results, then focusing on the Purpose and then finish with the Context. In other words, by starting with what you want to achieve, you will naturally come up with the reasons why you want these results and then determine the quality it will take for you to achieve it all.
Context
There are many descriptions of what context is: a feeling that inspires you; the color and flavor that you live as you do something; the quality you need to have to be able to accomplish a result (i.e. committed, steadfast, brave, caring, etc.). Simply put, your context is HOW you show up. A context is a short phrase that keeps you emotionally connected to your results.
A powerful context allows you to show up the way you want to show up regardless of what is happening. It's a reminder of the man you want to be at any given moment in time. Context is never meant to be just written on the CPR. It is meant to be carried in your heart as a point of reference.
Purpose
Purpose is the reason WHY you are doing something. It explains to anyone reading your CPR, the reason for your efforts.
Here is a formula to create a purpose:
To....... (what you are doing) .......
so that ....... (the basic reason for doing it) .......
and ....... (the higher purpose* for doing it).
For example:
"To teach the men about financial sobriety
so that they can generate more income,
feel greater self-esteem,
provide for their families,
and break the cycle of poverty in their communities"
Results
What you intend to accomplish and by when. Think big. Be bold. Make the results SMART goals. Be thorough. If you want it to happen, take the time to be clear and concise. Write the results in the past tense, as if they have already happened. This is a powerful way to manifest the results.
As one example, a team CPR should include results for the team members (collectively and individually if applicable) and for you as a Leader. Also, results that involve personal growth are very powerful allies in getting your needs met as well as those of the team.
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Additional Resources for learning CPR Technology
From Vision to Done: The CPR, A Tool That Keeps the "Why" Up Front. CPR – A Simple Framework for Success (AND Navy SEALs) MDIOriginals (CPR - The Whole Story) (Simple 1 minute explanation) CPR #1: The Need for Standardization (a YouTube playlist)
Success Criteria:
The new member watches videos or receives Context-Purpose-Results (CPR) training
The new member writes a CPR for:
Each CPR is cleared by his mentor prior to delivering the milestone
After each CPR-requiring milestone is accomplished the new member and his mentor review the CPR's results against what happened.
This milestone is complete after all three CPR-requiring milestones have been completed.
Commit to a measurable goal
The mission of MDI is achieved by men mentoring one another. This means that we receive support from our teammates toward achieving success in our lives. On a men's team, we commit to setting goals, and we receive support and encouragement toward those goals.
Imagine a particularly challenging goal you could achieve with the support of your men's team. Your mentor will assist you in creating a S.M.A.R.T. goal (Specific, Measurable, Achievable, Relevant, Time-Bound) which can be achieved within the six months duration of your membership training program.
Declare your commitment in front of your team and receive their support to help you accomplish your goal. The goal must be achieved in order to complete this milestone.
Success Criteria:
The new member and mentor develop a SMART goal, attainable within 6 months
The goal is personal (related to his life goals or purpose)
The goal is a stretch (challenges him)
The new member declares his measurable goal during a meeting
The goal must be achieved for this milestone to be complete
Deliver a teach
Teach the team about something unique or important in your life. Working with your mentor, prepare an engaging 10-20 minute presentation about it which will be delivered to your team. After the presentation, lead a discussion with your team about it.
Success Criteria:
The new member chooses a topic which is personal to him (avoiding religious or political topics)
The new member and his mentor develop an outline for a 10-20 minute presentation to a team meeting about the chosen subject.
After the presentation's conclusion, the new member asks if the team has any questions.
The new member leads the team in discussing what they learned.
MDI Vision and Mission
MDI has a set of guiding principles. Lead your team in a discussion about MDI's Vision and Mission Statements.
MDI Vision
A world where honor, selflessness, commitment, integrity, training, and learning give men the wisdom and courage to serve all men, women, and children for the betterment of humanity.
MDI Mission
To cause greatness by mentoring men to live with excellence and as mature masculine leaders, create successful families, careers and communities.
Success Criteria:
The new member informs the team of his interpretation of MDI's Vision Statement:
"A world where honor, selflessness, commitment, integrity, training, and learning give men the wisdom and courage to serve all men women, and children for the betterment of humanity."
The new member informs the team of his interpretation of MDI's Mission Statement:
"To cause greatness by mentoring men to live with excellence and, as mature masculine leaders, create successful families, careers, and communities".
The new member leads a discussion of the Vision and Mission Statements.
Study the Code of Honor
You will study the Code of Honor in greater depth by talking with other MDI members, outside your team, about each tenet. Call men listed as approved to receive Code of Honor Calls. Have a conversation about a tenet of the Code of Honor. One call per tenet. How this is done is detailed in How to Make Code of Honor Calls (see links at the top)
A discussion will be done after each call, usually with your mentor. Alternatively, your team leader may ask you to lead a discussion of each call during a team meeting.
In order to maintain momentum in the Program this milestone will be completed within thirty days. Some men like to knock out all fifteen calls in a single week.
Other milestones can be accomplished concurrently with this Milestone.
After making all fifteen calls, work with your mentor to prepare a presentation answering the following questions:
- How did it go and what did you learn?
- Which tenet of the CoH do you feel closest to mastering and why?
- Which tenet of the CoH is your biggest challenge and why?
Ask EVERY MAN on the team.
For more information about the Code Of Honor, visit the public facing MDI website and scroll down to the Code of Honor section (near the very bottom). It contains a brief writeup about each of the Code's tenets.
Success Criteria:
The new member makes one call per Code of Honor tenet to a MDI man listed as approved to receive Code of Honor Calls. The call follows the format defined in How to Make Code of Honor Calls. The new member discusses the highlights of each tenet conversation with his mentor (at team leader's discretion, discusses each call during a team meeting).
Upon completion of all 15 tenet calls, the new member and his mentor develop a presentation which answers the following questions:.
- How did it go and what did you learn?
- Which tenet of the CoH do you feel closest to mastering and why?
- Which tenet of the CoH is your biggest challenge and why?
- Ask EVERY MAN on the team.
The new member delivers the presentation at a team meeting.
Lead Circle Time
This is your first opportunity to lead a portion of a team meeting. Your mentor will arrange with your team leader to designate you as the man who will lead the Circle Time segment of a team meeting. It will be your responsibility to control the flow of the Circle Time segment. Designate who goes first, then control moving on to the next man, when appropriate. Each man gets the full attention and support of the circle, for a limited time period. The length of the time period varies, depending on many factors. The team leader will help you, during the meeting, determine how much time each man gets. If a man's time expires before he has received what he needs, ask for volunteers to continue working with the man off line.
Success Criteria:
During a meeting, lead the men in the Circle Time segment
Designate the next speaker, from all the men who have requested circle time
Perform orderly transitions from one speaker to the next
Control the speakers, each one only gets a certain amount of time
If a man needs more time than available, arrange for him to receive additional support offline
Lead Fun at a Team Meeting
Write a CPR for the fun segment of a team meeting. The team leader may suggest a direction for the Fun based on what he has planned for the overall meeting. If he doesn't, then anything you, and your mentor, design will be fine. After the team meeting is over you and your mentor will review how the Fun segment went compared to the expected results in the CPR.
Success Criteria:
The new member writes and clears a CPR with his mentor, then Team Leader
Fun activity is aligned with the theme of the meeting
Communicates with the team if the men need some items to be able to do the fun
If physical, all men are included in fun especially if someone has a disability
Men are aware of physical limitations
After the meeting the new member and his mentor review the CPR's results against what happened.
Lead Ceremony at a Team Meeting
Write a CPR for the ceremony segment of a team meeting. Ceremony is important to every men's team. This can help bring the 'juice' that creates powerful meetings. Working with your mentor, you will create and run a ceremony for a team meeting. Once you and your mentor have created this ceremony, you will be asked to 'clear it' with your team leader, so he can effectively integrate it into a team meeting.
Success Criteria:
The new member writes and clears a CPR with his mentor, then Team Leader
The new member writes and leads a ceremony that is personal
The ceremony sticks to the CPR and agenda and honors the original timeline
The team members discuss if the ceremony brought value to the men
After the meeting the new member and his mentor review the CPR's results against what happened.
Attend a Division Core Team Meeting
Every division in MDI has a core team of leaders, responsible for the wellbeing of the men's teams and each member of those teams. The core team meets on a regular basis. The purpose of this milestone is to observe leadership above the team level in action. You will see how multiple teams are considered in every action the division core team takes.
Being in leadership is both a responsibility and a privilege. You will learn more about how your division operates and see how care for the men is expressed through leadership. Men on the division core team typically live their lives to very high standards. Coordinate with your mentor to schedule your visit.
Success Criteria:
The new member attends a meeting of his division's core team. Attendance may be physical or virtual, depending on how his division's core team meets.
After the meeting, the new member and his mentor discuss what he learned about:
How the division leadership works
How the core team interacts with each other and how they collaborate
What he learned about leadership during the meeting
Enrollment
Intended Lessons
To learn and develop the ability to reach out and connect with ANY MAN you meet and enroll him in doing something.
To be able to create a TEAM everywhere you go.
To powerfully communicate what you're up to with everyone in your life.
To embrace Enrollment as a powerful tool and learn to further develop that tool (you already do it, let's learn how to do it better).
Inviting a Guest
The purpose of this milestone is to train a new member about enrollment by having him invite a man to attend an MDI event. An MDI event could be a Team or Division/Tribe Open House, Art of Masculinity, fun event, or weekly meeting.
If the new member invites a man to an MDI event and he doesn't show up, the new member needs to follow up with the man. Find out why he didn't follow through on his commitment. Where else does that show up in his life?
Here is a script the new member could use...
"I'm on a men's team. We hold each other to a higher standard - personally, professionally, in our families. We're not here for chit-chat or surface talk. We're here to grow. To be better men. Period.
I have a team meeting/event coming up, if you're ready to surround yourself with men who aren't playing small, you should come. Just say the word and I'll send you the info."
If the new member guest says Yes, he will attend, have the new member confirm his attendance by calling him the day before the event and confirming he will attend.
It may be that the new member will only need the first 4 steps of enrollment.
The Five Steps of Enrollment:
1. Build Rapport
Connection is key. Enrollment starts by establishing trust and commonality--"I'm like you." This could be catching up with someone you know, or building a new relationship based on shared experiences. Use the FORM method (Family, Occupation, Recreation, Money) to guide the conversation. Be authentic and human--relate to their needs, not just facts.
Beckwith suggests adding: Your honesty about who you are and what you're up to in your life is all you need here.
2. Be a Good Listener
Listen with compassion and full attention. Ask open-ended questions, and "feedback" what they say using their own words. This shows you understand and care, and it builds trust. Reflect back their thoughts with phrases like, "Is that right?" to confirm understanding. Let them speak 80% of the time; people believe what they say more than what they hear from others.
3. Invite/Ask
Invite or ask your guest to attend the MDI event in your own words or using a suggested script.
4. What's In It for Them?
Clarify their needs, wants, and the emotional drivers behind them. People enroll based on feelings and desired outcomes, so paint a picture of what's possible for them. Share what you are getting from being member of MDI. Ask how having that result would feel or change their life. Help them see how your offering provides the tools or skills (e.g., leadership, communication, self-mastery) to get what they want. Guide the conversation so their challenges align with what your program teaches.
5. Handle Objections
Objections are not rejections, they're often a request for more clarity or time. Use empathy, not pressure. Most objections fall into five types: "I need to think about it," "I need to check with someone," "I can't afford it," "I don't have time," or "I don't need it."
Follow the six-step objection process:
Hear them out without interrupting.
Acknowledge and restate the objection kindly.
Ask them to expand--gather more insight.
Reframe the objection by offering a new perspective or possibility.
Confirm if their concern is resolved.
Transition back to enrollment with a benefit-driven question.
Success Criteria
Beckwith suggests adding
The whole milestone up to this point is about being in relationship with new men and inviting them to meeting / or event but the 2nd bullet of the criteria really doesn't fit. I know we hashed this out but in reading this again the win should be that the man engages with 1 one or men new in their lives and make invitations. It's not if the man agrees to come. We're trying to have new members reach out
The new member writes and clears a CPR with his mentor
The new member enrolls the TEAM into a community service event, a TEAM event other than a standard meeting, brings a guest to a TEAM meeting, etc.
After the event the new member and his mentor review the CPR's results against what happened
Lead a Team Meeting
At this point, you will have attended enough team meetings to see how they operate, and you will plan, then run, an entire team meeting. Planning the meeting will use all of the skills, including CPR writing, that you have acquired up to this point. You will have the support of your mentor and team leader to ensure your success. The key to success in this milestone is in delegating and inspecting the men who will deliver the various parts of the agenda.
Success Criteria:
The new member writes and clears a CPR and Agenda with his mentor, then Team Leader
The CPR contains all of the aspects of a regular team meeting
The new member delegates responsibility for segments of the meeting
Before the meeting, the new member inspects each man who will be leading a segment of the meeting
The meeting sticks to the CPR and agenda. The timeline is honored.
Team gives the man a thumbs up or thumbs down about his success at leading the meeting. If thumbs down, the new member will make another attempt at leading a meeting in the future
Trust and Reveal
Being on an MDI men's team is not a casual thing. You have probably experienced a team meeting where the men seem to know each other incredibly well, and are interacting more like brothers rather than team members. In fact, they have a deep respect and profound commitment to one another's success.
You may initially find this uncomfortable, but as you continue to work with your teammates, you will learn that trust and honesty grow within you. As we grew up, many of us have been taught to be wary of strangers, and that barrier may be challenging to break down. But on the other side of that barrier there is an experience that will make you a better man, one that is trusted and respected by his peers. It's worth it to embrace the gravity and accountability that comes with a committed relationship!
Part of revealing is telling the team your life story; how did you get here?
This milestone can be done at any time during your Membership Training Program. Some men open up and reveal their life history and receive wisdom from the circle during their first meeting. Others take longer.
You can't prepare for this specifically, it is achieved through you revealing yourself fully to your team, and trusting the circle enough to receive wisdom from it.
Success Criteria:
The team agrees the new member has demonstrated trust in the wisdom of the men
New member has used Circle Time to describe a challenge he is having
New member has received the wisdom of the men about the challenge
The new member has revealed his history to the team; how his life brought him to where he is.
Optional Milestone 1
Optional Milestone 2
Any Team, Division, or Region may, optionally, define up to two unique milestones.
Completion Ceremony
When you have completed all the milestones, you will be honored with a Completion Ceremony, as defined in Commitment and Completion Ceremonies. This is often done at a division meeting. Congratulations!
Success Criteria:
This is the very last milestone. Every other milestone must be done before this one.
The new member does the Completion Ceremony as defined in Commitment and Completion Ceremonies.
This page was written in the "embarrassingly readable" markup language RHTF, and was last updated on 2026 Mar 05.
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