Picture this. You have just come back from a training event that your company sent you to. You are pumped up. You are ready to take on your career with both guns blazing. But within a matter of weeks, you’ve come down from your post-conference high. The reality of your day-to-day routines has set in. It’s not that you don’t want to take control of your career and set yourself apart as a force to be reckoned with. You just don’t have the accountability partner you need to stay on track. This is why you need a peer-to-peer advisory group!
Chief executives often find themselves in lonely positions. It’s hard to grow and develop your skills when you’re the one at the top. You can’t discuss many of your greatest challenges and concerns with your employees, and you probably don’t want to speak with your Board members either. Fortunately, for senior executives and business owners who really want to learn and succeed, there is a better solution. Peer-to-peer advisory groups are a fantastic way to learn from other business leaders at your level who have experienced similar business opportunities and challenges and successfully addressed them. That’s the key to scaling your business and taking it to the next level – discussing your executive-level challenges and learning from the successes of others to grow your company and produce better business results.
Who should join a peer-to-peer advisory group?
Peer-to-peer advisory groups can be effective for leaders at all levels as long as the group is comprised of leaders at the same level and with similar kinds of opportunities. Business unit Presidents, CEO’s, business owners, and other high-level executives might benefit the most from these groups though since they really don’t have anyone else to turn to within their organizations.
Everyone needs to bounce their ideas off other people. Peer-to-peer advisory groups provide a great forum to solve your problems and talk through your greatest opportunities, especially when it’s inappropriate to do so with your subordinates. Whether it’s a group of other executives from within your industry or a group of diverse leaders from across different fields, peer-to-peer advisory groups simply provide a better solution to drive your professional development and growth as a leader.
Will a peer-to-peer advisory group benefit me personally?
Peer-to-peer advisory groups benefit their members in many ways. Through a good group, you can expect to identify game-changing actions to scale your business. In a good group, you can also expect to determine specific measures for success to monitor your performance long-term and hold yourself accountable to achieving those strategic commitments. With the right people in your group, you might increase your business prospects and implement greater operational efficiencies too.
It’s not just about tapping into the collective mindshare of other talented leaders though. Taking part in a peer-to-peer advisory group is an excellent way to provide value to others as well and pay it forward to the rest of your group. Professional networking clearly is an essential part of running any successful business. Through peer-to-peer advisory groups, you will be able to contribute to the continued success of other leaders and potentially build strong business partnerships and relationships with other CEO’s and business leaders too.
How do I get started?
For CEOs and business owners who thrive in a collaborative, group-coaching environment, start by talking to other senior executives about their professional networks. Maybe they already participate in peer-to-peer advisory groups. Or maybe they can connect you with someone else who does. You might also know an executive coach or skilled business advisor who leads a group and can discuss it with you. Each group can not only be structured a little differently but also have a different vibe to it depending on who the other members are, so ask about attending a complementary session first before you commit to joining. It’s important you take the time to assess the pros and cons of each group you consider and clarify any expectations for participating to make sure the group is a good fit for you and will meet your needs.
So who do you go to for leadership support? More than that, how do you continue learning new skills and developing your leadership abilities over time? Peer-to-peer advisory groups are an amazing way to build your business. To learn more about joining a peer-to-peer advisory group, please visit the CEO Group Coaching page of our focused CHIEFEXECcoach website. You can also call us at 310.589.4610 or send an email to jeremy@chiefexeccoach.com.
