This last year, more and more people have reached out to connect with like-minded individuals in the same position as themselves.
Many of the connections, until recently, have been made over zoom, teams and google meet. But as meetings become more flexible incorporating hybrid approaches of face-to-face and online, I wanted to share with you what I have learnt about peers, peer networking and peer group training. For many, it has never been so important.
2020 and 2021 will go down in history as two of the most extreme years for business. We had to poleaxe ongoing plans, respond to an unprecedented world-wide situation, pivot on services offered and work out how to work remotely, giving an uninterrupted service via different channels literally overnight. And throughout this period, the power of peers and finding others we could rely on, get advice from, and connect with, became paramount for survival for some.
As we move forward with new challenges and opportunities, developing those relationships and finding new ones will be a support structure for leaders like never before. A new outlook on life and helping others has made the region’s business leaders less insular and keener to give and get support from each other.
We currently run two cohorts of Trusted Advisor/NED peer groups with another two planned to start in the new year. We are doing this to ensure that our region has a future supply of well informed, experienced and ready NED’s to choose from. But on a personal level, there are many benefits that our members receive, including finding themselves a safe space to air issues and work out problems with equals who have different experience and diverse perspectives.
In addition, and in response to a demand from our network of business owners, CEOs and HR leaders, we are assembling the first two cohorts for our new Manager peer group programme.
New connections that can lead to fresh work partnerships and finding a team of ready-made ambassadors who can make introductions are two other benefits. Some really relish the great training environment, where learning, bonding and brainstorming sit side by side and pretty much everyone thrives because this is ringfenced time to focus on your individual business and personal needs – investing in you is never wrong.
If you join with a truly open heart and mind, you will welcome the opportunity to acknowledge and improve your areas for growth and on the flip side, you will also cement the confidence in your own skills and knowledge as you help others with their challenges and predicaments.
Creation of ideas, access to a rich pool of resources, learning from others’ successes and failures, the freedom to be honest, professional and emotional support, and a resulting better mental stability are all additional powers that come from peer groups. And as all good peer groups have a level of accountability, the expectations will keep you with the programme when normally you may leave a meeting and be swallowed up by the day job again.
In a nutshell, our peer group members talk about an improved business sense, better performance, feeling supported and learning new skills each month. Any initial concerns about finding time or imposter syndrome are negated from the very first group meeting.
If you would like to enquire about joining one of our new peer groups, then do get in touch with me for an initial informal chat. I’ll do all I can to help and hopefully you will be the next to benefit from the power of peers!
