Blog: The Power of the Peer - Circle Leadership

CIRCLE Leadership are one of the experienced facilitators helping us to deliver our Peer Networks support programme. Peer Networks is a fully-funded programme that brings together business owners to share their best practice, generate new ideas, develop strategies, help one another to improve business performance and solve problems in their businesses. 

In the blog below Debbie Taylor from CIRCLE Leadership shares her observations on the power of the peer.

In this time of immense challenge and recovery the need to refocus, re-energise and re-gain confidence not only in our business, but in our people and ourselves as leaders is burning but – where do we find the inspiration?

Many leaders feel overwhelmed by the sheer weight of responsibility: where to start, what is most important, what are the consequences of not getting it right?

Over the course of the past year, I have had the privilege to work with multi-faceted company owners and leaders in peer network groups of up to 10 participants tasked with supporting each other to resolve the major issues and challenges facing their businesses.

Although over the years I have facilitated and participated in so many leadership meetings, workshops, and strategic activities what surprised me most in this Peer Group forum was that in using a challenge resolution format of action learning, the quality and richness of the output was far superior.

Using different skills sets, experience and perspectives, combined with the desire and willingness to help and support each other unexpected and high-quality solutions, strategies and actions emerged.

The feedback from the participants in this powerful format was the unexpected - the sheer strength and commitment of the group brought powerful outcomes; a sense of accountability resulted in follow through on agreed actions. It was apparent that there was a strong sense of belonging to a like-minded group - committed to helping and supporting each other to achieve the best results. It also fostered humility, humour, trust and the ability to be vulnerable with each other. This was aided by the group setting out a team charter at the offset committing to openness, trust and confidentiality.

Why is it then that as leaders, we find it difficult to create this collective sense of united purpose and engagement amongst peers within our own leadership teams? We may ask ourselves why do silos creep in. We have meetings, workshops and strategic activities but are they as effective as they could be? Is everyone engaged and are you fully using the talents of all your leadership? What needs to happen to create a high performing entity that is driving the best possible results for your company?

All vital questions and opportunities if we are to move forward, stronger, fitter, and ready to grow and flourish as a business, as a leader and as an effective transformational team.

Find out more about the Peer Networks programme here