Peer Groups
Who needs friends anyway?
This post is a collaboration between Mike Fisher and Jon Williams, Fractional CTO and Technology Consultant.
“In the council of many is wisdom” is an adage drawn from several verses in the book of Proverbs in the Bible. This ancient wisdom speaks to the value of seeking advice from a diverse group of people. As leaders, especially those dealing with complex and challenging issues, it is often encouraged to consult our bosses, internal stakeholders, and team members to find solutions. However, these individuals may have their own goals, biases, or be too closely involved with the problem to provide a fair and balanced perspective. An often overlooked resource for many leaders is peer groups outside their own organizations.
Peer groups can vary widely, ranging from formal organizations that meet regularly with structured agendas and guest speakers, to informal gatherings that convene periodically to discuss various topics. Formal peer groups, often organized by professional associations or industry bodies, provide a structured environment where members can engage in focused discussions, attend expert-led sessions, and participate in workshops designed to address specific challenges. These groups usually have set schedules, defined roles, and clear objectives, which can help ensure that meetings are productive and outcomes are actionable. On the other hand, informal peer groups might consist of a few colleagues or friends who meet over coffee or lunch to share insights and advice on a more casual basis. These gatherings are typically more flexible, allowing for open-ended conversations that can adapt to the immediate needs and interests of the participants.
Whether you participate in formal or informal settings, seeking counsel from a diverse group of peers is indeed a wise choice. These groups offer a breadth of perspectives and experiences that can illuminate new solutions to your problems. In a formal group, the diversity comes from the structured inclusion of members from different companies, roles, and industries, ensuring a wide range of viewpoints. Informal groups, while potentially less diverse, often foster deeper personal connections that can lead to more candid and supportive exchanges. Both types of peer groups allow you to tap into the collective intelligence of individuals who have faced similar challenges and can offer tried-and-true strategies or innovative approaches that you might not have considered. This diversity of thought can lead to breakthroughs, helping you to tackle problems more effectively and make better-informed decisions.
The Importance of Peer Groups
Individuals outside your formal chain of command can offer honest feedback and advice without the constraints of internal politics. Unlike your colleagues and superiors within the organization, these external peers do not have a vested interest in your success or any hidden agendas. This detachment allows them to be brutally honest about the strengths and weaknesses they observe in your ideas. They are not influenced by the internal power dynamics or the potential repercussions of giving critical feedback, which often leads to more candid and valuable input. Furthermore, these peers bring a wealth of diverse experiences from various organizations and industries. They have encountered different challenges and implemented a range of solutions, giving them a broader perspective. Leveraging their unique insights and guidance can help you see your problems from a fresh angle, uncover blind spots, and explore innovative approaches that you might not have considered within the confines of your own organizational context.
While individual insights are valuable, no single person holds all the answers. Optimal solutions often require the collective wisdom and diverse insights of many individuals. This concept is particularly important in complex and dynamic fields like technology, where problems are multifaceted and rapidly evolving. Engaging with three, four, or even twenty peers from your industry can bring a richness of perspectives that is otherwise unattainable. Each peer contributes their unique experiences, knowledge, and problem-solving approaches, creating a pool of collective intelligence. This diversity can lead to more comprehensive and innovative solutions, as it combines different viewpoints and expertise. Collective intelligence also fosters creativity, as the interaction of varied ideas can spark new insights and breakthroughs. By tapping into this wealth of knowledge, leaders can develop more robust strategies and solutions that are well-rounded and effective in addressing the complexities of their challenges.
Leveraging a peer group can also help preserve and even enhance your internal relationships. Maintaining close relationships with your team members, colleagues, and even your boss is crucial for a cohesive and collaborative work environment. However, there are times when it is beneficial to present them with more fully developed ideas rather than initial, unrefined thoughts. Bringing half-baked ideas to internal stakeholders can sometimes strain relationships, as it may be perceived as a lack of preparedness or clarity. This is where peer groups outside your organization come into play. They provide a sounding board for your preliminary ideas, allowing you to refine and test them in a low-risk environment. By the time you present these ideas to your internal team, they are more polished, demonstrating thoughtfulness and consideration, which can enhance your credibility and strengthen your internal relationships.
Many tech and product leaders believe they need to solve their biggest problems on their own, relying solely on their intelligence and experience to find solutions. This solitary approach often stems from a desire to prove competence or an assumption that introspection will yield the best results. However, this mindset can be limiting and counterproductive. Without external input, leaders may resort to familiar but outdated tools and methods that are not well-suited to new challenges. This can lead to solutions that are suboptimal and fail to address the core issues effectively. Additionally, working in isolation can lead to cognitive biases, where leaders might miss critical perspectives or become overly attached to their own ideas. Engaging with a peer group introduces fresh viewpoints and innovative approaches, helping leaders avoid the pitfalls of working in a vacuum and ultimately leading to more robust and effective solutions.
Finding a safe space for growth, support, and constructive critique is crucial. While mentors provide valuable one-on-one guidance, peer groups offer a broader spectrum of collective wisdom and experiences. These groups can provide the support and critical feedback necessary for growth, without the constraints of internal dynamics. Engaging with both internal and external peer networks has proven to be incredibly beneficial, offering a diversity of perspectives that a single mentor might not be able to provide.
Example Benefits of a Peer Group
Jon was a founding member of the New York CTO Club, and Mike has been a member for several years. Since its inception in 2000 the club has provided a forum for CIOs, CTOs, and other senior IT professionals in the New York, New Jersey, and Connecticut area to meet, share ideas, impart information, and learn. We have both received invaluable advice from peers in this group, at times saving hundreds of thousands in costs from poor decisions that we would have otherwise made. The insights and shared experiences within this peer network have proven to be incredibly valuable, offering perspectives that we might not have considered on our own. This type of advice is irreplaceable, and it would be difficult to even purchase such tailored, expert guidance.
Some of the praises that we’ve heard over the years for the club include:
...a perfect sounding-board for ideas and advice. If I am venturing into uncharted technology waters or looking for suggestions on a topic, I will drop the group a message and seek ideas, grounding, and advice, which usually results in useful information and follow-on leads. Great leads and much sound advice had been returned to me over the years, in practical and timely terms. It has saved me from a few costly pitfalls.
...a practical source of learning. Through the monthly meeting, which focuses on a topic / presenter, and through the group message group threads, I have learned a lot. The members are all experts and contributors of useful (and often witty) nuggets of real-world information... not just white-paper rehash. The spectrum of knowledge is also broad...from management topics to the next tech-toy to change the world...Additionally, the group embraces an environment of information exchange...From the 1-hour people mixer before every month meeting, to the manner in which the meetings and the group threads are conducted...Openly encouraging opinion and thought...And with a membership full of intelligent SMEs, how can you not learn!!!
As these quotes demonstrate, such organizations are immensely beneficial to their members. The New York CTO Club is a prime example of how peer groups can serve as a crucial resource for professional development, offering a space for senior technology and product professionals to share their experiences, gain new insights, and avoid costly mistakes. This collaborative environment fosters continuous learning and mutual support, proving that the collective wisdom of a diverse group of peers is indeed invaluable.
Different External Peer Groups
There are a variety of peer groups available to professionals, each offering unique benefits and opportunities for growth and collaboration. Industry-based groups consist of professionals from the same sector who gather to share insights, trends, and best practices specific to their field. Birds of a feather groups are informal gatherings of individuals with common interests or roles, such as specific technologies, methodologies, or job functions, who come together to discuss relevant topics. CTO clubs are exclusive groups for Chief Technology Officers and other senior technology leaders to network, share challenges, and discuss solutions tailored to their leadership roles.
Structured mentoring programs, like Venwise and 7CTOs, provide group mentoring where a small cohort of peers meets regularly to offer guidance, support, and accountability to each other, often facilitated by an experienced mentor. Technology-based groups focus on specific technologies or platforms, such as AWS User Groups or Python Developers Meetups, offering a forum for technical discussion, knowledge sharing, and problem-solving. Startup founder groups bring together entrepreneurs to share experiences, challenges, and advice on building and scaling new ventures, with examples including Y Combinator alumni groups or local entrepreneur meetups.
Functional area groups unite professionals from the same functional area across different industries, such as marketing, finance, HR, or product management, to exchange ideas and best practices. Professional associations, like IEEE for engineers or AMA for marketers, provide networking, professional development, and advocacy for specific professions. Geographic-based groups, such as city-based business clubs or regional tech meetups, offer networking opportunities and support for professionals within a specific geographic area. Finally, executive roundtables are small, invitation-only groups of senior executives who meet to discuss high-level strategic issues, share leadership experiences, and provide mutual support. These various peer groups cater to different needs and preferences, offering valuable platforms for professional growth and collaboration.
The importance of peer groups in professional development cannot be overstated. A 2021 study published by Cambridge University Press, stated, “Most mentoring programs focus on models pairing senior and early career researchers, with limited focus on peer mentoring. Peer mentoring may be especially advantageous within emerging areas such as implementation science (IS) where challenges to traditional mentoring may be more prevalent.” Peer groups provide unique opportunities for individuals to share insights, gain diverse perspectives, and receive honest feedback in a supportive environment. Research highlights that peer groups, in particular, offer significant psychosocial support, which is often missing in traditional hierarchical mentoring relationships. This type of mentoring fosters psychological safety, allowing individuals to ask difficult questions and seek advice without fear of judgment, leading to better problem-solving and innovation
Join a Peer Group, or Start One
Forming peer groups, whether within one's organization or externally, is crucial for fostering a culture of mutual support and continuous learning. Internally, these groups can break down silos, encouraging cross-departmental collaboration and the sharing of best practices. Externally, they provide a fresh perspective and a broader range of experiences, as members come from various backgrounds and industries. To cultivate such a culture, leaders must promote open communication, encourage knowledge sharing, and recognize the value of diverse viewpoints. Creating an environment where individuals feel safe to share their challenges and successes can lead to collective problem-solving and innovation.
While peer groups offer numerous benefits, the competitive nature of peers can sometimes pose a challenge. In highly competitive environments, individuals may hesitate to share their insights or ask for help, fearing it might expose their weaknesses or give others a competitive edge. To overcome this, it is essential to build a foundation of trust and confidentiality within the group. Setting clear ground rules about the importance of mutual respect, non-disclosure of sensitive information, and a commitment to the group's collective success can help mitigate these concerns. Emphasizing the long-term benefits of collaboration over short-term competitive gains can also encourage a more cooperative mindset.
Maintaining active relationships within a peer group is akin to gardening; consistent care and nurturing lead to growth and mutual benefit. Just as plants require regular watering, pruning, and attention to thrive, peer groups need ongoing engagement, communication, and effort from all members. Regular meetings, check-ins, and updates are vital to keep the group dynamic and valuable. Members should be proactive in sharing their experiences, offering support, and seeking advice. This continuous interaction helps build stronger connections, fosters trust, and ensures that the group remains a valuable resource for all participants.
Starting a peer group involves several practical steps to ensure its success. First, identify common goals among potential members to create a shared sense of purpose. This can be anything from professional development, tackling specific challenges, or exploring new ideas. Next, set clear ground rules that outline expectations for participation, confidentiality, and mutual respect. One effective way to ensure confidentiality is to follow the Chatham House Rule, which allows participants to use the information received but prohibits identifying the speakers or their affiliations. Finding the right mix of members is crucial; look for individuals with diverse experiences but similar values and commitment levels. Emphasize the importance of commitment and regular meetings to keep the group active and valuable. Scheduling regular meetings, whether weekly, bi-weekly, or monthly, helps maintain momentum and ensures ongoing engagement. Lastly, be open to feedback and willing to adapt the group's structure and focus as it evolves. This flexibility will help the group remain relevant and beneficial for all members.
The wisdom of peer groups lies in their ability to provide diverse perspectives, honest feedback, and innovative solutions that might not be attainable through internal resources alone. Whether it's through formal organizations with structured agendas or informal gatherings that foster open-ended conversations, the value of these interactions cannot be overstated. As leaders, we benefit immensely from the collective intelligence and shared experiences of our peers. The insights and guidance received can lead to significant cost savings, improved decision-making, and stronger internal relationships.
We challenge you to take the next step in your professional journey by joining or starting your own peer group. Seek out like-minded individuals who share your goals and values, and commit to regular meetings and open communication. By fostering a culture of mutual support and continuous learning, you not only enhance your own growth but also contribute to the collective success of your peers. Remember, the wisdom gained from these groups is irreplaceable and can be a game-changer in your leadership journey. Embrace the power of peer groups and watch how they can transform your approach to problem-solving and innovation.