Introduction
Peer groups, or Communities of Practice (COP), are the perfect solution for decreasing your isolation. COPs create a circle of peers with whom you can share ideas, experiences, fears, concerns, successes and much more.
“Nearly two thirds of CEOs do not receive outside leadership advice, but nearly all want it.” This was the conclusion of a CEO Survey conducted by the Center for Leadership Development and Research (CLDR) at Stanford Graduate School of Business in 2013.[1] So who do you turn to when you need some help, advice or just want to kick around some new ideas; or want to find out about experiences with a particular vendor or consultant? Peer groups, or Communities of Practice (COP), are the perfect solution for decreasing your isolation and creating a feeling of community. Whether it is the public or private sector, regardless of industry, peers are all facing similar challenges. It is important that executives realize they are not alone in the obstacles they are faced with on a day-to-day basis.
COPs create a circle of peers with whom you can share ideas, experiences, fears, concerns, successes and much more. Because these communities consist of the same people meeting together each month, the sharing is deeper and the camaraderie stronger. These groups are like Las Vegas; what happens here, stays here (completely confidential; everything discussed stays in the room). COP members feel safe to express themselves in a safe environment where they are not judged, and peers are there to help each other.
COP groups make us better informed, exposed to more options and keep us grounded in the realities of the business world. Peer-to-peer networking can work for executives at any level of an organization. We all learn better, trust more, and gravitate to the shared experiences of people at our level and in circumstances similar to ours. There is incredible value in being able to tap into the collective experience of a group of trusted peers.[2]
Why Network
A beneficial aspect of peer-to-peer networking is the exchange of information concerning what is going on in your business function.
The benefits of networking with your peers are undeniable. You face similar challenges so you can quickly gain from their thinking and experiences. In the safety of a peer group you can share challenges and get honest feedback and ideas. Participants find these exchanges invaluable. You realize that you are not alone; others have gone through or are going through similar experiences.
Being promoted into a greater role/responsibility doesn’t mean that you suddenly have all the answers. The savvy executive realizes that there is room for growth and a needed dependence on others whose experience exceeds one’s own.
A beneficial aspect of peer-to-peer networking is the exchange of information concerning what is going on in your business function. Participants get to hear firsthand experiences from peers about new technologies, products and companies. This information can directly influence a decision whether to adopt a certain technology, utilize a particular vendor, implement a business practice, and other unforeseen challenges.
Often, you must present to your Board of Directors or Audit Committee. “…it’s great to be able to say, “I have talked to six other CIOs, and they have the same challenges, and they’re dealing with it in this way.” If you go in a lone person, without any industry knowledge, it’s difficult to convey a story or seem credible.”[4]
Even the best of the best has their blind spots and can dramatically improve their performance with an outside perspective weighing in.[1]
Peer Networking through Communities of Practice
The role of the facilitator is important. The facilitator is sensitive to not taking up a lot of airtime and yet can often offer input to the group that is valuable and represents still another perspective.
In a COP you have the ability to query members for advice regarding hardware, software, best practices, or whatever crosses your mind. The more informed you are, the more quickly you can make informed decisions. The opportunity to meet others in your field and by extension tap into their networks, learn from their experiences and potentially save time and money is valuable.
You will hear firsthand from others about the products/services actually being used in business today. You can work through business issues with a group of trusted advisors and professionals in similar roles, all of whom are there to share and to help you to do a better job. Getting assistance in problem solving, having other executives examining and suggesting alternative solutions is the benefit that comes from engaging in a community of your peers. It’s not about competition in these groups; it’s about sharing.
Peer-to-peer networking provides the opportunity to get frank, candid and honest opinions, insights and past experiences from peers on issues you are dealing with now. In a group setting you get the benefit of many years of knowledge from the collective. You also benefit from differing points of view and the reasons behind them. Managing through conflict is one of the top priorities for all executives as they balance the demands of their various constituencies on a day-to-day basis. Benefiting from the experiences of your peers in mentoring/developing internal talent and sharing leadership and delegation skills as well as the approaches that have worked for them is a key benefit of sharing within a COP.
You can hear how others deal with upper management and/or how they work with their peers within their organization. Participants walk away with information and advice that will quickly apply to their own situations.
The role of the facilitator is important. The facilitator is sensitive to not taking up a lot of airtime and yet can often offer input to the group that is valuable and represents still another perspective. As well, the facilitator establishes the group norms and keeps the meeting moving, engaging those “quiet” members and handling the administrative aspects of the meeting and future meetings such as soliciting inputs for topics for discussion and arranging the logistics of the meeting.
Time Spent vs Time Invested vs Time Saved
Members find that making the time for the meeting pays quick dividends.
What makes a successful COP? The willingness of people to prepare for meetings, show up, engage at a high level of openness, exchange ideas, ask for help, and to receive it in a safe environment with peers you have come to know, trust and respect. One executive recently stated that the direction for four of his current year objectives were facilitated through information received in the COP; directions that he would not have otherwise considered. Understanding market trends and influences are often discussed within a group when talking business strategies. In one group, an executive was sharing his budget and expressing frustration over his high telecom costs. The group suggested several alternative vendors to him that he followed up on resulting in annual savings in excess of $250K.
Some have expressed concern about the time commitment. An executive’s time is at a premium and making time for a monthly meeting is the biggest concern when joining a COP. After joining, members find that making the time for the meeting pays quick dividends. Those who have made the investment usually come away from each session with several nuggets that prove to be invaluable.
Logistics
The size of the group is an interesting factor. The initial thinking in forming groups was that growing the group to 10 people seemed like the appropriate upper limit. Forming a group should be no less than six people. When facilitating a COP, experience has dictated that an excellent meeting can occur with a minimum of three people. This can be attributed to the fact that within a small group, people have more opportunity to actively participate. On the other end of the spectrum, a group of 12 has proved to not always be that effective as people will have a tendency to hold back in larger groups. This is when the facilitator role becomes ever more important. Not everybody in the group shows up in any given month due to other business and/or personal conflicts/commitments. As a result, the optimal group size should be 12-15, recognizing that seldom would all 15 people attend in a given month.
Statistics
In the past 15 years, SHA has formed and facilitated dozens of Communities of Practice (COP) for executives which are and continue to be a valued resource for networking, information sharing and continual betterment of the members. Currently there are over 100 COP members with an average tenure of 3.8 years. Turnover is very low.
When a new member joins, they are asked to make a six month commitment to the group. In 15 years, a single executive left at the end of six months, only to resurface as a member of another group last year.
Successful groups can be created at all levels in the organizational hierarchy. For example, SHA started out by creating CIO Communities of Practice. After several years, the CIOs requested groups for heads of Applications Development, infrastructure and Helpdesk. Seeing similarities in C-level roles, several COPs for heads of HR were formed. More recently, with cyber security being at the forefront of every executives’ mind, a CISO group was formed.
A recent survey was conducted of 100+ COP members (68 respondents) across 11 groups that meet monthly. The results were overwhelmingly positive. Of the respondents, 40% have been members of Communities of Practice for more than 5 years. 80% of respondents learned about COPs through a colleague or coworker.
When asked why respondents joined a COP (selecting all that applied):
91% Were seeking peer interaction
91% Felt that they could learn from others in the group
87% Wanted an environment where they could obtain objective perspectives outside their company
44% Liked the group size
39% Liked the facilitator
34% Felt it was geographically convenient
32% Liked the people in the group
One tribute stated, “I wanted to hear how other leaders deal with the day-to-day challenges; never thought it would be part of my work life 10+ years later.”
When asked if the COP met their expectations, 84% said, “Yes.” Of the 16% who said, “No,” the biggest issue that people raised was that there were not enough people at the meetings. One explanation is that business priorities will always supersede attending a COP meeting. Additionally, none of the 16% have left their group.
When asked how they would rate the performance of their facilitator, 97% were favorable. When asked if they would recommend the COP to an executive in their business network, 96% said, “Yes.”
Testimonials from the COP Survey
Unlike other groups, the COP builds a culture of sharing openly and honestly, allowing for greatest growth of the individuals.
This survey was conducted in March of 2019. Participants in the survey were asked to provide a testimonial if they liked. Here are some of the comments provided:
SVP & CIO, Entertainment Industry
The CIO COP groups provide a fantastic environment to learn from my colleagues. The COP continually provides me with input and perspective that helps guide our IT strategic plans along with various tactical issues. A great investment and value to our organization. I highly recommend this group to other CIOs.
VP and CIO, Urban Planning
The COP is an extremely valuable resource, particularly for the midsized company CIO who doesn’t have access to a lot of other resources. It’s really helpful to know what the other CIOs are doing; not just what vendors are telling you. The camaraderie is terrific, and our facilitator makes himself available as a sounding board for your next question or two when needed. I get actionable input at every meeting.
Helpdesk Manager, Corporate Housing
I have been a member of the COP for more than seven years and have attended many different key peer-to-peer networking groups. Unlike other groups, the COP builds a culture of sharing openly and honestly, allowing for greatest growth of the individuals. This is accomplished not only because of the individual member’s dedication to improvement, but the facilitators taking a genuine interest in the individual’s development. I cannot more highly recommend COP as an investment tool for staff.
EVP and CIO, Financial Industry
The COP has been quite valuable to me, particularly in the feedback I received from my peers in the group in discussions about processes, personnel, org structure, etc.
Global Director of Information Technology, Security Industry
As a member for almost a decade, I have benefited greatly from the COP. Peer interaction combined with several outside perspectives on governance, strategies, staffing, and innovation have been invaluable for my career and the companies I work with.
Director Infrastructure, Federal Credit Union
IT professionals have a busy schedule. The COP provides not only the opportunity to meet for a few hours a month, but more importantly the contacts to reach out to peers whenever needed which has proved to be valuable on several occasions.
Conclusions
COPs are fast becoming a critical component for busy leaders who need to connect with their peers more regularly and more deeply in order to help improve performance. It is more important than ever to keep abreast of the latest thinking, best practices, innovations and breakthroughs in your field of expertise. It would be criminal to waste your organization’s precious resources by reinventing the wheel. With a membership in a COP, you can easily find out how other leading organizations have already solved the same problem, created an innovative process or system similar to what is needed.[2] The diversity of the group, coupled with rich dialogue, fosters a safe environment for building trust and addressing complex issues.[3] Belonging to a Community of Practice is a valuable tool in the toolkit of the successful CXO.
There is an African proverb that reads: “if you want to go fast, go alone. If you want to go far, go together.” Timeless advice.[3]
[1] David Larcker, “Lonely at the Top,” Center for Leadership Development and Research (CLDR) at Stanford Graduate School of Business, 2013
[2] Fast Company, The Power of Peer-to-Peer Networks, 11-14-05
[3] The P2P Business Advantage, Brian Solis, 02-17-16 [4] The Enterprisers Project, “CIOs: 3 Best Practices for Communicating With Your Board” by Cynthia Stoddard, 03-10-16