Want to accelerate your leadership?
Peer learning is one of the most effective strategies for leaders who want to boost their success.
One common feeling among executive leaders is loneliness or isolation. It makes sense that you’re going to feel a bit lonely at the top — you’re not going to hang out with your team members the way you would with peers, and you may not want to appear vulnerable to other executives or to your boss or the board members.
You can find ways to conquer the loneliness of leadership, because the best leaders don’t stay isolated. They find ways to connect with peers in other industries or mentors.
When you connect with other leaders who are facing the same kinds of changes that you are facing, you will benefit in a few ways:
- Building a network of support so that when you have a challenge or concern, you have people who are at your level who understand your situation. When you trust people, you can be vulnerable and vent or share, knowing that you won’t face any repercussions.
- Gaining from varied perspectives, which might help you figure out what will work for your situation. Just as teams bring different ideas and talents to a project, sharing ideas and experiences in a peer learning group will help you expand your leadership toolkit. Think of it as building the perfect peer leadership team; when The New York Times analyzed several team studies, it found that, “groups tend to innovate faster, see mistakes more quickly and find better solutions to problems.”
- Stretching outside your comfort zone, because you’re hearing things that have worked for other leaders that you can try, you’re being challenged to do more, you’re feeling supported with ideas and ways to innovate and maybe there’s someone who boosts your confidence.
- Practicing how to give — and more importantly — accept constructive feedback. It can be very tricky for some of us to accept criticism and it’s helpful to know how to share honestly with compassion and understanding. Peer learning is an ideal training ground to observe and try different communication techniques.
- Reducing your stress level because you don’t have to go through things alone. You can turn to your peer learning group for support and advice. At other times you might be the one able to comfort and assist others, which is a great way to feel useful. We saw in the last year how many leaders were focusing on their team members, but leaders also need to cope with challenges like Covid-19 anxiety.
Finding ways to learn with peers who work at the same level as you but in other organizations or industries is the best antidote to feeling lonely, isolated or unsupported in your leadership.
Leadership Coaching Questions:
When have you felt isolated and unsupported as a leader? What effect did those feelings have on your leadership? What tools could you use or learn to help?
Peer Group Opportunities:
At Padraig, we offer two peer group programs and we’re launching new cohorts of both.
Registration for The Partnership and Registration for The Network.
Here’s what some of the current participants have to say has been helpful in our coach-led peer groups:
Booked time! Having dedicated time, with a professional to keep the topics and conversations on track for developing/planning as a leader.
Everyone in the group is open and honest and that makes for much more spirited and genuine discussion.
Realizing that I’m not the only one with “imposter syndrome”. This has been very beneficial to me.
Hearing from the other participants has been very rewarding for me. It helps me understand my struggles and growth areas are different but the same as others.
Networking and learning from our coach’s coaching style have been most helpful.
While the group sessions have been great, the opportunity for 1-1 leadership coaching has been valuable in terms of my personal development.
The Partnership — Our peer group program for experienced leaders. This program brings experienced leaders together in a small group with a certified executive coach for monthly group coached sessions and 4 private sessions, over the course of the year, of one-to-one coaching.
The Network – For new leaders and those who aspire to leadership roles. This program offers coach-led group discussions as well as four fundamental leadership courses, over one year. The program meets monthly alternating between 90-minute group coaching sessions and full-day courses. Participants in this program develop peer bonds as they become leaders — solidifying their connections for years to come. Each successful participant graduates with our Certificate in Leadership Foundations.
Or, host one or more of the programs privately in your organization.
As always – our leadership coaching programs are available as an exclusive offer for your company, as well. If you would like to talk to us about organizing one or more of the workshops or peer groups at your organization (online or in-person when COVID permits),then please click here and we’ll call you or email you (your choice).
