Create Your Own New Girls' Network: Ten Tips for a Peer Advisory
Group
Content provided by the Women Presidents'
Organization
by Marsha Firestone, Ph.D.
President and Founder, Women Presidents’ Organization
50 Word Teaser: An effective peer advisory group brings together
non-competitive peers from a variety of industries that
confidentially examines significant business challenges. The
benefit is that entrepreneurs in peer group learning enjoy
cross-fertilization and idea generation. The following article
provides ten tips for organizing and running such a peer advisory
group.
Learning can take many forms; however, the most successful way
adults learn is from one another. Adult learning theory tells us
that adults prefer to define what and when to learn. I call it
"just-in-time learning." This kind of learning strengthens the
skills and knowledge that the learner perceives as important.
Research by the Edward Lowe Foundation (www.edwardlowe.org), an
organization that helps entrepreneurs navigate second-stage growth
through retreats and online forums, indicates that entrepreneurs
learn faster and better when they learn from one another.
How does the peer advisory process work?
A peer-to-peer advisory group should bring together
non-competitive peers from a variety of industries to
confidentially examine significant business challenges. The result
is that entrepreneurs in peer group learning enjoy the benefits of
sharing ideas and experience. The following are ten tips for
organizing and running such a peer advisory group:
1. Members must commit their time and participation.
Participants must be willing to attend all meetings and be
active in the group process. The success of the group is dependent
on the commitment of its members. Without an active attitude and a
strong foundation, the group will experience a failure to
thrive.
2. Members must take responsibility for their own
decision-making.
Each member decides for herself what her next steps will be. No
one but the individual actually implementing the decision can take
responsibility for the outcome. Peers who are part of this
decision-making process must be adult enough to say, "Okay, I am
willing to change my ways."
3. Every member of the group must be protected in the role she
offers to the other participants.
Negativity and criticism of the ideas of others is unacceptable
and counterproductive to the learning process. The opportunity to
come out of a peer group experience with the best new ideas is only
possible when the group leadership ensures that no one will be
criticized or treated in an unprofessional manner.
4. The primary goal is to bring the genius out of the group.
Collaborative learning is designed to draw out the insight and
wisdom of the individual. The resulting mix of ideas and knowledge
crates a collective "genius" for the benefit of the whole and each
participant.
5. A willingness to be open and honest is essential to the
process.
The effectiveness of the group is entirely dependent on the
participants’ willingness to share. Only when people are open
about discussing their insecurities, finances, personal problems
and other sensitive issues will the group benefit the most.
Openness and honesty have been shown to provide the most conducive
atmosphere for learning.
6. Participants must sign a written document agreeing to
absolute confidentiality.
The document must define the rules governing participant
disclosure. Confidentiality is the foundation of the openness and
honesty discussed in above; one cannot exist without the presence
of the other.
7. There must be consequences for breaking the group code of
confidentiality.
If someone fails to honor the code, the group should have a
process in place for dealing with the exception, which can include
expulsion. All members must understand the consequences before
participating.
8. Each person must make a commitment to action between the
group meetings.
One very important part of the peer advisory process is that
each person must make a personal commitment to what her actions
will be during the intervening time between group meetings. At the
end of each meeting, participants make their verbal commitments,
and at the beginning of the next meeting, each explains what steps
she took to live up to her commitments.
9. The most effective learning experiences come about as a
result of relationships forged within a bonded group.
Bonding is the strongest when members have respect for each
other and have the patience and understanding to really listen. A
feeling of closeness and identity with one another are hallmarks of
the most effective peer advisory groups.
10. Having fun together should be part of the peer advisory
process.
Having fun together could mean a celebration, going out to
dinner or just sharing a story and a good laugh. Shared memories of
good times will foster the bonding discussed in #9 above.
Members of the Women Presidents’ Organization (WPO), which
serves entrepreneurial women who have already achieved a certain
level of success, identify the following as some of the benefits
they have achieved through the structured WPO peer-to-peer advisory
process:
• Increased revenues
• New business strategies
• Employee counseling advice and guidance
• Group support
• New business information
• Decreased isolation
• Decreased company costs
• Business development with other WPO members
• Returning to the work environment reenergized and
revitalized
Members of entrepreneurial peer advisory groups can work
together to create business opportunities, developing strategic
alliances and promoting members’ personal growth as well as
strategies for growing their businesses. Recently the president of
BrightStar Healthcare a WPO member, sold her first franchise to the
daughter of another WPO member. This business sale is an excellent
example of the connections made through peer advising and the
impact on women and their businesses.
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